Island Retreat

Chapter 2

Three weeks later, Abby answered her phone with a laugh. "Sebastian!! I will never get out of here if you don't stop calling me. Let me tie up just a couple of loose ends and I will be on my way."

"I know, I know, but I can't find my passport! What the heck did I do with it?"

Propping the phone between her ear and her shoulder, so she could shuffle through a couple of papers that her assistant Susan had just held under nose, she was trying to listen to him and sign the papers that needed to be signed.

"uhhhh, well, did you look in all of your suit pockets? Even the ones at the house?"

"The house? Do I have suits at your house?" he sounded hopeful.

"Yes, baby, you have a few of them there. You can either drive out and look right now or wait and let me look when I get home."

"Are you finished packing?" he asked sweetly, knowing full well that she had barely started. Abby loved to travel, but she HATED to pack. He didn't understand why it was such a chore for her, but she always put it off until the very last minute.

Laughing she said, "Seb, I really need to get off the phone. I have a meeting in 10 minutes and no idea what I did with my notes. Please look for your passport and don't worry about ME packing, ok?"

"Yeah, ok. No working late, right?"

"I promise. I'll be heading home right after this meeting. Now let me go. I love you!"

"I love you too Abs," he hung up and chewed on his lip, wondering if he should head on over to her place to check those suit pockets....

Just as promised, Abby left the office as soon as possible for her first official 'vacation' in over two years. The meeting had lasted a little longer than she had expected, because she wanted to make sure that every question was answered before she left. She knew her people could handle things in her absence, and trusted them each to do their best work while she was out. She had told them to feel free to call her if anything came up that they weren't sure about. What she didn't know was that Sebastian had spoken with Susan on the side and instructed her NOT to contact Abby unless it was an EXTREME emergency. Sue had smiled and agreed that she would see to it. She was always so impressed with how much Sebastian looked out for Abby; and she wondered, not for the first time, when they would get around to getting married.

Abby pulled into her driveway with one thing on her mind. PACKING!! She had thrown some things in her suitcase, but she was less than half way there. Sebastian had told her they were going to a 'private island' and she had no idea what that meant exactly. When she had snuggled up next to him in bed that night the migraine had hit, she lightly ran her fingers in circles on his chest and then looked up into his eyes and said "ok."

Looking at her skeptically, he had asked "ok?" Before his eyes opened wide and he sat up in bed turning to look down at her, "Okay?? You'll go?" He covered her face with sloppy kisses.

"Yes, I'll find a way to make it work," she giggled and wiped at her face.

"What made you change your mind?" he asked softly.

With a soft sigh, Abby had raised her arms to put them around his neck. "When you said you think we need this, I could tell you meant it. If we need this, we have to do it. I don't ever want to lose you."

From there it had been a madhouse of preparation; making reservations at the Cayo Espanto Island retreat, booking their flights, getting things taken care of at work and the multitude of little things that one does to get ready for a 10 day trip. They were scheduled to leave the following afternoon and Abby was hoping that she would be able to nap at least part of the way. She may not be a good 'packer', but she was an even worse 'flyer'.