Page 84 of Substitute for Love

Silence on the other end, to the point that Gabe worried their connection had been lost. Had he made a mistake in telling them?

His dad finally replied, “You know we support whatever you do, Gabe. You tend to love easily. But you also are used to leaving people behind. What’s special about this one?”

Gabe tightened his eyes, the fatherly advice he had longed to hear coming through. The kind of stuff he should have asked for all his life. “Everything, Dad. Avery is beautiful, thoughtful, caring, smart, she laughs at my jokes.” he could keep going forever, making an infinity list.

“You really do love her,” his mom said.

“Does she love you?” his dad asked.

Gabe rubbed the back of his neck as it prickled with uncertainty, more people shuffling around him and trying to find places to sit at the gate. Did Avery love Gabe? That was the question he wanted the answer to more than anything. “I don’t know.”

The way she talked to him, laughed with him, helped him, hugged him, kissed him, he couldn’t deny she at least liked him. But love?

“You’d better find out, dear. Otherwise, you’re going to spend your whole trip wondering,” his mom said.

“If you want something, or someone, you gotta go for it, son,” his dad added.

Gabe nodded. They were right. Yes, if he wanted Avery, what was he waiting for? He shouldn’t let a short-term trip stand in the way. He could figure it out. Make it work. He was a substitute teacher, wasn’t he? Gabe had figured out the days with no sub plans, classroom full of chaotic teenagers, and somehow made it all work.

Avery was worth it. Even if she didn’t love him, he had to know. And if she did love him, his heart needed it.

“Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad. Can I call you when I get to Egypt?”

“Of course. Call us anytime,” his mom said.

“We’ll be closer to your time zone,” his dad added.

Gabe ended the call and noticed the flight to D.C. had been delayed. Again. It wasn’t going to take off for another hour and a half. Would that give him enough time to change planes in D.C.? Gabe tapped the airline app and looked at the new arrival time along with the departure time. It would be close. Plus he would be going international, so that would take up more time.

An alert popped up on his phone. The flight from D.C. to Frankfurt was delayed, too. What was going on?

Gabe headed to the counter and got in line behind about 10 people, who were likely also concerned about their connecting flights. The general hum of noise in the airport had risen, people at the gate pointing at the departure display and checking their phones, clearly annoyed and concerned.

A ping came to Gabe’s phone. A text from Avery. His heart leapt. But then he was immediately distracted.

The attendant talked into the P.A: “Announcement. Unfortunately, due to a bad storm in Washington D.C., flight 7549 has been canceled.”

A collective groan sounded across the entire gate, Gabe more surprised about the cancellation than anything, like he was observing this fiasco play out in front of him. His phone pinged again. Now the flight from D.C. to Frankfurt was canceled. Gabe frowned. Great. This was going to be a hassle to figure out. He texted his professor, and who knew if he was even awake right now in Egypt. All around him, people frantically left, made phone calls, all the stuff expected when plans quickly change.

Gabe realized he didn’t share their franticness. Disappointment? Sure. He was anxious to get to Egypt and get started already. But the more he looked around, the more he realized these canceled flights, the big storm in D.C., were blessings in disguise. A few people in line in front of Gabe left, and when Gabe reached the attendant, the woman was furiouslytyping and answering the phone. She finally looked up at him. “Can I help you?”

A smile formed on Gabe’s face. “I want to say thank you,” he said breathlessly.

The woman raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

“For making me do what I should have done a long time ago. I’m going to go tell Avery I love her.”

The lady gave him a side eye then nodded, a smile emerging. “Way go, buddy. Go get the girl.”

Gabe rushed out of the gate and down the terminal, calling the high school as he raced.

“Good morning, Desert Scorpion High School. How can I help you?”

“Doreen!” Warmth filled him at the sound of her voice.

“Mr. Manwaring! I thought you were on your way to Egypt. Did Avery drop you off?”

“She did.”

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