Page 75 of Book Boyfriend
I tap my foot as a guard walks over to the attendant at the machine. They chat for way too long. Is he telling her about his weekend? He lifts my purse. “This yours?”
“Yes, is there a problem?”
He snaps gloves on his hands and pulls up the image on a separate screen. “What would that be right there?”
“Oh shit. I mean sorry. It’s my perfume.”
“It needs to be in an approved quart size bag. Is it less than three ounces?”
“I have no idea.”
He reaches in and slowly pulls it. I feel my heart racing. How far is the gate? Am I going to make it?
“Keep it. Or throw it away. I’m really late. Can I please go?”
“This is expensive stuff. My wife wanted it and I said hell no. Unless Walmart carries it, she ain’t getting it.”
“Take it. Give it to her with my blessing. But please, will you let me go through?” I beg. “There’s this guy and I love him and he’s about to get on a plane and I don’t want him to leave without me.”
He sighs. “You sure?”
I nod.
“All right. I’ll keep it. Go.”
I gaze down at my ticket. “Where’s Gate 28?”
“Ooh,” he says. “What time is that flight?”
“Thirty minutes. Umm . . . I glance at the clock on his computer. It’s in ten minutes!”
“It’s all the way down that corridor to your right. You’ll be lucky to make it if you run.”
My shoulders slump. Maybe this is fate telling me to quit. Maybe I’m not meant to stop him. I want to cry. Maybe if I call him . . .
“How’s your foot?” he asks.
“My what?”
“That foot. Didn’t I see you limping?” He winks.
“Umm. Yes?”
“Pedro!” he speaks into his microphone. “Where you at?”
“Security.”
“I got a priority woman with a bad foot who needs a fast ride to 28. You got it?”
The tires squeal as a cart stops in front of me.
“Thank you so much . . .” I pause to get his name.
“Nelson. Go get your boy!”
I jump on the back of the cart and hold on for dear life as Pedro drives in and out of people, honking his horn the entire way. Nelson was right, I would’ve never made it. As we get closer to the gate, I see the back of Fisher’s head as he boards the plane. They close the doors behind him.
“No!” I yell. “Wait!”
