Chapter 4

The smell of freshly roasting coffee gently stirred Laylah from her sleep. With a stretch and a yawn, she stood up from the futon and made her way to the door.

"I am so sorry that I slept so late." Laylah stated as she opened the door and noticed that the sun had started to set.

David warmly smiled as he poured a second cup of coffee and motioned for Laylah to join him at the table.

"No problems at all, you are going to need your energy for tonite. Come sit down." David said, patting the head of the chair next to him. "I have a surprise for you."

A surprise, this intrigued Laylah a little. Of course she had no idea of what to expect, but a surprise on the night she got there, this was, indeed, welcome.

"Oh, really? What kind of surprise is it?" Laylah questioned, as she sat down at the kitchen table and took a sip from her coffee.

"If I told you then it wouldn't be a secret, now would it. Ha-Ha." David smirked. "Actually, I am taking you on a ride on my bike, to someplace special."

Laylah got a quizzical look on her face. A bike? Ahhh, he must mean his motorcycle, she surmised.

"Sounds, um, interesting..." Laylah said as she took another sip and stood up to get another cup.

Quickly, Davis arose from his seat and took Laylah's cup and refilled it before she had a chance to do it herself.

"Thanks." Laylah smiled.

David sat in silence as he listened to Laylah fill him in on the details of her trip and what has been happening to her since the last time they chatted on the computer. He watched as she nervously twirled her hair around the index finer of her left hand. She had been nervous meeting him face to face for the first time, since they had known each other for over 3 years. He thought of how this might affect the outcome of the evening.

"Well, if we are to get there in time, we should get ready to go." David said, glancing at the wall clock. Pointing to the staircase to their left, he added: "There is a bathroom and a shower upstairs if you wish to clean up before we leave."

Laylah got the hint and smiled graciously as she stood up from the table and went to the spare bedroom to retrieve a change of clothing and her toiletries.

"Up there?" Laylah asked, returning from the spare bedroom with an arm load of items, pointing up the stairs.

"Let me help you, I will show you where it's at." David said, meeting her at the stairs.

Handing a towel and some shampoo to David, Laylah said, "Um, thanks."

The pair ascended the stairs and stopped at the second door to the left. David made a nodding motion indicating that this was the place. Laylah got the idea, thankfully accepted her things back, and entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

"I will be waiting downstairs, don't take too long. We need to go soon." David remarked.

"No problem. If I need anything I will holler at ya!" Laylah replied.

David headed back down the stairs to have another cup of coffee as Laylah was taking her shower. As the familiar sound of the shower head turning on drafted to the lower floors, David couldn't help but to smile. She was finally there.