Episode V
So she left me standing encircled by her friends, approached by the BFF.
I can't remember exactly what we talked about. Seriously. It must have not been that bad or I must have been so apprehensive I switched into survival/autopilot mode. Eventually Karen came back to check on me. Finding me still in one piece, she left again. Now I was talking to an older man. He was very excited to meet me and just went on and on about what a great girl I had found.
He began asking me about what I do for a living and how I got interested in it. "Do you like doing what you do? Have you ever thought about starting your own business translating? We have lots of opportunities here in California where you Japanese skills would be in demand". And so the thought was planted in my mind. California, huh?
Shortly after that, we left. I was so glad that our 'appearance' at the party was finished. I told her, "Hey let's go to Best Buy. I want to buy you something". "For what?" "Well, it's not really for you. It's a present for me". When we got to Best Buy, I bought her a webcam. "Aah, so the present really was for you wasn't it?" "Yeah, but I'll buy one for me when I get back to North Carolina. Deal?" "Deal". More bliss on the ride back to her place. I wanted to make sure that the camera worked and that she knew how to use it before I left in the morning. Yes, I hadn't event spent a full day with her yet and I was leaving the next morning. As we drove back to her place, we held hands over the parking brake. I'd always wanted to hold hands with a girl like that. I'd seen it so many times in movies.
Once we got back to her place we went quietly inside. Her parents were already upstairs asleep. It didn't take long to hook to camera up to her laptop and get it working. Awesome. Now, instead of talking on the phone, we could chat over Skype and see each other. I wasn't sure how I'd be able to go back to long distance correspondence now that I'd spent time with her, ate with her, held her hand, laugh together. It was misery when she dropped me off at the hotel that night. "See you tomorrow.." we both said.
I called her the next morning and asked if she'd bring some tylenol or something. I had a headache. "Of course," she said, "Do you want me to make you a sandwich or something for the plane?". I said that that'd be great. "See you in an hour."
When she picked me up, I got in the car and she gave me the sandwich she had packed. "The tylenol is inside the bag", she said. We started driving, and the 20 minutes to the airport was over in a flash. Once we got inside, I checked in, and we waited outside of security, chatting, dreading the my departure. "Are you going to be ok?", she said asking about my headache. "Yeah, I'll make it." I replied. "So when do you think we'll get to see each other again?" "How about if I come see you this time?" "In North Carolina?" "Yeah." "Ok, great - I know some people at church that can probably put you up for a few nights". "Ok that sounds good".
We talked about how much fun it was to finally have gotten to meet each other. Made some more plans about her flight to see me. Decided on a date. 3 weeks later. I only had to wait three more weeks. "I think I can survive 3 weeks", I thought. Finally, I had to get in line and go through security. She holding my hand across the waiting line rope-barrier. When there were only two more people in front of me, she said, 'Hey', and pulled me towards her and kissed me. Right in front of everyone. I remember thinking, "Wow.. finally, I'm that guy kissing a girl in the airport". I didn't want to leave. "I'll miss you," she said. "I'll miss you too", I said, mind reeling. I went through security and turned around and waved goodbye as I grinned ridiculously. "Three weeks", I thought.
to be continued...