The Best Laid Plans

As our 27th wedding anniversary drew near, my husband and I received an invitation to a reunion of sorts with some dear friends whom we had not seen for years.  Torn between my desire for a romantic get-a-way and catching up with our friends, I wanted to do everything.

Since the location of the reunion was near the city where we spent our first night as a married couple, I set to work planning.  I made reservations in the same motel for our first night in town, and then made plans to spend the night at one of our friends’ home the following night.

I reminisced about our honeymoon night as I worked out the details.  We were married in my parents’ home and didn’t leave for our destination until late so we were already well into the evening when we set out on the five hour drive.  We were young, in love, and so excited to actually be married!  We were also “hot to trot” and the drive was so long!  It must have been about one o’clock in the morning when my husband pulled over to the side of the road.  The road was dark, there was no one in sight, and we were raring to go.  We were not strangers in the intimate sense so we had no visions of grandeur about our wedding night.  We spent scant time steaming up the windows of the Chevy Malibu we were driving before we got on with the “business” of moving, hot and heavy, into one of the most memorable intimate times of our lives.  We made that little car rock and roll as we made love for the first time as a married couple.

We put ourselves back together and I snuggled close to him as we continued on to our destination.  When we arrived at the motel about 3 o’clock in the morning, we were tired but still so excited about our honeymoon.  However, our excitement turned to puzzlement when we unlocked the door of our room and found that every piece of moveable furniture was on the king-sized bed!  We were so young and inexperienced we weren’t sure what to do…should we complain to the management?  Did one of our joking friends call ahead and arrange this little “surprise?”  Well, we knew one thing for certain – we wanted access to that big bed for more love-making; so we set all the furniture on the floor and got on with the night.

After a warm bath, I dressed in a little floral print lingerie number with little bikini panties and came into the room where my husband was waiting anxiously for me.  I had no idea how short a time I would be wearing the nightie that I spent so much time purchasing.  Things moved so quickly in those early days – we were just about desperate for the feel of one another’s bodies, desperate for each other’s kisses, desperate to hold and be held, and most of all desperate to know one another in the most intimate way of all.

With these thought and memories flooding my mind, I called to double-check our reservation and to be sure that the amenities I wanted were in place there.  I was assured that there was a small refrigerator and microwave in our room.  Perfect!  I purchased luscious looking strawberries and a microwaveable chocolate dipping sauce as well as a bottle of wine.  My plan was to chill the wine, melt the chocolate and enjoy the sweetness of the fruit, chocolate, and wine before enjoying the sweetness of love making.  I was pleased with my planning and giddy with thoughts of what it would be like that night in my husband’s arms.

When we arrived at the motel, we weren’t surprised by the updates to the décor – after all, it had been twenty-seven years.  The motel was beautifully decorated and welcoming.  The staff was accommodating and friendly.  Everything was going according to my plan.  Then we got to the room.  Hmmm.  No microwave and no refrigerator.  What now?  I had the same choice as twenty-seven years ago; complain to the management or enjoy what we were there for.  I chose the latter and as I pulled out my pretty basket with the sweet treats, I explained the dilemma to my husband and we had a good laugh.

We enjoyed the anticipation and were so much more patient than when we were there on our honeymoon.  We showered and took our time preparing for bed.  We had our favorite wine at room temperature, and the strawberries were delicious and sweet even without being dipped in chocolate.  Last but certainly not least for a chocolate lover like me, the chocolate wafers from the container were tasty as well and we enjoyed melting the chocolate on our tongues and then tasting the chocolate along with each others’ bodies.  The kissing was never sweeter than that night!

Sometimes the best laid plans don’t work out, but the memories made in spite of foiled plans can be the sweetest.