“Honey, what's wrong? You look as though you have seen a ghost.”

Philip looked at me across the table.

“Erm, no, nothing,” I eventually replied. “I just thought I saw someone I knew but I don't think it was them.”

“I'm not with you,” he replied.

“As we passed the stairs I thought I recognized someone, just a fleeting glimpse. It was probably just a trick of the light.”

I hoped he would accept that as I now believed that was all it was.

Because Sam had been on my mind I reasoned that a brief sighting of someone who had a resemblance would probably make me think it actually was her.

“Who did you think it was?”

He asked the one question I really hoped he wouldn't and now I had to decide.

Should I lie?

“Does it matter?” I asked him. “It wasn't her anyway.”

As soon as the word 'her' left my lips I realised that I had no choice now but to tell him the truth.

“Her?” he said, raising an eyebrow and looking directly into my eyes.

“Yes, her!” I replied, “And yes, I thought it was Sam.”

My face was burning furiously and he could not fail to notice surely but I held his gaze even though I wanted to look away.

We remained locked together for a moment or two and then the next question, asked slowly and accompanied with a narrowing of the eyes,

“Why would Sam have been here? Were you expecting her to be?”

“Oh Philip! Why are you asking such silly questions? No, I wasn't expecting her at all. If I was I wouldn't have been surprised would I?”

I maintained eye contact with him, a little irritated now that he seemed to be wanting to stir something up.

“Why are you trying to spoil our holiday before it even begins?”

It was he who finally let his gaze fall as his face softened.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” he said, quietly apologetic, “I am just so scared that I could still lose you. I am very aware of the fact that the reason you did what you did was because you needed something that, however hard I try, I cannot give you.”

I stared at him, my heart suddenly heavy. He was right, those feelings I had for Sam were still with me and no matter how much love I felt for Philip it was physically impossible for him to satisfy those needs and desires.

I reached across and took his hand.

“I promised you that it is over.” I whispered, paused and then smiled. “And it is.”

He turned his hand upwards and held mine tenderly then lowered his head and kissed it.

“Let's not mention her again, agreed?” I suggested.

He nodded and smiled,

“Agreed.”

The morning countryside rushed by outside the window, grey and wet. Funny really, I thought, a little like I was now feeling, well, grey at least!

Some twenty minutes later, our train pulled into its first stop. It stood for only a minute or two and then it was away again and a few minutes after that a young man in uniform appeared beside us.

“I am taking orders for breakfast,” he said, “Can I get you anything?”

I was suddenly struck with embarrassment, I didn't like like to ask for much. It was as though I felt that I was taking advantage.

“Erm, just some toast please,” I replied eventually.

“And for you,Sir?” he turned to Philip.

“I will have the full breakfast please,” Philip told him and then turned to me.

“Are you sure that is all you want? It is included you know.”

The young man waited expectantly.

“Oh, well, yes, all right, thank you. I will have the same then, please.”

For some reason, one that I could not fathom, it was the best breakfast I'd had in a long while.

It wasn't the best quality and the coffee left a hell of a lot to be desired but I suppose I was just ready for it and it changed my mood completely.

Once again I was looking forwards to a few days in Venice with no distractions at all, just Philip and me and not even a phone and, as the journey unfolded we began to relax, talking easily with each other. Just as we had before all this fell upon us.

It was just after Twelve when we pulled into Kings Cross, the train stopping in the platform with the slightest jolt.

“I'm afraid the next bit won't be so nice,” Philip said as we followed the signs for the Victoria line of the Underground. “It is long run to Gatwick, I'm afraid. Tube to Victoria and then the Gatwick express.”

He was not wrong. The Underground train was crowded and noisy, hot too and we seemed to be on it for ages but, of course, it was barely fifteen minutes!

I was very relieved when we arrived at Victoria although I was struggling a little with my walking stick and no-one seemed to give me any space but we managed to get up to the mainline part of the station and some breathable air!

By the time we arrived at Gatwick it was almost two and when we strolled into the terminal all the worries and stresses from the last few months suddenly disappeared and I felt good once more.

I looked at the screen which showed our flight was on time but we still had three hours to check in and leave our luggage so, once all that was done we strolled towards the passport control and security with the intention of having a relaxing cup of coffee or something whilst we waited.

The queue was quite long at the passport barrier but was moving reasonably quickly. As we got near to the booth I held my hand out to Philip out for my passport and as he put his hand into his jacket pocket his face fell!

Quickly he checked the other inside pocket,

He was getting frantic now, checking all of his pockets.

“They're not here!” he gasped breathlessly.

I stared at him aghast,

“What do mean they're not there?”

“I mean, they're not here!” he repeated, still searching all the pockets in his jacket.

“You had them a moment ago, at the check-in desk,” I said, starting to panic a little.

“I know but I put them in my jacket pocket. I must have missed and dropped them!”

“Oh my word! Someone could have picked them up! A terrorist or anyone!”

I grabbed his arm.

“Come on!” I yelled at him, “We need to get back there quickly!”

Suddenly, Philip pulled the two documents out of his pocket, grinning widely.

I stared first at them and then at him, my mouth wide open with disbelief and then I whacked him solidly across his shoulder.

“You lousy rotten sod!” I hissed, “Have you any idea what that did to me just then?”

His face was creased with laughter as he nodded.

“Your face,” he said through fits of giggles.

“What about it?” I asked moodily through pursed lips.

“It was picture!” The tears were rolling down his face and the more he laughed the harder it was to be angry with him until I too began to chuckle.

The customs officer in his little booth was somewhat less than impressed and with a stony face asked for my passport.

He placed it face down on the scanner and looked at the screen for a moment then stared at me.

I don't know what came over me but I couldn't help but let my mischievous side get the better of me and I gave him a big smile and a cheeky wink!

He looked at me even more sternly, eyes a little narrowed then closed my passport and handed it back to me without a word, never once taking his eyes off me until I thanked him and walked on into the security area, still grinning widely.

Philip met me the other side.

“What are you doing?” he hissed so I winked at him too.

Once through there were notices everywhere about placing coats , bags, purses, wallets, phones... just about everything really, into a plastic box which was then to be placed onto a conveyor which went through an x-ray machine.

Once everything was in, I stepped through the scanner portal and immediately the buzzer sounded!

I frowned as I was instantly flanked by two border guards.

They began to ask questions about watches, mobile phone, belt, etc. all of which I had placed into the plastic container.

“Hold your arms out please”

The female guard then began to frisk me, running her hands from armpit to wrist and back and again with the other side .

Although I had flown before I had never triggered the scanner and as she felt along my arms and down my sides, I began to feel a little hot. She was not unattractive by any means especially as she was wearing a uniform but her hands were gentle yet firm.

She ran her hands down and up both legs and I wondered if she had any idea of the excitement that was building inside me.

Then she went behind me and checked all the areas where I guessed something could be hidden, including a very quick pass over my bottom and an almost unnoticeable check of my breasts. That caused me to gasp with pleasure as her hands brushed quickly over my stiffening nipples.
The other, male guard then scanned me with a hand held device which whistled as it passed in front of me.

He repeated the sweep up and down my torso, the device still making its weird sounds.

“Thank you, Madam,” he said, apparently satisfied and waved me through.

All the while, Philip had been watching. He had not triggered the scanner and once we had recovered our belongings he asked,

“What was that all about?”

“No idea,” I replied, “I didn't have anything metallic on me unless it was the metal buttons in my pants and blouse.”

“Hmm, maybe,” he agreed but he didn't seem completely satisfied somehow.

The time passed quickly and soon it was time to board. Philip had booked our flight with a budget airline. Due to the short notice, there were no big carriers offering lower fares.

I didn't mind though, he had paid a little extra to reserve our seats together and some two hours later we touched down in Treviso.

It took a matter of minutes to retrieve our case from the carousel and pass through passport control. There were no security checks as there had been in London.

Philip had it all worked out to the letter and as the day passed I was more and more impressed. He had even reminded me to set my watch one hour ahead to the local time.

We found a taxi which took us to the main station in Treviso and from there we boarded a regional train to Venice itself.

It was only a short ride, forty minutes maybe but, by now, the sun was setting. The last but one stop was Venice Mestre and I noticed that, for some reason, Philip had begun to watch me, staring at me almost and then, suddenly, I saw why.

The train had reached the coast and had run onto the long bridge across the lagoon which connects Venice to the mainland.

The view took my breath away it was so stunning. The bridge seemed to go on for miles across the sea, almost two and a half, Philip told me later and I began to think that he had planned even the sunset!

I turned to face him briefly, my eyes brimming with tears of joy and quickly turned back so not to miss a second of this once in a lifetime experience.

All too soon though, the train was slowing and we had barely reached the main group of islands upon which Venice is situated when it came gently to a halt in the station of Venezia Santa Lucia.

I felt as though I was walking on clouds as we walked through the station, a station which was nothing special and did nothing to prepare me for the shock I was about to receive when we passed through the big glass doors and out onto the... well, it wasn't exactly a street!

I froze and just stared. I had never seen anything quite like it! There were a few steps down and then a wide piazza but, beyond that, the bustling waterway that was the grand canal!

There was a myriad of boats! Some were taxis and some were larger, which I found out later were water buses or Vaporetti and between them bobbed the Gondolas.

Across the water was a church with steps leading down to the water itself.

I was completely stunned by it and I looked at Philip through tear filled eyes.

“It's, it's, it's just so... so...”

Words failed me. I couldn't think of a single one that would do this incredible experience justice so I snaked my hand around his waist and held him as tightly as I possibly could.

Philip held me as tightly as I held him and spoke no words, the moment didn't need them.

Together we stood just lost in the beauty of the moment as the sun sank behind the buildings of this most beautiful of cities.

The shadows were long and the fading light allowed the bobbing lights on the boats to reflect upon the gentle ripples of the water.

I don't know how long we stood thus but it was almost dark when Philip suddenly removed his arm from my waist.

“We had better get to the hotel,” he said, “I didn't tell them we would be so late!”

The hotel was also beautiful, an old building just like the rest of the city and as we lay together on the big bed, I realised just how much I loved my husband.

He had planned this trip perfectly and if it was his design to heal our rift, this was certainly helping a great deal to achieve that goal.

There had even been a surprise when we entered the room. Rose petals were scattered on the pillows and a small bottle of champagne with two glasses stood on the dressing table.

“When did you decide to arrange all this?” I asked him, my head resting upon his shoulder.

“About two weeks ago,” he replied in a very matter of fact kind of fashion.

I looked up at him.

“So you just booked it, there and then?”

He nodded.

“And the rose petals and champagne?”

His face began to colour a little as though trying to emulate the petals.

“Ah, well, I told a little fib. When I booked the hotel I told them it was for our honeymoon, that we were getting married. I wanted everything to be perfect.”

“Is that how you feel then, that we are starting a new life together?”

He smiled and nodded then kissed my head.

“Then it isn't really a fib, is it?”

I pressed tightly against his warm body, running my fingers through the hairs on his naked chest.

“I love you more than words can say, Anna.”

His fingers ran through my hair as I listened to his heart beat.

“I love you too, Philip.”

From that moment, my mind was clear. This was the man I had married all those years ago. This was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

“Anna...”

I looked up at him.

“Do you remember what we did on our wedding night?”

I smiled.

“What do you think?” I said.

“Would you like to do it again?”

“You have to ask?” I said, my smile widening as I remembered like it was yesterday.

Without further ado, he got out of bed and pulled the duvet off completely.

As it was so warm I wore only my panties and I suddenly felt a little self conscious, pretty much as I had on that night so long ago.

Without a thought, I covered my breasts with my arms and Philip looked down at me, smiling.

Slowly, I relaxed and my arms slipped down to my sides but I could feel myself flushing.

It was a strange feeling. We had been married for a quarter of a century and yet I really did feel just as I did that night.

He turned and went into the bathroom only to return seconds later with a folded white towel which he proceeded to place under my hips and then gently slipped my pants slowly down my legs and off.

They didn't immediately drop to the floor. Instead he held them to his face, breathing my scent deeply with closed eyes.

I could feel the heat of desire beginning to rise from between my legs but Philip didn't come to me. He stood and went to the dressing table, picked up the champagne bottle and very slowly eased the cork from it, being careful not to agitate it.

The cork came out with a pop but he succeeded in keeping a firm grip on it and no liquid escaped and then, to my surprise, he poured just one glass. I was puzzled but kept silent, not wanting to spoil the mood.

Walking back to the bed he stopped beside me and knelt on the floor, at the same time taking a sip from the glass.

Our eyes were locked together.

As he leant forwards and his lips touched mine I responded immediately, opening my mouth to kiss him and finding the incredibly erotic sensation of the warm sparkling wine trickle from his mouth into my own.

I was surprised but not shocked. It was so very sexy and as we kissed I felt the warmth of the alcohol as it slid down my throat.

I kissed him hard, pulling him to me, wanting him, needing him more than ever before but he pulled away and took another sip from the glass, all the time holding my gaze with twinkling eyes.

This time he swallowed it.

What was he doing, teasing me?

Not knowing what to expect from him was getting me more aroused than I had ever been with him.

He was the same man I married and yet, he wasn't.

Had he realised what was wrong between us? Long before I had?

My mind was awash with confusing thoughts but the one thing that was arising above all else was that I wanted him. I didn't care what he had planned, he could do anything he wanted to me and I would be happy to let him!

I had a strange feeling that he knew exactly what was going on inside my head as he gazed into my eyes with an oddly enigmatic smile and then, he tipped the glass once again...