Just a Memory Pt. 03

Part Three of Three

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JOURNEY'S END

I. BAVARIAN GETAWAY

We flew into Munich, arriving just after 10 a.m. From there, we traveled by regional train to Garmisch-Partenkirchen (or GP for short) and took a taxi to the rental office where we met up with the rental agent, Hanna, who would be showing us to the property. First, she took us to pick up our SUV rental, then we followed her to the chalet. The drive was beautiful and 'interesting'. After about three miles on a main road out of town, we turned onto a narrow, secondary road that meandered up through the forested foothills to a private road that wound up a steep grade to the private lane that accessed the property. It was quite isolated, with only a couple rooftops visible from the chalet, and they were at least a half-mile away.

The chalet was a classic A-frame fronted by a large, covered deck on the second floor. This also acted as a cover for the entrance to the home and where you could park your cars out of the weather. There was about six inches of snow on the ground and more due over the next couple of days. All the roads were clear on the way up and the lane had been graded before we arrived. Our vehicle was four-wheel drive and had chains in the back hatch if needed. Hanna informed us that the roads were regularly cleared, and unless a very heavy snow fell, we would have no problems. The chalet was stocked with emergency rations and had a whole-house generator that powered all the essentials in the house in case of a power outage. She did recommend that we stock up on desired provisions at our earliest opportunity, just in case.

After touring the property and showing us how to operate everything, she left us to get settled in. By the time we unpacked, it was just after two, and we decided to make the 20-minute drive into town to get a bite to eat and do some shopping.

When we arrived in town, there were no fast-food places in sight - what a pleasant surprise, although we did learn there was a McDonald's there - oh thank goodness (sarcasm); but we came across this cafeteria, and though I wouldn't normally consider one, the aromas coming from this place were delightful. The cafeteria served excellent food. We both opted for the schnitzel with gravy and potatoes. I've never had cafeteria food that tasted as good.

We chatted while we ate and discussed our itinerary, "Josh, this is wonderful. The town is like a snowy village in one of those glass balls that you shake up - just lovely. Thank you again for this."

"Please, stop thanking me. I'm the one who feels fortunate, fortunate that you wanted to do this, to come on this trip with me. I'm looking forward to spending time with you and getting to know you better; and of course, it will be nice to see the sights and scenery here. You are right, the town is very quaint."

Smiling brightly, she asked, "So, what have you planned for us to do?"

"Well, tomorrow, the first thing has to be the Zugspitze. I understand the views from the top are fantastic. But right now, I'm looking at the time and I think we need to finish up and get our shopping done. I don't want to make that drive in the dark."

At the cafeteria, they directed us to the nearest market, only a few blocks away. When we finished our shopping, the sun was starting to slide behind the mountains and cloud cover was also making it dark early. By the time I got to the secondary road, the automatic headlights came on. When I pulled up at the chalet, night had set in, and it was getting cold. When we first arrived in GP, it was in the low 30's and calm, but now a breeze was up, and with the sun down, the temperature was dropping rapidly.

The house had a furnace and a fireplace. The furnace was set at 60 and the house was a bit cool. A rick of firewood was located in a large mudroom at the back of the house and I brought some wood in for the fire. I could have turned the furnace up, but opted to try out the fireplace and thought it would lend ambience to our evening.

"Josh, would you like to try some of the wine we got or the beer?"

"Surprise me."

Lily brought me a beer in a pint-sized, frosted glass stein, "There were mugs in the freezer!" she informed me. Her bright smile lit up my insides.

"The frosted mugs are a nice touch. Which beer is this?" I asked.

"This is the Dunkel dark lager. What do you think?"

"It's good, but not as good as the ales I had in Glasgow. I don't think I'll find anything I like better than those, but this is good."

We sat cuddled up by the fire and sipped our beers. I asked about her family. She had no other siblings besides Sophie, and her parents lived about 30 kilometers from Glasgow. She said that she took after her mom in looks and personality, and Sophie took after her dad in personality, but physically, she was a mix of the two, and was the 'runt of the litter', as their mom was 5'-4" and their dad was 5'-9".

We talked about her ex-fiancé, whom she had met at work and had dated for almost a year before getting engaged. Two months into the engagement, she found out he was cheating on her and it broke her heart. She was truly in love with him.

"I think it's fate that you didn't marry him. Otherwise, we wouldn't have met."

"You say the nicest things, Josh. And I feel like you are right. I can't imagine not having met you. Um, different subject; you haven't mentioned your parents."

"I don't remember my dad at all. He died when I was ten. My mom passed about a year before my accident. I don't remember much about her. I recognize her face in pictures and I seem to remember seeing her in a hospital, but that's about it."

"I'm so sorry. That's just dreadful, to have that hole in your life."

"That's really the biggest problem I've had, feeling lost, empty, hollow. I don't know how to fully describe it. After my initial recovery, I spent the first year in a state of almost constant depression. If my sister hadn't intervened, I might still be there."

"Elaine's a lovely person, very positive, very full of life," she said.

"Lily, I want you to know, that I haven't felt more alive since my accident, than I have these past few days with you."

"Josh, it really is the same for me, in that I was in a pretty deep funk after my breakup. I was crushed, and I was filled with self-doubt - Why wasn't I enough for him; what was wrong with me that..."

"Lily, it wasn't you. He was obviously an idiot and a fool. Of course, if I ever meet him, I'll have to thank him for being both," I laughed and she laughed with me, burying her head in my chest, hugging me, forcefully.

We sat in front of the fire and talked for what seemed like hours - in a good way. We talked about our likes and dislikes, our education and growing up (sometimes a one-sided conversation). I gave her a detailed account of the accident, my surgeries and rehabilitation. I told her all about my trip across country and all the places I had visited. She was fascinated by how huge America was and how beautiful it all sounded.

As it got late, we both realized we were hungry and had enjoyed a sufficient amount of beer. We made a late meal together, side by side, and it felt completely natural, like we had done it many times before.

After eating, then sitting in front of the fire as it slowly turned to glowing embers, we decided to call it a night and went up to bed. It was the first awkwardness I had felt on the trip. Were we, or weren't we? I didn't want to rush her, and I had my own insecurities about that - would I be the lover she expected, would I be less or more? I couldn't handle it if I was a disappointment.

As it worked out, we were both exhausted by the travel and the long day.

"Josh, would you be too disappointed if we didn't, um, well, if we..."

"No, Lily, I wouldn't. I think it would be better if we were fresh and in the proper mood. I want it to be special..."

"Oh, yes, thank you. Me too."

We got ready for bed, which for me, was simply a matter of taking off my clothes and putting on clean boxers. Lily put on a conservative nightie like the one I had seen her in before. We crawled into a chilly, but very comfortable bed, cuddled up, and were asleep in minutes.

II. PLAN B

Friday morning, I was awakened by singing coming from downstairs, and the sound of pots and pans jostling about. Lily was up before me and preparing breakfast. I grabbed a robe and went to join her.

"Good morning," I called from the top of the stairs as I headed down.

"Morning, sleepyhead. I woke up hungry and couldn't wait, so I hope you fancy a bit of breakfast."

I got a fire going, then went into the kitchen and snaked my arms around Lily as she diced potatoes at the counter. I moved her silky hair aside and kissed her lovely, porcelain neck. Again, I felt like we had done this many times, like we had been together for years. It just felt natural.

"Stop that, or you'll make me cut myself," she playfully protested.

"How can I help?"

"Well, if you must...kiss the other side, it feels neglected."

I moved her hair and started kissing the other side of her neck. She set the knife down, and spun around in my arms, wrapping hers around my neck, pulling me down into a warm, sweet kiss.

Her robe was open in front and she was still in her nightie. I felt the heat of her body as she pressed her breasts into me. My body's reaction was immediate. She snaked a hand down and felt the outline my growing erection.

"Well, look who's up and ready for breakfast, too!"

I laughed, "I don't think he's interested in what's cooking, but in the cook!"

We continued the playful banter as we prepared breakfast together. And the more I thought about it, the more I wondered - were these happy moments a reflection of times past that I shared with Kate; was that why they seemed so familiar? Or was it simply because they were a reflection of how we, Lily and I, went together so well? I might never know.

As we ate breakfast, it noticeably darkened outside. I went to the dining room window and looked out. Dark, heavy clouds were moving across the valley. I could no longer see the mountains across the way - snow.

After breakfast, we showered and dressed in our warmest clothing for our trip to the Zugspitze. I went out to start our vehicle and warm it up. I was greeted by snow falling, and falling in big fluffy flakes. I couldn't see more than 15 yards. I decided we weren't risking the trip. Even if we got to town safely, we may not be able to make it back to the chalet.

I went back inside, "Lily, the snow is coming down pretty heavy. We have to see if it lets up soon. If it doesn't, we can't risk leaving. It could be too dangerous, or we could end up stuck in town."

Lily answered from the top of the stairs, "That's okay, honey. We'll just cozy up here, try some of our wine and wait it out," she replied in a chipper voice.

She called me, honey - first time. It may be silly, but it gave me a small thrill.

Later, we went up to the covered deck and watched the snow coming down. The silence was all-consuming, blanketing everything, like the snow. We were standing at the railing, arm in arm.

"Josh, how wonderful is this?" Lily asked in her soft, lilting voice, accompanied by clouds of steamy breath.

"It is magical. It is like there is no one or nothing else in the world right now but you and I and this scene."

I felt her arm tighten around my waist. She turned and looked up at me.

"Josh, I love you. I love you so much it hurts. I never felt this way before. I never felt like this with my fiancé or anyone else. I don't understand...but I don't care. I'm just..." her voice faltered, choked with emotion.

I turned her to me and enveloped her in my arms. She disappeared into my chest. I kissed the top of her head, then tilted her chin up.

"Lily, I love you, too. And I don't really understand it, either. It seems unreal, but at the same time, more real than anything I've experienced since...the accident. I've quit questioning it. I just know I do."

Surrendering to the cold, we headed inside to warm up, and have a snack and some wine.

We picked one of the wines we selected at the market, a 'Silvaner Beerenauslese' - a sweet German white, grown and vinted locally in northwest Bavaria. All the wines we purchased were whites, as that is what apparently dominates wine production in this area, and we selected a couple dry and a couple sweet ones to try.

While she organized the wine and snacks, I made a trip to the mudroom for more wood to keep a fire going since we were staying in. I heard a cork pop and shortly Lily came out with the wine and glasses, setting them on the coffee table. She gave me a sweet smile and returned to the kitchen, coming back with a tray of breads, cheeses and sliced dry salami. We arranged ourselves across from each other on the floor at the coffee table. We sat and ate our snacks and drank the wine. It was a little sweet for my taste, but had a great flavor. As we sat and sipped the wine, I realized I was getting hot and had to remove my flannel shirt. I caught Lily studying me.

Quietly, she asked, "Josh, will you make love to me?"

"You didn't have to ask, but I'm glad you did. I didn't want to bring it up. I didn't want you to feel rushed or pressured."

"Ever the gentleman. Wait here for a couple minutes. I'll be right back. Oh, could you get us some ice water?"

"Will do," I said as I rose and headed to the kitchen.

She went up the staircase to the bedroom and I went to get the water. When I looked out the kitchen window, I could see snowflakes drifting down through the waning light. I was entranced watching it snow. It snows seasonally, where I live, but I never tire of watching a good snowfall.

III. AN APPARITION

"Josh?"

"Yes?" I replied, coming out of my reverie and turning around. I almost dropped the ice water.

Lily was wearing a diaphanous tulle robe and negligee ensemble, ivory, hemmed with alabaster-white lace, adorned with thin silver ribbons woven through the lace fabric - stunning. She was a vision with her long auburn hair flowing over her shoulders and framing her angelic face. Where her slim shapely legs met the hem of her negligee, at the top of the thighs, there was a shadowy triangle where her pubic mound was teasingly visible through the material. Her full, rounded breasts filled the bodice and her aureoles subtly revealed themselves through the gossamer fabric. I have to say, the effect was much more erotic than if she had come down completely nude, although that would not have been unwelcome.

(Okay, I didn't know what 'tulle' was, but found out it's that stuff they make wedding vails with - point is, you can see through it, kind of like looking through a mist - form revealed, details hidden - altogether alluring.)

I couldn't help but compare Lily to Kate. I had several pictures of her from the beach, and she had a lovely body, kind of a cross between Nicky and Lily - tall, maybe 5'-10" and slim, but with a fuller figure than Nicky, more like Lily. But to be honest, Lily was more beautiful than my wife in the pictures - more beautiful than any woman I had met to date.

"Lily..." I choked out.

"Yes? Do you like?"

"No. Like doesn't capture the feeling I have right now in response to the vision before me. You are a beautiful apparition, too beautiful to be real, but oh how I hope you are."

"Josh, that is the sweetest compliment I've ever received. Thank you...I bought this for my honeymoon, but never got to wear it. I can't tell you how glad I am now that it is you seeing me in it for the first time instead of my ex, or anyone else, for that matter."

As she was speaking, she slowly walked up to me. I was frozen in place. I found myself trembling - I think from sensory overload and a rush of adrenalin and testosterone. I felt flushed and feverish. I set the water glasses down.

As Lily closed the distance between us, I caught the scent of her perfume - subtle and enchanting. I reached and pulled her small frame to me, tipping my head down to meet her upturned face. Our lips met and we engaged in a soulful kiss; it was a dreamlike, all-consuming experience. We melted into each other. I could feel the heat from her body and the press of her breasts against my chest. My cock was engorged and trapped down my pants leg, where Lily was pressing her mound against my cockhead. She reached down and began tracing the shaft with her small hand. When she rubbed over the head, I stopped her.

"I think we need to take this upstairs."

"I'm ready, Josh. I've been ready since that night at our flat. You could have taken me that night and I wouldn't have regretted it. But I'm glad we waited."

"Me too," I replied as I scooped her up and carried her up the stairs. She tucked her face into the crook of my neck and playfully kissed and nibbled my ear. I set Lily on her feet next to the bed and she immediately started pulling the comforter back and arranging pillows. I started to undress.

"No, let me," she requested in a soft, sweet voice.

She slowly pulled my t-shirt loose from my trousers and up over my outstretched arms. As she undressed me, I watched her, amazed at her beauty, the soft contours of her face, the gentle arch of her dark auburn eyebrows, perfectly framing her crystalline, green eyes. As she continued to undress me, I watched the subtle rise and fall of her breasts, her small, delicate hands, the shape of her neck, her strong, slightly muscled, yet slender arms; and the graceful way she moved, and now how she deftly unbuckled my belt and unzipped my pants.

Occasionally, she would glance up at me, furtively, then look back at the task she was performing. After she removed my t-shirt and pants, I was standing in my boxers. She paused and looked at my body, delicately tracing the muscles and contours of my arms, chest and stomach. Her gentle touch on my skin was electric and sent chills through me, intensifying the passion I already felt, fueling my anticipation.

Leaving my boxers in place, she stepped back, and without taking her eyes off me, began to remove her robe, letting it slowly slip down her arms and fall to the floor. Mesmerized, I watched it slide down her body, taking in the smooth, gentle curves of her legs, as the robe pooled around her small, perfectly-formed feet. As my eyes traveled back up her body, she began undoing the lacy bows that held the bodice of her negligee together, exposing the inner swell of her breasts, and the soft, smooth concave of her stomach, lightly muscled and highlighted by a long, vertical navel.

As she pulled the negligee open and off her shoulders, revealing her beautiful, full breasts with their slightly puffy aureoles and prominent nipples, my breath caught in my throat. With her eyes never leaving mine, she let the negligee fall and stood still, hands at her side, wearing only a serene expression and a skimpy, gauzy pair of panties. Slowly, she closed the distance between us, tilting her chin up as she approached in anticipation of engaging in a kiss. As her eyes closed, I placed my hands on her shoulders, bent my head down, and pulled her to me, meeting her soft, full lips with mine. I reached a hand around, lacing it under her hair and cradling her neck. At first, we kissed only with our lips, enjoying the sensations from the touch, the pressure, the feel of them together. I initiated a deeper kiss, probing her lips with my tongue, enjoying the feel; then as she parted her lips, her tongue met mine and we engaged in the most sensual kiss I had experienced to that moment.

At the same time, I was fully aware of her fleshy breasts pressed into my chest, the warmth of her body, her small, firm arms, wrapped around me. I felt my member swell, become more engorged as the passion built. I wanted her like I had never wanted anyone or anything in this world in my short, altered existence; but I was not in a rush. I was certain we both wanted to relish every moment of this encounter, this coupling.