Libby laughed. “Well, it is an amazing plane. How long have you had it?”
I had to think a moment. “I believe five years. And in all that time I’ve probably only been in it maybe ten times.”
“That doesn’t sound like a lot,” Libby said. “How come? Do you prefer to travel by car? I was just curious why you thought you might need a private plane if you don’t do any more flying than that.”
“I thought I would initially,” I said. “I love flying. I love the way the jet skyrockets down the runway and then suddenly you are lifting up into the air. I love being so high above the clouds and looking down at everything and watching it get bigger as you descend towards your landing. I love the comfortability of it as well.”
“Then why don’t you fly more often?”
“Really, I don’t know. It just seems that most of my work is done locally or by phone. I know you want me to search my soul to come up with something else, but I really don’t think that there is any other reason.”
I was chuckling now. Libby seemed disappointed. And I didn’t blame her. A lot of people seem to always have really great stories about flying, especially if they own their own jet.
“So, where else would you like to go?” I asked.
“What?” Libby replied.
“Let’s go to Disney World!” Toby chimed in excitedly.
Libby and I both chuckled. “Well, that is a destination we can plan for”, I said.
“I guess I’d love to go to Australia, Acapulco, Alaska…”
“Anything that doesn’t begin with the letter A?” I teased.
Libby blushed. “The Bahamas. Paris, London, and maybe Tokyo.”
“Have you ever been out of the country?” I asked.
“No. I haven’t,” Libby said. “I know that’s weird, right? Aren’t we supposed to have travelled somewhere by the time we are my age, right?”
“Nah,” I said. “It’s not as unusual as you think. But we can definitely change all that. With this jet, I can fly anywhere I desire. So, start thinking of some places you would like to visit and we can make that happen.”
Libby nodded. “Ok, that sounds like a plan. But you really don’t have to take me places.”
“Actually, I’d be doing it more for me. I need to get out much more than I do. I’ve always thought about exploring the world, but I’ve never had any real motivation or excuse. Well, now I have one. So, you are changing me already.”
We landed and grabbed our luggage. After that we headed out of the airport where a limousine was waiting to take us to the hotel resort we were staying at for the next few days. Of course, if I had a house or even an apartment in Las Vegas, then I wouldn’t have had to worry about staying at the resort. But I knew that Libby and Toby would both love it. There was a ton of fun things the two of them could get into while I was working.
It had been a few days since the incident with the Scarluccis where we’d saved Libby’s friend, Marla, and when we’d made love the first time. It was beautiful. That was the best way to describe the way we’d come together. I couldn’t have imagined anything purer than that, than what happened right there.
It had been on my mind pretty much ever since that night. And I wanted more. I was out of my mind in love with Libby. That night had confirmed it. What I’d felt for her was so far past some physical sensation or feeling, or a crush (if God forbid, a man my age could have such a thing), or even a basic infatuation. There was real heart and soul involved.
And I knew she felt the same way.
That was what made everything finally click for me. I had that confirmation back from her. It wasn’t just me throwing my thoughts and feelings—my heart—into the universe and hoping that something would stick or come back my way. No; she had finally let down her walls and let me inside of her mind, body, and soul.
And I couldn’t have been happier. I hadn’t been this happy in years. And I knew that Toby could sense a change in the air. At his age he couldn’t have put what he felt into words, and he might not have understood it even if he heard it placed into verbiage, but I believe the feeling resonated with him. He felt that his family was finally complete.
And I felt that way, too.
But I didn’t dare push my luck and express everything I felt with Libby. There was still some room there to wiggle back the other way, I thought, on her end especially. I might have been just feeling paranoid—it had been a long time since I’d been in love—but I was thinking about the long term and I wanted to play the slow game. What we had expressed so far was amazing and I hoped that we would keep expressing ourselves to the higher levels.