She watched as the American Airlines flight carrying him to her landed at RDU – and when it was safely down she made her way to the arrivals lounge, where she sat and waited.
She had agonized over what to wear – she wanted to be natural because she knew how he hated pretense, but she wanted to show that she had made the effort. In truth she needn’t have worried – he had always said she could wear a sack cloth and she would look great and in the end she went for a simple elegant look, and she had decided to wear stocking and heels … after all, that had been their ‘thing’ all the time they had known each other. She wondered how tired he would be after the flight – he would need to freshen up and would probably be self conscious about being in the same clothes for all this time, and she hadn’t wanted to make him feel even more self conscious. No – simple and elegant – pretty … that was the order of the day.
She waited for what seemed like hours, but in reality was 15 minutes, before the first passengers began to come through the gate. She had planned to play it cool … be calm and simply greet him when she saw him. He had told her that he would wear a bright red shirt so she would spot him straight away – and she did. He was walking towards her – he had seen her – he was beaming a huge smile and her resolve left her. She began to walk, quicker, faster and then she was running …. she saw he knew what was to come because he let go of the bag and braced himself and she launched herself at him … she hit him like a sledge hammer … she weighed less than some people’s luggage, and she was sure he did it on purpose, because as she hit him he paused to be sure he had caught her and then he collapsed them both in a heap on the floor of the terminal building … laughing with joy as she squealed with glee … and then she was kissing him … pecking his face all over … kissing and licking like a little dog as he laughed and wriggled and she sat astride him … other passengers stood laughing at the scene and one or two applauded, secretly wishing they had a greeting that was even half as much fun.
Eventually she realized that he was struggling to breathe … he had cramps and was laughing fit to burst and she decided to take pity on him. As she came to her senses she began to wonder if she had made a complete fool of herself – but as she looked up she saw that people were laughing and cheering as if it was a scene from a movie and she looked down into his eyes …. she smiled widely as she watched him struggle to speak …
“So that’s what I have heard of as Southern hospitality?” he grinned …
“No darling – that’s what you’ve heard of as temporary insanity and I will call you as my first witness” she laughed aloud. "Welcome, my love – welcome to my life” she said … taking him off guard.
He had thought she was going to say “welcome to Raleigh of course” – but he knew which version he preferred. “I am delighted to be here, although the beds in your life are a little firm and very crowded,” he said as he tickled her rib cage and she leapt to her feet.
A passerby extended a hand to him, “Son – let me help you … it looks to me like you’re going to need all the energy you have” and they all laughed as he thanked the stranger and turned to greet her properly.
“Hello, my darling – I am thrilled to finally meet you, although anyone here that has seen this will think we have known each other for years I think”
“Sweetheart, anyone here will know exactly what they have witnessed … a man coming to the place he belongs” and she blushed, as he always seemed to be able to make her do.
Turning to pick up his bag again and acknowledging the waves of those still smiling at them both, he turned to her and she simply took his arm and they walked towards the exit together and into the rest of their lives.
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