Thursday, May 25, 2006

Book Signing Tour

My agent has sent me the itinerary for the cities I will be visiting promoting my newest book. I am so glad that she takes care of all the necerssary arrangements.  I really hate doing all that travel scheduling.

These will be busy and stressfull days for me because i will be in a different city each day of the tour. The Morning Show in NYC and bookstore signings all over the country. Hecitc days and dinner parties at night. The television shows are the worst for me because I get very nervous sitting on the stage with the MC and talkingl I have to keep telling myself before they introduce me "That I can do this."

I have all my suitcases packed and ready to be picked up by the cab which will be coming for me after sunset around 10pm. I have been waiting for Captain McCain to join me. We have planned to go down to the beach today and watch the sunset together because I won't be home for about three weeks. That is a long time and I will  miss him and the cove very much.  He strolls in the office and his smile radiates throughout the room. I can feel my heart quicken its beating and my knees get weak when he looks at me with those beautiful eyes of his. He has kaki pants on and a blue tee shirt. A gold chain with a claddah hanging around his neck. As he approaches me I realize I have been holding my breath and his smile deepens and he lets out a little laugh. He knows how he affects me. Just as I know how i affect him too.

Picking up our picnic lunch, that he has prepared, we walk hand in hand down to the beach. The water is so lovely as the waves come curling into the sandy beach. So many different colors of blue blending as you look out inot the ocean. How wonderful all of this is and how much I will miss my home. We sit down on the blanket that the Captain has spread out on the sand and begin to take out the picnic dinner as we enjoy the scenery around us. We haven't said much, but then it seems that we really don't have to always be talking. We converse with our bodies more I think. Our eyes are like windows into our hearts and souls and we just seem to know that words are not necessary sometimes.

Sitting down together and eating our meal, we look out as the ocean as the sun turns the sky into a glorious red color and watch as it slowly sinks into the water. It is so hard to discribe the full beauty of nature. There are so many things that all come into play to ake this scene that only the Creator is capable of making.

Standing up, he offers me his hands and I grasp them and come into his arms. He pulls me gently into his embrace and with his warm breath he whispers into my ear how  much he will miss me and that he will be thinking of me every day and night. I look up into those bright eyes ofhis and lean forward to kiss his moist lips. Encircling me with his arms he pulls me in tighter and closer and returns my kiss a hundred fold. We are lost in each other and the day slowly truns into the dark of night. How I hate leaving him. I wish he could come with me and then I wouldn't have such a heavy heart. He gently lets me go and reaches down for the picnic basket and blanket and says that it it time to go back to the house because the taxi will be coming soon to pick me up. I should be so happy that my new book is all done and already selling like hot cakes, but inside my heart there is an empty spot that only can be filled by the Captain.

Entering the house and putting everything away, I don't know how to begin to tell him how I feel and how much I will miss him. He senses my discomfort and turns and without saying a word, just takes me into his arms and holds me tightly. I wish I could stand here in his arms for eternity, but then the door bell rings and I know it is time for me to leave. The door bell rings again but the Captain still holds me in his arms and I look up at him to say that it is probably the taxi, when he puts his finger on my lips and says,"Shhhh, he will wait. I just want to hold you a few minutes more." Leaning over he takes my face in his hands and tenderly kisses me once and then deepens the kiss until I am totally lost in his embrace.

Now the man at the door is becoming impatient and rings the bell once, then twice. We break away from each other and I turn to walk to the door to let him in to get my luggage. When I look back, the Captain has gone. He is nowhere to be seen.

My bags are loaded into the trunk and I take one last look at the mansion. Up on the veranda stands the Captain, smiling and waving at me. No sound comes from his mouth, but I can hear him saying, "Hurry back my love, Iam lonely here without you."

As the taxi pulls away, I look out the back window and watch the Captain until we are to far for me to see him. I can feel a knot in my stomach, I miss him so much already and I haven't even gotten to the airport yet. This will be the longest three weeks of my life.