Page 34 of Safer Alone
I blink and instantly remember that this is my short sleeve pink blouse, the one that is also a little low cut. I glance around for my carry-on bag and don’t see it. I realize that it must be in the trunk of the car with my other bag. I readjust the top slightly so it will sit a little higher. “Thank you, I like pink.” I pause for a moment “How has your morning been?” I ask.
“Pretty good, I went for a swim back at the hotel” I love how casual he is, as though going for a swim isn’t a big deal, and it’s not, really, it’s not. I guess it’s just not something I expected him to say.
“Better than mine, then. I attended a boring meeting.”
Of course he does.
The car ride doesn’t seem to take as long as I expect. As the next thing I know we are pulling up outside the domestic terminal. I take my phone and keys out of my lap and reach to open the car door. Before I can secure my hand around the latch, it opens. Mr. Price gives me a slight nod as I exit, “Thank you.” I smiled up at the gentleman.
He closes the door once I had exited and was out of the way. I was making my way towards the trunk where Elliot was already retrieving the luggage. I quickly seize my carry-on and slip my phone and keys inside while also retrieving my scarf, and quickly rope it around my neck twice, adjusting it to cover up the low neckline. Once satisfied, I sling the bag over my shoulder diagonally.
I reach to grab my overnight bag and pick it up, then turn to face the entrance. Elliot is beside me in a moment, carrying two large bags. One in either hand and what looks very similar to a laptop bag slung over his shoulder, similar to the way I had my carry-on bag. “Let’s go in. Follow me, Miss White.” Elliot gives me a brief smile, then takes off toward the inside of the building. I follow him as we weave in and out of other people who are also trying to get to airline attendants to check in.
I follow Elliot to the American Airlines counter. He is speaking to a bored looking blonde lady with far too much makeup when I approached. “Two seats booked under Sands.”
The lady behind the counter taps on her keyboard. She must have found Elliot’s reservation as she suddenly stands up straight and gives him a huge smile showing all of her slightly yellow teeth and bats her false eyelashes. “Yes, Mr. Sands, I have two first-class tickets booked under your name, one for yourself and the other for…”
I see her pause and frown slightly “…a Miss White.” She then looks away from Elliot and looks me up and down. I am thankful that I am wearing nice clothing today and had reapplied my makeup before arriving here.
I force myself to smile, “Yes, that’s me” I move closer toward the desk till I am standing next to Elliot. We both hand her our driver’s licenses.
“Any luggage to be checked, Mr. Sands?” The eyelashes are batting every second now. Oh blondie, it’s just an incredibly handsome face.
He hands her his baggage, then turned to me “Care to pass me your bag, babe?” I looked at him and he winked. Miss false eyelashes’ mouth falls open as though she had just been a witness to something terrible. After he places my bag on the conveyor belt next to the attendant, Elliot drops his hand in between us and grabs my hand. He then lifts it slowly and pulls it to his lips, gently kissing each of my knuckles. Then he retrieves our driver’s licenses.
It takes me a moment to catch on to what is happening, but as of right now I do. He doesn’t like strange women flirting with him any more than I do. Not that it should affect me, after all he isn’t mine to get jealous of. So, we are playing a game. If he acts like he’s unavailable, they won’t be so openly flirtatious.
The attendant gives us our tickets and points us in the direction of the first-class lounge. As soon as Miss Blonde stops talking, Elliot is guiding me by the hand the way that we are directed. Obviously he knows his way around an airport. Surely, they all must follow a similar layout scheme.
We walk hand-in-hand with only our carry-on luggage around both of our bodies. He occasionally runs his thumb over mine. Those electric sensations are covering my skin and moving up my arm. How could a single touch from this man do this to me? I can see the sign for “American Airlines First Class Lounge” clearly now. It was only about one hundred feet in front of us.
Elliot shows our boarding passes to the pretty brunette behind the counter. Her name badge reads ‘Brianna.’ She smiles warmly and speaks. “Welcome Mr. Sands, Miss White to the American Airlines First-Class Lounge. Your flight will be boarding in fifty minutes from Terminal Fifteen. Please, enjoy our facilities in the meantime.”
Unlike Miss Blonde from earlier, Brianna looks at me while she speaks and seems genuine in her smile. She doesn’t bat her eyelashes at Elliot either. I quickly glance at her outstretched hand which is passing our boarding passes back to us, and notice a nice set of wedding bands on her ring finger. How lovely, she found that special someone who she loved and who loved her enough to marry her.
Dylan proposed marriage back when we were happy, before the abuse began. We were kids, really. He had just completed his building apprenticeship, so we were out at dinner celebrating when he got down on one knee in the middle of the restaurant and asked me to marry him. I accepted, over the moon that he had asked. Less than four months later we were separated, and I had a restraining order slapped on him. I also skipped out of New York and found myself in Nashville.
“Angela, are you in there?” Elliot is looking at me with a grin. He waves his hand in front of my face.
“Sorry about that, I was just remembering that I need to make a work call this afternoon when we land.” He doesn’t pry any further. I thought that this excuse would get me out of trouble.
“I was wondering if you would you like a glass of wine, Angela?” I notice we are standing in front of a small, ornate timber bar. The gentleman behind is wearing all black and has his blond hair tied back in a ponytail. He has a small diamond stud twinkling in his right ear.
I am a nervous flyer so I don’t decline the wine, “I’ll have whatever you’re having, dear” I give him my most relaxed smile, hoping that he will relax along with me.
He returns the smile and then turns to the bartender. “Two glasses of your best cabernet, please.”
Once the wine is poured and the two glasses placed on the bar, we pick them up and wander across to a beautiful dark brown leather Chesterfield couch that was situated in front of a fireplace. We sit down next to each other and take our bags off our bodies. I place mine beside me on the couch Elliot puts his on the floor leaning against the couch he then put his legs over the top, a protective position, I was sure. Seeing him do this I automatically snake my arm around the strap on my bag and then place my wine glass in that hand. I test the resistance by taking a sip of my wine, I didn’t even feel the strap pull against my arm. This will work. I took another welcome sip. This should help ease some of my nerves, shouldn’t it?
As I was looking around my surroundings, I couldn’t help but feel happy and thankful, “I’ve never been in a first-class lounge before.”
Elliot looked up. “Really? Never?”
I shook my head slowly. “Never” I replied. I decide this was safe enough conversation. “You must fly first class all the time?” I take another sip of my wine. It was delicious.
“I have flown first class a few times, but I have also flown business and economy too. It really depends how far I’m flying. For instance when I flew to Sydney, Australia last year, I flew first class; being a twenty-two-hour flight, I knew I would sleep on the plane. Same as when I was in London earlier this week, I chose business as it’s a little over seven hours.” He was looking at me intently. “Do you fly often, Angela?” he asks.
Do I tell him this is only my third time on a plane, or play it safe? I decide safe. “Not often.” Non-committal, he nods at my response.
