They walked back to the airport hotel. Lennon thought back to his entire trip in the U.K, and he never imagined he would be going to Spain with the love of his life.
He was determined to make it work with Chéri. Nothing came close to him and Lennon still felt nervous that he may only be 'flavour of the month'.
Chéri started to make calls to his family to arrange their stay. He insisted on doing this when alone, so he did it after Lennon left for the depot to collect his possessions.
Later on, when Lennon got back to the hotel room with his flight case which had distinctive stars and stripes all over it, Chéri was in the shower.
Lennon walked into the bathroom and smelled the wonderful fragrance of black cherry that filled the bathroom. The scent that seemed to be Chéri's signature. Lennon knocked on the shower door and heard Chéri calling back, "Lenny! Are you trying to sneak a peek at me naked?!"
"Of course!" Lennon replied.
Chéri slid open the shower door and giggled as he stood in the shower naked and soaking wet. His shorter hair which was wax styled, now ran down half his face exposing the shorter sides. His thin frame looked fragile as he reached for a towel. Lennon leant in regardless of the shower water to kiss Chéri, then offered his arm to help Chéri out of the shower.
As Chéri got out, Lennon picked up a squeeze bottle with a long nozzle on it. "What's this?"
"That's for washouts, Lenny. How do you think I keep my boypussy so clean?" Chéri asked.
Lennon laughed as he turned to the sink and mirror, "Ya know, I never got all that. If ya gonna play in the mud then you're gonna get dirty. If you're gonna be hypersensitive to seeing shit then you ain't got no business stickin' it up no guys ass." Lennon said before clearing his throat and spitting in the sink.
Chéri looked on in amazement." Lenny, you're so refined. A real rough diamond! Pure, raw and unpolished. "
"Is that a compliment? Or an insult?" Lennon asked.
"Compliment, Lenny!" Chéri called back as he got his clothes ready.
Lennon packed the last of his things and shut his suitcase which was less than a quarter full after he finished packing, and placed the case on the floor.
Chéri walked in wrapped in a towel and smiled. "That's cute! Your case has a big American flag all over it, mine at home has a Union Jack on it."
Lennon smiled back and sat on the bed, "Well darlin', I've missed my plane to Nashville so I guess I gotta go to Spain instead."
Chéri sat next to him, "It's weird how life is Lennon. This time last month we didn't even know each other existed."
"Yes, and now, I couldn't be without you." Lennon said.
"Are you really happy to drop everything and come out to Spain with me?" Chéri asked.
"Yes, as long as your family is okay, with me staying."
"Mom said she'd prepare a special room for us."
"Aww, I don't want her to go to too much trouble." Lennon said.
"She won't! She has staff to help."
"Wow. I wish my mamma had help!" Lennon said.
"Lenny?"
"Yes, darlin'."
"Can we make love for the first time unprotected? I want to actually feel you, and not latex."
"You know, I've been thinkin about that. I want our first time to be in beautiful sunny Spain! It's gonna be so special. I'll make something to eat and get a bottle of wine in! It signals the start of our relationship and our commitment to stay true to each other. It's a new start." Lennon said.
"Okay! That sounds great! I honestly can't wait!"
"Chéri, when did you know, you'd fallen in love with me?" Lennon asked.
"Hard to tell, Lenny. I think it was after we split up at the cafeteria and the way you offered me a no-strings room at the motel. I definitely knew I had feelings for you when we were about to make love. You were so tender to me and so attentive! You made it all about me and how comfortable I was. You never just took what you wanted." Chéri said.
Lennon looked at Chéri with love, as he listened.
Chéri placed his hand on Lennon's leg, 'You looked into my eyes as you gently pushed into me and I knew those were crystal blue eyes, I could gaze into for the rest of my life." Chéri said, watching carefully the effect his words had on Lennon.
"Darlin' I ain't good with words," Lennon looked away as he thought, "We keep saying we'll stay together. I know you're only nineteen but, would you ever want to, sorta, kind of.. make it official and legal?"
"Well, I'm about to be nineteen. But, what are you asking me, Lenny?"
"Well, I'm not asking right now, I'm kinda canvassing for opinion."
There was a knock on the door and it was room service. Chéri. almost looked released as he jumped up and answered the door. Chéri let housekeeping in and Lennon pulled his flight case with Chéri's backpack on top of it, down the hall and to the reception.
They checked out and wandered into the airport to head to their terminal while stopping here and there to look at shops.
Lennon bought some English tea to eventually bring home to his mother because her last box was running out. He then looked at his social media to see much speculation over his new tattoo, and over who this 'Chéri' was. Many friends imagined a beautiful raven-haired French girl, others imagined it was the cute nickname of a Dutch girl.
"Very soon, it's time for a picture of us both." Lennon said.
"You're going to out yourself?" Chéri asked.
"Yup." Lennon answered, casually.
"Is that safe? I mean, you're not going to get into trouble, or get lynched?"
"Chéri, I'm from America, not the Middle East! However, I'm gonna lose some friends over this. I don't care though." Lennon answered.
"All my friends love the pictures of you and the updates." Chéri answered as they checked Lennon's bag into the hold. They went through bag checks and into the waiting lounge. Waiting in the lounge, Chéri held Lennon's hands tightly.
"Are you nervous darlin'?" Lennon asked.
"Yeah, a little." Chéri confessed.
"About the flight?" Lennon asked.
"A little. Yeah."
"I'll be right by you. Whatever happens to you, happens to me. This plane crashes, We die together, just as planned."
Chéri smiled back. "Oh yeah, I forgot our suicide pact! I guess it's a full-on, death pact, now."
"It is. I ain't shy. If you check out, I'll shoot myself - pow. Done."
Chéri grinned, "You're the only man for me, Lenny. I don't know if I could do it like that though. I think I'd choose to overdose to top myself."
"Well, I guess I'd just need to pull the trigger, after that, I won't feel a thing. Then just meet up with you again hopefully in heaven."
"Sounds good to me!" Chéri said excitedly.
"Yeah, all or nothing."
"Til death do us part." Chéri smiled.
"Yep."
"I didn't know you had all this in you. You've really come out of your shell, Lenny. You're not the resigned, doormat I met on the motorway." Chéri said proudly.
Lennon scratched his head, "I don't think I was ever a doormat. But, I've just learned that you have to fight for what you want, and if you're not firm about that you'll be left behind. I wanted you and I wasn't prepared to take no for an answer."
"I know! I was shocked, impressed and a little scared when you blew your top over missing me at the police station. I still have that voicemail with you shouting at the top of your voice giving me an ultimatum and strangely, a time limit."
"I was fuckin' fuming that's why." Lennon said with a smile.
"Yes, I learnt then that you do have a temper and a limit. Even though when we met you were as calm as a lagoon and so laid back, you said gettin' all crazy was a waste of energy."
"Well, everything we've done has led us here, so it was right darlin'." Lennon assured.
There was a call for the gate opening so they got up and stood in line. Lennon noticed Chéri look in his bag and pick out three passports, and then throw two back in his bag.
"You have three passports, darlin'?"
"Yeah. Ones French, as I was born there. One is British and one is Spanish. The British one is the best as it actually affords me more protection than any other. I got it because of my father's British but when I'm in Spain I use my Spanish one."
"Ohh! You're a triple national?! let me see them! I've never seen a French, British, or Spanish passport up close before." Lennon said.
"Sure. Here's my U.K one, and here's my Unión Europea, Espaňa."
"Wow! Would you say that again? I've never heard you speak Spanish, it makes my heart flutter." Lennon said as he looked at the crests and writing on each passport, as well as the pictures inside of Chéri with his long hair.
"I need those back." Chéri joked.
"You gorgeous, mysterious triple national!" Lennon said as he passed the passports back to Chéri, "I'm just straight-up American."
"Let me see yours." Chéri asked.
"Sure. But mine ain't exotic like yours." Lennon replied as he handed Chéri his dark blue American passport.
"Wow.." Chéri said, "The United States of America!" He read with awe as he felt the embossed emblem on the front, "Oh, my god! is that you?!" Chéri asked as he looked at the picture of a much younger brighter blond Lennon with longer wavy hair, looking back at the camera. His bright blue eyes fixed forward with a happy and carefree expression, "Aww you're so cute." Chéri said before they found themselves at the front of the line for checks.
"I'm not as cute as you, and I can't wait to hear more Spanish out of you." Lennon said.
☆
They sat in the plane and buckled up their seats as they watched the cabin crew do their safety demonstration.
Lennon held Chéri's hand as they taxied to the runway and they looked at each other while smiling in anticipation of the adventure ahead. Chéri gripped the hand rests as the plane started to charge forward down the runway at great speed, to take off. They were embarking on a new chapter in their lives in Spain.
"Next stop Barcelona! I wonder what will await me there." Lennon said excitedly.
Chéri just looked at him and smiled nervously before he looked back down at the messages on his phone.
☆
Meanwhile, in a busy hall, staff were preparing the massive space for a large event.
A sim and alternative looking young woman had her arms spread out wide as assistants dressed her.
There was a gathering of a massive security team made up of a French group and a Spanish group. All of them wore black with reflective ID bands on their arms.
Marcel was standing in the corner or of the event room after having held a meeting, and he was drinking a small espresso.
"Marcel...?" Came the voice of another French member of the team.
"Mmm?"
"I have good, and frustrating, news." Alexandre said.
"Give to me the good news, first." Marcel responded in his thick Parisian accent.
"Kenzo is back." Alexandre said.
The Frenchman nodded as he listened, "And, the frustrating news?"
Alexandre looked back, slightly intimidated by the striking image of Marcel in his black plastic steampunk waistcoat and Victorian styled shirt with cross-laced sleeves. "I have heard that Chéri is on a plane, returning here."
"This is disappointing, and Dolores allows this nonsense." Marcel said as he looked at his phone.
"That is not the worst bit. The American is with him." Alexander said.
Marcel just looked up and started back at Alexandre. "And just why do you think he is bringing him here, Alexandre?" Marcel asked coldly, in his heavily accented voice.
"I do not know, but we'll get rid of the American. Just stick him in a room with cable TV, fast food and ply him with drugs and alcohol and then send him off packing back to America happy after a 'good time'." Alexandre said.
"Shh!" Marcel interrupted, irritated. "What kind of a man is this, Lennon?"
"No idea. Who knows, and who the fuck cares. He'll be like any other, ill-cultured, uneducated and loud American."
"Do you have a picture of him?" Marcel asked.
"No. But I'm sure we can gain one from his driving licence information. But we will all know him when we see him. He's very tall, nearly six-four. Covered in tattoos with badly dyed hair. He looks like a typical trailer-park type." Alexandre said.
"Well, I shall have a good measure of him, when he arrives here, and then I will have the knowledge of the severity of this new situation."
"Haha! He'll probably arrive here, sample everything on offer, and leave if we threaten him with a bill." Alexandre said.
Marcel's face remained neutral, "Do you think that he's coming here because Chéri shot his mouth off about everything?"
"How would that change things?" Alexandre asked.
"It depends on how smart 'Lennon' is. I intend to find out. He may become dangerous if Chéri has fed him information regarding our business. However, I feel that is not what Chéri is grooming him for." Marcel added calmly.
"Whatever happens. Chéri is still disgraced, and none of us respect him." Alexandre said.
Next Chapter: Enter, Marcel