Page 27 of A Trident Christmas Baby

As he stowed his bag overhead and settled into his seat, his eyes caught the gaze of the elderly woman sitting by the window. Her warm smile and kind eyes seemed to light up the space, and though Ace usually preferred to keep to himself, he found himself nodding politely.

“Good evening,” she said, her voice soft and melodic.

“Evening, ma’am,” Ace replied.

She turned back to her word search book, the edges of her mouth still curled into a gentle smile. Ace adjusted his seatbelt, glancing around as the other passengers filed in. When the flight attendants closed the door and announced that boarding was complete, he exhaled in relief. The middle seat next to him was empty.

The woman beside him flipped through her book, pencil in hand, circling words with a contented hum. Ace leaned back as the plane taxied, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.

When the flight attendants came by with the drink cart, Ace ordered a ginger ale. The woman ordered coffee, and when the flight attendant handed Ace the cup to pass down, he did so carefully.

“Thank you, young man,” she said, her warm smile returning.

Ace felt a tug in his chest at her kind expression, and before he could stop himself, he asked, “Are you heading to Richmond or connecting somewhere else?”

“Oh, I’m going to Richmond,” she replied, her eyes lighting up. “Visiting my granddaughter for Christmas. She just moved there for work, and I haven’t seen her new place yet.”

“That’s nice,” Ace said, nodding.

The woman tilted her head slightly. “And what about you? Are you headed home or just passing through?”

“Home,” Ace answered, a small smile tugging at his lips. “My wife’s in labor with our first child. I’m trying to make it back in time.”

The woman gasped, her hands flying to her chest. “Oh, how wonderful! A Christmas baby! You must be so excited.”

“I am,” Ace admitted, his voice soft.

She beamed. “I can tell just from this little chat that you’re going to make a wonderful father. Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?”

“We wanted it to be a surprise,” Ace said, a faint grin breaking through.

The woman chuckled. “Oh, surprises are the best. My late husband always said that life’s greatest joys are the ones you don’t see coming.”

They were quiet for a bit, but then the woman turned toward him again.

“I don’t mean to pry, but are you in the military?” she asked, her tone gentle but direct.

“I am,” Ace said, nodding. “Navy.”

She smiled knowingly. “I thought so. My husband served in the Navy, too. He used to say it takes a special kind of person to be a sailor. Something about you just reminds me of him.”

Ace found himself leaning in slightly as she began to share stories of her husband’s deployments, their life together, and the challenges they faced.

In turn, she asked about Alex, and Ace told her about his wife’s resilience and the charity work she did. He even found himself mentioning Alex’s cooking, which earned a delighted laugh from the woman.

“You’re a lucky man,” she said softly.

“I know,” Ace replied, his voice just as quiet.

They talked for most of the flight, an unusual occurrence for Ace, who usually avoided small talk. There was something about her—a calmness that made him feel grounded.

As the plane descended into Richmond, snowflakes swirled past the windows. Ace’s jaw tightened at the sight. Snow could mean delays, and delays were the last thing he needed.

The woman noticed his worry and patted his arm. “Don’t fret, dear. They are only calling for a dusting. You’ll make it.”

Ace forced a smile as the plane taxied to the gate. Passengers soon began gathering their belongings, and the woman turned to Ace with a small gift bag in her hands.

“What’s this?” he asked, surprised by the gift.

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