A many splendored thing

I was so nervous I couldn't even walk in. Also, I didn't want to have one of those weird moments where you're walking from the plane and you see the person who's come to pick you up from like 12 miles away and then you have the weird sustained eye-contact thing...

Okay, I was nervous. Could you blame me? I hadn't seen the girl in forever and yet here she comes -after driving to St. Louis to get on a plane and taking that plane to Houston and sitting through a 2-hour lay-over waiting for her flight to Waco... I was a little... "Willie McWiggins."

But then, finally, her plane shows up and taxi's in. I walk into the small airport and wait in front of the gate. My eyes dart around for possible places to position myself. Should I lean up against this post? -Too James Dean. I could hide behind this corner and jump out at her... stupid. Should I sit on this airport bench, lean back and act nonchalant (as if girls on which I've had a crush for 5+ years fly 900 miles to see me on my birthday all the time)? Maybe I should start up a conversation with the lady next to me so I'll look popular... D'oh! Something on my shirt. Why did I wear these khaki's? I look like I'm freaking rushing FIJI... I should-

And then I see her... in her jeans and white, sleeveless shirt with her hair all blowing in the wind that seems to always surround airports (what's the deal with that, anyway?) and I feel those blue eyes lock with mine; I watch her lips curl into a smile... I might as well have been naked. -That's how I felt. Erin has always had a way of seeing right into me. Yeah, yeah I know it's cliche' but it really is true. It's like with her, not only is my inner monologue not so "inner" but she got an advance copy of it a couple days ago.

We greet with an embrace and a "hey babe" and then we close our eyes, lean in and kiss our first kiss right there in the middle of Waco Regional Airport for all the Texans to see. I could have sworn it was my first ever.

I open my eyes it's three days later and she's wearing glasses and my favorite Baylor hoodie that I gave her. As our embrace relaxes and she backs away from me toward the security checkpoint, our hands slide down each others arms and our fingertips catch. First she lets go of my right hand with her left and we linger on what will be our last contact for who knows how long. When we let let thos last few fingers relax, our hands fall to our sides as if they've failed their only purpose.

I say a prayer under my breath beseeching the Lord to watch over her and keep her safe; to bless his prettiest --and best smelling-- blessing to me.

As she is walking down the promenade to board her plane, she slows and looks over her shoulder. I mouth the words "I love you" and she mouths them back through watery eyes. I wink, the corner of her mouth curls upward and she walks through the door taking my heart with her.

It was a weekend of "firsts." Our first kiss. First time to Texas. First time to eat Thai. First Big Time (Big12) football game. Second time doing the "Sic 'em Bears" claw. First time meeting my friends. First time making out while watching The Lord of The Rings. (Ahh J.R.R., will your gifts to me never cease?) First time I've ever felt completely myself in front of someone with whom I don't share genes.

Now I only hope for a "last." I don't look forward to watching her walk away again.