A Weekend Away

Her pulse raced as the plane sat at the end of the runway, she loved flying but the taking off and landing always made her nervous. Minutes later she relaxed as the plane leveled off, she sat back and thought of the weekend she was to have, excited but also nervous.

She was excited because she had never been to New York, all the sites she would see, The Empire State Building, Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park and much more but she was also nervous. Nervous because she had never been away on her own before added to her tension.

She curled up under the blanket after the meal and tucked her legs under her as she flicked through the channels for a film to watch. It was the announcement that the plane was landing in thirty minutes that woke her. She stretched her legs and stood, looking at the other passengers readying them selves for landing when she noticed him.

She was not sure what it was about him that caught her attention, but the look, the glance caught her. She just knew there was something about him and she was sure, by that look, that he had noticed her.

Waiting for the bags to appear she glanced round to see if she could see him but there was no sign of him so, not wanting people to think she was staring at them she started to look for her suitcase from the many now falling down on to the conveyor belt.

It was late as she arrived at the hotel. She checked in and took the elevator to the 35th floor, opening the door to her room the view took her breathe away. Her room, on the corner of the hotel, gave her a panoramic view across New York.

She dropped her bag and sat on the bed looking at sites she had only ever seen in pictures or on television; she just sat and stared out the window. Lost in time she did not know how long she had been there before the knock on the door startled her. She looked through the peep hole.

Opening the door it was what she thought she had seen. A porter holding the biggest bunch of flowers she had ever seen. A movement to her left caught her eye and there stood another porter, with a silver tray, a bottle of champagne and a single glass.

Standing aside the porters entered her room and one proceeded to start arranging the flowers into four vases while the other asked if she would like the champagne opened, she nodded. Sitting sipping the champagne her mind spun, thinking of who could have arranged this? Her Mum? A friend? Him? For numerous reasons it could not be any of them. After all, she had only booked the hotel at JFK airport on her arrival. How could anyone have known?

Panicked gripped her, had they been delivered to her room by mistake. She called reception and asked, but no, they were delivered to the correct room and there was no charge to the room. She asked if there was a record of who had arranged this but there was none.

Undressing she poured some more champagne realizing she had finished the whole bottle. She placed the glass on the bedside table as she lay on the bed lying, looking out over New York. As she closed her eyes her thoughts drifted to him, the champagne tingled.

It was the sun light shining through the window that woke her, her first day in New York. She showered and dressed, grabbing her hand bag, phone and key she heard the door click behind her. Walking through the avenues of down town New York the world rushed around her like bees in a beehive, busy with no time to notice any one else. She bought a paper and a map and sitting in the café she sipped her coffee and flicked through the newspaper.

Looking at the map as she finished her coffee she tried to work out where she was and where she would go. She sensed something, she wasn't sure what, so she looked about her, so many people, but there, across the street to her right, at another café, it was him. Sitting reading a paper, smoking, taking sips of his coffee it was definitely him.

She stared across, wondering, should she shout, "Hi", no, couldn't, silly, should she try wave, no, he'd never see her, damn, walk past him, that's it, "waitress, my bill please". The waitress gave her the bill, and looking through her purse she checked the money, the dollars she was giving. They all looked the same, so she was careful about what she was handing over. Standing up, she grabbed her stuff and looked over at him again, but he was gone. Her eyes scanned the Avenue in both directions but there was no sign of him, where had he gone?

Throughout the whole day as she walked, shopped, strolled through Central Park her mind kept coming back to him. As she indulged in an ice cream strolling through the park in the late afternoon sun, she wondered, was it just coincidence that he had been there, what is he doing in New York, was he single, married, nice, god, so many thoughts although she wasn't really sure why. Back at the hotel she had a long bath and started to get organized for a special night. Tonight she was going to dine at one of the best restaurants recommended by the concierge at the hotel.

She dressed in her most beautiful dress; looking in the full length mirror she was stunning. The dress, her make up, her hair, she was beautiful. Tonight she would turn heads as she dinned in New York. Walking through the reception out of the hotel she strolled to the waiting taxi. Arriving at the restaurant the waiter took her to her table, she could sense the glances she was getting but she felt they were admiring glances and that gave her a glow of satisfaction.

Placing her order with the waiter she glanced past him as the door of the restaurant opened, it was him. He was welcomed like a long lost friend by the staff of the restaurant and directed to a table in the corner. She stared; it was the waiter who grabbed back her attention by asking if that was everything she wanted to order.

Sitting sipping her wine she could not help but look over at him, glancing every now and then. Why did he not notice her, his look on the plane, that look! Why did he not see her now? She had finished her meal and asked for the bill, she looked out her credit card, always the hardest part, paying, but the meal had been fantastic, delicious and was worth every penny. It was the words "Paid in Full" that grabbed her attention. How could this be, she asked the waiter. The manager of the restaurant, sensing some thing was wrong, came over.

He explained that they had been told earlier that day, that afternoon, that she would be coming to the restaurant, that evening, where she would want to sit, and that the meal was to be charged to "an account". She asked by who, what account? The manager mentioned that for reasons of confidentiality he could not reveal that information. Thanking her waiter, she left the restaurant, looking at where he had been sat the seat was empty, gone, she left glancing around in the hope of spotting him but there was no sign of him so she climbed into the waiting taxi. The driver asked if she wanted a drive round town on the way back to the hotel. It had gone 1am and the streets were quieter, she nodded.

As the car swept through the streets she stared out the window thinking about him. The taxi stopped by the waterfront as the driver pointed out the Statue of Liberty across the water. She climbed out of the car, asking him to wait, and walked to the edge of the water, looking at the brightly lit statue, a cold wind blew.

She felt a chill through her jacket when suddenly a heavy overcoat was placed over her shoulders. Startled, she turned, it was him. They started walking down the waterfront, talking; it "was" him, the flowers, the champagne, the bill. The unanswered question was how he knew, how did he arrange it, how? His car pulled up and they climbed in and drove back to the hotel, he kissed her on the cheek and they arranged to meet in the morning, for breakfast.

Entering the hotel she literally skipped to her room, opening the door she saw that she had new flowers replacing yesterday's, another bottle of champagne, opened and a single glass. A note beside it said, "Sleep Well x". What a day, her mind raced, she sipped champagne and undressing she thought of tomorrow, of him, lying she felt, well, she shuddered as the emotion ran through her body.

Dawn was still rising as she dried her hair, looking for what to wear, she had already chosen her most beautiful underwear although she was not sure why. After changing her mind three times she settled on a top and her favorite jeans.

As the lift doors opened she was oblivious to everyone else, he was there sitting waiting for her, over breakfast they talked like long lost friends. The day past like a dream, walking, talking, shopping although they bought little, standing on the top of the Empire State Building he stood behind her, sheltering her from the wind she sunk back into his arms as he pointed out landmarks of the city. Back at the hotel she raced to her room to change to go out for a meal, with him.

Opening the door she was stunned. There were bags everywhere, literally bag after bag after bag. Everything she had seen that day, and liked, was there. Shoes, tops, dresses, and so much more, everything, absolutely everything. She ran a deep bath, switching off the bathroom light she lay soaking, the room lit with two of the candles she had "liked". Her mind drifted, with handfuls of lather she washed, touched and moaned softly.

The food was superb, the conversation, they wined and dined, it was a fantastic night and driving through the streets of New York she snuggled under his arm as he pointed out some of the sites of New York. Turning a corner sharply, her handbag fell over and they both reached to grab it. For a second they looked at each other, their faces inches apart, he leaned forward and kissed her gently. Leaning back against the car seat they were locked together. She turned slightly, lying across him and he cradled her head with his forearm, his hand supporting her shoulder, leaning down to kiss her she closed her eyes, his touch felt so sensitive.

The car stopping made her sit up, he kissed her on the cheek and told her his car would pick her up at eleven o'clock tomorrow and they would have a special day together. She literally floated to her room. Flopping down on the bed she looked at all the bags that surrounded her, it dawned on her that she would never get all of this in her suitcase! Still, she thought she would just leave her old stuff to make space. She started gathering the bags and opened the wardrobe to find two new suitcases and a note saying any excess baggage cost had already been taken care of. He had taken care of everything.

Strolling out of the hotel the car was waiting for her, it was a beautiful sunny day. The car drove through the streets down to the harbor front stopping, she climbed out but she could not see him anywhere. The driver pointed and turning round she saw him sitting in the back of a helicopter as it landed further down the harbor front, he beckoned her over and she climbed in. He fastened her seat belt and seconds later they were off, flying through the skyscrapers of New York.

Swooping out over the water it started to descend and finally land, on Ellis Island the site where all immigrants used to land as they arrived in America. If was deserted now, bar a table set for two.

For hours they sat, ate and talked with the skyscrapers and the Statue of Liberty as "their" scenery. He glanced at his watch, her flight was at seven and it had already passed four o'clock, they stood, she went to walk to the helicopter and a hand placed on her shoulder made her turn. He wrapped his arms round her, a hand holding the back of her head as he kissed her with a passion that took her breathe away. Her eyes shut tightly she felt her legs go weak just wanting to stay there and be held by him forever.

She climbed in to the helicopter; he fastened her belt, kissed her on the cheek and stepped back. The helicopter started to rise and he waved. It hit her, he was not coming with her, and she stared down as he disappeared into the distance, waving. She sat motionless for the rest of the flight to JFK, her mind spun. Would she ever see him again, she didn't know his name; yes she knew his first name but not his last name, no phone number, no email address, her stomach churned.

Waiting in the queue at the check in desk her eyes welled with tears, she saw someone holding a card with her name on it. She looked again through blurred vision, yes it was her name. She approached her and the lady informed her that her bags had been packed and checked in for her handing her, her passport and boarding ticket. She had been so engrossed in all of her other thoughts she had forgotten all about this. He had taken care of them.

Waiting to board the plane her eyes darted round the departures gate, striving to see him but to no avail, there was no sign of him.

During the flight she was lost to everything around her, when she closed her eyes all she could think of; was him, his look, his touch, his smell.

She wandered round the plane, looking; she did not care if anyone noticed her looking, staring, she wanted to find him. But there was no sign of him anywhere. She resigned herself to the fact she was left with only the thoughts of a wonderful weekend.

The flight was uneventful and she gathered her things together as the pilot thanked everyone for flying with them. Walking off she thanked the stewardess at the door and beside her was the First Officer, it was "him".

The End