"Mommy, I don't want you to go!" Ella hiccupped.
I'd just checked my luggage and she and my mother were telling me goodbye before I headed to my gate.
The front I'd had for the past week crumbled as my little girl looked up at me, her gray eyes brimming with another batch of tears to streak her already wet cheeks. I dropped to my knees, cupped her cherubic face in my hands, and let my own tears spill over. Ella was my life. Since her father Jordan was white, she was a few shades lighter than me with these eyes that I couldn't explain or take credit for. They were gray, but more accurately silver. They reminded me of liquid mercury once it hit the air, thick with a hint of wisdom behind them. She had my ears, though...and dark brown hair that grew faster than I could get her into the salon. My baby was beautiful and to see her crying because of me hurt to my bones. Ella wrapped her slender arms around my neck and buried her face in my shoulder.
"Oh, sugar," I choked running my hand over her hair, "I know we've never been apart, but I need to do something really important and I can't just snatch you outta school right before the year ends. You don't want to repeat the first grade next year do you?"
"It was kinda fun," Ella mumbled. "Maybe it wouldn't be too bad to do it again."
I smiled. "You say that now, but let me tell you something." I put my hands on her shoulders and held her so I could look into her eyes. "Second grade will be way more fun. You just finish up these last three weeks and if I'm not back by the time summer break comes around, you'll come to me okay?"
She shrugged.
"Will you take care of my mama for me until then?" I asked my daughter.
"Yeah," Ella said in a small voice before hugging me again.
***
The plane trip was torture. Ten hours in the air was just so wrong, even if it was first class. I'd watched three movies, had five flutes of champagne, and slept the other four hours. When we de-boarded, I thought I'd just pick up my luggage and call a taxi. Wrong! After an hour and a half in line at customs, a heavy-set, pasty bald man looked at my passport, stamped it, and muttered something that sounded like, "We'll come to in land."
I guessed he meant to say, "Welcome to England." I thanked him and glanced back at the poor bastards that were still in the cattle-line behind me. "What a way to start a vacation," I mumbled.
I moved over to where the other passengers had been shepherded and milled around a luggage spinning machine. I was engrossed with studying the people around me, noting the diversity. There were people of all races speaking languages I couldn't even begin to guess at.
Suddenly a red light began spinning and my attention went to the machine that had suddenly groaned to life and began rotating suitcases.
My bag wasn't in the first three passes, but the next time I saw it and moved forward to pull it off. I didn't expect it to be that heavy. I'd pulled it on its wheels when I'd checked it, but those wheels were doing no good while it was on its side...and moving. I side-stepped along with the bag pulling at it, my carry-on bag slipped from my shoulder causing me to lose my grip as the suitcase made its way back into the abyss.
I cursed and hurried back to the other side where it would appear again. This time I planted my feet, grabbed an accessible handle with both hands, and tugged with all my strength. It budged! Then the machine lurched and the bag escaped my grip. Unfortunately, my Nikes still had quite a grip on the linoleum floor and I ended up flat on my ass as my suitcase once again made its way back into the darkness.
The people around me stared and I distinctly heard some giggling. My face flushed as I stood and tried to quickly formulate another plan of attack. Just as the stubborn suitcase came into sight again, a man stepped up beside me. I couldn't see much of him, just his broad shoulders and his back. I did notice that he seemed to be stretching his gray t-shirt nicely. Oh, and his hair was long, in fact his blonde ponytail was longer than my own. As I watched he reached down, grabbed two handles and lifted my bag. He planted firmly on the floor, on its wheels before he turned and offered me the handle.
"Sure, make it look easy," I said, pretty sure my face was completely red from embarrassment.
"You must be Deidre," he said.
I hadn't looked him in the face until that moment. How did he know my name and how was it that his British accent made it sound so good?
This guy was tall. I was above average at 5'8", but he had me beat by a head. I looked up and studied him for a moment. He had chiseled features; his hair was actually dirty blonde and matched his dark blue eyes nicely. He had high cheekbones and a Roman nose. His mouth was full and pink. The rest of him wasn't too shabby either, he was bulky, that's for sure, with those shoulders and his large pectorals evident under the t-shirt. His jeans were a bit tight across the thighs...oh...and the crotch and he was definitely bulky there too!
"How do you know me?" I asked when I'd finished my appraisal of his looks...and his package.
"You seem to be the only American in the middle of Stanstead Airport at this moment that looks completely lost. Everyone else has met up with their party or headed toward the transportation. Plus, Trilla gave me a very accurate description of you."
"Oh, so you're my ride?" I asked trying to gloss over what he'd said about my looking lost. Let's face it, I was completely lost. At this moment, I was Alice and this bustling crowded airport was my rabbit hole.
"I'm Tolem," he said bowing his head slightly; "I'll be escorting you to Ellyrinia. It is now six in the evening. We can be there by eight if we leave immediately."
"Great," I said smiling, "Lead on, White Rabbit."
"Excuse me?" he said raising an eyebrow as he relieved me of my carry-on and the handle of the bigger suitcase.
"You know, like in Alice in Wonderland...down the rabbit hole...uh...never mind."
He nodded and began walking through the crowd. I had to take quick steps to keep up with his long strides, but his girth effectively cleared a path all the way to the parking lot. Once we got to the car I tried to take back my carry-on back but he insisted I get in the car and let him handle the luggage.
I automatically went to the right side of the car but when I saw the steering wheel, I quickly corrected myself and walked around to the other side. I didn't hear any snickering so I assumed that Tolem had missed my mistake.
***
Evidently Tolem was not only my driver; he was some sort of personal assistant. After the drive, which I gladly slept through, he pulled up to a magnificent house...well, castle. It was on a hill, surrounded at the foot by an entire village. There was a tower and everything. I was pretty sure that it didn't compare to Windsor Castle but for a girl from Deluge, Georgia a castle of any size was pretty damned impressive.
He unloaded my bags and took them inside. I followed quickly, missing what I'm sure were some beautiful decorations in my attempt to keep up with him. He went upstairs, not even using the wheels on the suitcase, just carrying the damn thing with one hand. I watched his bicep which was huge with the effort of carrying the bag, but he showed no excerption otherwise. He didn't even break a sweat and let me tell you, half way up the staircase my thighs had started to burn like I'd been on the treadmill for an hour!
He led me across the second floor and set my bags just outside a door. He opened it slowly, stepped inside, flipped on the light, and then held it open for me to enter. It wasn't until after he'd brought my bags into the bedroom that he spoke.
"Did you leave anything at home?" he asked as he lifted the suitcase onto the bed. It bounced and the mattress squeaked as if to emphasize his point.
"Just my daughter," I snapped. Okay, so I'd over packed a little! Nobody told him to be all Herculean and not use the wheels!
He didn't say anything.
