The Trip (by Fallen)

"Shut up, both of you. I don't care whose fault it was, all I want is a solution to the problem. How about I send Laurie home and you two never see each other again?"

Paul and Laurie looked at each other and suddenly realized just how important they had become to one another. They leaned towards each other and kissed. When they finished Paul said, "No sir I don't think we can do that."

"Well you are going to have to do something. I don't want to lose my best computer man and Laurie's dad owns a forth of this company. We can't have one of the married junior execs messing around with the 18 year old daughter of one of the owners."

"What if I divorce my wife and marry Laurie, that is if she will marry me."

"Oh Paul, would you really marry me?"

"Now just a minute you two. Paul would you really leave your wife and kids?"

"Yes sir. I believe my marriage is over except in name. You see..."

"Okay, we don't need details now. We might be able to save everybody's ass yet. Paul, you know we have that new plant in California. How about I send you there as systems supervisor. Laurie dear, I seem to remember that you always wanted to go to California for college after you graduated from high school. That won't be too long just a month or two till school is over. Paul, if you can settle your affairs with your family and you two can cool it till this summer, we may all come out this deal smelling likes roses instead of assholes. Laurie honey, I think you just lost your job. Paul, I think it is time you went home and talked to your wife. Now if that will work for you two, I'll take Laurie home myself."

Paul got home and checked in on his kids. They were fine, sound asleep and looking like little angels. He grabbed a beer from the icebox and went into the living room. Picking up the remote, he turned on the television and sat down. Karen came in and sat in the chair across from him. She didn't talk to him or even act like he was in the room. Paul had wondered how and when he could break the news that he wanted to get divorced. Now seemed like as good a time as any. "Karen we need to talk."

"I don't want to talk to you. In fact I don't really want to look at you." She started to get up and leave.

"Wait. Please wait, I think you may want to hear what I have to say." His tone and the look on his face made Karen sit back down. "I know that we haven't gotten along since the trip to New York and from the way things are going I doubt that we will ever feel the way about each other that we did before. You know that I still care about you and the kids. I wouldn't want to ever hurt you or them." She started to get up again. "No, no, please hear me out then you can go and I won't try and stop you." He shifted around and cut off the TV. "It isn't good for the kids or us to live like this. You are always mad and never talking to me. Me, I stay gone all the time because I know that you don't want me around. I think the best thing for all of us is if we split up."

Karen's eyes lit up, "What? What are you telling me, that you want a divorce?"

"Well yes, I don't think that the life we have now is good for the kids or us. It would probably be better for all concerned if we just split up now instead of dragging it out waiting for things to get better."

"I get to keep the kids and the house?" Karen was beginning to feel much better about the future.

"Sure if I get to see them whenever possible, like holidays and summer vacations once they start school. There should be some kind of consideration made for me giving you the house when we talk about support for you and the kids. The lawyers can work out the details but what do you think?"

"Well that sounds good to me and I didn't expect to hear it coming from you." Karen really was relieved as she thought that her pregnancy was going to be the final straw and she still didn't know how to explain it to anyone. "I think that it might be a good idea for me to take the kids up to my parents for a week or two till we can get things worked out a little more, don't you?"

"Yes it might be hard to explain why daddy is moving out of the house but I'll miss them." Paul's head was spinning, he had never thought that it would be this fast or this easy. "When do you want me out?"

"I'll call now and make arrangements for the kids to stay with Mom. You should try and move out while they are gone to Grandma's. Maybe by tomorrow night you can start moving. Would that be fine with you?"

"Sure I'll take the day off from work and look for an apartment."

"Well I'm going to go and call Mom right now and tell her the news, so I'll see you in the morning maybe." Karen left and went to the bedroom as Paul settled down to get some sleep on the couch.

*** CHAPTER 13 ***

The phone rang as Karen was getting the kids ready to go. She wondered who this could be as she picked up the phone, "Hello."

"Hello. Is Karen there?"

"This is Karen, who is this?"

"Fred, Fred Laymano the limo driver you met in New York. You said if I ever got my pilot's license and was close by to call."

"Fred, Fred. Yes, I remember now. What are you doing here?"

"I am sorry if I surprised you. I can hang up if you want."

"No, no don't hang up. You did surprise me and it just took me a little bit to place who you were. Now what are you doing here? Last time I saw you, you were driving a limo."

Fred's voice burst with pride, "I made it. I'm a pilot for American Airlines. I flew in as copilot last night from New York. I was going to catch a commuter flight to see my son in New Mexico but he had other commitments. I have 36 hours before I work my next flight so I thought I would call you and see if you wanted to have a late lunch."

"Oh Fred I'm so happy for you. I wish I could see you but there isn't time for you to drive down and spend any time here and drive back. I have to take the kids to my mom's today and that is a four-hour roundtrip drive. Maybe next time we can get together." Karen wished it could work out differently, she would have enjoyed a friendly face to talk to, especially now.

Fred laughed, "Drive? Are you going to be at home for another hour or so?"

"I still have some packing to do for the kids and then we should get going." Karen sighed, "I guess if you were here this evening we could go out to dinner."

"Just don't leave till I call back. It should be in an hour or so. Please, I really would like to celebrate with someone on my first flight as a paid pilot. The meal will be on me for you and your husband."

"I'll wait till you call but in two hours I have to leave." Karen didn't see any reason to tell Fred about Paul over the phone. In a little over an hour Karen heard the phone ring again. "Hello this is Fred again. I just flew into your airport. Do you think you could meet me here for lunch?"

"What? How? You are here in town? Yes, of course I can. Let me put the kids in the car and we'll drive out there."

Karen checked her makeup and decided to put on something a little better than jeans. Half an hour later she had transformed from a mom into a beautiful woman in a denim skort and a lacy white top. "Mommy are we still going to Grandma's?" her daughter asked. "Yes dear but we have to go to the airport first. We can look at some planes and get something to eat there."

"Can we have ice cream please, please, please?"

"If you eat your lunch, I will stop on the way to Grandma's and get both of you an ice cream cone." Karen drove to the airport excited as a schoolgirl. She wasn't sure why she was so excited but her life had been so depressing lately that any change was a welcome relief.

She spotted Fred as he stood waiting at the front entrance to the terminal dressed in his pilot's uniform. She and the kids parked and walked up to the terminal. Fred shook her hand and she congratulated him again. They went to the restaurant inside and Karen introduced her two kids Sara and Timothy to him. They seemed to like him immediately and he was asked all kinds of questions about his uniform, did he fly a plane, where was it, could they ride in it. Karen finally got them settled down and after they had all ordered lunch she got to ask a few questions of her own, like how the heck he had gotten here so quick from Phoenix.

Fred explained over lunch that the pilot he had flown in with had friends in Phoenix and had helped arrange for Fred to use a personal plane till tomorrow. He would have to keep it gassed up and pay landing fees but other than that it was free. The kids made conversation difficult with bathroom breaks and spills but Fred seemed to enjoy the ruckus commenting that it was nice having little ones around to keep you on your toes. Fred was more than happy to promise Sara that she could see the plane and even hinted that she might get to ride in it, if it was okay with her mom. Karen reminded everyone that they had to leave soon and drive to grandma's but maybe they could ride in one some other time. Fred said, "Why not now? I have the plane and the time. I could fly you up to visit your parents if you could get them to pick you up. We could be there in about the time it would take them to get ready and drive to the airport."

Karen protested but finally gave in to Sara and Fred and went to call her parents. Sarah asked Fred while Karen was gone, "Who are you anyway, are you an uncle?"

"No Sara. I'm just a friend your mommy meet while she was on a trip to New York."

"Oh, do you know why she has been so sad since she got back from there?"

"No I don't sweetie but do you think some ice cream would make her happy?"

Sara's face lit up, "Ice cream oh mommy loves ice cream and me too!" Timothy yelled, "Cream, cream me want ice cream."

Fred ordered ice cream for all of them and wondered what Sara had meant by her remark about Karen. Karen had seemed so happy and full of life when he had seen her in the city. He couldn't imagine what could have happened in such a short time to make her sad.

Karen came back and told them it was all set. Her parents would meet them at the airport and pickup the kids. She was relieved to have a good reason not to stay and explain the details of what was happening with them. Why even last night their first remark had been "What have you done now?" Thank goodness they were better grandparents than they had been parents.

Sara could barely sit still to finish her ice cream, once she knew that they were going to get to fly in an airplane. They loaded all the kids' luggage and finally got Sara to settle down and buckle up. Fred flew them over their house and neighborhood while Sara waved to everyone she saw. In just 45 short minutes they were landing at the airport where Karen's parents waited. Karen told Fred as they were parking the plane, "If anyone asks you have to leave right away, okay?" Fred replied, "Sure and you will explain why to me when we leave, right?"

They got the kids and the luggage unloaded and into the grandparents car. Karen introduced Fred as a pilot friend of hers who offered to give them a lift so that Sara could ride in a plane. Karen's mom asked if he was the reason for Paul and hers situation. Karen told her "No" and that when she came to get the kids in a week she would come by herself. "Sara honey get Grandma to help you call me. I love you, let me have a kiss." Karen kissed Sara and Timothy then turned and grabbed Fred. "We have to go now," and started him toward the plane.

Fred called back "Nice meeting you." Once they got on the plane and were strapped in and ready to go he told Karen, "Okay what is going on? You promised to explain."

"Oh Fred you really don't want to know. My life is such a mess right now that, you would be better off to just stay away."

"Karen, I want to help if I can. When I first met you and your husband, you were just customers but you treated me like an equal and didn't look down on me for being your driver. You asked for me the next day and treated me like a friend, a good friend. By the time the night was over I felt like we were at least friends. Now friend will you tell me what is wrong?" They had taken off and Fred had to radio in to the tower for a few moments before he turned to Karen and said, "Well."

Karen began to unload her soul. Telling him how she and Paul had just agreed to get divorced and how there was no one she felt like she could talk to about that it. Her own parents seemed to blame everything that went wrong in her life on her, no matter whose fault it was. She told him she didn't feel like she could talk to any of their friends about what was going on in her life because they would have to take sides or would just run and tell Paul whatever she had said.

Fred sympathized and let her talk till they were coming in for a landing at the Phoenix airport. Karen asked him, "What are we doing here? You were supposed to take me home."

"I know and I still will but we were just 20 minutes from here and I would like to change out of my uniform. I didn't have time to go to my room and change if I was going to catch you before you left. I know I should have said something sooner but it seemed like you needed to talk and I didn't want to interrupt your thoughts. I promise to take you back as soon as I change if that is what you want or we can just get the plane fueled up, file a new flight plan and go."

"I am not very fond of getting kidnapped or being taken places that I don't know I'm going. However we are already here and you have been so nice that this time I won't complain. I really did need to talk. Karen had to quit talking as they walked to the terminal because of all the noise from the big planes landing and taking off.

They caught a ride on the transit system and got off at the Marriott going up to a suite. Karen asked how he could afford a room like this. Fred explained that the airlines and the hotels had a deal where if there were rooms available the crew could stay at a very reduced rate. She waited in the room while Fred changed clothes. Karen started to get nervous as the room brought back memories of the last trip and she called out to Fred to please hurry. He came out in a little bit and Karen was pleasantly surprised. It was the first time that she had seen him out of uniform and he looked good in street clothes. She would have guessed him at least 10 years younger if she hadn't known how old he was. She freshened her makeup and asked him if they could go somewhere and get a drink. "Of course, your wish is my command," he said bowing.

The hotel bar was open and airy and Karen ordered a glass of white wine while Fred got a glass of tea. Karen apologized and told him, "I don't know what is wrong with me just nerves I guess." They talked for several hours about their lives, kids, hopes, and fears. Happy hour was announced and the hotel served free cocktails. Fred asked Karen if she minded if he had a drink. She replied, "I don't mind if you drink, in fact have all you want." Fred warned her, "I can't fly you home tonight if I start drinking."

"There is nothing for me to go home to but an empty house and bad memories."

Fred had several cocktails but Karen only had a couple of glasses of wine. They went to a small Italian restaurant in the hotel. During the meal Fred asked, "Did something happen between you and Paul in New York?" Karen wanted to know why he would ask that. "Well, Sara said you had been sad ever since you got back from there."

"Oh my god, I didn't think they could tell. I thought I had done a better job of hiding it than that." Karen's eyes began to fill with tears and she asked Fred if they could leave and go to his room or somewhere private to talk. Fred paid the bill and got them a bottle of white wine to take back to the room.

Karen and Fred talked till the middle of the night and she told him of falling asleep and Paul displaying her for his friends to see. Then the next day he arranged for her to go out with the same guys and go party, something that she had thought was going to be just Paul and her. How they had ended up at the Red Baron, and she had been raped by the gang. He asked, "Why didn't you listen to my advice and stay away from there." She told him that she tried to get Paul to take her home but he and his buddies had wanted to stay. Tears streamed down her face as she told how Paul had abandoned her at the club and then had joined in on her rape while she was drugged in the limo.

Karen went into the bathroom and showered for a long time. She came out and told him she knew no one would want her after she had done something like that. Fred tried to persuade her it wasn't her fault and that any man would find her beautiful and desirable. He was finding her very desirable now standing there wrapped in towels, her long blonde hair clinging to her wet body. Karen began to cry again and told him that he didn't even know the worst. She was pregnant by Juan, the leader of the gang. She was sure that now no man would ever want to touch her again. Fred went up to her and held her, lifting her face up to his, he kissed her softly and gently. "You are the most desirable, delightful, beautiful woman I know." She clung to him, holding onto him like he and only he could save her from the stormy seas of life. He wanted her, to hold her, protect her, to save her from the world and save her for himself.

His hands slid down her back and he was surprised to find that the towels had fallen to the floor. He locked his arms around her and carried her to the large bed. They lay cradled in each other's arms for hours kissing, talking, and sometimes just lost in each other's eyes not saying a word. Fred finally told her, "I want you. I want you to be mine, mine to love and care for. I don't care what has happened or whose baby you carry. I love you and will make the little one my own. We can live anywhere you want, just say you want me too."

Karen looked into Fred's deep blue eyes, "I didn't think that I could love again and now I'm not sure that I have never been in love before. I never want to leave your arms. If you can love me knowing all that has happened then I am yours, yours mind, body, and soul."

The words seemed to purge her soul and unlock the desires she had hidden deep within her. Her hands began undressing him, slowly unbuttoning his shirt, running her fingers through the sparse chest hair that was just beginning to turn gray. Their lips found each other frequently with tongues caressing and tracing the soft boundaries before entwining in a sweet embrace. He kissed her nose, her eyes, her cheeks. She removed his shirt as he breathed in the smell of her damp hair kissing her just below the ear. His hands found their way to her full breasts, playing with her stiff nipples. Her hands undid his trousers sliding them and his boxers down till they fell to the floor by the bed. She gently held his manhood with both hands, he was large, very large. She swirled her tongue around the head and licked the slit as small droplets appeared. Her one goal was to bring him pleasure, to show him with actions the joy that she was feeling just from being with him. She forced the head past her lips and teeth, inching down the shaft a little at a time. When it reached the back of her mouth she gagged and his hands dropped from her head, where he had been playing with her ears, to her arms. He tugged at her, "Enough of that for now. I want you up here with me." He pulled her up, the slight sound of suction breaking as his tool slipped from between her lips.

He brought her up till their lips met. His lungs emptied of air as she sucked the breath from his mouth. Breaking the kiss, she rose up on her knees and took his manhood, guiding it to her mound. Karen rubbed the head against her cunt. She was playing with him and enjoyed the feel of his dick as it slipped between her lips, their juices mingled as they coated his shaft with liquid love. He pleaded, " Please I want you, I need you, now!" She slowly bent her knees and guided the head of his shaft within her. Her decent upon his rigid manhood was agonizingly slow. She was a sheath form fitted to his sword, a glove whose warm wet velvet liner was custom made to fit him. She had found her mate, the one she was made for. He bent his knees and created a stop she could rest against. She settled into the nook made by his hips and legs, enjoying the fullness without the worry of driving him too deep. "Do you know that I have looked for you all of my life and didn't know what I was looking for?" she asked.