The flight was only going to be a five-hour journey. It had been the most exciting feeling in the world as I hold in my hand my passport. Only I had been aware of the destination. Even Mr. Hale was weary of the place considering the events that had taken place. This brief vacation was going to be fun because we didn't have to worry about pushing paperwork, long business meetings, and nonstop emails back and forth.
My favorite part about traveling had been the journey actually getting to experience everything. The past negative experiences don't even bother me anymore. It's as if you take a new beginning every time you step elsewhere. Even though your past is still there.
Mr. Hale has traded in suits and ties for something a little more casual for his taste. He's the most handsome versatile man I've seen. I admire that of his button-up shirt tucked neatly into his pants which hugged that of his legs slightly. The coat hanging just above his knees gave a grunge look to him even if he had been a bright blue-eyed blonde with such a neutral expression it hurt.
I'd trade my closet for his any day provided that I could fit any of his clothing. If Mr. Hale shopped for his own clothing I was thoroughly impressed with his choice of style. "I don't think we can leave just yet," I state my voice low.
Mr. Hale strolls over wearing this favorite color, black. As usual. The messenger bag adding to his cool demeanor he had me crushing like a school girl all over again. "Why is that Miss Donovan?" He asks arching an eyebrow.
"You're looking to handsome."
Aside smirk appears on his face as he hands the messenger bag to his driver. "If we stayed in New York you probably wouldn't be able to walk for a week," he whispers cupping my cheek with his index finger and thumb.
He places a soft kiss on my lips almost as if he was blessing me with the mint flavored toothpaste on his lips. It makes me smile against his lips before I wrap my arms around his neck. I'm hoisted into the arm in one swift movement that it almost makes me yelp.
I hear a slight chuckle escape from Mr. Hale's lips before he kisses me again. We are going to be late if he keeps taunting me with these wet kisses leaving me wanting more. It causes me to squeeze my legs together.
"Alright, let's go, baby."
It's him who says it's enough. I probably would have been the one to make us miss our flight. He places me back down on the sidewalk as if I fluttered back down to Earth. That's how he made me feel when he had been affectionate. "I'm so in love with you that you make me feel so undeserving sometimes," I admit.
Mr. Hale opens the door to the vehicle staring into my eyes. "It is not you who feels undeserving, but you have given me so much to live for. Honestly." He gestures for me to step inside of the vehicle. I follow suit sliding smoothly onto the black leather. This SUV will never get old to me. I actually welcome this vehicle to be around even for when I have children. Hopefully.
You have given me so much to live for.
Somehow I feel like he had been wishing secretly for his death to come sooner than later. I don't want to ruin this moment with my questions, but I realize his inner demons are the reason for his conscience-stricken comments.
The car ride is that of a normal one where we are glancing at one another every now and then before I eliminate the silence between us. "Will you please enjoy yourself? I know you have plenty of things on your mind as of right now, but for now, I want to just enjoy this moment with you. No thinking about the club, Mr. Hurst, no business calls, no business texts. If you have to do it, make it minimal. Please?" I'm pleading for his cooperation.
Mr. Hale nods to my request. I'm actually surprised of his cooperation, but then again it was only a matter of time. I know things seem to always interfere with our daily lives. "Yes ma'am," he agrees with me even though I had considered he could read my thoughts.
We arrive outside of LaGuardia Airport making my heart skip a beat as the anxiousness starts to set in. We are about to be 2,600 miles away from the urban territory and more relaxed in a rural part of the world. I had been excited to see his face once we arrived at the airport exiting from the plane. Once my foot stepped on the sidewalk of the terminal I almost started to squeal from the excitement. The airport is crowded with people as we choose to pick to leave Friday afternoon. Spring break had just rolled around with college kids flocking home and wherever else to make sure they had the time of their lives.
I follow closely to Mr. Hale dodging the people flocking to and from different corners, doors, and flight terminals joining in with the mass crowd. Mr. Hale's driver makes it apparent that he make way for us to pass. The bulkiness of his body maneuvering through people was funny. Especially, if you are unphased by anyone in your way. When we make it to the kiosk where a woman dressed in a starched pressed uniform awaits patiently. The small brunette with soft hazel eyes greets us accordingly.
"Good afternoon, how may I assist you today Mr. and Mrs.?"
There's a brief pause in her question that makes me blush slightly. I'm well aware that Mr. Hale notices the brief crack in my voice as I answer her. "Ms. Donovan," I correct her. "I am picking up two tickets."
"I apologize, Ms. Donovan. What is your first name?"
"Ellie."
"And the phone number associated with the tickets?"
I almost start to tell her my new number since I change phones but catch myself. "347-555-1771." The young woman starts to key into her computer. "Calgary, Canada?" She asks looking up at the both of us.
I instantly want to ring her neck by announcing the place of our intended visit. The instant annoyance on my face causes her to look back down at the computer monitor. Now Mr. Hale knew where we had been going and there was no need to keep it a secret anymore.
"Canada. Hmm... I like Canada."
My mouth drops open as I start to become furious for his passion for traveling. "ARE YOU SERIOUS!?" I turn around to face him directly piercing my eyes through to his very soul.
Mr. Hale chuckles deviously shaking his head. "I'm joking with you. I have not been to Canada. Especially—" he pauses to read the ticket. "Calgary. Wherever that might be."
I'm actually happy that he hasn't been to Canada because this will be a first time experience for the both of us. "It's somewhere we both haven't had the pleasure of seeing. I wanted it to be a surprise but it looks like the cats out of the bag now," he intended fake giggle hiding the aggravation in my tone had not been missed by the young woman. I know I shouldn't be mad at her for doing her job to reassure this is where I wanted to go, but to lean over and whisper something to her would have raised suspicion.
The young prints out the tickets handing it towards us. "I will take those," Mr. Hale imposes grabbing the tickets from the young woman. Damn my short little arms.
We decide to waste a little time before our flight which I had been more than starving at this point. My stomach grumbles underneath the navy blue long sleeved blouse I had been wearing. "Starbucks and a muffin sound delicious," I try hinting towards Mr. Hale who is discussing something with his driver.
The driver nods shaking Mr. Hale's hands. Whatever the conversation might have been it had been a lengthy one between the both of them. "Starbucks, let's go." He proceeds to gesture for me to lead the way.
"What was that about?"
"Precautions. I know you do not want to be accompanied by a bodyguard, but I would feel safer to know that if anything could hinder our vacation he would be able to notify the proper authorities as well as our families."
I knew the vacation jitters would only last for a few hours. "This club is starting to become a pain in my ass," I snicker crossing my arms one over the other. Mr. Hale doesn't comment on my outspoken opinion. "I've never wanted to commit any kind of crime until that club or Mr. Dalton started to become an issue in my relationship. It's becoming annoying." I probably sound as if I had been whining more than I was just expressing my feelings.
"I apologize, Ellie."
I understood the circumstances of why he wanted to have his driver present with us during the retreat, but my attitude just wasn't going to let up that easily. Now Mr. Dalton had been present on my shit list. I didn't realize the men in these suits could be so undeniably cynical in their pursuit for power and recognition. My thoughts began to take over but even then I had come to realize that Mr. Hale use to be one of those suits.
"It's ok."
There was no need to keep this silly attitude for the remainder of our retreat. I needed to take his mind off of the world which included me as well. My safety had been one of his biggest concerns. The secret conversations, small talk, and the white lies to keep me from noticing what was happening had begun to cloud the serene moments in our relationships. I stop in my tracks to turn around facing him and his neutral facial expression. I tuck my arms underneath his hugging him for the comfort of myself more than his.
The warmth of his embrace relaxing that of my riled up emotions. I could almost shed a few tears for every moment could potentially harm that of our lives. It was like we were on the run from the mafia or some secret society which it had been. A secret society devoted to having power over everyone and everything. "Ellie, everything I do. I do for us. Remember that." The statement that will hold every dear meaning to my heart. I cling to the sound of his heart thumping in his chest.
We had been in sync this time.
The first class area wasn't all luxury sitting. Just a few seats less with more privileges. "I realize now you took the tickets for a reason," I state blandly sitting down next to the window.
Mr. Hale places his messenger bag in the compartment above our heads. "I like my privacy, Miss Donovan. Even you should be aware of that by now," he counters in which I nod in agreement.
"Touche, Hale."
In just a few short hours we will be in Canada. The excitement boiling with that of my blood could have given me a panic attack. Disney world my ass. A flight attendant has come to offer us some beverages, snacks, or food if we had been hungry. Mr. Hale decides on champagne to commemorate the occasion. The lovely blonde batting her lashes to Mr. Hale every now and then pours two glasses setting them both before him. I couldn't get jealous because he had been mine many times over.
The flight attendant long-legged, tan, and bubbly already lost a battle she had been trying to start. I place a chaste kiss on that of his cheek. That'll show her eyeing my man as if she was going to attempt to fight me for him. We had progressed so far since the last year and I owe my dedication to him. No other woman would be there to take my spot. I would do anything to keep that of him satisfied.
We clink our glasses together simultaneously hearing the echo of the glass. "This is possibly the most fun I have had since traveling a few months ago," he says taking a sip of his champagne.
"Where did you go?"
"Oregon. I went there for a business trip, but I was able to visit Crater Lake. It had been a beautiful sight."
While he had been explaining I take the time to Google Oregon Crater Lake, and it reminds me of the same location that we had been traveling to now. Although he had been to Oregon if he liked lakes then this was the perfect spot to pick.
"Where are we going, Miss Donovan?"
The curious look on his face like a child made me cave in. "Banff National Park," I sigh happily in my comfortable seat. "I saw it on Facebook and it instantly made me want to be surrounded by trees, lake, and mountains. I figured that we could spend some time with nature. I enjoy nature. Don't you?" I ask nudging him slightly.
"I am actually intrigued to see how this place looks."
There's a hint of anxiousness laced within his last comment that makes my heart flutter. "I know we aren't supposed to be thinking about the dealings going on in New York, but will you explain to me what your plans are to fix this situation." I wanted to know if there would be an end to this madness so that he can finally lay to rest his hidden demons he was fighting on a daily basis.
"You are the first woman who accepts my demons with open arms," he turns to face me directly and it's as if he's going to break my heart all over again, but this time in a more gently. "I don't want you to be concerned with going on with Mr. Hurst. Everything is being handled and will be done in the next couple of days. Mr. Dalton shouldn't bother you anymore."
Somehow I felt like Mr. Dalton will always be a problem imposing on our relationship how he saw fit. Every time I would try to make peace with his past it just seems to bring forth all the unwanted thoughts ruining the moment. I didn't want our relationship to end on the account of someone's indecent behavior.
The captain of the plane chimes over the intercom announcing himself as Captain Maynard. I find the time to ease my fingers in between his. The reassuring squeeze he gave my hand seems to soothe that of my wandering thoughts. He lifts my hand up on his lips giving it a kiss on the back. I loved the way his lips felt.
"I love you."
"And I love you."
The city is beautiful beyond what I imagined. I'm exhausted from the hour and a half layover, but once I lay eyes on the city skyline it's almost as if I have been rejuvenated. Calgary, Canada. The first stop in our journey and while Mr. Hale's driver seemed like he was going to be an annoyance he actually was quiet and polite.
We acquired a nice vehicle to accompany us on the drive to our original destination. "Let's stay here for tonight," I suggest stretching my arms to the sky.
"Alright, baby."
We drive down town through the skyscrapers admiring the different buildings. It reminded me that of New York almost. Just smaller and more trees. There's a red bridge sitting off that reminds me of the finger trap puzzle that you place on both index fingers. I realize that even urban areas of the world can have beautiful monuments.
I take my time to Google the name of the bridge we had been passing. "Peace Bridge," I announce then quickly snapping a picture before we pass by it.
"That's an interesting looking bridge."
"Yes it is. We should walk through it sometime."
Mr. Hale nods in agreement watching the road ahead. We decide to stay at Calgary Marriott. It's immaculate looking clean and suited for people of business. Our room is a suite with separated living room which reminds me of an apartment but not even my apartment is the size of this suite.
I fall down onto the soft mattress melting on the pillow top bedding that I read from off the website. Mr. Hale is not long hovering over me which excites that of my inner conscience. "Will you give me some love?" I ask rubbing my hands up his lower abdomen and to his chest.
"Whatever you wish is my command, Mrs. Hale," he smirks placing a kiss on my neck.