Now they stood beside his car on the curb of Sea-Tac International Airport, while the traffic buzzed around them. But Niles hardly noticed; for he only had eyes for his Mel. The soft breeze floated around them, carrying the dark wisps of her hair upward and bringing them down again. The breeze somehow made her seem even more beautiful than before. How was that possible?
And how was it possible that barely forty-eight hours had passed since he knew; he really and truly knew that he was in love? His mind traveled back to that wonderful time…
They'd spent the last few blissful days in the solitude of his cabin in the mountains; the cabin where he'd spent much time with the likes of Frasier, his father and of course Maris, at different points in his life. But those visits were mere visits. With Mel there, it felt even more like home. The cabin was custom-built years ago to the Crane family's specifications and when Niles added his own touches, the look and feel improved dramatically. It was the perfect place to spend a few days alone. The solitude was blissful and the company even more so. The scenery was breathtaking, complimented by the gorgeous, pristine lake that surrounded them.
Because their free time was so rare, he and Mel made the most of the fact that neither of them had patients or obligations to attend to. No emails were checked, no cell phones rang. It was absolutely wonderful. And it was during this solitude that he fell even deeper in love. That love resulted in a series of passionate lovemaking interludes, the likes of which he had never known in all of his years of marriage to Maris. And once the lovemaking began, he realized how badly they were missed. And so they made sweet, passionate love as though making up for lost time. Perhaps making up for the time when neither of them knew of the other's existence. Now he couldn't fathom the thought of being without her. He loved her so much.
"Let's get married."
The words were out of his mouth before he realized that he had spoken out loud. And once he said them there was no taking them back. But he found that he meant them. He meant them whole heartedly.
His heart racing, he braced himself for her answer. The brief silence that followed was maddening. But when she spoke, he found that the answer was exactly what he'd expected. Her reaction was no different than her reaction to anything else; like a proud parent whose most intelligent child had exceeded her expectations.
"Niles, darling that's a wonderful idea!" She beamed, pulling him back into her arms.
Astonished that she'd agreed to marry him so quickly, Niles barely had a chance to ask her if she really and truly wanted to become his wife. For the lovemaking resumed, more intense and demanding than before. And as had been the case during their other lovemaking sessions, it was hard to decipher whether or not her serious and confident actions were an attempt to please him or if they were meant to be a metaphor of their relationship. Was she trying to tell him that she was going to be the leader in their marriage?
His heart knew the answer before the question entered his mind, for Mel always wanted to be first and foremost in everything. It should have bothered him, and it might have, had he not been so caught up in the moment. And eventually the thought faded away completely.
They were just two people in love who had cemented their commitment and their bond to become husband and wife. His first marriage had long since crumbled; the result of his actions and the fact that Maris had chosen to have an affair. With Schenkman, their marriage counselor of all people! It still hurt of course, but he knew that only a small scar would remain.
His marriage to Mel would be different. He would make certain of that. Their love and their marriage would last forever.