Tony Hill was quiet, but his mind was racing one hundred miles per hour. It had been a while since they he had seen her, months in fact. He wasn't sure what to expect when her flight touched down and she walked through the terminal gate. The chirpy voice of the announcer suddenly blasted from the speaker to his left.
"Flight 16 arriving from Johannesburg South Africa will be arriving in approximately 10 minutes through Gate E, Flight 16 from South Africa through Gate E"
Tony's heart began to beat faster in his chest, in ten minutes Carol Jordan would walk back into his life, after her silent and surprising departure to join the South African Scorpions.
"Flight 16 from South Africa has landed and passengers will be entering the terminal shortly via Gate E, baggage can be collected from convey belt 6. Thank you and enjoy your stay" Suddenly there she was, her tall lithe body walking towards him until she stopped, standing in front of him, looking straight into his sharp eyes.
"Tony…"
"Carol…uh, should we go collect your bags?"
The air between them was charged, filled with the tension of their relationship and the awkwardness of her sudden departure. Breaking her gaze and looking at her feet "Sure, we probably should" The pair walked in silence through the airport until they reached the convey belt, after collecting her bags they exited the terminal and went to the car without uttering a single word.
Carol Jordan did not know what to say; she was torn between apologising and spouting non-sense about the weather. She knew that when she saw Tony for the first time again it would be difficult.
"Tony… I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I left without telling you, I just… well I just didn't know how to, or what to say" Carol's voice began to break, the emotions she had suppressed since the incident began to overflow, and she could no longer contain it. Seeing Tony again made her realise how alone she had been, and how safe she felt by simply being in his presence for the past fifteen minutes. It was the safest she had felt since she moved to her exotic location. Sitting in the drivers seat Tony could see the emotions flow across Carol's face. He hadn't expected and apology, in fact he hadn't expected them to even discuss her secretive departure. He could see though that there was something else going on with her, not just her feelings of guilt for not telling him that she was taking the job abroad.
"Carol, it's ok.." he began, but his Carol immediately began shaking her head.
"No Tony, no it isn't. I left without telling you, you deserved better than that, I'm sorry I don't know how you can even look at me after I did that to you"
"Carol, look at me" her head remained down, so he reached across and gently turned her face to look at him
"Carol, it's ok, yes I was surprised hurt even but I know that you had to take the opportunity" He continued to stare into her face, refusing to let her look away until he was sure that she believed him.
"Thank you Tony" Carol relaxed somewhat, the fear she felt of him completely turning her away shifted and lightened; well at least for now she thought to herself, I wonder what he'll think of me when I tell him why I am really here.
Turning away from her, Tony started the car and headed back to the highway.
" So how IS the weather in South Africa?"
The pair continued the light conversation as the Bradfield scenery flew by, they settled back into the ease that they once had, feeling relaxed and safe in each other's company.