Twenty-two hours straight travelling was not the best preparation to see you again for the first time in over twenty years.
My flight to Phoenix changed last minute to Las Vegas with a following connecting some sixteen hours later onto my required destination. The airline had offered apologies and provided some meager compensation for the inconvenience for the disruption but for me it gave a perfect opportunity to see Jen again after far too many years.
The last time we had met was over twenty years ago while we were both in high school, at that time three and a half thousand miles separated us as you went to school on Long Island and I was in the UK. It was an exchange programme that brought us together and unfortunately it was my stupidity that prevented us from doing what we both thought would happen.
But that was a long time ago and as the saying goes time heals. We got in contact again about 3 months prior to the trip through facebook of all things, friend of a friend and all that and we started chatting regularly.
I discovered that Jen had moved from Long Island and was working as a teacher on the outskirts of Las Vegas, I was due to visit Phoenix for work and had considered how we could get together for a coffee. Although it seemed a little excessive to do an eight hour each way trip for a cuppa even if it was very good. So I had doubts if we would actually manage it this time around.
So when the airline announced the stay over in Las Vegas I was quietly very pleased and immediately got in contact to see if Jen was free.
Jen had to shuffle a few things but the chance of catching up after all these years seemed too good an opportunity to miss. She noted the flight details and offered to collect me from the airport, which I instantly agreed too.
In hindsight I thought that was probably a mistake, as the airline was providing a hotel room I should have gone there first to at least shower and change, but at 7.30pm local time the aircraft landed at McCarran slightly ahead of schedule and there was no time to change any plans.
With immigration and baggage collection it took another hour and a half to get out of the airport. As soon as I could I sent a quick text to say I was in the arrivals lounge having stored my main bag and now just had an overnight bag with a change of clothes and some toiletries in it to travel lighter.
Jen's text came back almost instantly telling me to go to the closed information kiosk and she would meet me there.
Looking around the arrivals lounge the information kiosk was about twenty yards away on my right, with four people standing near it. I ruled out two immediately, one bloke and one old lady but there were two other possibilities. As it turned out neither of them were Jen as the group of four walked away as I got close. Turning around I started scanning the lounge for her and to see if I would even recognize Jen after all this time.
A movement caught my eye and I saw her bounding over in a half contained run with a huge smile on across her face. As she got close Jen leapt at me like she had done many years ago when I met her off of her flight and planted a huge kiss on my lips. It didn't take much encouragement to wrap my arms around her and return the kiss with a longing that I thought had long since evaporated.
Jen was almost exactly how I remembered, a different hairstyle but other than that the years seemed to have had very little effect. Just over five foot tall, a great body and hair that was now just below your shoulders. She also smelt great, which just made me think how bad I must smell after a day of sitting in cars and planes. Yet it didn't seem to bother her one bit as she kissed me long and hard again.
Eventually breaking the clinch Jen took my hand and ask if I would like to get something to eat or maybe freshen up first.
I choose the second option and she nodded telling me her apartment was about ten minutes away and I can grab a shower there, walking me out of the terminal into the early evening heat and humidity of Las Vegas.
Her car was parked in the short wait area close to the terminal exit so it only took a minute to walk to it and be on our way. Jen drove a light blue ford, in the UK it would have been considered a large family car but on the American roads it was one of the smaller vehicles.
As she drove we made some small talk, double checking when my flight out was and offered me a list of things we could do in and around Vegas if I was interested. Because of tiredness I was probably a little more honest than I expected and just replied that I wanted to see as much of her as I could. My mind instantly wondering if she took that to mean time with her or Jen being naked.