There's no place like home...There's no place like home...

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Viewing Note: This story should be viewed with the Edwardian Script ITC font installed on your Windows platform in the c:/Windows/Fonts directory. Microsoft Word installs this font automatically.

Photo Credit: Permission to use the photo of Lake Louise and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, has been granted by the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts .

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Chapter 10
 

“Gabs … sweetheart … time to get up…” Maddy softly offered as she leaned over to give her wife further encouragement with a morning kiss.

“Morgen…” Gaby sleepily murmured. “What time is it?”

“Half-past morning, lover…” was the quiet reply.

“Huh?”

“It’s after ten,” Maddy quietly confirmed as she continued to cuddle with her wife.

“How long you been awake?”

“Ohhh …since almost nine.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?

“You looked so peaceful … besides … I just felt like laying here and watching you. I think you’re just so sexy when you’re sleeping,” Maddy suggestively whispered as she softly caressed Gaby’s cheek.

“I bet you say that to all the girls…”

“Only you … I so wish we could stay here in…” Maddy’s whispered reply was cut short as Gaby chose that moment to return her ‘wake-up’ kiss.

(sigh) “Unfortunately … I think we better get up if we’re going to pack and be ready to go to Frank’s later on,” Gaby reluctantly admitted.

“Go have a shower to wake up … I’ll start packing.”

“Not going to join me?” Gaby asked with a pout.

“Jess has a small tub … we’ll trade places when you come out.”

“Ohhh … alright!” Gaby quietly conceded as she threw back the blankets and started to get out of bed.

Their showers done and bags packed, the girls were in the midst of dressing for the trip home, when Gaby started to look around the room.

“Darling? I thought you left my sweater out?” Gaby wondered.

“I did, sweetheart ... it’s still in the dresser.”

“Thanks, mum...” Gaby sheepishly replied while she sat down on the bed with her unzipped high black dress boots in her hand. “Luv? Jess suggested we keep out our moccasins to wear at Frank’s … she’s taking hers.”

“Mmmm ... Do you really expect me to keep my hands off you all day, looking like that?” Maddy playfully stated a few minutes later as she watched her wife zip up her boots, then stand up and straighten her skirt.

“No...” Gaby joked.

“You want me to get out your feathers and choker?”

“On one condition … you wear your choker and earrings!” Gaby whispered as she leaned over and gave her bride a quick kiss on the lips, as Maddy was leaning over to unzip one of their suitcases.

Seeing that the door to the guest bedroom was ajar, Jessica knocked on the door-frame and then poked her head into the room.

“Can I talk to you guys a second?”

“Sure ... what’sup?” Maddy playfully asked.

“Last night after you two turned in … Rob and I did some talking about our vacation this year and we thought we’d take a couple of weeks in July … and go to Europe,” Jessica revealed as she stood in the open doorway.

“Right in the middle of the season,” Gaby sulked.

“That’s why we figured if you sent us your race schedule, we could tailor our holiday so we could catch you in a race or two. It’s about time we saw you terrorizing the roads...”

“Brill! As soon as George lets the team know … I’ll email it to you guys!” Gaby enthused as her mood instantly improved.

“Will you be able to get a few days, Maddy?” Jessica wondered.

“I still have a week’s holidays coming to me.”

“Then it sounds like we have the makings of a plan,” Robert offered as he moved up behind his wife.

A short while later the girls were pulling on the hooded suede coats they wore on the flight over, while Robert was loading their luggage in the car.

“I’m jealous! Isn’t there anything you two wear that doesn’t look good on you?” Jessica playfully remarked as she approached the girls, carrying her own coat.

“Ooo … careful of that Nighthawk feather, Gabs!”

Jessica’s sudden warning made Gaby abruptly stop pulling her jacket up onto her shoulders.

“You’re okay now … I just thought you were going to catch it with your hood.”

Gaby then continued to ease it onto her shoulders with a bit more care than usual. As she pulled the zipper up, Maddy gently arranged her wife’s hair from under the coat so that it hung out the front, softly framing her face.

“Danke, Frau Lindsey…” Gaby replied and turning to her bride, she softly offered, “Thanks, darling…”

“You’re welcome … Frau Bond,” Jessica smugly countered. Maddy thanked Gaby with a peck to her cheek.

“You two look lovely today,” Robert commented as the girls came out from the house.

“Thank you,” they chorused.

“What about Jessica?” Maddy impishly inquired.

“She’s always a vision of beauty,” Robert quickly answered.

“Good save, dear…” Jessica smugly replied as she walked past him towards the car after locking up the house.

“I must say … you two do seem to get a lot of wear out of that Indian stuff … especially you, Gaby,” Robert pointed out as they all got in for the short drive to Frank’s. “Is that Jess’ doin’?”

“Guilty on one count ... but I think Maddy is all Gaby's doin',” Jessica playfully replied.

“Jess got me interested back when Mad and I were here as exchange students.”

“Gabs is so identified with it back ‘ome. The team almost expects her to appear wearing ‘em on all her public appearances!” Maddy volunteered.

“I always seem to hear about it if I don’t…” Gaby sarcastically added.

“You mean Kris?” Maddy wondered.

“…Or Tina or…” Gaby playfully answered as Robert slowed the car to turn into the driveway leading up to their destination.

(Ding dong!)

“C’mon in an’ warm yerselves!” Frank enthusiastically urged as he held the door open for his visitors. “Irene’s in the kitchen watching the roast.”

“Before you ask … the girls are right behind us,” Jessica remarked as she and Robert walked past him and into the house. Gaby and Maddy quickly followed and stood in the entrance hallway, while Jessica was removing her boots and Frank was hanging up their coats.

“Jes g’wan through to the kitchen … everybody else does,” Frank instructed before turning to take the girl’s coats.

“An’ there’s my ‘English Rose’ … in full bloom,” Frank quietly addressed Gaby as they hugged each other. She then gave him a kiss on the cheek before taking off her coat.
“Thank you ... an' I still remember when you first said that...” Gaby softly replied. “...I still have a certain signed ‘Grottoes Express’ team photo on the wall in the study.”

She then gently pulled Maddy up to her side and looking at him, quietly introduced her.

“Frank … I don’t think you two ever met when we were both here before … but … this is ... Maddy … Mad … meet Frank.”

“Every bit as beautiful…” Maddy blushed as Frank gallantly kissed the back of her hand. “C’mon … Irene’s been very anxious to meet you ever since Gaby called.”

Seizing her bride’s arm after they each pulled on their moccasins, Maddy followed her and their host into the kitchen where Jessica and Robert were already in animated conversation with Irene. Both girls noticed that she was standing against an island in the middle of the large kitchen while a cane hung beside her with its curved handle balancing on the counter-top.

“Gaby! … C’mon in … and this has to be … Maddy! Welcome child,” Irene gushed as the two walked up to her and received a warm hug. “We’re awfully sorry we didn’t make the wedding, but…”

“That’s okay. You had a really good excuse,” Maddy politely interrupted. “How’s the hip? I see you’re using a cane now?”

“Unfortunately it wasn’t a simple break. I needed a couple of operations,” Irene explained. “I was using a walker for a spell, but I graduated to a cane back in September. Frank still has to drive me to Waynesboro for ‘physio’ every week.”

“I keep telling Irene she’s pushing things and she should use the cane more, but she won’t listen an’ use it as much as she should.”

“Land sakes, Frank! … I told you I’m fine for the short hauls!” Irene playfully admonished her husband.

“Just the same … we’re here now!” From the tone of her voice, Irene knew Gaby was telling her that they would not tolerate her over extending herself because she had company.

When the pork roast and the rest of the food was finally done, Irene put everything in the proper serving bowl or on a plate, with some help from the other three women. Jessica then promptly ushered her and the cane, into the formal dining room and firmly told her to sit down with the men-folk while they brought everything to the table.
The lunch itself was as Gaby remembered her last dinner at Frank’s - good company, good conversation and lots of good food. Irene’s love of cooking and entertaining was certainly made very clear to everyone there.

“How about we take a break and let things settle before dessert? That’ll give me a chance to clean the kitchen up,” Irene asked as she started to push her chair back from the table.

“Fine … but you just sit at the kitchen table an’ direct … we’ll do the leg work,” Jessica offered.

The two girls quickly agreed as they each grabbed some dishes off the table when they got up. In very short order, they loaded the dishwasher and got it going, then together finished up hand washing the few things that required it. When they put away the last pot, they adjourned back to the dining room with the dessert and laid it out on the table.

“You have your choice … homemade apple or peach pie,” Irene proudly announced.

“Where’d you find apples and peaches this time of year?” Maddy wondered.

“Irene loves to can fruits and jams when she can,” Frank replied.

When everyone had their fill, there were sizable gaps in both pies. Once the table was again cleared, the ladies joined both men in the living-room. Later, Jessica happened to glance at the clock on the fireplace mantle and noticed it was nearing three PM.

“Sorry to break this up, but we really must get these two to Richmond … or they’ll be walking home,” Jessica announced. Following some quick ‘good-byes’, the Lindsey’s were whisking the girls off towards Richmond’s International Airport and the first leg of their flight back to Germany.

~~~

“You guys all checked in?” Jessica asked.

“Just got to walk through the scanner,” Gaby replied as they stood outside of the secured departure area.

“Wished you two lived closer. These visits are too far apart and too short!” Jessica lamented as the girls exchanged hugs with her and Robert.

“There’s always the summer. Hopefully nothing scuttles your plans…” Maddy quietly replied after she gave Robert a hug and a kiss on the cheek before releasing him.

“Remember … let us know if Mary asks about our wedding,” Gaby mentioned.

“Oh, I will … don’t worry about that! I only wish I was there to see her face when you told her,” Jessica gushed.

“As I recall … you were busy at the time.” Maddy’s playful observation caused Jessica to blush as Robert wrapped his arm around her waist. “We’ll give you a call from Philly before we catch our flight ‘ome.”

“We’ll still be up … bye now! Have a good flight!” Jessica called out as the girls passed thru security.

“Don’t forget … let us know what’s happening with your holidays!” Gaby answered as they waved their final farewells.

Finding a pair of vacant seats in the crowded departure area by their gate, the girls settled in for the wait.

“I’m going to wander back to that book store and see if I can find anything … be right back,” Maddy quietly informed her wife.

As she rose up to leave, Gaby pulled out her paperback from the side pocket of the travel case that served as her carry-on. She hadn’t gotten very far into her book, when Maddy re-appeared with a plastic shopping bag.

“This is for me…” Maddy announced as she pulled out a copy of ‘Desire by Starlight’. “I’ve been looking for this for some time but could never find it.”

“What’s the magazine?”

“Nosey … I was gonna give that to you on the plane!” Maddy quietly joked as she handed Gaby the current edition of ‘Cycling Weekly’. “I was shocked to see they even carried the Comics.”

“Thanks!” Gaby whispered. She was about to give her wife a kiss, then thought better of it considering … and opted to give Maddy’s hands an affectionate squeeze. “Have I told you how much I love you?”

“Once or twice … but that’s something I’ll never tire of hearing,” Maddy softly replied while returning Gaby’s squeeze. “Gabs? … I love you…”

As Gaby slowly turned her attention to her Comics, Maddy pulled GeeBee from his carryall and cuddled him as she prepared to immerse herself in her book. Sometime later, the anticipated announcement was heard over the PA system.

“US Airways flight 4628 is now ready to board. Please have your boarding passes ready.”

“That’s us, luv!” Gaby quietly enthused as the two girls put away their books. “Don’t forget GeeBee.”

After Maddy put him back into his carryall, the girls rose from their seats to join their fellow passengers for the short walk to their waiting aircraft.

Once aboard, Gaby stowed her travel case in the overhead and the two settled into their seats. Soon after Maddy did up her seat belt, she once again pulled GeeBee from his bag. With a loving smile and a gentle squeeze of Gaby’s hand, she settled back into her seat as the Dash 8 departed Richmond International.

During the short flight, Gaby pulled out the airline magazine from the pocket on the back of the seat ahead of her. As she flipped through the pages, she found what she was looking for, a schematic of Philadelphia’s airport.

“Now I know why we have a ninety-minute layover … it’ll take us that long to get to our connecting flight!” Gaby joked. As Maddy leaned over, Gaby pointed out Terminal F and the gate they were to arrive at, plus the gate of their connecting flight over in Terminal A.”

“Sweetheart … shows here that there’s a shuttle bus that goes to Terminal A … see? All we have to do is walk over to the next gate to catch it,” Maddy pointed out as she studied the map.

“Oops ... missed that,” Gaby embarrassingly whispered as she gently squeezed Maddy’s arm.

A little more than an hour later, they had de-planed and were on the shuttle bus pulling up to gate A1. When the girls joined the sea of humanity in the departure area known as ‘Concourse A - East’ they quickly decided their priorities were to find a ‘loo, locate their departure gate and get a tea, in that order.

“Okay … A3.” Maddy observed the gate on their left as they started to walk down the concourse.

“First things first … there’s the ‘Ladies’ over there!” Gaby mentioned as she quickly started across the hall, with Maddy following close behind.

Having finished their business and make-up sorted, the girls resumed their quest to find their departure gate. Walking down the concourse, Maddy noted the odd-numbered gates were on their left and even-numbered gates were staggered on their right.

“A7 … A9 …” Maddy quietly called out.

“A2 … A4…” Gaby countered.

“A11 … you see A10 anywhere?”

“Nope … let’s ask,” Gaby suggested as she walked across to a small bookstore. “Excuse me … can you tell me where gate A10 is?”

“Right at the end, Miss … can’t miss it.”

“Thank you,” Gaby replied. “C’mon … we’re going in the right direction.”

A few steps later, the long arm of the concourse opened up into a semi-circular hall. Scanning the scene in front of them, the girls soon located gate A10 and as they drew closer, they were able to note the boarding times for their flight.

“Great! Now we got that settled … ‘ow about a bit of a nosh? I saw a salad place back one or two gates,” Gaby suggested after checking her watch. As they passed a bank of phones, she reached into her bag and pulled out her mobile.

“Hold up, Mad! I should give Jess a ring an’ let her know we got here in one piece. I’ll phone Mum closer to boarding … let ‘er sleep a bit longer.”

Once she completed the call, the two girls quickly headed off to satisfy their leafy-cravings. Returning to the gate with their take-out, they settled in for the relatively short wait until boarding.

“I’m gonna call Mum, luv … you finish up,” Gaby announced as she again took out her mobile and proceeded to punch in the number.

“Guten Morgen, Mama!” Gaby cheerfully enthused.

“Yes ... I know it’s only four in the morning … I’m told it has something to do with the curvature of the earth … yes, we were good girls ... I’m just calling to let you know they’re about ready to let us board … next stop … Heathrow!”

Gaby paused for a brief time while her mother obviously carried the conversation at the other end. When Jenny felt a need to pause, Gaby took the opportunity to get a word in edgewise.

“Oh! … In case you need it … our flight is US Air … flight 7 ... 2 ... 8 … yes … it’s on our itinerary …what’s that? … Yes … we had a wonderful time … we’ll tell you all about it when you pick us up … yes, Mum (sigh) … we got lots of pictures … oops! … Have to go … there’s the boarding announcement … call you when we land at Heathrow … Tschüss.” As Gaby put the phone back into her bag, she habitually glanced at her watch. “ten-thirty-five ... not bad.”

 
 
Comments are Greatly Appreciated!

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To Be Continued...