“Leaving….. “CH. 3

Chapter 3

So there she was. Flying towards utter misery with those haunting words ripping her heart apart …. now the time has come to leave you ... one more time let me kiss you.

Megan’s flight to Kennedy International Airport had been a blur. She knew she had another flight to Albany, then by car to Hamilton in the middle of the state where Crestin University nestled in a quiet valley.

At long last the Jumbo gently touched down, the engines screamed in reverse thrust and the pilot slowly skillfully brought them to the Terminal.

Megan helped Helen with the children as they departed the plane. They exchanged addresses and phone numbers and Helen hugged and kissed Megan on the cheek, “Goodbye my ‘clansman’ I hope you will listen with your heart and pray it will lead you to happiness.”They waved as Helen and the girls disappeared into a line waiting to be processed through customs.

Megan passed through customs on her way to the domestic departures concourse where she would wait to board her connecting flight. She had flown into Kennedy three times and these passageways with their bright colors and multitude of different advertisements were always amazing, but now very familiar to her.

She moved along smartly until she saw two groups of video monitors with the words “Departures” and “Arrivals” printed above their respective passageways. She identified her flight and moved quickly to her departure gate where she sat staring across the concourse walkway into the adjacent gate.A man, a woman and a small child, no older than four, were huddled together with some sort of turmoil swirling around them.Megan tried to focus on other people but the obviously tearful goodbye kept drawing her back to them.

The woman was dressed in a business suit and was holding her daughter in her arms. The little girl was clinging onto her mommy’s neck crying, her husband holding both of them.

To her surprise Megan could hear part of what they said, “It’s mommy’s last trip baby she will be working in town from now on.I promise you baby she won’t ever leave you again.”The child was sobbing and her mother was silently weeping as daddy took the little girl from her mother’s arms to comfort her.

The woman tried her best to compose herself then kissed her husband with a passion that ignored any watching passengers.She pulled back from her lover, a look of pain crossing her young face.Megan could imagine her parting words as if she whispered them into her own ear. “So kiss me and smile for me, tell me that you'll wait for me, Hold me like you'll never let me go…Oh, babe, I hate to go.”

The woman looked deeply into her husband's eyes, touched her daughter’s face, then turned, picked up her briefcase and entered the tunnel to board the plane.The child held onto her daddy, her face streaked with tears as he moved down the concourse and away from the plane.

Megan sat and fought back the tears welling up in her eyes.‘Oh god, what do want of me? You gave me a heart to love with.You gave me Andrew to love.But you first gave me a mind and a drive to succeed in whatever I set my mind to.’

As she closed her eyes to compose herself she heard her flight called.She saw Andrew’s handsome face and heard again those words.“Hold me like you’ll never let me go ... “

**********

With heavy heart Megan exited the plane in Albany to pick up her rental car.The paperwork completed she sat at the wheel and searched for a classical music broadcast to soothe her – anything so that she didn’t hear that song again. She found herself listening to the opening bars of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake’ and relaxed for a few minutes as she heard the lyrical beauty of his music. She drove out of the airport and turned west on State Route 20 towards Crestin University, about an hour away, taking care to adjust her thinking and concentrate her mind on driving ‘on the wrong side of the road.’

Andrew wasn’t expecting her. This would be a total surprise. She hoped she had timed her arrival for when he was most likely to be at home.

Megan found a parking slot and retrieved her case, or was it a ‘valise’ now?No it was ‘suitcase’ even though she didn’t have a suit in it.She removed it from the boot no, it’s now ‘the trunk’ and walked the short distance to the stairs leading to Andrew’s cosy little house. She stood outside his door cell phone in hand and keyed in his number, her heart racing with mixed excitement and apprehension.

Brrrrrr,Brrrrrr,Brrrrrr.That distinctive soft ring tone of the USA.

“Hi this is Andrew.”

She adopted what she hoped was an American accent, lowered her voice and said “Is this Professor Andrew Scotsdale?”

“Sure is” his lovely molasses voice replied.

“Sir you have an express parcel at your door. It’s marked ‘Fragile.’ Our driver failed to get a receipt so would you kindly make sure it’s there safe.”

“Yup – just hold on now.”

There was the scraping of a latch, the door swung open and Andrew stared in astonishment.

“Meg? Meg honey? Oh Meeeg” and he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her, stroking her hair and lifted her off her feet as he carried her inside.

“Andrew. ANDREW for god’s sake I can’t BREATHE.Put me down” she laughed.

Andrew held Megan in his arms gazing into her deep sapphire blue eyes. He thought to himself, ‘she is thinking about something awfully hard for her eyes to be so blue and I can guess what it is she has been thinking about.’He whispered in her ear, “I’ve missed you so much my love.”

Megan was breathless from Andrew’s bone crushing embrace and that kiss, ohhhh his kiss.She had primed and readied herself while driving from the airport so she could tell him why she was there, but suddenly found her body melting into his arms, their mouths almost glued together as he greeted her.

She looked up into his eyes, she had to say something, tell him why she came.She began to speak “Andrew, please let me say something. Please. I’ve something to say …” His voice overrode hers. He wouldn’t let her speak. “I’ve missed you so much my love.”Her determination crumbled at the look on his face, at the joy he showed at her being there. She couldn’t destroy him at this moment of reunion and all her carefully planned words disappeared from her mind.She grabbed him and held him tight.‘So nice, so protected, so comforted,’Now the song came and she welcomed it’s poignant melody as it played in her heart, “Hold Me Like You’ll Never Let Me Go.”

He pulled her close and took in her scent. Andrew shivered, ‘she still uses the shampoo that smells like spring flowers that I love so much.’He knew in his heart this woman was all that was worth living for.He loved her more than anything or anybody in this life and he had so much to talk over with her while she was here. He knew she’d be interested. He hoped she would agree to his ideas.But his ideas for their future could wait; she was in his arms and that was all that counted.

“Hey,” Andrew asked, “Do you need to shower or take a bath?”

The little smirk on his face told her all she needed to know about what he had in mind.She moved away from his embrace and gathered her case from the front porch, closing and locking the door behind her. Her lips were dry, her tummy a knot of anxiety. If she didn’t tell him now she was lost. But could she tell him when he wanted her so much? Did she even WANT to tell him right now? It could wait. He would be heartbroken if all she could offer was the harshness of separation when it was so plain how much he wanted and needed her – and god help her she needed his love – just one more time.

Then with her new determination and a forced cheerfulness said, “Yes my love, I need you to draw my bath, pamper my body and make wild passionate love to me. But only if you want, I don’t want to be a nuisance!”

Before Megan could say another word Andrew scooped her up in his arms and headed upstairs towards his bedroom.Shrieking in surprise then giggling in his arms as her shoes, socks and pants were dropped haphazardly as he relieved her of them.Her clothing left a trail from the foyer to the master bathroom’s Jacuzzi.

While Megan finished removing what clothing Andrew had not managed to strip from her, she followed his every move as he opened the windows allowing a cool breeze to filter through the room while he filled the big garden tub with hot water.He waited until the water reached the right level before he engaged the powerful water jets.Megan watched in a trance-like state thinking how her emotions were like the torrent of raging water in the centre of the tub. She wanted to make this time, this coming night, special for them both.

Andrew looked over his shoulder, his heart loud in his ears as he took in her naked beauty, confidently revealed to his gaze. He held his hand out to her and Megan seductively crossed over to her man, waiting to be lost in his gentle pampering.He stood next to the tub as he helped her climb over the side, holding on to her hand so she didn’t lose her balance. Quickly she was safely lounging in the midst of the massaging currents of water as they stimulated her tired body.

Andrew turned on some music, allowing the tranquil sounds of one of his “Windham Hill” CDs fill the air.After disappearing momentarily he returned with a pot of tea and two cups and placed them on the ledge of the table behind Megan.He fixed it exactly the way she had taught him … with a small amount of milk but no sugar.Handing her a teacup he took the other one for himself as he sat on a small stool next to the tub.

Megan put her mission on hold as her body, responding to the various stimuli, started relaxing while her mind was lost in a fog.‘Now what do I do? He’s being so loving, so kind, just as he always is when we are together.I can’t spoil this moment for him.’

Her thoughts were interrupted by Andrew’s soft little kisses on her neck and face.She sighed as a familiar heat began to build deep inside her body. Opening her eyes she looked up at him as he bent over the back of the tub to kiss her again.She offered him her cup which he promptly placed on a nearby shelf.When he returned to the same position a look of mischief spread across Megan’s face.She reached up and put her arms around Andrews’s neck as if to kiss him, then as he bent off balance she pulled down.

“Oh shit,” were Andrew’s last words before the splash when he went ass over teakettle into the up on his knees he was spluttering from the water he had just inhaled. Looking at Megan who was laughing so hard she was holding her sides, he tried to regain his composure.

Continuing to splutter he finally said, “You little Imp!” He decided he might as well join her, he was already soaked. He threw off his shoes and shirt, quickly followed by his pants, then took her into his arms.She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his body.Her signal was clear and she whispered, “Slow my love, it’s been a long time since we were together in January.”

Andrew positioned himself and Megan surrendered to her lover.Slowly he pressed forward as she offered him welcome access to the very core of her being.He pushed slowly into her and muscles too long ignored responded with a deep longing of purpose and absolute desire.Megan rotated her hips to allow his entrance, almost clawing her fingers into his back as the fullness she knew so well became the focus of her desire.“This is so good,” she purred into his ear as he continued a gentle back and forth motion, ‘like the tide’ she thought, now totally abandoned to the touch of his love.

Andrew looked down at Megan; her eyes were closed as she gave herself over to sheer ecstasy. His very being was at one with his beautiful lover. ‘I love you so much, you are my soul mate, my equal in every way, I am so happy I found you’he thought.His body shuddered as her tightness closed around him, milking him, demanding his very essence.

Andrew didn’t notice his movements beginning to speed up as Megan met his every thrust in her desire to please him, to pull his body inside her, to keep this most perfect of all connections, their own special oneness.

They were lost in the delights they were providing, each for the other; Andrew’s movements became frantic as the tension inside him built to a point of no return.Then in a sudden explosion of pleasure and wanton release he was emptying himself deep into Megan's body, bringing with it the hope of new life.He slowly relaxed his pace until he lay quietly atop his lover, his body continuing to spasm in love’s release, still connected, still that complete oneness.

Megan opened her eyes meeting his gaze while she demurely smiled, “I felt you cum. I like it when I feel you cum deep inside me. It feels so warm and right somehow. It’s the final thing that makes me become part of you, and you part of me. I can never hold back then.”

Andrew kissed her face and mouth as he gradually lost his erection and slipped out of her. He gently touched and stroked Megan’s body while they just looked into each others eyes.Megan seemed a little distracted; Andrew thought ‘she has some important interviews coming up, it must be that.She just needs to relax.’

Reaching over he turned off the water jets and supported Megan as she climbed out of the tub.He took his time while he helped to dry her off, afterwards leading her to his king sized bed.She lay on her side, her head propped up on the pillows while she waited for Andrew to join her.

Megan felt again a deep sense of contentment as she curled into Andrew’s arms. His very presence was comforting to her.She felt tiny kisses on her arms and she responded by holding her breath while the shiver of excitement ran down her body.The feel of his hot wet mouth on her skin was exhilarating as he moved over her.Some places were excited, others were just nice, still others tickled until at last he began to worship her body at her most intimate and womanly center.The tension kept building as his mouth and tongue teased and pleasured her until he found the very focus of her desires.Over and over he brought her to a peak and she released her emotions as they were magically transformed into wave after wave of uncontrollable pleasure, consuming her mind and body. Afterwards, spooning with her back to his chest, she fell asleep cradled in his arms, satisfied and peaceful.

**********

Andrew woke up first and let Megan sleep. Walking out front he began to make a supper of Burgundy beef tips with noodles, Caesar salad, and the fresh French bread he had bought earlier in the day.As he browned the beef his thoughts drifted back over the last six years.

He could admit to himself now that Megan had unwittingly started her assault on his heart that first morning of class six years ago when she stood defiantly and challenged him when he singled her out.“You may call me Miss MacLean.” Her snotty little reply with the soft Scottish brogue almost made him laugh out loud at her defiance.But she had caught his attention, oh yes the beautiful young lass had beguiled him completely from the first day she came into his life.

He had been very pleased at how well he got along with Meg’s parents; both he and they seemed to have a genuine respect for one another.

That second New Year’s at her house when he was invited as a guest to Burns Night, he and Lachlan consumed their weight in good malt, Glenfiddich by name.

Kate had said it was her husband’s favourite tipple.Then the two of them stayed up until three o’clock in the morning teaching one another drinking songs which of course they had to perform for the long suffering women of the household, although Kate had put her foot down at some of the more risqué ones, and Megan had exclaimed “really Andrew !” a couple of times. Then in private, the little minx had asked him to tell her the words.

Megan had first come to the States the August after she graduated, when Andrew returned to his position at Crestin.They spent the whole holiday, as Megan called it, at his parents’ home in Chattanooga, Tennessee.The lush green rolling hills and mountains of this portion of the United States reminded her of parts of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.She immediately fell in love with the area’s natural beauty.

It was in this perfect setting that Megan had the opportunity to meet Andrew's mother and father, Denise and Bart Scotsdale, as well as his sisters Abigail and Caitlyn.Abigail also introduced her husband Hudson and her two children Ashley and Caron.

Megan, who was two years older than Caitlyn, quickly formed a bond with her and they began to correspond by post and e-mail.Their love of classical music became a common ground for the friendship to blossom. Caitlyn, having just completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Music, was waiting for verification of her acceptance to a conservatory in Michigan to continue her studies.

Andrew remembered with some amusement that Caitlyn had taken Megan to all three of the major malls in Chattanooga.Both women came back from each store with multiple packages and each of them just had to show Andrew what they had purchased.

He remembered walking by Caitlyn’s room, the door slightly ajar, when his baby sister said, “Oh my God Megan you’re not going to wear those around Andrew are you?My God the poor boy will faint dead away, seeing that much female flesh at one time.Not to mention it doesn’t hide anything at all, more like makes your eyes travel to where they’re not supposed to.”

Both women giggled and laughed until Megan replied, “Well he will see me in them until he takes them off me, after all they are designed to draw your man’s eyes that way.”

Caitlyn had answered, “Wait a minute you got the book worm into your bed?I am stunned. I was afraid he was going to die before he got laid.This is too cool, I’m happy for both of you.”

Megan laughed and said, “To tell you the truth Caitlyn, I’m happy for both of us too!He has my heart and I do love your brother terribly.”

Andrew had barely heard Megan’s last comments as he moved quickly away from the door and a warm flush suddenly moved up his neck and to his face.He wasn’t sure he would ever be able to face his little sister again.Did girls always share intimate things like that?

Andrew remembered Megan telling him one particular thing that was etched in her mind about her first visit to his parents' house was the night Denise had caught her leaving Andrew’s room at three in the morning.Megan stopped, scarlet with embarrassment, looked at Denise and said, “I … I am … ”

Denise crossed the few paces to where Megan was and put her hand on the younger woman’s shoulder.“You and Andrew are adults, in this house you have the rights of adults.If you were alone would you sleep together?”

Although she couldn’t look Andrew’s mother in the face Megan nodded, took a deep breath and answered, “Yes we would.”

Denise pointed behind her and said, “Go back in and sleep with him, you don’t get to see much of each other as it is.”

Megan looked at Denise, “Thank you.”Was all that she could think of to say.

The two women quietly returned to their men. When she re-entered Andrew’s room he sat up and asked, “Is everything alright?”

“Yes Andrew, everything is very much alright. Believe it or not your Mom just sent me back to sleep with you. I tried to tell her I didn’t WANT to but she MADE me.”

He snickered, “I told you it was alright; they let Abigail and Hudson do the same thing. Now come here, you wanton woman you.”

“I’m just not used to it, that’s all.But I like it.”Megan crawled in next to Andrew and, cuddling-up to her man, was asleep in seconds.

The following day she quietly carried all of her clothes into Andrew’s room.

Andrew had already told Megan that if his Momma and Dad didn’t like you, they had no bones about telling you so.

Megan had told Andrew she had been so relieved when, as she and Andrew were leaving, Denise had invited her back with or without her son.

*********

It was summer of the following year that Megan came over to spend time with him in the States once more. She arrived at Albany airport and he was there to meet her.The flight had been a misery of misplaced baggage and flight delays and she was grumpy.Walking her to the parking lot she was moaning and complaining about the traffic at home, the customs agent at Kennedy International, and verbally sticking pins into effigies of all baggage staff.Then she stopped and stared in amazement as Andrew walked over to a 27 foot Recreational Vehicle.

“Come my love, we have this camper for five weeks and a BIG country to explore.”He opened the door and bowed, swinging his arm in an exaggerated fashion towards the entrance of the RV as he ushered her inside.

Megan’s grumpy miseries were cast off in a second and she squealed, “Really we are going to tour the States just you and me?”Clapping her hands she bounded up the steps to begin exploring the inside of her home away from home.

“Andrew did you buy this?”Megan’s voice was full of wonder.

“No my love, my mom and dad have a half ownership share in this with my aunt and uncle, so I asked for, and was granted, the option to use it for the next five weeks.I’ve outlined four or five different routes we can take on the maps on the table over there, so we need to sit down and make some plans.”

Throwing herself into his arms Megan whispered “Darling this is my Plan A” and she began her own special tour on Andrew’s lips, neck and ears.It wasn’t long before the whole RV had a suspicious rocking motion accompanied by small gasps, groans, deep sighs and occasional squeals.Lying on top of Andrew after their lovemaking, Megan looked down into his eyes, “You are the most wonderful man I have ever met and I love you so much. You have no idea how much.” She tried to put on an innocent expression, but her smiling, puffy, love satisfied eyes gave her away “But Andrew, we won’t always have to find a parking lot before we can do it, will we?”

He slapped her naked ass and grinned “I love you too my Megan, more than I can tell to you. So its gonna be every rest stop, every parking lot, and if you are not very careful, inside every superstore, so just hang onto your britches you wanton hussy you.”

After they recovered from their loving greeting, Megan slipped into her panties and took time out to look over all the possible tours Andrew had put together.She chose the Atlantic states and New England to explore figuring, as she told Andrew, “We can explore some other places my next time here.”

Andrew explained, “I have tickets to a major sporting event taking place in a few days.We are headed south into Alabama before beginning our trip.I am going to reveal a closely held secret about myself to you my love.”

Megan’s wonderful eyes were sparkling in the late morning sun as she moved over onto Andrew’s lap and began to lick and nip up and down his ear and neck.He began to moan and hold her closer to him as she whispered, “Tell me all of your secrets sir, every one of them tell your little Mata Hari all your secrets my love.”

Andrew shook off her advances and looked into her smiling face. She had purposely used one of his favorite villains from the First World War to tease him.“Ah am a proper southern gentleman and I will resist your ample charms Madam until the end.”His extra emphasis on his southern drawl made Megan giggle then laugh.

He returned the favor, inciting her body as he licked and nibbled along her neck and out onto her shoulder.She was soon cooing and whimpering in his ear, but managed to warn him.“If you don’t stop that and get out on the road soon, we might spend the whole five weeks in this parking place.We will see if we can live on only loving.I’m willing to try!”Her voice ended in a squeal as Andrew caressed her bum.

Three days later Andrew pulled the RV into Talladega Super Speedway in North East Alabama where the next afternoon he and Megan sat and watched her first NASCAR race.

Andrew’s secret was he was an avid racin’ fan.Megan was amazed how animated he became at certain points in the race.This to her was merely a blur of different colored cars going around in a circle.Andrew jumped, fidgeted, and screamed as the ebb and flow of the race favored different drivers.He rooted for the # number 9 car, a Dodge driven by Bill Elliot, Andrew's favorite driver.

She just stared at him, this was something different from his very controlled personality, and she rather liked it.Megan also told Andrew she liked the way those jumpsuits made the drivers bum’s look so trim and tight.She asked him if he would get one and wear it for her.

After the race, which Mr. Elliot didn’t win, they drove up to see Andrew’s parents in Chattanooga for a few days and Megan was able to reestablish her friendship with Caitlyn.

Caitlyn was the first one to come out of the house that Saturday evening; she hugged Andrew then grabbed Megan and dragged her to the house calling over her shoulder, “I’ll give her back to you just as soon as we catch up on all the news with Mom. Andrew, you can go out back and help Dad do man things and pitch horseshoes and drink Budweiser.”Caitlyn’s laughter could be heard throughout the house.

Caitlyn pulled Megan inside the house yelling, “Mom, they’re here!”

Denise’s deep drawl answered from the kitchen, “Baby Ah’m in the kitchen.”

Megan’s mouth watered at the sounds, sights and smells that assailed her senses.Oh the smells!Fresh baked pie, spices, and meat cooking.Plus the distinct odor of corn.The house, especially the kitchen, was a veritable feast for the nose.

Denise was wiping her hands on her ever present apron as the girls came in and she warmly greeted Megan with a hug.“Ah am so glad you were able to come back to see us.We really enjoyed your last visit.”Her drawl was so deep and her speech so slow it almost seemed like she was talking in muffled slow motion to Megan.

Truthfully even though it had only been her second time at his parent's, Megan later told Andrew it seemed like a second home to her.Warm, comforting and inviting.

Megan replied "I missed all of you too, thank you so much for making me feel welcome.”

Denise asked Caitlyn and Megan to help her set up the picnic tables as the guests would be arriving any minute.“Guests?” Megan asked.

“Yes Megan, my sister Angie and her daughters Kit and Bailey as well as Abigail and her family will all be here.We do this kind of get together every few weeks from April till October; it keeps us all in touch," answered Denise. Anyways I guess they wanted to say hello to Andrew’s English girl.

Dinner as it turned out was fried chicken, potato salad, corn on the cob, collard greens, and sweet tea to drink.Megan found it necessary to dilute the tea because for her it was too sweet, very much like drinking syrup.

Desert however was a big hit with everyone; fresh strawberries over freshly baked shortcake with homemade ice cream and whip cream.Megan felt she had died and gone to heaven.

Later that evening as the adults sat back and watched, Caitlyn helped Kit and Bailey catch lighting bugs or fireflies as some would call them and put them in a jar for Caron and Ashley to see.Andrew remembered the look of contentment on Megan’s face at the delight such a simple pleasure inspired in the younger children.

The next morning Caitlyn roused the two lovebirds at five a.m. Denise and Bart had a surprise set up for the family.Two hours later the five of them were buckling into a rubber raft preparing to go white-water rafting.

As they approached the first rapids Megan grabbed Andrew’s hand and admitted, “I’m a bit scared, very excited but scared.”

Caitlyn looked over her shoulder and said, “Megan don’t look for any help from him, by the loss of color in his face and the white knuckles on his paddle I'm sure this is his first time too.”

The rest of the morning was spent screaming, yelling, getting thoroughly soaked and having a wonderful time.When they finally got back to shore, Andrew looked at Caitlyn and said, “If you take up sky diving count me out.”The laughter from Megan and his Mom and Dad was loud and long.

Leaving Tennessee he took them through the Smoky Mountains to Myrtle Beach then up the coast to New England.Megan was so excited when she saw the lighthouses along the way she made him stop and take pictures at each one.

However it was in New Hampshire that her heart soared.All her life she had seen pictures and read about covered bridges.They turned a bend in the road and suddenly there it was, a large white sided bridge with a red roof crossing a river.The gorge behind the bridge which opened up onto a long plain leading up to the foot of a mountain was breath taking as a back drop.Both of them got out of the RV to explore.

Megan was over the bridge and back again several times taking pictures from both sides; she grabbed Andrew and kissed him deeply.“You don’t have any idea how special this is for me. My love, this is something I’ve wanted to see since I found out about them in my children's encyclopaedia.”

The whole trip that summer had been magical.

Continued in Part Four

Co-authored – Susan England and Writingdragon
The authors would welcome comments and criticisms at either of their email addresses,namely authors acknowledge the words used in the song "Leaving on a Jet Plane" written byJohn Denver and performed by Peter, Paul andMary.