The front door opened right about then and Jon walked in. He was smiling and the other two knew that his visit with his kids had gone well. He nodded at Rich and walked up and took Amanda in his arms. He kissed her deeply and she melted in his arms. Richie just grinned and shook his head.
With a bit of a bemused look on her face, she turned from his arms, and held out her hands toward him, fingers over the other making the “cross” sign. He laughed then and told them about his visit and that to the best of his knowledge everything was arranged for their flight tomorrow. He told her the passport had arrived and would be delivered to the airport tomorrow by his assistant.
Amanda took a deep breath. “So, this really happening, hmm?”
“Told ya, Manda, I’m keeping you!” He teased her, grinning as he did so.
Richie piped up from the couch. “Do I need to take a walk or something?”
Amanda blushed and half shouted, “NO!” Jon tried nodding yes, but she stopped him.
“Will you behave, please?”
He gave her his full on smile and her blushed deepened. “John Francis…!” Her tone threatening now. Backing away from him, she looked at the two men. “So, what would you two like for dinner tonight?”
“Babe, let’s just get Chinese tonight, okay? I don’t want you cooking. Sound good, Rich?”
Richie and Amanda both nodded and Jon went to place the order. With raised eyebrows, Richie realized that Jon was really making an effort to change since that bad Christmas week. He was glad to see that his friend could learn to be different.
“About 45 minutes. I pretty much ordered a bunch of everything. I’m starving!” Jon rubbed his stomach and Richie concurred.
“What time are we heading out tomorrow?” Amanda asked, trying to get a feel for their travel schedule.
Jon answered. “We need to be at JFK at nine and it will take about eight hours to get to Manchester.”
Her mouth dropped. “Eight hours? That’s it?”
“Yeah, we leave at ten, arrive at six our time, but 11 at night England time.”
“Whew! That’s going to take some getting used to!”
Richie laughed. “Oh yeah, jet lag is a bitch!”
“So, we’re leaving the house at…?”
“Seven.”
“Okay, got it. Just need to know what the schedule is.”
They discussed the trip a bit more and then continued through dinner. The guys were filling Amanda in on everything they could remember about the countries they would be visiting, but in truth there was so much information she doubted she would be able to remember it all.
About eight that night they all settled in to watch a movie. Jon was trying to be affectionate without drawing too much attention to them, but Richie didn’t miss much and laughed to himself that Jon had a bit of a surprise coming when they all finally retired for the night. The movie ended at close to eleven and they all said their good nights.
Amanda and Jon went to their room where Jon immediately turned even more amorous. A blush staining her cheeks, Amanda attempted to explain her current situation.
“Uh, Jon…?” He was kissing her neck and just murmured, “hmmm?”
“Jon, we can’t…”
He pulled away to look at her, confused for a moment and then understanding immediately dawned. He had been married for a long time.
“Ah, was wondering when that would happen. Let’s get a good night’s sleep then, baby, okay?”
Relieved, she nodded. She had also been married a long time.
They got ready for bed and Jon set the alarm for five. He curled around Amanda and both soon fell asleep.
~~~
The blaring of the alarm brought both wide awake and Jon swatted at the clock. Amanda mumbled…”I am so not a morning person…” before snuggling against Jon again.
“Come on, baby, we need showers and coffee and the limo will be here at seven.” She groaned but moved to the bathroom. Understanding her current condition, he made sure to wait until he heard the shower running and then joined her. He was gentle with her when he soaped her up, knowing about breast tenderness.
Amanda laughed and grinned at him. “Guess if I had to find another guy, one who had been married and understands women was a good choice.”
He shot her a look, then grinned himself. “Hey, I like my privates right where they are, thank you.”
They finished their showers laughing at the other.
Amanda dried off, including her hair, and dressed casually as Jon had indeed told her he owned the plane. That still made her laugh. She made sure she had everything she needed in her carry-on and then started downstairs to put on coffee, taking one of her suitcases with her. She over-estimated her strength, however, and the thumpa-thumpa-thump of the suitcase on the stairs brought Richie out of his room. He also was showered and dressed and giving her a “WOMEN!” look, he grabbed the suitcase and carried it down for her.
Fortunately, Linda had coffee on already and some pastries set out. Both grabbed their cups and Richie inhaled two of the coffee cakes. Jon entered a few minutes later, having brought down another of her bags and one of his. It was now six and all three were trying to wake up enough to be ready to leave at seven.
“I keep feeling like I forgot something…” Amanda squinted her eyes as she thought about what it might be.
“You probably did, but don’t worry, we can get whatever you need over there.” Jon was confident she had most likely forgotten something as she had not done this before. He was so used to it, he didn’t even worry.
A last discussion with Linda about his schedule and they brought the rest of the bags down, setting them by the door just at the limo was buzzing at the gate. Jon punched a code and the gate opened, letting the car in. Richie, Jon, and the driver loaded the trunk as Amanda grabbed her carry-on and her purse, making sure she had what she needed for the trip, including her cell phone.
They settled into the car and the driver started and moved about ten feet before Amanda shouted.
“Wait! I know what I forgot!”
“Hon, we can get what we need there.” Jon tried to assure her.
She turned to him. “Jon, it’s the Epi-Pen!”
Jon immediately told the driver to stop. Amanda left the car at a run, entering the house and running up the stairs. She grabbed the medication and the note that allowed her to carry it and dashed back down. Getting back into the car, she smiled rather breathlessly at Jon.
“Thanks! I knew it was something important.” He nodded and told the driver to proceed.
During the beginning of the drive, Jon explained to Richie about the medication and even gave him the instructions the doctor had provided, adding another member to Amanda’s ‘medical team’.
“Guys, it’s not like that…” she started.
“Manda, no offense, but bullshit…” Richie answered her. “I was there when that happened. If anything like it ever happens again I want to know how to help.”
Her smile was warm. “Thanks, Rich, I appreciate it.”
He shook his head. “No thanks needed. That scared the shit outta me!”
With a bit of a bemused look on her face, she turned from his arms, and held out her hands toward him, fingers over the other making the “cross” sign. He laughed then and told them about his visit and that to the best of his knowledge everything was arranged for their flight tomorrow. He told her the passport had arrived and would be delivered to the airport tomorrow by his assistant.
Amanda took a deep breath. “So, this really happening, hmm?”
“Told ya, Manda, I’m keeping you!” He teased her, grinning as he did so.
Richie piped up from the couch. “Do I need to take a walk or something?”
Amanda blushed and half shouted, “NO!” Jon tried nodding yes, but she stopped him.
“Will you behave, please?”
He gave her his full on smile and her blushed deepened. “John Francis…!” Her tone threatening now. Backing away from him, she looked at the two men. “So, what would you two like for dinner tonight?”
“Babe, let’s just get Chinese tonight, okay? I don’t want you cooking. Sound good, Rich?”
Richie and Amanda both nodded and Jon went to place the order. With raised eyebrows, Richie realized that Jon was really making an effort to change since that bad Christmas week. He was glad to see that his friend could learn to be different.
“About 45 minutes. I pretty much ordered a bunch of everything. I’m starving!” Jon rubbed his stomach and Richie concurred.
“What time are we heading out tomorrow?” Amanda asked, trying to get a feel for their travel schedule.
Jon answered. “We need to be at JFK at nine and it will take about eight hours to get to Manchester.”
Her mouth dropped. “Eight hours? That’s it?”
“Yeah, we leave at ten, arrive at six our time, but 11 at night England time.”
“Whew! That’s going to take some getting used to!”
Richie laughed. “Oh yeah, jet lag is a bitch!”
“So, we’re leaving the house at…?”
“Seven.”
“Okay, got it. Just need to know what the schedule is.”
They discussed the trip a bit more and then continued through dinner. The guys were filling Amanda in on everything they could remember about the countries they would be visiting, but in truth there was so much information she doubted she would be able to remember it all.
About eight that night they all settled in to watch a movie. Jon was trying to be affectionate without drawing too much attention to them, but Richie didn’t miss much and laughed to himself that Jon had a bit of a surprise coming when they all finally retired for the night. The movie ended at close to eleven and they all said their good nights.
Amanda and Jon went to their room where Jon immediately turned even more amorous. A blush staining her cheeks, Amanda attempted to explain her current situation.
“Uh, Jon…?” He was kissing her neck and just murmured, “hmmm?”
“Jon, we can’t…”
He pulled away to look at her, confused for a moment and then understanding immediately dawned. He had been married for a long time.
“Ah, was wondering when that would happen. Let’s get a good night’s sleep then, baby, okay?”
Relieved, she nodded. She had also been married a long time.
They got ready for bed and Jon set the alarm for five. He curled around Amanda and both soon fell asleep.
~~~
The blaring of the alarm brought both wide awake and Jon swatted at the clock. Amanda mumbled…”I am so not a morning person…” before snuggling against Jon again.
“Come on, baby, we need showers and coffee and the limo will be here at seven.” She groaned but moved to the bathroom. Understanding her current condition, he made sure to wait until he heard the shower running and then joined her. He was gentle with her when he soaped her up, knowing about breast tenderness.
Amanda laughed and grinned at him. “Guess if I had to find another guy, one who had been married and understands women was a good choice.”
He shot her a look, then grinned himself. “Hey, I like my privates right where they are, thank you.”
They finished their showers laughing at the other.
Amanda dried off, including her hair, and dressed casually as Jon had indeed told her he owned the plane. That still made her laugh. She made sure she had everything she needed in her carry-on and then started downstairs to put on coffee, taking one of her suitcases with her. She over-estimated her strength, however, and the thumpa-thumpa-thump of the suitcase on the stairs brought Richie out of his room. He also was showered and dressed and giving her a “WOMEN!” look, he grabbed the suitcase and carried it down for her.
Fortunately, Linda had coffee on already and some pastries set out. Both grabbed their cups and Richie inhaled two of the coffee cakes. Jon entered a few minutes later, having brought down another of her bags and one of his. It was now six and all three were trying to wake up enough to be ready to leave at seven.
“I keep feeling like I forgot something…” Amanda squinted her eyes as she thought about what it might be.
“You probably did, but don’t worry, we can get whatever you need over there.” Jon was confident she had most likely forgotten something as she had not done this before. He was so used to it, he didn’t even worry.
A last discussion with Linda about his schedule and they brought the rest of the bags down, setting them by the door just at the limo was buzzing at the gate. Jon punched a code and the gate opened, letting the car in. Richie, Jon, and the driver loaded the trunk as Amanda grabbed her carry-on and her purse, making sure she had what she needed for the trip, including her cell phone.
They settled into the car and the driver started and moved about ten feet before Amanda shouted.
“Wait! I know what I forgot!”
“Hon, we can get what we need there.” Jon tried to assure her.
She turned to him. “Jon, it’s the Epi-Pen!”
Jon immediately told the driver to stop. Amanda left the car at a run, entering the house and running up the stairs. She grabbed the medication and the note that allowed her to carry it and dashed back down. Getting back into the car, she smiled rather breathlessly at Jon.
“Thanks! I knew it was something important.” He nodded and told the driver to proceed.
During the beginning of the drive, Jon explained to Richie about the medication and even gave him the instructions the doctor had provided, adding another member to Amanda’s ‘medical team’.
“Guys, it’s not like that…” she started.
“Manda, no offense, but bullshit…” Richie answered her. “I was there when that happened. If anything like it ever happens again I want to know how to help.”
Her smile was warm. “Thanks, Rich, I appreciate it.”
He shook his head. “No thanks needed. That scared the shit outta me!”
Jon spoke in a deeply serious tone. “Me too, bro’…me too.”
Oh, the joy of someone owning a private plane! Not to have to worry about weight limits and such-now there's a fantasy!
Lol I soo agree Opester. Just the thought of being able to walk around or just sleep without any annoying people bothering you. Yep owning your own plane is a definite plus.