Machion checked the time on her phone for the twentieth time as she waited in the train station. 6:47 am. The train wasn’t scheduled to arrive until 7:07, so she still had 20 minutes to change her mind. It had only been a month since her last impromptu trip to Seattle via train. That impromptu trip was the reason she was sitting in the train station awaiting the 7:07 to Portland, Maine.
Since the trip everything in her life seemed impromptu. The visit to her hairstylist last week to dye her hair burgundy was impromptu. The nose piercing, she got while in Seattle was impromptu. And, trading in her Toyota Prius for a Dodge Challenger with a hemi was definitely impromptu. However, the most impromptu thing that she had done since turning 40, was falling for the 25-year-old porter, Cruz.
The five-day trip from Commons to Seattle was the best thing she had done in her entire life. Prior to turning 40, she lived by the rules. Making sure that she crossed every “t” and dotted every “I.” Her entire life she worked hard to become a productive citizen of society, and she was determined not give her grandfather any trouble.
And, she had done just that. She was about to publish her second book, detailing the history of Africans around the world. Then on top of receiving her PhD two years earlier, she was named Professor of the year for the third year in a row at Commons Central University. All her hard work was paying off. Now all she wanted to do at 40 was enjoy the fruits of her labor. Plus leaving the South Carolina scorching heat for a couple of days was right up her alley.
Cruz contacted her a few days earlier to invite her on the trip, and she couldn’t resist. I would love too,” she replied when he asked. Now, she was second guessing her decision.
The vibration of her phone made her heart skip a beat. Her first thought was, Cruz was calling to tell her that plans had changed. But, instead it was her best friend Sterling. She let out a sigh of relief.
“Good morning,” she whispered.
“Good morning to you. I was checking to see if the train had arrived with your little boy toy?”
“No, not yet. And, he’s not my boy toy, thank you very much,” her voice raised above a whisper.
“Boy toy sounded better than calling you a cougar. What you think?”
The two of them started laughing.
“Listen, I just called to say have a good time,” he said. “And, don’t worry I will make arrangements to put the flowers on your grandfather’s grave.”
“Aw, thank you Sterling. I don’t know what I’ll do without you.”
“I know,” he started laughing. “Enjoy yourself and I love you girl.”
“I will and love you too.”
After the call, she sat there thinking about what Sterling said about Cruz being her boy toy. Boy toy or not she was going to enjoy her weekend. Plus, the fact she was a 40-year-old virgin didn’t seem to be an issue with him.
***
The butterflies began to flutter in her stomach as she waited. She had attempted to check some emails, but she was too distracted. She just kept thinking about the first time she met Cruz. He was charming to say the least. They had spent nights laughing and talking. Then during the day, he would sneak away so they could spend time together.
Despite their age difference they had a lot in common. They both enjoyed reading, cooking, art, history and they both were champion chess players. They’re favorite colors were blue and they both were born on the third day of the month. She just wished her grandfather could have met him.
As she thought about Cruz, she received an incoming text.
Here!
The text made her whole face light up. It was no way she was backing out when Cruz was less than 100 feet away. She grabbed her bags and headed towards the train. With each step to the train the butterflies began to do a dance in her stomach. “Calm down,” she whispered. She was more nervous than she was completing her dissertation.
“Dr. Carrington,” Cruz’s voice sounded like music to her ears.
“Cruz!” Her heart felt like it was going to jump out her chest. “I’m so…” Cruz didn’t give her time to finish before he pressed his lips against hers. When their lips finally separated she managed to say, “I missed you.”
“The same here,” he replied as he grabbed her bags. “We better get going.”
They walked hand and hand to the car she would be staying in.
“I’ve got your cabin all ready. We will arrive in Portland in the morning. We have a two-hour delay, so I figured we could spend some time together.”
Spending time with him was right up her alley. She was glad she didn’t change her mind.
“For a minute I thought you were going to chicken out on me.”
She smiled, “I almost did.”
“I’m glad you didn’t,” he replied. “Plus, I have something I want to talk to you about.”
“OK,” she said slowly, unsure what he wanted to talk about. “Is everything alright?”
“Of course. Everything’s Gucci,” he said with a smile.
“OK.” She replied. Thanks to her assistant she knew Gucci meant good, so she didn’t press him for information.
“Here we are,” he said as he opened the door to her cabin. “I took the liberty of ordering breakfast for you. It should arrive around 7:30.”
He was still the perfect gentleman. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I did,” he said as he sat her bags down. “I can’t imagine how you feel the first Father’s Day without your grandfather. I know how much he meant to you. From now on I’m going to take care of you, my queen.”
Did he just call me his queen? He did, she thought.
Machion didn’t get a chance to respond before he pulled her into him. He was gazing into her eyes, “I’m thankful you didn’t change your mind.”
Her heart skipped a beat as they gazed into each other eyes. That warm and fuzzy feeling engulfed her entire body.
“Listen, I’m let you get some rest and I’ll be back to check on you,” he said. He kissed her on the cheek and dashed out the cabin.
She touched her face where he had kissed her. It was something about him that drove her crazy, in a good way.
***
Just as he promised her breakfast arrived around 7:30. There was a card on the tray, with the lyrics to Lauryn Hill’s, the Sweetest Thing. She smiled because she told him that was her all-time favorite song. And, he remembered. After breakfast she text with Sterling, then settled in for a nap.
Cruz was busy majority of the day. Machion spent her time watching Netflix on her iPad and reviewing her syllabi for her fall classes. When dinner time rolled around, she debated about going to the dining car.
After going back and forth with herself, she decided to go for a change of scenery. She had been cooped up in the cabin the entire day.
***
For dinner she ordered a fresh garden salad and a glass of red wine. The entire time she kept watching for Cruz to come in. She wanted to know what he wanted to talk to her about.
Instead of going back to her cabin after dinner, she headed to the lounge. An hour later she headed back to her cabin to Facetime Sterling. Of course he talked her head off.
Once she finished chatting with her best friend, she figured she would turn in for the night.
Machion had just fallen asleep when she was startled by someone knocking at the door. She was hoping the someone was Cruz. It was.
“I thought you might need this,” he said with his mesmerizing smile. He handed her the glass of warm milk and honey.
“Thank you.”
For the next two hours they laughed and talked as if they hadn’t been apart for an entire month.
“I apologize for not being around as much. But, heading back home I’ll have a lot more time.”
“No need to apologize, I understand.”
“I knew you would,” he said as he ran his fingers down the side of her face. “I have a question for you.”
She sat up straight to give him her full attention.
“Do you enjoy working at Commons Central?”
That was a strange question. She had no idea where the conversation was going “I love it,” she replied.
“Really.”
“Yes. Why you ask?”
“Because I have an interview Monday for the speech writer position.”
Machion had a blank expression on her face, but inside she was screaming, “yes”. She composed herself enough to respond, “Congratulations.”
“Thank you. I have to be there at 9:30. I’m tired of this long-distance relationship. I need more than Facetiming and weekends here and there.”
Relationship? That was yet another word choice that had thrown her for a loop.
***
Machion woke up thinking about Cruz and him possibly working at the university. Before she could get her thoughts together, Sterling was Facetiming her.
“Good morning sir.”
“Good morning, darling. How are things going?”
“Wonderful!” The excitement of Cruz’s news was bubbling over in her voice.
“You sound mighty chipper this morning.”
“I know right.” She could barely contain herself, “Guess what?”
“What?”
“Cruz has an interview Monday at Central.”
“Machion,” he screeched. “You’re kidding right.”
“Nope,” she grinned.
“What?” He sat his coffee cup down and had a serious look on his face, “You know
when a man changes his whole life around for someone, he’s in love.”
She gasped, “Why would you say that?”
“Because he is applying for a job at the same university you work at. Think about it.”
The thought had crossed her mind. She had only known him a month, how could it be love.
“That young man has fallen in love with you. And, honestly I think you have too.” He winked at her before taking a sip of coffee.
“Sterling, what if it is love?”
“Then it’s love sweetie.”
“But, we just met.”
“So! You fall in love with a baby at first sight, right? Well, why, can’t you fall in love with your soulmate at first sight?”
“That’s different.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Who’s to say?”
She didn’t have much to say after that. All she kept thinking was, Am I in love?
***
The 26-hour trip had worn her out, but she wasn’t too tired for her dinner date with Cruz.
Majority of her day was spent trying to figure out what she should wear to dinner. She wanted to make sure that she looked her very best. Two different outfits were laid out on her bed and she couldn’t make her mind up which one she wanted to wear that night. She sent a picture of both of them to Sterling, and he choose the white cape dress. He said it made her look pure like the virgin she was.
She checked herself out in the mirror one more time before grabbing her Chanel #5 perfume to spray herself down.
As she walked into the dining car an overwhelming feeling came over her. Her first thought was to turn around. No one was in the car. There were roses on every table.
“Good evening, Dr. Carrington,” an older gentleman greeted her. “Follow me to your table.”
She followed behind the gentleman not sure what was going on. No one else was in the car besides her. When she arrived at the table there was a single red rose waiting for her. A smile adorned her face from ear to ear.
“Beautiful as always my queen,” Cruz said as he walked up behind her.
“Thank…” was all she managed to say. He looked so sexy. Instead of his usual porter uniform, he was wearing a tailor-made suit that fit him like a glove. “ And, you are handsome as always,” she replied.
“Thank you. I wanted to switch it up a little for you,” he replied.
Machion was about to reply but she didn’t get a chance. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. Everything seemed to stop around her. His kisses were the sweetest she had ever experienced. When their lips pulled apart, she was tempted to pull him back in for another.
After dinner, they watched highlights of the NBA Playoffs while enjoying the chocolate cover strawberries he had prepared for her. They hadn’t talked about his big announcement all night. But, she was constantly thinking about.
“What’s on your mind,” he inquired.
“I’m just thinking I could get use to this.”
“I can too,” he said as he ran his fingers through her curls. “That’s the reason I applied for the position.”
“Really,” she sounded shocked.
“Really. I was always told when you find a good thing, you hold on to it. And, that’s what I plan to do.”
Machion was speechless. She could hear her pastor saying, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing.”
So, many thoughts were running through her mind as she gently laid her head on his shoulder. There was never a doubt in her mind that one day she would fall in love, but this was better than she ever imagined.
The sound of Minnie Riperton’s voice suddenly filled the room, “Loving you is s so easy ‘cause you’re beautiful.” She knew Cruz was way too young to know about Minnie Riperton, but he was singing along.
“Tonight, has been magical,” she blushed as she listened to him sing.
“I'm more in love with you. La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la. Do do do do do.” He
continued singing as she stroked his arm.
The feeling of euphoria ran through her body. She felt as if she was floating on the
clouds with him right by her side. She closed her eyes and listened to the sweet sound of his voice. Something was happening in that moment that she couldn’t explain.
As she was rubbing her hand down his arm, the singing suddenly stopped.
“Dr. Machion Carrington...”
“Yes,” she quickly replied.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” Her heart skipped a beat after the words floated out of her mouth. It was no question she loved him. And, love was all over her.
Instead of waiting for him to lean down and plant a kiss on her, she leaned in and kissed him. She felt his heart beating against hers. Cruz had brought something out in her that was buried deep down inside. Her prayers had been answered. And, just to think a month earlier she was apprehensive about turning 40, but now she was feeling 40.
