The Extended Family Ch. 14

Everyone ate on the run. At most, there were only three people at the breakfast table at any time.

When the time came, we loaded the suitcases in my car, Lynn and Karen kissed everyone goodbye, and I drove our three departing lovers to the airport. I parked at curbside, and we checked the bags with the curbside porters. The two flights were on time; Bev's flight left about 15 minutes before Carl and Rachel's.

Carl came up first and gave me a big hug and firm handshake. "Thanks buddy. I will NEVER forget this week -- ever. You've done so much for me, for Rachel, for us, for Bev, for us. I'll never be able to repay you. Know that our home is yours anytime you are heading our direction." He hugged me again and stepped away.

Bev was next. She had a small tear in her eye. "Oh, I shall miss you so again. I don't know when I'll be back, but I will." She kissed me hard, and then hugged me with all her might. "Oh," she said, "just think of me roaming around Europe ... without any underwear and thinking lascivious thoughts of you ... God, I love you." She kissed me hard again then backed away. She grabbed hold of Carl's arm and pulled him towards the terminal door.

Rachel had tears rolling down her cheeks and big doe eyes as she stood there looking at me. She choked up. "Oooooh Jim!" she sobbed and threw herself into my arms and madly kissed my face. My shirt soaked up her tears.

I tried to comfort her and offer words of solace about her departure, promising that we'd get together again -- soon. She cried all the harder. I talked to her softly for several minutes, assuring her that I loved her and that I would not forget her in the short time until we saw each other again. She gradually got a hold of her emotions, blowing her nose and wiping her eyes in a little ragged tissue.

Finally, I said, "We said it all last night, and I'll say it again now: I love you. I'll always love you. The Universe wants us to be soul mates, and so we are." We kissed.

Rachel looked at me with her big doe eyes again and said, "I love you." She hugged me close then looked at me again, almost as if she were taking a mental photograph. Then, she turned and ran to where Carl and Bev were standing by the open door to the terminal. She never turned around; she just pulled Carl's arm around her and pulled him to her as they disappeared through the door. Carl waved to indicate that things would be OK.

I sighed, got in the car, and drove home to Lynn and Karen. We were all quiet for the rest of the morning as we returned the house to "normal". Lynn and Karen both had to go to work the next day, and I'd promised my editor a rewrite of three chapters by the end of the week, yet I couldn't bring myself to go and work. Somehow, I found myself with a cold cup of coffee staring out over the bay late in the morning.

The two girls came and pulled me up and into the car without telling me where they were taking me. It was to the beach, my place of restoration and revitalization. We started walking, and they got me talking -- commenting on other people, the surf, shells, the birds, and lots of things we saw and heard. Ultimately, we did the whole beach in each direction.

The three of us talked about our feelings and how we missed the people who had left and how we loved each other. We were each other's rocks that day. We kissed and held each other. We stopped at St. Armand's Circle on the way home and sat outside on the sidewalk at the Crab n' Fin, enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine, and a mid-afternoon lunch. I started to feel more complete as the afternoon wore on.

We toasted those we loved and then we toasted our love for each other. We loved each other and had a whole new year in front of us to make our resolutions come true.

Author's Note:

Two additional stories in The Extended Family series have been written:'Jim Meets the Coeds' and'Mel's Wedding,' in that order. I hope you also enjoy the following episodes.