Airplanes

His hand snuck up between my legs. We were making out on an air plane, a mile up in the sky and, we were both so into it that we didn’t notice the flight attendant come up and cough fake enough that we broke apart. “Number one guys, what would you like to drink? And number two can we keep it to the PG level we have parents that would crap fit if they saw you two copulating in the seats you’re currently sitting in.”

“Ginger Ale and that’s completely understood ma’am” I was trying to hold back laughter. She smiled at me sarcastically and her face softened when she began to speak to Jeff. Of course her face softened. He looked like he was from some sort of plant where they make males and he wasn’t real.

“I would love a water.” His hand was still on my thigh. He made it so obvious to her that it was my leg his hand was on. It was on the upper thigh and it didn’t move an inch. “You’re so cool.” He sounded like a horny high school boy. “If we weren’t being hawkeyed by that marshall up there, we’d be members of that club.” He whispered in my ear. I got wet at the thought of it.

I leaned my head onto his body again, and tried to relax. Not just because of the turbulence, maybe it was because I was seeing my parents for the first time in a long time, or maybe because I wasn’t going to see Jeff again.

I felt pathetic. I had met this extremely attractive man less than 4 hours ago and I had mentally named our four children and imagined our house together. I had always been like this. I wanted to shove something in my eye. You just got out of a relationship Emily Greene, don’t be fucking stupid. I mentally scolded myself.

I had an hour left on the flight and he had fallen asleep I lay there with Mumford and Sons pumping through my headphones. He was hot even while he lightly snores.

We started the decent, and were halfway down by the time I woke up. His arm was still on my thigh, and he was awake. His head was on top of mine. “Morning sunshine.” I laughed lightly. We were told to put our seats upright and turn off our electronics.

“So we’re in LA.” He said, I wanted him to ask me for my number, a reason to skip away from the wedding early, and finish what we had started 4 hours ago. I nodded to his statement. Something at this point would have made it easier I was pleading with my eyes to do anything to make me know that he wanted me to be there.

The landing was normal and we all stood up and headed to baggage claim, we walked together, and he grabbed my bag as I saw my car service with my last name on a piece of cardboard. He was standing in front of me, not saying a word. “Well, Emily Greene, I hope to be stuck with you on every flight I take again.” He smiled, that’s when I noticed he had a mouthpiece in, covering up some missing teeth.

“If you’re ever in New Orleans, you know where I work.” I simply turned around. “What’s your last name Jeff?”

“Carter.” I smiled and turned around again. The last name sounded familiar. The missing teeth and last name, I probably knew him from my brother’s years of playing club hockey. I’d probably seen him play and now the names, which had later become famous seem just similar.

An hour later I was at the home of my older brother, Matt. He had always been the sweetest person alive; I mean he was even nicer than I had been, but that wasn’t easy to achieve. “Matthew Greene!” I yelled to get attention. I heard him padding down the stairs and he swirled me around his entryway.

“Emily, it’s been too long!” He complained about the last time I had seen him was when the Kings won the Stanley Cup. Every time he knew I had vacation days pilling up he offered to fly me to California to watch him play and see him. I was also way too busy. I wasn’t hurting for money, I could’ve flown out, but the moment I saw my brother I wouldn’t want to leave him. He was 6 years older than me and taught me enough to go through a school far away from home, I knew how to throw a punch, hold my alcohol, and how to go to class hung over without people realizing I had drunk too much the night before.

“I know, I’m sorry, but you’re getting married!” He set me down and smiled.

“You’re going to love her, she’s seriously everything we both know that I don’t deserve. I don’t know how I snagged her.” I laughed at my older brother. “And you’ll get to meet all of my teammates tonight!” My brother was so happy and excited for life here.

He’s always been my backbone, when I wanted to enroll at Louisiana State giving up my full ride at Michigan and then, he paid for it against our parent’s wishes, and I sent him checks to pay him back. He mailed me them back, ripped up and we never talked about it. It pissed me off that he wouldn’t take it back, but that was my brother. He was the one person who supported me.

“I’m excited to meet them all!” I replied, “please tell me you still invited Dustin to the wedding even though he’s in Anaheim now.”

“Of course we did, he’ll be there Saturday.” He grabbed my bags and led me to the guest bedroom. “Go change, and we’ll leave.” I put on a black loose dress with a red pair of heels. Knowing my brother and teammates, we’d end up at a bar.

“Em! Some of the guys are here. Lets go!” I ran downstairs and saw a couple familiar faces and a few that weren’t. “Emily, meet the boys, Mike, Jonathan, Brownie Slava, and Jeff is walking through the door.” He motioned at the door that opened as he said it. A familiar blonde was walking through the door. A blonde man that I had flirted with for five hours, that blonde man that I almost fucked on a flight to Los Angeles. He was the man that I thought was never going to see again.

We both stood there in awe of one another. Neither of us had said anything.

“Hi.” I smiled at him.

“Long time no see.” He laughed. Everyone was talking and no one noticed the sexual tension that had immediately began to build. It was going to be a long night.