When You Least Expect It (46 page)

             
Ray was relieved to hear it.  Otherwise, it was going to be a long day.  He ran into the bedroom and threw on some clothes.  “Let’s go so she can get ready in peace.”  He knocked on the door.  “We’re going to go get coffee and bagels.  Be right back.” 

             
Amanda yelled back so he would know she heard him, and then hurriedly got out of the shower.  She planned to be dressed and ready when they got back.

~~~

              As planned, Amanda was ready and had picked up the place by the time they got back.  Diego looked harmless enough, and he walked over and grabbed her hand.             

             
“Hello Amanda, nice to meet you.  I have just one question for you…getting any?”

             
Everyone laughed, Ray and Amanda both turning bright red.

             
“Well, I didn’t come all this way for nothing, Diego; nice to meet you, too.” 

             
Diego laughed, still holding on to her hand.  “She’s not bad, Ray, not bad at all.”

             
She hurriedly changed the subject.  “Let’s eat!  I need coffee.”

             
They sat at the table, eating bagels and drinking coffee, chatting about New York, meeting Ray’s mother, and El Paso.  Suddenly, out of nowhere, Diego looks around the room.  “Wow Ray, you took down the porn?” 

             
Amanda looked at Ray, eyes wide, but said nothing.

             
“You are such an asshole.”  The two friends laughed at each other, and she sighed with relief.  After all, it could have been true.

~~~

              Amanda was amazed at she sat at the restaurant of choice.  Who knew she had come all this way to experience the atmosphere of Hooters!  This had been Diego’s idea, and even though she’d only just met him, she hadn’t been surprised one bit.  Not wanting to seem like a spoilsport, she had readily agreed.

             
She laughed at Diego as he ogled the servers in their tiny orange shorts and low cut t-shirts.  She decided it was her turn to tease him.  “Is this your favorite hang-out?”  This question was for both men.

             
Ray answered first.  “I love hot wings.”

             
She raised her eyebrows at him.  “You come here for the chicken?”

             
He reddened.  “Yes, I’m all about the food.”

             
Diego couldn’t stop laughing.  “Me too.”  He practically rolled off the stool, he was laughing so hard.  “I couldn’t even tell you what the waitresses wear.” 

             
Amanda rolled her eyes at them.  “Exactly, how old are you two?”

             
They all bantered back and forth, eating chicken wings (which were delicious, by the way), and watching the televisions.  They had a few beers, and got to know each other a little bit.  Amanda was amazed at how different Ray was around Diego.  He was like a big kid.  But, she had to admit, they were funny, she laughed a lot, and was having a good time.  At least until Ray got up to go to the bathroom, leaving her alone with his friend.

             
“So Amanda, not to be a corny or anything, but I’d like to know what your intentions are.” 

             
She was surprised at the serious tone Diego’s voice had taken.  “What do you mean?”

             
“I mean with Ray.  He has been through so much, not only because of his divorce, but also because his marriage was no picnic either.  I don’t want to see him get hurt, and I think he is really taken by you.”

             
She answered with no hesitation.  “I came out here to see what Ray was like, Diego.  That was my intention.  At home, I eat, sleep and breathe Ray.  It was getting to be an obsession.  It was time for me to see what this ‘connection’ was that I had with him.  Was it real, or just a dream?  I’m forty years old, and I don’t have time to play games.”

             
Ray came back from the bathroom then, much to Amanda’s relief.  But, the relief didn’t last long, Diego sent him away. 

             
“Go look at the Hooter’s merchandise, Ray.  Maybe Mandy would like an orange t-shirt.” 

             
Ray looked at Amanda, surprised. “You would?”

             
Amanda was afraid to answer.

             
Diego got to the point.  “I’m talking to this young lady in private if you don’t mind.  Give us a minute.”

             
Ray hesitated.  He knew, primarily, this was the reason Diego had really come down here.  “Is this okay with you, Mandy?”

             
She nodded.

             
“Why wouldn’t it be?  Now, go.”  He turned his attention back to Amanda, as Ray walked away.  “You didn’t answer my question.  So, you’ve been talking to him for a year on the Internet.  What does that mean?  I have friends on the Internet too, and I’m sure you have other friends also.  Are you going to meet all of them?  What I want to know is now that you’ve met Ray, where does it go?”

             
“I don’t know where it goes.  What I do know is that I think Ray is great.  I’m so glad that I’ve come all this way to meet him, and to know that he’s the real thing.  He really is a great guy, and I really do have feelings for him, and him for me.  I love him, Diego.  I don’t know anything else beyond that.”

             
Diego took her hand, ignoring the looks coming from Ray.  “I think that I’m a pretty good judge of character.  I have to admit, I thought that Ray getting involved as he had with someone on the Internet was insane.  But, you too, are the real thing, a good person.  I know that he has strong feelings for you. You’re right; he’s a great person.  He stayed in a loveless marriage for a long time, refusing to give up.  He knows how to commit, and I hope if you commit to him, that you do too.  I like you, and I can become your best friend, Mandy.  Just so you know though, I could also become your worst enemy.  Don’t hurt my friend.”

             
Ray could see from the gift area that Diego was getting too serious.  He started walking back towards the table.

             
Still holding Diego hand, Amanda responded.  “I don’t plan to, Diego.  At this point, we just have to go with the flow.” 

             
Ray sat down.  “All’s well?” 

             
The two responded in unison.  “Yup.”

             
Amanda rose to go to the ladies room, giving the two men some privacy to talk.

             
“What was that all about?  You looked so serious.”

             
Diego clapped Ray on the shoulder.  “I’m just trying to look out for you, man.  The bottom line is; she loves you.”

             
Ray’s face lit up.  “She told you that?”

             
Diego could see the happiness in Ray’s face, something he hadn’t seen in ages.  “Yes, she did.”

             
They both watched Amanda walk back to the table.  Ray looked at his friend briefly and said.  “I love her too, man, I love her, too.

Chapter 33

Amanda felt as if she were losing her best friend.  As they sat together waiting for her plane to board, they were both quiet.  They sat holding hands, and occasionally looking at each other.  She didn’t know what to say.  She felt horrible, and Ray looked just as desolate. 

             
Finally Ray spoke.  “This has been the most incredible weekend of my life, Mandy.”  He took her hand in both of his, and looked deep into her eyes.  “I want you to know that this isn’t over for me.  In fact, it’s only the beginning.  I’m going to come out to Texas just as soon as the divorce is final.  I’ll come out as often as I possibly can.  Maybe we can figure something out.  This can’t be it.  I can’t have found my true soul mate, only to lose her to logistics.   We’ll work something out.”  He held Amanda, the lump in his throat so big he didn’t dare say anything more.  He could feel her shaking in his arms.  He held her at arms length.  She was crying.  He stroked her hair and told her everything would be okay. 

             
Amanda looked up at him.  “How, Ray?  How’s everything going to be okay?  We live thousands of miles from each other!  What if this is it? I wouldn’t be able to take it.”  She sobbed harder.

             
Ray held her.  He wanted to believe that everything would indeed be all right, but he at this moment he couldn’t realistically see how.   “We’ll work it out,” he whispered. 

             
Amanda’s plane was boarding.  This only made her cry harder.  They stood at her gate holding each other tightly, afraid to let go, afraid this would be the last time.  They hugged until there was no one else to board. 

             
She looked up at Ray, who now, was also crying.  She touched his cheek with the palm of her hand, which he kissed, and her heart broke.  “I love you, Ray Knight.  I’ll call you when I get home.”   She turned and walked towards the plane, afraid to look back for fear of losing all control. 

             
She found her seat and buckled in, looking out the window hoping she could see Ray. She saw only shadows.  The plane was ready to take off.  As it backed up, she felt the tears rushing back.  She didn’t want to leave!  Why did this have to be so hard? 

             
As they ascended into the air, she couldn’t stop her tears.  She cried and cried.  She cried at how unfair life was; she’d waited so long to find someone who loved her, who really loved her, and that someone lived across the country. It was far from her family, from everything that was near and dear to her.  She could never leave El Paso.  It was the only home she’d ever known.  It was unthinkable.  For the first time since meeting her Internet friend, she felt hopeless.

~~~

             
Ray sat in his car in the parking lot, trying to pull himself together.  He couldn’t believe how emotional he felt, how torn apart.  This was worse than never meeting her, far worse.  Before, there was always the possibility of it not being real, of it just being a game.  He enjoyed talking to her on the phone, enjoyed the anonymity of it.  That was over.  He’d met Amanda Herrez, and he was in love with her.  There was no turning back.  He had to be with her.  He rested his head on the back of the seat.  The question was how.

             
                                          ~~~

             
Hilary waited for Amanda at the other end of the country.  She was so relieved that Amanda was coming home today. She’d been worried sick, and so had the kids, even though no one had really said anything.  They’d all gone about their normal activities.

~~~

              The times that Hilary had spoken with her, she’d sounded so happy.  She’d been so excited about New York, and had loved Portland.  She’d talked non-stop about what a wonderful time she was having.  The whole time, all Hilary could think about was how great that was, but then what?  He lived across the country.  She could feel in her heart that Amanda had placed her heart on her ever-popular sleeve and once again, she was going to get hurt.  There was no way she could carry on this long distance relationship with no end.  Amanda was, for lack of a better word, needy. She needed someone close, to spoil her, to take her out, to do things for her; that’s just the way she was.  Hilary didn’t think that she would move to Portland, she’d never leave her kids, or her, hopefully. 

             
As the airplane touched ground, all Hilary could do was hope that Amanda had a good grasp of the reality of her visit, and that now that she had met Ray, she could put things a little bit more in perspective and move on with her own life, here in Texas.

             
As she watched Amanda step off the plane, she knew that Amanda was already lost.  She looked as if she cried all the way home, as if someone had died.  She waved to her sister, trying to get her attention. She tried to be up about her return, and just pretend she didn’t notice the sadness in her eyes, or the sagging of her shoulders.  “Hey sis, over here!”

             
Amanda looked over at her sister, barely cracking a smile.  She waved and walked over and the sisters embraced.

             
“I’m so happy to see you!  We’ve missed you around here, girl!  You must have jet lag after that long trip.  I’m dying to hear everything you did, especially the X-rated stuff! How was Ray when you left?”