Stranger Things Have Happened, I Know

Ch 9

Chapter 9

Finally, the Friday of my departure came. Work seemed to drag. I had so much to do and had to be out by 4 to catch my 6pm flight. It was a five hour flight, which would put me in LA at about 9pm. Dave said he would try to pick me up at the airport himself, but he had a meeting that he was afraid may run late. If he couldn't make it, he said he'd send a car for me.

My plane landed on the west coast at about 8:30. I deplaned and called Dave to let him know I landed and to see if he was picking me up. It rang and rang and went right to voicemail. I frowned, not a good sign. I'd brought everything I'd need in my carry on, so I by passed baggage claim and went to the passenger pick up area. I saw a drive holding a sign with my name and frowned. I went over and introduced myself. He took my bag and said,

“Mr. Grohl sends his apologies” and led me outside. I followed him over to a town car and he opened the back door for me. Before I could slide in, I noticed a long pair of legs in tight black jeans and sneakers.

“Oh my god,” I squealed and dove inside. Dave was sitting there, smiling.

“Surprise!” he said, pulling me across the back seat into a hug. “Did I surprise you?”

“Yes,” I said. “I am so happy to see you.”

“I can't believe you're here,” he said, as the driver closed my bag in the trunk and got behind the wheel. “I really missed you,” he said, kissing me.

“I missed you, too.” We kissed almost the whole way back to Dave's house. I felt like a teenager again, making out in the back seat. He had a long drive way that lead up to a good sized house. The driver got out and opened the door for us and retrieved my bag. Dave scooped it up and led me up the front steps. He took out a key ring and unlocked the door. He let us into to a large foyer with high ceilings.

“OK, so this is it!” He said, spreading his arms in front of him. “Home sweet home!”

“Wow...” I said, amazed.

“Want the tour?” He led my around the first floor, showing a large kitchen, large formal dining room, larger formal living room, a slightly less formal family room, one full bath and one half bath. He showed me out to his garage, where he frequently recorded with the band and down to the basement, which spanned the entire footprint of the house. There was another TV room with a bar and an entire recording studio. Back upstairs he pointed up a few empty bed rooms, an office, the girls rooms and brought me to the master suite.

“And this...” he said laughing, “Is where the magic happens!”

“I feel like I am on MTV cribs,” I said giggling. “Its overwhelming, Dave.”

“I know,” he said, shrugging. “It feels so empty when I am here alone and I hate it. But I don’t mind sharing it with you.” He pointed out all the changes he’d made to the bedroom after the divorce and showed me an obscenely large master bathroom, complete with standing spa and a huge jetted soaking bath tub. Then he took me back into the bedroom.

“And this is the bed...” he said. I bit my lip and looked up at him. He stepped towards me and took my face in his hands and kissed me gently at first. His hands moved through my hair, down my neck. Where being with Dave in Boston and New York had been new and , this time it was desperate, frantic and passionate. We kept whispering, “I’ve missed you so much” over and over. It was incredible.

“So what else do you like?” Dave asked, afterwards as we lay in bed. He was looking through my iPod on my iPhone. I watched as the songs scrolled up the screen.

“Have you ever heard of the Postal Service?” I said, taking the phone back from him. “Well Iron and Wine does this great cover of 'Such Great Heights', every time I hear it, my heart aches. Want me to play it?” Dave nodded. I hit play and the painfully slow guitar chords made their way out of the speakers. I felt the same pang I always felt when I heard this song. I looked away from Dave.