Chapter 18: The Anniversary Honeymoon

"I just remembered that I didn't keep my promise," I said to Fiona.

We were lying beside each other on a pair of lounges, looking out over the beautiful blue Pacific from the shores of Napili Bay, on Maui.

"What promise?"

"That we'd have a proper honeymoon in the same calendar year as we got married. I missed by two weeks."

"I forgive you. This really is paradise. Golf in the morning, swimming or sailing in the afternoon, dinner in Lahaina in the evenings. It's perfect, Andy."

"It's too bad we can't play the local course until next week. That tournament has blocked it off."

"Why don't we go and watch the pros," Fiona said brightly. "We might learn a thing or two."

"The only thing I'll get out of it is an inferiority complex when I see how far they hit the ball."

Fiona rolled toward me and took my hand. "You've got nothing to feel inferior about, trust me," she said, stroking my crotch lightly. You're a big hit with me."

"Thank you. That's what counts."

"Do you know what tomorrow is?" she asked.

"No ... aside from Friday ... I don't."

"It's our anniversary. It will be exactly one year from the first time we made love."

"How do you know that?" I asked, surprised. "I remember it very well, but not the date."

"A woman never forgets the first time with that man she loves."

"Then we should do something special to mark the occasion," I said.

"Oh, don't worry, we will," she snickered.

I had a pretty good idea of what she had in mind.

I was ready for a vacation. Fiona was as well. When I looked back on the past year it seemed to have gone by in lightning fashion. The dozens of events that had made up those 365 days had all merged together into a blur. We had rebuilt a manufacturing plant, installed new equipment, hired new people, produced new products, found new customers and made many new friends.

But more importantly, we had found each other and we had formed a new family, while sadly, I had lost part of my old one.

"I'm going to hate it when we have to go home," Fiona said.

"Don't you want to show off your all-over tan?" I kidded.

"It isn't all-over and don't you go telling anyone it is."

"It does look good on you, babe. It makes you even sexier than you already are."

"You look pretty studly yourself," she grinned with a raised eyebrow.

"Thank you. All compliments gratefully received."

Fiona rose and put on a light wrap over her bikini. She had bought it when we arrived. It would protect her from the sun and still be comfortable. I pulled on an oversized t-shirt and we both slipped on flip-flops before heading down the beach and back toward our condo. Actually, it was Leo and Bernice's condo, on loan to us at no charge as part of his generous thank you for the performance of the new Tracy plant.

We were carrying some debt, but the sales results and profits were solidly above expectations. It was going to make it much easier to decide when to order the second press and laminator. The coffee pod business had started slowly, but was gaining momentum. The number of machines being sold to the public had continued to increase, especially around Christmas time. It would appear we had another winner. Leo was generous with both his praise and the bonuses handed out to the staff.

"We should phone home and see how the kids are doing," Fiona suggested.

"Do you think we might disturb them in the middle of something?" I snickered.

That got me a punch on the arm.

"Hi Tina," Fiona said as the home phone was answered. "How are you?"

Fiona had put the handset on speakerphone.

"We're great, Mom. How are you guys?"

"Terrific. Lots of sun and golf and nice places for dinner."

"Phil's on the deck barbequing some chicken for dinner. He's pretty good at it, Dad."

"He was taught by the master," I bragged.

We exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes. Phil joined us on the call when he brought the chicken in.

"When do you two start at Las Positas?" I asked.

"Monday is orientation day," Phil answered. "Then Tuesday, it's nose to the grindstone."

"Well, having watched you two over the last couple of months, you should be used to that now," I commented.

"Do you have any classes together?" Fiona asked.

"Just a couple," Tina answered. "Psychology and business administration."

"Well, good luck and study hard," I encouraged.

We ended the call shortly afterward.

"I see you've passed on your domestic genes to Phil," she noted.

"Some yes, some no. He's still a work in progress."

"Just like his father was back then."

"Yes ... true ... I definitely had no idea what I wanted out of life. By the time I figured it out, I was married with two children. If it hadn't been for Leo, I don't know how it might have turned out."

"Well, I'm the lucky one that it turned out the way it did. I have a feeling that Phil has a better idea of what he wants and that may give him the incentive to go after it."

"That and a certain young lady he has become infatuated with," I noted.

"Lusted after, I think," she smirked.

"Runs in the family."

Fiona was staying overnight in Fresno, calling on our raisin packer customers. I wasn't alone at home, of course. Tina and Phil were here, but I had become so accustomed to having my new bride in our bed that any night she was away was noticeable and lonely.