I Met My Old Lover ...

I heard music suddenly start playing. I opened my eyes and it took a moment to focus on the green rectangle. After a moment, I made out 5:30. It was the alarm clock. Time to get up. I wasn't going to work today. This was the day for the trip. It's the annual trip for a stockholders' meeting. Usually, it's the time for me to get together with my partners. We use the meeting as an excuse to travel together. Usually. This year, they both cancelled at the last minute. My wife had to stay home because the kids were in school. For the first time, I'll make the trip alone. I would have cancelled, too, but I wanted to speak at this year's meeting. I probably should have cancelled. What would I do with myself for four days? Originally, I was planning to do some traveling with my partners after the meeting so the return flight was reserved for Friday. Today was Tuesday. Too late to fret over it. I needed to get up and get ready. I had a plane to catch.

I finished waking up, then turned over and kissed my wife. She gave a happy moan as she woke up. She put her arm around me and sleepily said, "Wait. You can waste a few minutes before your shower." I smiled in the darkness and snuggled up to her. I felt her warm body against mine, that delicious feeling, the softness of her skin. It would be four days (and three nights) without her. Without sex. We both needed something to tide us over. I thought last night was "something to tide us over". She apparently had different plans. Good. She pulled me closer to her and I slid on top of her. She parted her legs and mine fell between them. I felt her hair brush against my dick. My morning erection got even harder. We kissed. As my tongue caressed hers, I got harder still. She moved her legs farther apart and I pulled back enough to get my hand between us. I guided my dick to her slit, separating her lips. Sliding along her, I felt how wet she already was. This needed to be a quickie, so I slid my dick down, across her clit (eliciting a moan from her), then to her opening. I slid easily into her. The feeling was so familiar, yet still fresh. After all these years. I entered her completely. She was fully wet and I was fully hard. We were both awake now, each intently aware of the other's body. Before long, the bed was giving forth a slight and rhythmic squeak. That soundproofing in the master bedroom walls sure paid off. She started moaning a little more intently. She was cumming early this time. I can usually last a long time, but I didn't have that much time this morning. Not like last night. I thrust harder and she tightened her pussy muscles to increase the friction. She was cumming now, trying to moan softly so the children wouldn't hear. I kissed her so she could moan into my mouth and my tongue stifled her moan. Now it was my turn to cum. I felt the liquid warmth flow from me to her, surrounding me in her warm channel. We caressed each other in the afterglow, enjoying the feel of warm flesh against warm flesh before I have to leave.

All too soon, I felt my dick going soft and I also felt the warmth of our combined fluids start seeping out of her. One final kiss and I got up to head for the shower. She gave a sad moan as I withdrew from her body. I got in the shower as I heard her coming into the bathroom. Before long, she walked to the shower with a grin and a towel

"This is a nice surprise," I told her.

"We don't do this enough anymore. I wanted to touch you in the shower. I don't want you to forget me while you're gone."

"No chance of that. I'll be plenty lonely enough for both of us." There was a trace of sadness, and a trace of aggravation, in my voice.

"You'll be fine. Maybe you'll meet a friend."

"Yeah. Sure." I put my arms around her, reveling in the slippery feel of her breasts against my chest. "Here is the friend I want to meet."

"I'm going to miss you. Especially at night."

"Think about me when you're doing that," I told her.

"Doing what?" she asked, an embarrassed tone in her voice, a shy smile crossing her face.

"You know," I answered, "what I'll be doing when I'm missing you." I was smiling now, too.

"You're bad," she said with that playful tone I love so much.

We both knew it was getting later, so we finished with the shower, helping each other out with the best parts.

I had packed the night before, with her suggesting the tie and the shirt to wear and reminding me to pack warm clothes. I got dressed, casual, for the flight. I was ready not long after she went to wake up our children and then followed her downstairs for breakfast.

We all had breakfast together. My son was asking about my trip. I promised to bring them something special, as fathers do when they're going away.

All too soon, it was time for me to leave. I hugged my son, kissed my daughter, then gave my wife that special hug. The one that tells her how much I will be looking forward to Friday. She told me to make sure I have my notes. To not be nervous. The kiss lingered. It felt like the kiss lasted for hours, it felt like the kiss lasted only seconds. I tried to memorize the feeling of the warmth of her body against mine. Then I got in my car for the hour long drive to the airport.

On the drive, I thought of my wife. My thoughts drifted to when we were dating. I thought of before I knew her. I thought of earlier girlfriends. How my life might have been different if someone else had been the one. Around that time, Same Old Lang Syne by Dan Fogelberg played on the radio. This song always makes me think of Allison, of that time so long ago. I love my wife totally, but I still ache when I think of Allison. What if....

Before I knew it, I was at the airport. I parked the car and took the shuttle bus, still thinking of old girlfriends. I thought again of Allison. Whenever I thought of old girlfriends, I always thought the longest of Allison. I still got that tight feeling, almost an ache, in the pit of my stomach. I got off the bus, the cool morning air smelling like jet fuel. The whine of a jet taxiing nearby filled the air. A skycap took my bags and helped me check in. My mind wasn't fully on this—I was still thinking of Allison. I answered the check-in questions on automatic pilot, without fully paying attention, and received my boarding pass. I saw my bags being tagged and taken inside. I walked into the terminal and headed for my gate.

Walking to the gate, I felt aggravated all over again that I was making the trip alone. Both of my partners cancelled at the last minute. It was too late for me to cancel. Well, not too late but I really wanted to make this speech. I reluctantly decided to go alone. The worst part is that we always plan for a few days together at the meeting. We discuss business while we travel together. My return flight is booked for three days from now. When I made the reservation, I expected to be with my partners, seeing Delaware or Pennsylvania. It would be an interesting trip – again. I had made it several times before and always managed to find something new to interest me. I enjoyed exploring the history of that area. This time, it would be a struggle to find ways to fill up the time until I could fly home. I wasn't looking forward to this trip as much as I usually did. Looking forward? I was already on my way. Being swept along, reluctantly. I wanted to go, yet I didn't want to go. Destiny was moving me, unrelentingly.

I found the gate, checked that my flight was still on schedule, and found a seat. There was a young couple also waiting for the flight. They were wrapped up in each other, excited about the trip. I wondered where they were going. Their destination could be anywhere north or east of here. From here, most flights going north or east went through Atlanta. I was going through Atlanta, to catch the flight north to Philadelphia. I gathered my thoughts and reviewed my notes. I wouldn't need them, except maybe to answer questions. I knew the material. I had been researching the production problem since I uncovered it a few months ago. I was a little nervous about the speech, but also a little excited. The fallout could erupt into a major event for the company. All started by my discovery. I was protecting my company's investment in their company.

Before long, the flight was called. I boarded and found my seat. I had my usual window seat. The middle seat was empty. Another businessman sat on the aisle, reading a newspaper. I took out my palmtop computer and continued reading the novel I had been trying to finish. It helped to take my mind off traveling alone. I was trying not to think about what I would do between tomorrow afternoon and Friday morning, when I was supposed to be traveling with my partners. They were at work today. They would be at home with their families tonight. I would be alone in a city far away. Back to the book.

Somewhere over northern Alabama, I took a break from the book. Allison crept gently back into my thoughts. I smiled. I hadn't thought of her like this in a long time. I hadn't seen her in a much longer time. I wondered what she looks like now. I knew what she looks like. I had found a picture of her on the Internet. I had stumbled across that a few months ago. She still looked the same as the last time I saw her, on a spring morning. The announcement to fasten seat belts shook me out of the daydream. We were preparing to land in Atlanta. I listened for my connecting flight and checked the map in the magazine. It would be a hike between planes, like usual. That is why I dressed casually when I flew. Polo shirt, comfortable pants, running shoes.

The plane lands, everyone stands (even though we can't go anywhere for awhile) and crowds the aisle. The same ritual is repeated countless times everyday. I got off and entered the terminal, experiencing that initial sense of confusion. Then I got my bearings (having been here many times before) and headed off to my new concourse to find my gate. I found the gate easily enough. My flight was on time, no problems. I had 1½ hours. I decided to sit for a few minutes before going to the food court to get lunch because it was still a little early. I pulled out my palmtop to start reading. As I looked across the screen, something a little higher caught my eye – someone was sitting in the seat across from me and smiling broadly. I looked up, smiled automatically and looked back down. I felt a chill. A moment of confusion, disbelief, fear, recognition, more disbelief. I looked up – into her smiling eyes as she confirmed her recognition. After 25 years, 500 miles, a lifetime of growing up, growing apart, it was her. Her. Here. I smiled, no, I grinned—stupidly. She stood up and walked the five steps over to me.

"Hi, Bill." She said that with a smile in her voice. That smile. Not just on her face, or with her eyes. Her voice smiled. The way she always greeted me. Back then. A lifetime ago. 500 miles away. 25 years ago. It was really her.

"Allison!" I felt my stomach clench as I spoke her name. I had wondered what it would be like if I ever saw her again. I was finding out. Now. "Allison. It's, it's, great to see you again." I was probably grinning like an idiot. I was so struck by the surprise, the nervousness at finally seeing her that I probably sounded like a cat being strangled. Great. Sweep her back onto her feet with your aluminum tongue. I stood up and hugged her. I wouldn't have had the courage to do that 25 years ago. I relished the feel of her soft body against me. I couldn't believe that I was finally holding her in my arms. I knew I was hugging her for too long, but I didn't want to let her go. Not again. Reluctantly, I released her. When I saw the look in her eyes, I felt that funny feeling in my stomach—kind of a tightness, kind of fear and kind of relief. The look on her face spoke volumes. She looked disappointed that I let her go so soon. I must have been mistaken. Maybe she was thinking that I shouldn't have hugged her. It had been so long and we were married now. To different people.

We sat down together and she was still smiling broadly. That smile was still the same, after all those years. Those blue eyes were still as brilliant. Her soft brown hair, fixed today the way I had always liked it best, straight and short. She was always so sweet. I had thought she was patronizing me. When my wife read my diary from that time, her first reaction was, "How could you not realize that girl was in love with you?" Well, Providence was giving me a second chance, if only for an hour. Think! Say something, anything. Don't let her walk out of your life again. If she walks away now, there may never be another chance to talk to her again.

The realization hit me. She was sitting in this section. "Are you on the flight to Philadelphia?"

"Yeah, you too?"

I laughed. "I can't believe that, after all these years, we run into each other this way. I have wanted to talk to you for years."

"Really? Well, you have a captive audience for a few hours. I'm dying to know what you have been up to. How long has it been?"

"Too long," I replied without even thinking about it. "Too many years, too many people, too long." Dead alchemists be praised, my aluminum tongue was turning to silver!

Her reaction to my comment was dramatic. She looked at me quizzically, then her face softened even more as she smiled the loveliest smile I had ever seen. No, I had seen that smile before. A long time ago. At first I thought I might have offended her, or scared her off. Not now. I remembered that smile. As warm as the summer sunshine had been, so many summers ago. For an instant, I was there again in her backyard. I was fifteen again.

I had to keep her here, keep her interested. If I let this chance get away..., well, I'd live the rest of my life regretting it. "Have you had lunch yet?"

"Lunch?" I think she needed a moment to return to reality. She seemed to be as lost in the past as I was. The past? As in "me and her"? No way. "No, uhm, I'd love to get something to eat before the flight. Let's go."

I was up as quickly as I could – without tripping over myself. Relax, I told myself. Don't blow this chance. You haven't been this close to her in 25 years. I picked up my briefcase, then without thinking about it I reached for her hand. Wait a minute! This isn't a date. We are both married. To other people. She took my hand. The feel of her hand was so soft and warm – like her smile. I tried to will my hand not to sweat.

I guided her to the Food Court. It took a few minutes to walk through the crowded concourse and my hand was starting to sweat from nerves. Or was it her hand doing the sweating? I wanted to take her to a restaurant where we could talk for hours, but we needed to be on the plane in an hour. The same plane! I told myself.

"The Food Court is not bad here. It's quick, too. We don't have a lot of time. What do you like to eat?" I laughed a slight little laugh. "I haven't seen you in so long. There's so much I don't know about you."

"How about Chinese?" she asked.

"I love Chinese." I almost said something else. I was on automatic pilot. My thoughts were getting scrambled. I couldn't believe this was really happening. I had fantasized about it so many times.

We found a stand selling Chinese and got in line. The line was moving fast so we would have plenty of time to eat. We were ahead of the lunch crowd. Like so many others, we were trying to get something halfway decent to eat before boarding a flight to somewhere else.

"Where are you living now?" she was asking.

I told her the name of the city. "Not that far from where we grew up. How do you like Florida?"

Her face looked surprised, but I thought for an instant she was hiding another look—one of concern or fear. I realized my slip. "Sorry, I must sound like a stalker or something. It's nothing like that. I ran into an old friend at a party about a year ago. She filled me in on what some of the old gang were doing. I asked about you and she told me you had moved to Florida."

"Oh, yeah." The look on her face said she believed me. "It's okay, but it's not home. You're so lucky to still be living there."

"It wasn't the plan at the time, but that's the way it happened. As it turned out, it was for the best. I ended up in the right place at the right time a few times and..."

"And what?" she asked.

"Well, I guess I've done alright. Business is good, I live comfortably." Before I got to the part about the wife and kids, it was our turn to order. Once we had our food, I looked for a table. Luckily, I quickly spotted one near the back wall against a glass window. It was a little quieter there. We sat down and started eating.

"So what are you doing now?" I already knew what her answer would be. After years of searching the Internet (and thanks to that mutual friend who unknowingly pointed me in the right direction), I had found her. I'd better not talk about that right now. I think I shocked her about knowing where she lived. I didn't want her to think I was stalking her. I was still afraid to let her know how I felt about her. I guess I was still afraid of how I still felt about her.

She told me how she was working for a building material manufacturer as director of sales. Her degree was in marketing and she had been with this company for 5 years. She did most of her business traveling in state. This was a rare trip to an industry seminar. She was looking forward to it. "But the best part is running into you, " she added.

I felt a surge of warmth run through my body. Then I felt nervous. Could she feel the same way about me? Could she have really been in love with me back then? Could she have wanted to see me, too?

"What are you thinking?" she asked. "You look so intense."

Quick! Think of something else to tell her. "I was just thinking that we need to start heading back to the gate." She seemed to buy that with a nod. We got up and worked our way out of the crowd that was starting to fill the Food Court.

As we walk back to our gate, a thought hit me. I can't believe it never occurred to me before. "What is your seat number?" I asked Allison.

She pulled out her boarding pass and checked it. "32A. Why? Oh. What's yours?" She realized why I was asking.

"I'm in 21F. Let's see if we can get seats together. If we can't, we can probably get someone to switch when we get on the plane."

I led us to the line at the check-in desk. There were only two people in front of us. Before long, we were at the counter and I asked if we could get two seats together.

"No problem," said the pretty gate agent. "The flight is kind of empty today. Let me see both boarding passes," she said as she reached for Allison's ticket. The woman typed on her keyboard for a few minutes, then handed me two new boarding passes. "You are in 25A and C," she said with a smile. "The middle seat is empty. The flight will start boarding in about ten minutes."

"Thanks," I told her with a big smile. Next, we found a place to sit and wait to board.

"So where were we?" Allison asked. The ten minutes flew by as we talked about everything and nothing. We giggled as we talked about what we were doing now, where we lived, our spouses and children. It's like we were teenagers again. Our section was called for boarding and we got in line. Together. I still couldn't believe this fantasy was really happening. Feeling her, smelling her perfume, seeing her so close to me. Hearing that sweet voice again. I was traveling through time, back to the past. Only it was really happening. It wasn't a daydream this time. I felt like my feet didn't touch the ground when I walked. We boarded and took our seats. As promised, the center seat was empty and Allison took it, next to me. We again lost ourselves in conversation. The world went on around us but we hardly noticed. The announcements ("Our pilot today is Captain Hughes, the first officer is ..."), the safety briefing ("Please take out the safety card in the seatback ..."), taxiing to the runway, the takeoff run. All that mattered was the two of us. I had never been preoccupied like this before. I love to fly. I always paid attention to what was going on around me. Not today. Not here. Not with her.