Amethyst Purple Pt. 01

Ted and Marti spent the first half of their honeymoon exploring south Florida. They SCUBA dived and snorkeled at the John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo, went offshore fishing from Key West and took airboat excursions in the Everglades Swamp. For the second half of their honeymoon, Ted and Marti flew to Cancun, Mexico where they dove the offshore reefs, explored the Mayan ruins at Chichén itzá, and took an underground river tour at Rio Secreto.

Ted and Marti had discussed growing their family early, in opposition to other new professionals their age who wanted to establish their careers before having children, and agreed to start trying immediately after their marriage. Marti jumped the gun just a bit by halting her birth control a month early. Having grown up without siblings, both Ted and Marti wanted at least three or four children of their own. Despite trying at every opportunity they could find during the first three years of their marriage theirs remained a two person family.

Marti was promoted to a position working closely with the Director of Business Development and began establishing a web of contacts recruiting more business investments for the bank. She showed a singular ability to ferret out viable opportunities and seldom failed to gain the customer once she set herself to the task. That she was a natural for the position was no secret to anyone and she was soon being groomed for a Director's position herself. Her newfound success was accompanied by longer working hours and frequent out of town trips investigating new businesses for the bank to expand it's investments. Some of these trips lasting for up to a week at a time.

Saturday, June 18, 1994

Knoxville, TN

"Have you already packed everything you'll need for your trip?" Ted asked Marti. She was getting ready to leave the next day for what could be a two week trip to St. Louis, Missouri, to investigate an international Importing/Exporting company. Marti's bank had tentative plans to invest $7,000,000 in the company to allow them to upgrade their fleet of Airbus A300's to improve their reliability and increase their cargo transport capacity to bolster their ocean-going container ship capabilities that operated up and down the Mississippi River between St. Louis and the Gulf of Mexico. All her preliminary investigations hinted that the company was being led by an unusually bright young CEO who avoided unnecessary excess and fluff and the company was actually showing signs of profound growth.

"Yeah, I think so. I even packed a couple swimsuits so I can use the hotel's pool and hot tub." Marti answered.

This would be the longest period of time they'd spent apart since the night they met.

"Which hotel did you say you're staying at?"

"Jameson Plaza Hotel, it's near the Gateway Arch."

"You've never been to the "Gateway to the West", have you?" Ted asked.

"Nope, never have."

"I actually lived just across the river in Granite City when I was young, we lived there about six or seven months when I was thirteen or fourteen. There's a lot to do in the area, you certainly won't be bored. I'm sure one of the local girls would be happy to show you around the sights. You've got to go up into the Arch. And bring back pictures, you'll be amazed." "But since I won't see you for another two weeks and I'll miss you intensely, I've got us reservations at Ruth's Chris tonight at 7, so get a wiggle on."

"OK, give me about an hour to get ready, that'll give us plenty of time."

While waiting for their meals to arrive, Ted and Marti talked about the inane things two comfortably married people talk about, things that make no sense or are of no concern to anyone outside their partnership.

Eventually, their conversation returned to Marti's upcoming trip to the Midwest. "I really wish you could come with me, we haven't gone on a trip together in almost a year." Marti said with a sigh.

"Well, I've been thinking about that, actually. Our anniversary is the week after Sturgis and I thought we might take a week or two and ride out there for a couple days then ride down to the Grand Canyon and back home. It's a lot of saddle time on a bike but we've got all summer for you to get used to longer rides if you want. I wish I could take off and go with you, too but with my being named second seat on the Turner murder trial I can't leave right now. We're expected to be first on the calendar Monday morning so we should begin striking a jury either Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning. I hope it only takes a week or less but this one's so nasty that there's no telling how long it may drag out. Hopefully after this case I might start getting more than divorces to handle, there's even been whispers around the office that my name has been bounced around for one of the offices with an outside window. If we do finish earlier than I expect, maybe I can pop up for a couple days."

"That would be great! But we need to hurry up and finish here, I've got a good feeling that this time it's going to work. I've been wet since we left the house." Marti said optimistically.

They made love twice that night and once again when they woke the next morning.

Part two should be published the day after part one was, if it isn't, that's on Lit...