Page 25 of Cloud Nine Love

“Well, I hope he treats her right. She’s a sweetheart who got done very dirty. Her ex was cheating on her with her best friend.”

I wondered if that was just on the soap opera, or if it had happened in real life.

“Beau Briggs—actually, all the Briggs are stand-up men. I promise you; he is definitely treating her right.” If not, he would have seven brothers, a younger sister, and his mom and dad to deal with. I didn’t know about him, but I would be more scared of his mom, Dolly Briggs, than of his dad Walker, even though he was a mountain of a man. She could intimidate Genghis Khan.

“Good, glad to hear it.” Her phone buzzed, and she took it out. “Oh, it’s my Chester; just makin’ sure I don’t forget to take my pills before my flight. I get a little woozy on planes.”

“How long have you and Chester been married?”

“Sixty-eight years.”

“Wow.” I hadn’t even managed to make it down the aisle. “Can I ask you something?”

A knowing look filled her clear blue eyes. “How did I know he was the one?”

“Yes, and how did you know I was going to ask?—”

“It was either that or what’s the secret, but the answer is the same, and when you’ve been around as long as I have, you can spot it from miles away.”

“Spot what?”

“The floating.”

“The floating?” I repeated, wondering if I’d misheard her.

“Yep. The floating,” she said as she reached up and touched her necklace.

I’d noticed her necklace the day before, but now I took a closer look. “Is that a cloud?”

“It is. It’s a puffy mother-of-pearl cloud. My Chester gave it to me on our first wedding anniversary and told me it was because whenever he’s with me, he’s floating on cloud nine. He still tells me all the time, it doesn’t matter what we’re doing—grocery shopping, doctor visit, DMV—if he’s with me, he’s happy. That’s how you know you found the one, and that’s the secret, when you’d happily go stand at the DMV, if it meant that you could be together. That’s cloud nine love.”

An announcement came over the speaker, and Ruth patted my hand. “That’s me. Well, it was nice seeing you again, Remington.”

“You, too.”

She stood, and I did too. “Do you need some help?”

“Oh, no, I’m just going right there.” She pointed across the walkway. Before she headed that way, she touched my arm. “If you’re lucky enough to find your cloud nine, don’t be afraid of a little rain. There will be lots of storms, but ya just weather them together.”

As she walked away, I felt like she was one of those characters in a rom-com movie that come into the lives of the main characters to impart wisdom and give them signs that they belong together. She’d said that I should weather the storms. Last night had been a storm. Was that a sign that Ana was my cloud nine?

No, I shook my head. I was being fucking ridiculous. This was my real life. Ruth was just a kind woman who I’d met and then run into again. That was all. A real sign would be if I ran into Ana again. Then I wouldn’t have a choice but to believe in fate, in destiny, in luck, in karma. Hell, if I ran into her again, I’d drop down on one knee and propose. But I was pretty sure there was a better chance of pigs sprouting wings and an ice-skating rink in hell than that happening.

10

TAYLOR

“Yawns are contagious to dogs as well as humans.” ~ Tim Rhodes

“Have a good day.” The flight attendant smiled widely as I deplaned.

“You, too,” I replied as a yawn overtook me. The few hours of sleep I’d gotten last night hadn’t made up for the three days I hadn’t gotten any.

Exhaustion gripped me as I descended the steps and walked across the tarmac to yet another set of steps, but it was mixed with a strange combination of excitement and disappointment. I’d been looking forward to this day for the past eight, nearly nine, months. Actually, more like the past five years.

Today, when I saw my daughter, I could tell her that I wasn’t leaving again. No more deployments. As excited as I was to start my new civilian life as a debt-free single mom and attending physician at Valley Memorial E.R., there was a tiny little voice of regret that I had left the hotel room without giving Kyle my actual name and phone number.

When I’d woken up this morning still wrapped in his arms, I freaked out a little. Okay, a lot. I was not a snuggler. Ever. It made me feel…claustrophobic. So, sleeping for hours not only completely at ease but actually feeling safe, secure, and protected with Kyle spooning me while I was curled up in a fetal position sent me into a full-fledged panic.

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