As always you all know that I have nothing to do with DTBH...I just write about it.
This chapter was hard to write. I cried while writing it. I guess that shows how much I am involved in this story.
I love the reviews. You girls make me smile. I am glad you like that how I made Leland. I really do feel he is like this real life. He can't be shy all the time. And since he doesn't fight anymore he has take the aggression out somewhere, so I made it the bedroom. *winks*
Chapter 12 Saying Goodbye
I pulled the ponytail holder off the end of his hair, untwined the braid and started running my fingers though his hair. He was almost purring like cat. We laid there in silence for little while. He propped himself up on his elbow and looked at me. He took my hand and kissed.
"How am I going to survive without you?" I asked him.
Leland would be leaving to back to Kona tomorrow night, after all his office was there.
"I have thought about that a lot, I wouldn't go back if I didn't have to but I do. Duane Lee asked dad if he stay at the Honolulu office because he doesn't want to run into Jordan. So I have no choice but to go back."
"I can see how it would be hard for Duane Lee, I am sure we will manage. It is only twenty minute flight." I said but I knew neither one us believed it.
"But I came up with idea." He said jumping up out of bed and pulling his pants back on. "Wait here."
I nodded. While he was gone, I pulled on his t-shirt and my panties and sat in the center of the bed. He came back holding a huge purple gift bag and handed it to me. I looked at him confused.
"Just open it." He said sitting on the bed across from me.
I pulled out the tissue paper and reached in and pulled out a pink laptop.
"I don't understand."
He laughed and grabbed his laptop off the floor next to the bed, then took mine and started typing away on them both. Then handed mine back to me. I was still confused until and looked down and saw Leland waving to me on the screen. I looked over the laptops and he smiled at me.
"I got you a laptop with web cam like mine. So even though we are not together we can still see each."
"I love it." I said hugging him.
I spent the night with Leland that night because we didn't know when we would be together again. I slept all night in his arms. The next morning, we took a shower together and he got ready to go the office. He had to drop me off so I could get the kids ready for school and change clothes.
He was already at the office when I arrived. He was on the couch with his laptop his lap; mine was sitting on my desk. I smiled at him and sat down at my desk. I put my head sit on and glanced at the screen on the laptop.
A little box popped up, "I see you"
We begin to IM each other back and forth for the next few minutes. I giggled and typed back, "I see you too, Lele."
"Lele?"
"Yep Lele, you call me Maddie, so you are now Lele."
"Ok you can call me that but if DL starts calling me that you are trouble."
"LOL"
He closed his laptop and folded his hands over it when the camera crew arrived. I closed mine and started my usual routine and before I knew that guys had left on bounty, I noticed that Leland had taken his laptop with him.
I quickly turned on the web cam. Sure enough he was there, smiling at me. I waved. He waved back. I smiled big and blew him a kiss. He winked at me and held up the wanted poster of their guy today. I quickly grabbed a piece of paper and wrote "Get em Lele" on it and held it up. He laughed and nodded. I nodded. And he was gone.
I sat at my desk and waited for them to come back to the office. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Leland tonight, so I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could.
A few hours later, I got a call from Beth, she told me to pick up the kids and get them ready to go to the beach. We were going as family to the beach tonight since it was Friday night and the kids could sleep in the morning.
When Beth and Dog arrived at the house, I had all the kids ready and we were they were excited about going to the beach. I have to admit I was excited too.
"We are going to have to take both SUVs" said Beth.
I nodded and started loading the stuff in the back. The camera crew was out there taping. Duane Lee run up behind me and grabbed me around the waist and started tickling me.
"Stop Duane! Please, stop," I cried.
He put me down and kissed the top of my forehead. "Ride with me."
"Only if you behave," I said smiling at him.
"I promise."
"Hey where is Leland?" I just noticed he was gone and so was his truck.
"He went to get the surf boards from the house. He will meet us at the beach."
"Oh that makes sense." I said. Duane Lee turned to go back inside.
I started rounding up the kids and getting them all seat belted in. I was practically bouncing in my seat in the SUV. Beth was driving and Duane Lee, myself, and Bonnie Jo were in the back seat.
We pulled into the beach parking lot. I grabbed a few of the bags from the back and started running towards the beach. I saw Leland come up from the water, he must have wiped out on his surf board. I smiled and sat everything down and started spreading out towels.
"The camera crew is going to get a few shots of us with the kids and talk to Big Daddy then they are leaving, I know you and Leland are anxious to spend some time together tonight before he flies out." Beth said as she helped me sun block the kids.
"Thanks." I said hugging her.
I sat on towel and watched the kids build sandcastles. Leland and Duane Lee were out in the water surfing. They really were like kids, pushing each other their boards and try to catch a bigger wave than the other one. Dog was talking to the cameras about relationships were just like sandcastles.
The camera crew talked to me and Beth about the kids and sandcastles, and then packed up. We wouldn't see them for awhile. I was kind of happy about that. I wasn't used to the cameras like everyone else was. It was just a part of their daily life; the kids had grown up with the cameras. I wanted patiently until I saw the production van pull away.
Then, I ran towards the water. Beth laughed at me then cuddled with Dog on blanket. Leland had just stood up on the surf board; I smiled and cheered him on. He noticed me and lost his balance and fell off the board. I started laughing. He grabbed his board and swam over to me. I jumped into his arms and kissed him. He seemed shocked and looked around for the cameras.
"They are gone, Beth sent them home." I told him.
"Thank goodness." He said pulling me deeper into the water with him. We kissed for a few minutes until I heard Duane Lee whistling and shouting "Get a room" at us.
"Take a walk with me?" He asked.
I nodded as he ran ahead and grabbed a towel. He wrapped me in it and rubbed my arms drying me off. He pulled me in his arms and looked deep into my eyes.
"Maddie…" he paused, "I love you. I loved you since the moment I saw you. I am just sorry I didn't tell you sooner." He said.
I stared back up at him with tears in my eyes. I kissed him.
I could hear Beth behind me, "Did you hear that he just told her he loved her?"
"Like we didn't know those two would end up in love with each other. I told you it was matter of time." Dog replied to Beth.
I pulled away from Leland, "I love you, too." I told him.
We grabbed our own blanket and headed down the beach to be alone. He sat behind me with me between his legs, my back to his chest and his knees propped up on either side of me. He held me tight in his arms. I knew he had to leave soon but I wasn't ready to let go. I think he sensed it to because he looked at his watch and held me tighter. I don't know how long we sat there but it wasn't long enough.
"Maddie, baby, it is time." I wrapped my arms around his and held on tight.
"I know." I said trying to fight back the tears.
I finally let go, he stood up helping me to my feet and hugged me and kissed my hair. I was on verge of tears; I could feel it in my head. Cecily and Beth were waiting for me and Leland. I tried to give them my best smile but I couldn't. I bit my lip trying to hold back the tears.
"Duane Lee is going to take me to the house to change and then to airport…I think it will be easier on Maddie if we say goodbye here and she goes home with you all." Leland told Beth.
"Yeah you are right. It will be too hard for her at the airport since this first time you are flying back to Kona." Beth agreed.
I knew they were right but it was hard no matter where we were. Beth and Cecily headed towards the SUVs. Leland and I walked hand in hand behind them. He handed Cecily the blanket we had been using. Beth and Cecily walked away giving us so privacy.
Leland leaned my chin up and kissed my nose, "I will only be twenty minute flight away, and you have your cell and web cam. I will be back before you know it."
"I know." I said with sniffle.
He kissed me and pulled me into his arms. I buried my face in his neck. The tears I held back started flowing. I didn't want him to see me cry, I tried to hold it back but I couldn't. I didn't want to let him leave. I felt Beth grab me and pull me back.
"Let him go baby, it will only be harder the long you hold on." Beth told me.
I slowly let go. Beth held me tight.
Leland had tears in his eyes too. He kissed my forehead and got in the truck with Duane Lee. He must of waved bye because I could feel Beth waving but my eyes were to blurry from the tears. I lost it, I was emotional wreck.
Beth and Cecily were both hugging me. Beth finally got me in SUV. I had my head in Cecily's lap still crying, she was rubbing my head telling me it was ok. Bonnie Jo was holding my hand. I never felt so loved but lost at the same time.
