Page 11 of That First Flight

There's a ding over the speakers in the cabin before an announcement is made to prepare for landing.

“We made it.” I nudge her shoulder with mine.

Her smile falls, and I notice that her anxiousness is back in full force. It happens so quick that it’s like someone flicked the light switch off and she’s back to who she was when she boarded the plane. She lifts her head slightly to assess the front of the plane as if she’s looking for something, or someone.

I follow her movements, as if I’m looking for what she’s looking for.

“Are we looking for something?”

“Uhh…” she pauses. “Yes. No. I mean… Can I ask you a favor?”

I raise a brow. “Are we about to commit a felony?”

She releases a breath she was holding. “Nothing like that. Listen, I’m meeting someone at the front of the plane. Would it be okay if I scoot out past you when we land so I don’t lose her. You know, the back of the plane equals last out of the plane problems.”

Out of every word she just said, Macey telling me she didn’t want to loseheris the only thing I heard. It’s an odd feeling of relief that washes over me. Why? I have no clue. I’ll never see this woman again in my life, I’m sure. But knowing that she isn’t meeting another man makes me relax in my seat.

“Of course.”

She hesitates before a soft smile touches her lips. “Thank you.”

“That’s what friends are for.” I wink.

As the next few minutes pass, disappointment engulfs every part of me when I realize that I’ll never see this woman again. It’s not in the sense of wanting to date her because that life isn’t for me, but just being in her presence feels like an honor. I want more of it.

“Hey, you never told me if you’re coming home or leaving it?”

She rests her head on the back of the chair, keeping her gaze locked to the seat in front of her as if she’s trying to process my question. Her eyes flutter closed, and she smiles. She simply smiles in bliss. She looks like she just had a major epiphany with my question.

“I’m coming home,” she finally says.

“Well since, New York happens to be both of our homes…”

The flight attendant announcing that we may now depart the plane cuts off my sentence. Macey shoots out of her seat, eager to meet her friend in the front of the plane.

“Maybe I can get your number and we can meet up for dinner sometime,” I continue, as she rushes to gather her things before the aisle clogs up.

“Can I give it to you outside of the plane? I have to meet her right now,” she says in a hurried tone.

“Yeah, of course.” I wave my hand out towards the aisle. “Go catch your friend and I’ll meet you out there.”

Without a passing glance, she's rushing down the aisle towards the front of the plane. Saying “excuse me” left and right to people in her attempt to meet her friend. I watch intuitively as she stops in her tracks and leans down to greet the person she’s meeting. At the same time, the flight attendant interrupts me.

“Mr. Ford, I have the suitcase that we stored back here for you.”

I turn around to find the same flirty girl from earlier that took our drink order, her tits even more on display as she hands me my luggage with a wink. I immediately dismiss her because I’m not trying to lose my line of sight of where Macey went.

I’m determined to get her number, but I’m even more eager to learn more about her and why she captivated me so much.

Except, she’s gone.

Of course, being in the back of the plane didn’t help matters either. I end up getting stuck behind an elderly gentleman who is clearly having trouble getting his bag out of the overhead compartment. Not a single person lifts a hand to help him. They are the worst type of people in my opinion because we could all be off this flight a hell of a lot faster if someone took three seconds of time to help the man get the bag out of the bin.

Finally, I cut through them and help the man grab the bag.

He thanks me endlessly as if I just handed him two solid blocks of rare gold.

Once we exit the plane, my eyes scan the area in hopes of catching a glimpse of the jet black hair I’ve thought of running my hands through during our entire flight.

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