To Our Many Tomorrows...

"This is wonderful, JL," she said. "It still doesn't seem quite real to me."

He nodded. "I know what you mean. What are the odds that I'd see you on a tennis court years after you left Worthington?"

"I'm so flattered that you stopped. I figured you'd think of me as ancient history. Or maybe not think of me at all." She closely watched his reaction as she sipped her wine.

He finished chewing. Then: "You've never been far from my thoughts, Lexi. I missed you."

She thought maybe she shouldn't ask this but she couldn't help herself. "What about Alyssa? Did you miss her also?"

He chuckled. "Yes, of course. I missed you both. But remember, it was you who tempted me away from her. I found you irresistible. And when I saw you on the court, there was no way I could have driven past without stopping."

He asked about her ill-fated marriage, and she repeated the old saw about not really knowing someone until you lived with them. "My high school sweetheart turned out to be a stranger in so many ways," she said. "Of course, I'm sure he'd say the same about me."

After they ordered cannoli for dessert to go with their coffee, JL reached for her hand across the table. "It really is great seeing you, sharing this delicious meal with you," he said. "I hope it's not the last."

She'd been thinking the same thing. And other things relevant and related. "This is good timing, JL. My last serious—or at least semi-serious—relationship was over months ago." Grinning, she said, "Do you still have an electric toothbrush with clean refills?"

Chuckling, he said, "Yes. That and the Scrabble game and the queen-sized bed. Different mattress, though."

"Guess it got all worn out, huh?"

"It did take quite a beating through the years, yep. I've had the new mattress for over a month and so far, I'm the only one who's slept on it. Hint hint."

She rolled her eyes and flashed him a comically wicked look. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you're inviting me to help you break it in."

"Guess it doesn't take a Wonderlic champ to figure that out. Invite accepted?"

"Is Bush forty-three a Republican? Yes, invite accepted."

*****

Young babes still caught JL's eye, but there was just something about women in their forties that he found profoundly sexy. At least those, like Lexi, that kept themselves in shape. Perhaps it was the contrast between a fit, young-looking body and the lines that had begun to creep around their eyes and mouth—the lingering vestiges of youth wedded to the symbolic signs of wisdom culled from experience.

If there was ever an ideal specimen of that kind of woman, Lexi Conroy was that specimen, he thought. They had just finished the Scrabble game (she won) and were now standing in the middle of his bedroom, naked and exploring each other's bodies as if for the first time. The firm breasts of her youth remained firm and that long silky hair he adored remained long and silky. "I'll cut it when I turn fifty," she said.

When they got in bed, she asked, "Am I really the first woman to, um, try out your new mattress?"

"Absolutely."

"But not the last, I'd bet."

Years ago, he would have concurred. Now, given his shift in mindset, he wasn't so sure. "That's one bet you might lose, Lex. Aging requires us to reinvent ourselves."

She considered this while she faced him laying sideways, propped up on an elbow. "Hmm...interesting. So how have you reinvented yourself?"

Positioned the same way, he ran his index finger down her cute nose. Her grin and near sarcastic tone told him that she didn't take him seriously. "You can call me a work in progress. Let's just say that monogamy is no longer a dirty word in my book."

Her grin faded. "You're serious."

"I am."

"What happened to the old JL, breaker of hearts and yeoman cocksman?"

"He got older. And I hope your heart is not one of those I broke."

Briefly, she looked up and pursed her lips together. "Well, not exactly. I wanted more from you, as Alyssa did. But then, had you given me that kind of time and attention, I would have fallen in love with you, only to be heart-broken when you moved on as I suspect you would have. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that you didn't give me enough time to be heart-broken. Frustrated, yes."

He got it because he knew it all along. Confirmed playboys don't give women that kind of time. That was then; this was now. The confirmed playboy was yearning for something deeper, more meaningful. He didn't know if Lexi could fulfill that need but he was willing to give things a try. He didn't want to get too deeply into this; it might spoil the mood. Later, maybe. Tonight, he'd keep conversation on the light side. "You should know, Lex, there is one thing that hasn't changed."

"And that is?"

"I'm still a yeoman cocksman and would love to prove it to you."

"I'm so hoping you will." When she lowered her eyes, she could see the initial stirring of the organ that had given her so much pleasure in the past. "First, though, kiss me. Kiss me like you mean it."

He did mean it, meant it now more than ever. Pragmatic as he was, he felt there was some reason why they were now together, why he had seen her on that tennis court at that moment. He couldn't explain it; it was just a feeling, an awareness of something 'out there' at work, subtle and ethereal. He'd keep that to himself also, pushed aside for the time being. He was too busy kissing her like he MEANT IT, kissing her all over and then entering her. If he had anything to prove, it had more to do with his deeper emotional involvement than his performance on a purely carnal level.

Afterward, while they held each other, he noticed she was crying. "That bad, huh?" he said, trying to make light of it. "Well, I'll try to do better the second round. Maybe if..." He stopped when he realized how upset she was. He held her tighter. "Lexi?"

She sniffled and wiped her eyes. "Sorry. I'm just...oh boy..." She shook her head, then sat up.

He sat up with her, then draped an arm over her. "Honey, talk to me."

She looked up at him with her dark, teary eyes. "I'm at a vulnerable stage in my life. Back in the day, I could fall for you and then bounce back. Now, it's not so simple. You just made the most wonderful, passionate love to me, like you wanted me to stick around, like there's no one else in the picture or will be in the future. I'm not asking for a commitment, just telling you where I stand at this time in my life."

Tenderly, he stroked her hair, then tucked his hand under her chin and kissed her on the mouth. "Listen to me. There is no one else in the picture, and the way I feel now, there's only one other woman who will be and that's you. Lexi Conroy. All I'm asking is that you give me a chance."

She reached for a tissue on his night table, then blew her nose. Then she looked at him and managed to grin. "At Scrabble, you mean?"

He grinned back. He knew that she knew what he meant. Like him, she didn't want to get too "heavy" into things. Not right now. Not tonight. "Yes, that's exactly it. You'll give me another game, a chance at redemption?"

"You bet."

*****

The next few weeks proved to her that JL meant what he said. They were together several times a week, sleeping over each other's houses, going places, making love and yes, playing Scrabble (he got his redemption). When he suggested a trip to New York, she was thrilled. They'd stay a couple days, see things that neither of them had seen in past trips to the Big Apple, and that included the World Trade Center. Both of them remembered when terrorists tried to blow it up in '93.

They got there on Monday, September 10th, and checked into the old Americana, long since renamed the Sheraton. They spent the day window shopping and sightseeing and made plans to see the Trade Center the following day. "Maybe we can have breakfast there," he said. "There's a restaurant atop the north tower called Windows on the World. We'll get an early start."

They did. Woke up early Tuesday to blue skies and bright sunshine. Could they have asked for a more perfect late summer day than this? Not even seven, and already it was past sixty degrees and climbing. Dressed for what promised to be a warm, if not hot day, they hailed a cab in front of the hotel. "We're blessed with great weather today," the driver said, a fifty-something guy with a heavy accent, a native New Yorker no doubt. "Enjoy your time here in New York."

JL and Lexi huddled in the backseat holding hands, watching the busy urban landscape, lots of hustle and bustle, even this early. JL said, "Can I tell you something?"

She squeezed his hand. "As long as it's personal."

"I love you."

She began to tear up. She had sensed he felt that way but was actually hearing it for the first time. She wiped her eyes and snuggled closer. "I love you too, JL. And don't say another word or you'll have me bawling all over this cab."

They arrived at the Trade Center just past seven-thirty and then took the elevator up to the one-hundred and sixth floor. "This place definitely lives up to its name," Lexi said, admiring the magnificent view. The weather afforded clear views of New Jersey and parts of Long Island, the Hudson and East Rivers.

"I'm glad we got here early," JL said. "I heard it can get crowded. There's some sort of conference scheduled for eight."

Of course, they took a table next to a window. Covered in fine white linen, it was square in shape and had four plush orange chairs around it. They ordered omelets that came with fruit and home fries, plus juices and coffee. "We won't need to eat until dinner after this feast," JL said. They had made a rough itinerary for the day, which included the Hayden Planetarium. It wasn't yet open, so they planned to walk around, explore the area, including Wall Street and Greenwich Village.

They lingered over their coffee, enjoying the view, enjoying each other. JL told her again he loved her and this time she didn't cry. "What the hell took you so long?" she teased. She reached up and ruffled his hair.

He laughed. "In some ways, I'm a slow learner. I mean, you did beat me on the Wonderlic."

Her grin morphed into a look of romantic wistfulness. "JL, if ever there was a perfect day in my life, this has to be it. With the way I feel at this moment, I hope in never ends."

He held up his coffee cup for a toast. "To us, to our many tomorrows."

She lifted her cup. "To our many tomorrows."

He glanced at his watch. "Eight-thirty. We could stay here another half-hour or so."

Not a bad idea, she thought. However, she was getting restless to get out, walk and explore. "Here's MY plan. We blow this place now and start walking. We can always come back tomorrow. These two colossal towers aren't going anywhere."

He nodded. "I'm with you."

After paying the check, they stepped on the elevator. It was eighty-forty-three. It wasn't until they stepped out on ground level that they heard it—the huge explosion that shook them so hard they almost fell over. They stepped away and saw the north tower between the ninety-third and ninety-ninth floors ablaze. They began to run when debris rained down.

Two blocks later, they stopped to look among the many onlookers. A plane had crashed into the north tower, they heard. Another terrorist attack? Accident? What? Minutes later, they got their answer when a second plane hit the south tower. They took off with the crowd, heading north. Good thing they had on cross-trainers, worn in anticipation of walking all those long New York blocks. Now they were running for their lives on this perfect day that was turning into a perfect nightmare.

*****

Home at last. Safe and sound. It took them days to leave New York. They were so relieved when the train finally pulled out, not to mention grateful. News reports told them how very lucky they were to be alive. Nobody who was in Windows on the World when the first plane hit at eight-forty-six survived. Nobody above the impact area survived. They all died, consumed by the flames and smoke or, like many of them, they jumped to their death.

Lexi no longer wanted to sleep alone. A case of post-traumatic stress, she thought. "It's either my place or yours," she said, "but I need you beside me at night, JL. Can you manage that?"

"I can manage that very well. For many tomorrows." He said this while holding her in bed after they just made love. "If not for you suggesting that we leave when we did, there would have been no tomorrow for us. Besides good luck and your timely suggestion to leave—so prescient, it turns out—I believe we escaped death for a reason."

He then told her about the feeling he got after seeing her on the tennis court just as he stopped at that red light. "Something spoke to me then, something intuitive I can't fully explain. And then, being with you, escaping certain death. By minutes."

She smiled, turned her head and kissed him. "So what I think you're saying, JL, is that we belong together. At least I hope that's what you're saying. Not to be presumptuous."

"No presumption there, baby. I don't know how many tomorrows I have left. But whatever the number, I want to spend them with you."

"And I won't have to take the Wonderlic to qualify?"

Chuckling, he brushed back her hair, then kissed her along her lovely tummy. "You qualified years ago. I just didn't know it."