David and Brie were on the first flight toward Israel in the morning. They didn’t get much sleep the night before, but they would sleep on the flight. They wanted to savor their last night in the United States.
By the time their flight was leaving the tarmac, they were asleep. They slept the entire two hour flight to LAX. David had his back to the windows and the blinds were closed. Brie was braced against the strength of his chest sleeping peacefully. The closeness they shared was beyond the understanding of the other passengers. When the plane touched the tarmac in Los Angeles they stirred and gathered their things. The passenger across the aisle from them was staring at them as they picked up their carryon bags. “Excuse me?” the man said. He looked like he was on a business trip in his dark blue three piece suit.
They looked at the man. “Yes?” David said.
“Forgive me for being overly nosy, but how long have the two of you been together?”
“Thirty- one years.”
“And you’re still so in love. It’s heartwarming. Makes me want to call my wife once I get to my destination to tell her I love her.”
“You should”, Brie said with a soft smile. “There were a lot of times when he was away and he’d call just to say hi and that he loved me. It helps to hear it when the one you love isn’t there.”
“The voice of experience”, the man said with a smile and looked at David. “How often are you away?”
“Not very often anymore. I just retired actually. My wife and I are moving out of the US to Israel.”
“The only place in the WORLD where it’s ok to be a hazan”, the guy said with a chuckle.
David gave him a strange look but didn’t ask what he meant by the comment. He knew that he’d same something similar in an interview many years before and he’d never made any bones about the fact that he was Jewish, so he didn’t say anything. He just smiled pleasantly. “Well, it’s been nice talking with you. We really have to be going. We’re going to have to run to our next connection as it is.” He took Brie’s hand and led her off of the plane. Once they were a good distance from the terminal he pulled her close to his side. “Sorry if that frightened you, but that guy was creeping me out.”
She smiled up at him as she tucked herself as close to him as she could manage. “I understand, honey. I didn’t like that guy either. I had a creepy feeling about that guy too.”
“That last thing he said set off an alarm in my head.”
“Well, you were trained to look for creeps like that many years ago. You never lose training like that. It tends to stick with you no matter how often you use it.”
He smiled and kissed her temple. “I love you. You always know what to say.”
She laughed. “I love you too. And I know what to say because I know you. When are you going to get that through your thick skull?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe never.”
“I guess I’ll be saying it the rest of our lives then. I’m not messed up about it.”
All he could do was laugh.
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The landing in New Delhi gave them an opportunity to explore India a little. A five hour layover would do that for anyone, but they certainly weren’t complaining. He took her to some of the places he liked to go when they visited India. He had been surprised at how alive metal was in the subcontinent when the band had come out.
They ate a small meal while there so that they didn’t have to travel with heavy full stomachs. Brie loved the food. It was so interesting to finally get to experience all of the new and different cultures. She had even agreed to having henna tattooing done. Jordan had it done regularly and she loved it. Her feet, hand, and back were done in elaborate patterns of the reddish brown ink. Once it was dry, it was beautiful. David smiled at her. “You’re a walking work of art”, he whispered in her ear. His fingertips traced down her spine.
She shivered and let out a shaking breath. “Thank you, love. I’m glad you like it. Three hours later and I’m all hennaed out. I don’t know how Jordan does it so often. I’m a lot more patient than she is and I was starting to get sick of lying there after two and a half hours on my back.”
He laughed. “But you have to admit it was worth it.”
She smiled back. “Again, I’m glad you like it.” She stretched up and gave him a kiss before slipping her shirt back on. “Now, why don’t we head back to our terminal so that we can get the hell out of here?”
He grabbed their bags and held his hand out to her. “Let’s go. We’re almost home.”
She sighed as she wrapped herself around him. “I know… and it’s a wonderful feeling.”
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Jessi’s boyfriend picked them up at the airport and took them to their new house. He’d been there all day setting things up so that they had a bed and TV on their bedroom when they arrived. “You really didn’t have to do that, Adam”, Brie said with a smile.
“Yeah I did. Jessi said that she would be pissed at me to no end if I didn’t find a way to help out and set up the house just a little bit. Anyway, someone had to sign for all of the stuff, right?”
David shrugged. “True. Thank you for your help.”
“All I’m trying to do is impress you two. I know that you’re very protective of your girls, Mr. Draiman, and I love Jessi. I just want to prove to you that I’m worthy of her.”
“Is it that well known that I’m protective of my daughters?” David asked with a laugh of disbelief.
“Actually, yes. Jessi told everyone in class the story of you scaring the shit out of the last guy she brought home and the story of the first guy that Maddie brought home. It scared every boy that thought of trying to date Jessi but me. I’ve had a thing for Jessi since the first day of classes last semester. When I received my acceptance to Loyola for my semester abroad, I asked her if she’d be opposed to having a roommate. At first, we were just friends; then we started falling for each other.”
“Wow. Interesting story”, Brie said. “Well Adam, I can’t speak for my husband, but I can tell you that I like you. David may take a little more convincing.”
“Well, that’s what I’m trying to do. I really do love Jessykah and I would love to make her my wife at some point. I know that I have a lot to prove before Mr. Draiman will allow that to happen, Mrs. Draiman. I’m more than willing to wait for the patriarch to give me his approval.”
David grinned. “No matter how badly I don’t want to like you, David, you keep showing me that you’re a decent guy.” He took a deep breath. “This isn’t permission to marry her, but as long as you treat her right that will come in no time.”
“You don’t want to like me?”
“You have to understand that it’s nothing against you personally. Jessykah is my baby. No one is good enough for her in my mind. But, so far, you’re proving me wrong. That’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned. Just keep doing what you’re doing and you’ll make me like you yet”, David laughed.
“Well, at least I know that it’s not me personally. You’re just prejudiced against any guy that wants to date Jessi.”
David chuckled. “Pretty much. That’s just the way I am. There’s no man on the planet worthy of my princesses until they prove it to me.”
---------------
Jessi’s things were packed and she was almost ready to go to the airport. It was going to be a red eye from Denver to Jerusalem, but she was ready for it. Leaving the US was something she was ready for. She was eager to start her job as an interpreter for the US consulate in Jerusalem. The US ambassador was a wonderful woman. She was a woman that Jessi could look up to and admire.
There was a knock on her bedroom door. “Come on”, she called.
“You ready to go to the airport?” her brother Jeremiah asked when he opened the door.
She smiled. “Yep. Ready as I’ll ever be. I just hope that Dad didn’t drill Dave too badly. Poor guy’s beating himself up to impress Dad.”
“I’m sure that Dad was nice. If he treats you well then Dad will eventually come around. Remember how long it took Colton to win Dad over?”
“Yeah, I remember. Once he became a regular face around here, it wasn’t hard to get in Dad’s good graces. David’s got it a bit harder. Mom and Dad aren’t going to be around like they were for Colton. They’re going to be travelling everywhere.”
“And you two are going to be house sitting. Dropping them off and picking them up at the airport all the time. I think he’s got a bit of a leg up on Colton.”
Jessi smiled. “Thanks big brother. I needed that.”
“No problem, Jess. I’m your big brother. It’s what I do. Now, come on. There is a very impatient Matthew Ryan downstairs and we’d like to get you to the airport before he becomes too grumpy.”
Jessi laughed. “Let’s go, ‘Miah. I’m ready to get to Israel to see my man.”
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