These Four Words

“Step right through and stop on the yellow line.” The TSA lady signaled for me to walk through the metal detector, and I did as told. As soon as I got the “ok” I collected my small duffle bag and slipped back on my shoes. I turned my head and watch barefoot John walk through the detector while trying to keep the grimace off his face, apparently he hated being barefoot. I snickered to myself picking up my I-phone and shoving it in my back pocket. John was dismissed and he joined me in the small area trying to shove his feet back into his favorite pair of boots. I couldn’t help but watch him.

“What are you looking at?” John asked me smirking. He looked away and grabbed his bag before looking back at me with a expecting look.

“You,” I answered honestly.

“Oh?” John raised his eyebrow.

“Come on lets go before we miss our flight.”

John chuckled and I resisted checking my watch for the umpteenth time today. “Are you always this nervous about flying?”

“Psh,” I rolled my eyes trying to navigate my way through JFK. “I love flying and traveling.” I turned around briefly. “I hate being late.”

“I thought girls were always fashionably late?”

I laughed, “Not me.” I led us to the escalator. “Thank god we didn’t have to take an early flight.” I looked around the airport taking in all the sights and weird smells. I honestly loved being in airports. Seeing people and wondering about their stories. Were they on their way to see a loved one? Maybe going on a job interview? Starting over? The possibilities were endless. We all met here. We all had something in common even if it was as meaningless as a forty-five minute flight. I felt alive and connected.

“Our flight leaves in thirty minutes.” John tried to reason with me. “We have plenty of time.”

I grew panicked. “Have you ever flown before?” I asked rhetorically, knowing very well that John has been on multiple airplanes. “They are probably boarding already.” I grabbed John’s hand and tugged him until we reach gate 23. Sure enough they were already done boarding first class. I let out a sigh of relief.

“See!” John exclaimed. “No need to worry.” We moved towards the end of the line. I rolled my eyes at him. John was going to be the death of me by the end of this trip. We were boarded fairly quickly. By the time it was our turn to get on the plane they ran out of overhead room so our bags were taken and placed in the back of the plane along with the checked-in baggage. That annoyed me, but John didn’t seem to mind so I kept my comment to myself. We sat towards the middle of the plane. John was seat B and I was seat A. I sent him a victory smirk when I realized I was getting the window and he was getting the middle seat. However, when the doors shut on the plane we realized seat C was empty. John took it upon himself to stretch out over both seats, stating that his legs were too long to be deprived of the extra room.

"Should have gotten us first class seats then," I teased. “How long is the flight again?” I asked as we made our way to the runway. The flight attendance ladies were going over safety procedures in the background.

“Like five hours,” John shrugged.

“I wonder if they give us movies?” As soon the words left my mouth the few monitors on the plane sparked to life and they started playing Hot Pursuit. The plane jolted to life and we were in the air within a matter of seconds. I took ahold of John’s hand somewhere when the wheels left the ground. I could see his smile in the corner of my eye. Within the next thirty minutes I was out like a light.
Airplanes lulled me to sleep.

I was awoken by a few muttered “awhs” and I quickly shot out of my seat. Three of the flight attendances were standing around John and I’s seat looking at us with dopey eyes. We were slightly tangled up in each other in the most awkward flying position ever. I was going to be sore later. “Can you wake up your boyfriend, please?” One of the ladies spoke up with a small smile. “We are landing soon.”

I nodded my head trying to whip the sleep out of my eyes. “What time is it?”

The lady paused looking at her watch, “Local time is six o three.”

“Thanks,” I told her sitting up slowly. She smiled and walked away to go wake up the rest of the plane. “John,” I sang running my fingers threw his long hair. He stirred a little bit. I went to move my hand away, but John caught my wrist and moaned a little bit. I had to stiffen my giggle. “John it is time to wake up.” He slowly opened his eyes.

“I love waking up to you,” He smiled. “You know that right?”

I giggled this time. “Yes John.” I looked out the window. “We should be there in a few minutes.”

John looked over my shoulder, “That flight went faster then expected.” I nodded my head in agreement.

“Are we taking a taxi or something to the hotel?”

John sat up a bit trying to stretch out. “Well about that—“ the captain who was letting us know the local time and weather cut him off.

“Thank you again for flying delta.”

“You were saying?” I asked.

“I’ll tell you later,” He mumbled trying to sneak a peek at his phone without getting yelled at. Within minutes our plane had touched down and we were exiting the plane. We found our bags sitting by the terminal and collected them quickly before we got stuck in the crowd. We walked out side and I was shocked to find out how warm it actually was. I mean the captain did say it was currently sixty degrees but after spending my last few winters in New York, I wasn’t use to this warmth. I took off my flannel and wrapped it around my waist. John snagged us a decent taxi and placed both our bags into the trunk.

“Where to?” The cabbie asked and John rattled off an address. There were a few moments of pure silence before John decided to break the ice.

“So there is something I need to tell you.”

“Yes?” I asked tearing myself away from the scenery all around me.

“Well you remember my house in the suburbs, right?”

I snickered. “How could I forget?” John looked a bit panicked. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing well something but it’s nothing major,” He continued to talk quickly. “Well the boys and I sold that house because we started touring a lot and didn’t have much time to keep up with it and what not.”

“Ok?” I asked wondering if this was the reason why he was becoming a nervous mess. I didn’t mind spending the weekend in a hotel. “What is the problem?”

“Well as soon as my mom heard I was coming in town,” John trailed off.

“Oh no!” I exclaimed and I could have sworn I heard the cabbie snicker. “We are staying with your mom?!”

John looked a bit sheepish. “I couldn’t tell her no!”

“Yes you could!” I groaned. “What did you tell her about me?” John grew a bit red and I already new my answer. “I want to go back to New York,” I mumbled. The last time I met the parents, I ended up changing my identity weeks later.

“I’m so sorry Erin, I should have warned you.”

“Yes you should have.” I crossed my hands over my chest.

We pulled up in front of a decent sized suburban home. I sighed not really wanting to get out just yet. John quickly clambered out and got both our bags as a petite blonde woman stepped out of their house. I sighed again mentally preparing myself. “Good luck,” The cabbie told me and I muttered my thanks.

Here goes nothing.