First Love..again

Chapter Five: Departure Day

In the early hours of the morning, Benjamin got up and made breakfast in bed for his wife, Heather. He figured it was the least that he could do since she had been so upset last night, and plus he would be gone for a whole week, leaving her with all 6 kids!

Ben smirked at the thought of his kids running around with nerf guns and having pillow fights, all the things that he loved as a child and had brought into the hearts of his own children. All those things Heather had never much cared for. She had been an only child and never liked a ton of noise or chaos. Ben knew that Heather would really have her hands full in his absence.

“It’s my turn to plate the food! You did it last time,” Benjamin was brought into reality of his youngest bickering, as they often did. Kids will be kids!

Ben's two youngest, Hannah and Bradley, who always got up at the butt crack of dawn, helped Ben prepare a meal for their mother that morning. The three of them made scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon, with a side of fresh squeezed orange juice!

"I'll carry it, Daddy," Hannah said," grabbing for the tray!

"Okay, Princess, but let your brother carry the juice, okay," he urged her! Hannah obliged her Father.

“Not fair,” Bradley pouted!

Ben tapped him in the head. “Next time, my boy! Next time!”

"Happy Breakfast Day," Hannah shouted loudly, waking her Mother up! Heather tried to let out her best smile, but she looked like she had been through the wringer. Her hair was all matted and shifted every which way and her eyes were puffy, obviously to Ben, from crying the night before.

"Momma's not feeling so well...why don't you two go wake up your siblings, and tell them to get ready for breakfast," Benjamin patted them both on the head! "Then you two can go play!"

Both kids smiled at him and shrugged it off, hollering down the hallway and banging on bedroom doors, one at a time.

“They are a spunky bunch,” Ben chuckled.

Heather sighed..”They certainly are! Can’t you take a couple with you?”

“I’d need the relief, not the islanders,” he joked.

“Agreed!”

"How are you feeling today," Benjamin asked, realizing that he was now holding the tray

He walked over to the bed and placing it in her lap as she fluffed her pillows behind her.

"I've been better...but I'll be alright," she put forth her best smile. She then looked into his eyes and apologetically said, " I'm so sorry for last night!"

"It's okay, Heather," he stated with forgiveness. "I am sorry too!"

Ben sat next to her on the bed and placed his hand on her arm. He needed them to be good. He couldn’t leave on a bad note.

Thankfully for him, she had felt the same, so a he leaned in and kissed him softly.

"Now you eat your breakfast before it gets cold. Your parents will be here in an hour watch the kids so you can take me to the airport," he stated! "I'm going to go get some quality time in with the kids now before I leave," Benjamin added!

“Have fun with that,” she picked up her knife and fork!

“I intend to,” he winked at her.

Ben reached behind his closed door and pulled out a 3 foot camouflaged nerd gun.

“Hey kids! I have a present for you, he hollered down the halls fully prepared to get one last nerf fight in before he left for his trip!

...............

At the Mortimer Manor, Madison snuggled in bed with Avery the day of the departure. Neither of them wanted to get up and start their day...but they knew that the clock was ticking for Madison. She had to leave or she would miss her plane. Avery wasn’t about to let his wife fail at a goal that she set her mind to. So he did as he always had done and helped his wife.

"You better get ready, Love! You've got a big day ahead of you," Avery stated as he kissed her forehead!

"I know. I wish you were coming with me," she explained sadly.

"Me too, Babe! However you'll be so busy that you'll hardly miss me," he smiled at her! But if you do...just look to your locket," he rubbed it between his fingers!

Madison put her hand to her neck and for good luck did rub her new precious locket. She then kissed it. “Bring me luck!”

“You don’t need luck. All you need is you,” Avery assured her.

“You can’t go wrong with luck!” Madison got on top of him and straddled his body. She began kissing his face and neck.

“Well I do like getting lucky, so maybe that is luck,” he whispered in her ear as she trailed her kisses down his neck.

"Ugh, get a private room, you two," their son, Parker opened the door!

"This is a private room, My Boy... ever heard of knocking," Avery asked in a half annoyed half joking tone?

"It's okay, Buddy! Come here," Madison got all motherly on him. Madison climbed off from her husband and pulled her handsome teenage boy over to her. She was happy to have her family, interruptions and all.

Parker walked towards the bed and sat down on his mother’s command.

"Mama's gonna miss you," she squeezed his cheeks and kissed his nose, all while talking in a silly voice!

"Yuck Mom," Parker chuckled!

"You having a party without me," Morgan now came into the room and jumped on her parent's bed? She was clearly having FOMO and needed to rectify it asap.

"We would never," Madison joked with her daughter!

"Good... pillow fight," Morgan hollered, as she grabbed a decorative pillow from the bottom of the bed and whacked her brother upside the head with it. She then proceeded to laugh hysterically!

"Oh no you didn't," Parker hollered back, while grabbing a pillow of his own and proceeding to hit his sister with a profusely!

Madison and Avery looked at one another and smiled. They knew that the game was on! Each of them now grab their own pillows and begin whacking anyone in sight with them! Pillow cases now broke and feathers were completely covering the whole bedroom, but no one seemed to care! These were the family times that they really cherished with one another.

..............

At the local private airport, Charlotte Stiles and her husband, Tommy Todd stood outside the steps to their private jet, greetings their relief volunteers like the well mannered hosts that they were.

"Oh my gosh," Madison exclaimed, as she and Avery drove up in his Bentley! "I had no idea that this was how we would be flying," she stated!

Madison’s family was quite wealthy, but they didn't really flaunt their money with things like yachts and private jets. Clearly the Stiles/Todd family was a little more flashy than she realized!

"Oh yes, Love, I could have told you that this was how you would be traveling, just knowing the hosts! They don't do anything low key," Avery smiled at her!

Madison sighed heavily. She was ready for her adventure.

Avery sighed as well. “I’m so proud of her,” he thought to himself. “My woman is amazing!”

“What,” Madison asked as she caught him staring her way?

“You are amazing, Baby!”

“Thank you.”

Getting out of the car, Avery walked up to Mrs. Stiles and Mr. Todd and shook their hands. "It's a pleasure to see you two again! Take good care of my wife now will you," he half joked with them?

"Always a pleasure, Mr. Mortimer," Mr. Todd shook his hand firmly! “She will be riding in style,” he gestured to the plane.

“I can see that!”

"I think your wife can take care of herself! She looks like a pretty smart, capable young woman," the old Mrs. Stiles added!

"Oh, she sure is," Avery smiled back!

Madison walked up with her bag.

“Good morning!”

“Good morning, my dear,” the couple greeted in sync.

Avery brought Madison's bag over towards the jet and then kissed her goodbye! "I'll miss you," he said sincerely!

"I'll miss you more," Madison responded!

"Not possible," he whispered, kissed her forehead and then walked back towards his car. On the way back, Avery could see Benjamin and his wife Heather pulling up in their Escalade. As the two got out of the car, Avery nodded his head towards them, showing his courtesy.

Benjamin immediately walked towards Avery, knowing who he was but not knowing him personally. As Avery stood next to his car, Benjamin extended his hand in a formal invitation.

"Hello there. I'm Benjamin Freehold, you must be Mr. Mortimer, Madison's husband," Ben stated confidently!

"Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you Benjamin; you can call me Avery," he stated!

“Okay then.”

"Do me a favor, keep an eye out for my wife please! A beautiful woman in a foreign territory could often be mistaken as weak," he added!

"I can do that Avery," he smiled at him sincerely!

“I’m glad she has someone looking out for her. The hosts are prominent enough people, but I’m not sure how much wilderness they can handle. Having a strong man around will be handy. Even if it is her ex,” Avery noted.

“He’s looking me over. I wonder if he has the same reservations as Heather?”

“This is getting a little awkward now. I need to get going but I don’t want to be rude.”

“Why doesn’t he leave? He has dropped her off. Be gone,” Ben stood there in silence.

“Clearly he wants to say something to me. I can see it in his eyes. He doesn’t intimidate me. I know Madison and I have a great relationship, which is more than he probably has with his cold wife,” Avery’s thoughts festered.

"Well I must be going now. I just wanted to officially introduce myself and say hi," Benjamin stated, before walking back towards his car to grab his bag and see Heather off.

Heather raised an eye brow to him.

"Who was that," she asked curiously?

"Mr. Mortimer," Ben explained.

"Madison's husband," she asked?

"Yes! I had never met him officially and I thought it was only appropriate seeing that his wife and I would be on this relief mission together," he said confidently! "I certainly don't want bad blood or misunderstandings!"

Heather looked at him, not really sure how she felt about this. She was still nervous about him going on a long trip, and even more nervous about him being in the company of his ex-girlfriend. His very hot ex girlfriend.

Heather looked over to Madison and then adjusted her shirt hem.

“Don’t worry,” he grabbed her hand. “You are beautiful,” he assured her.

Heather knew she had been handed no choice in this matter. She knew that she had to suck it up and support her husband. "

You are definitely a respectable man," Heather smiled up at him!

"Of course, you know me," he smiled back at his wife sincerely! He then reached down and gave his wife a big hug, and a peck on the lips. "Take care of the yourself," he said to her!

"You too, Ben," she whispered in his embrace! "I love you!"

"I love you too," he gave her one final kiss and walked towards the jet.

“There he goes. Don’t forget to come back to me the same,” she thought.

Meanwhile, Madison was inside the jet already. She had found a seat and was staring at the show out the window. She had to admit that it made her stomach a little uneasy seeing Benny and Heather together in more than two decades.

“Why does it sting,” she couldn’t very well figure out? “Oh well!” She tried to put it out it out of her mind...”that was not why I am here, she remembered!

Stepping on board now was a lady that Madison had spoken to briefly the day of the meeting at the Chamber. Her name was Karla. Madison didn't particularly find her very interesting, however she wanted the seat next to her filled before Ben got on board, and there were only two spots left. Karl would have to do in a pinch!

"Karla, will you join me," she asked eagerly?

"Absolutely," Karla said happily, as she looked nervously around for a place to sit. “How kind of you!”

Madison could tell that Karla felt out of place with the group. She was a quiet woman in her late 20's. She wore big glasses that were definitely out of fashion, and had on very plain...ready to work, clothes. Madison appreciated the fact that Karla wasn't flashy or assuming, like some of the woman here... woman especially like Victoria!

Victoria was sitting in the row behind Madison. Now the seat next to her was the only one available. Madison half wondered if she had been saving the seat for Ben the whole time. Either way, he would get it now out of default.

As Ben got on board last he looked around in hopes to find interesting company to sit with in the plane. However he was very disheartened when he saw that the only spot left was next to Victoria. The annoyingly clingy and extra flirty, Victoria.

“Oh no. Just my luck!”

As he passed Madison, she gave him a chuckle, knowing exactly what he was thinking. Madison knew that someone like Victoria would definitely drive him crazy...and not in a good way! She was not his kind of people to engage in long conversations with

He smiled over at her with a devious look, as he shook his head in with annoyance and a half giggle.

“Oh, I’m going to give her a piece of my mind when we land!”

Madison mouthed the words, “I’m sorry,” with a frown to accompany the sentiment.

Ben and Madison always were able to have a good laugh together. That was probably the thing that attracted each to one to the other the most. They had grown up good friends in grade school and when they were in high school the two reconnected like they had never stopped hanging out. They were able to joke with one another effortlessly. So it was no surprise to either of them how comfortable they felt doing it now!

"Here Benjamin, you can have the window seat," Victoria stood up, offered up her spot, and gestured him to slide in front of her!

"That's not necessary," he smiled at her.

"Certainly you'll want the best seat," she flirted.

"Ah...sure. I guess then," he said uneasily!

“At the very least, I can watch out the window instead of engaging in endless flirtation conversations the she devil, Victoria!”

As Ben had to scoot in front of Victoria to get into his seat, he made a point to push on the back of Madison seat, to let her know that he was there, and he wasn't appreciating the joke!

" Excuse me, Ma'am," he sarcastically excused himself!!

"Don't let it happen again," she barked back but with a smile and a glare!

Ben laughed at her a little and gave her a wink!

Victoria, however, didn’t understand their banter. Why would she. She hadn’t spent any length of time with either of then, together or separate. She hadn’t spent any tried to monopolize Ben at the Chamber, but she could tell that he wasn’t giving her his true self. Victoria desperately wanted to learn what that was.

"Some people... just rude," Victoria leaned into Benjamin's ear and whispered to him now!

Ben just ignored her comment and smiled at her for a brief second before pressing on. He took out a stack of papers from his briefcase.

He had hoped to work the entire flight...but it was clear that Victoria wasn't going to be picking up on the subtle hints. Finally after about 30 minutes from takeoff, Ben explained to her that he appreciated the conversation, but he really had a lot of work to do.

When In fact though, Ben was basically caught up on his work... but would do anything to not have to deal with Victoria’s slippery mannerisms.

Meanwhile, Madison and Karla enjoyed subtle conversation for a little bit of the ride before both woman dozed off for the remainder of the flight.

“I picked right,” Madison snuggled up in her seat and dreamt away!