Come Fly With Me
One
Sparkle barged into the tiny greenhouse that her dad had attached to the outside of the kitchen. A wrought iron table was placed on the farthest wall with two matching chairs on either side. The rest of the small space was full from floor to ceiling with flowers and shrubbery. It was where her parents liked to have breakfast.
"What is it?" her mother asked, frantically dabbing at the tea she spilled on her leg.
"I've chosen EveRy Airlines," Sparkle declared.
"That's my girl!" Connor stood up and hugged his daughter tightly.
Sparkle laughed. "I just wanted you guys to be the first ones to know. Now, I've gotta go send Blue Sky my rejection email and then go celebrate with Trisha by buying a new business casual wardrobe."
"Go forth, my daughter, and live stylishly," Mya said, raising her tea cup. "We're so proud of you!"
Sparkle smiled and turned on her heel, feeling light as a feather. As alluring as starting over in a new city sounded, she wasn't ready for such a big adventure just yet. She would wade into the water and get some more experience before deciding to take that plunge.
Writing her rejection email had been easier than she thought. After the email was sent, she referred back to the letter from EveRy. It detailed the the things she would be tested on on the first day of training, and the company's training policies and expectations, including the very strict business casual dress code. Saturdays would be the only casual day and even then, they expected a certain level of professionalism.
"Guess I won't be bringing any of my crop tops..."
Sparkle called Trisha and told her the news. She seemed to be slightly more excited about going shopping than the news about her best friend finally getting started on a career but that was just fine. Trisha had begun her event planning career right out of college, two years ago, and it was about time that Sparkle caught up. They met up off of Euclid Ave, prepared to hit all of the thrift stores in the area; the girls always found it to be a treasure trove if they looked hard enough. They went to Rag-O-Rama first.
Sparkle perused the discounted racks and glanced over at the men's side of the store. "I guess I should call Hassan and tell him the news."
"He'll be dumb excited that you'll be sticking around," Trisha said.
Sparkle draped a black A-line skirt over her arm and fished her phone from her pocket. She scrolled through her call log and tapped Hassan's picture. She cleared her throat as the line rang and rang. It went to voicemail.
"Hm," Sparkle frowned as she hung up. She knew he never listened to his voicemail so she sent him a text asking to meet up later instead.
"No answer?" Trisha asked.
"Nope. Maybe he's at work or something."
Trisha held up a pink sequined dress. "What d'ya think about this one?"
"A little loud for a flight attendant training class, but I'm always looking to make a statement." Sparkle laughed as she reached for the dress but Trisha pulled it away.
"'Scuse me, ma'am. I meant for me."
"Oh, then it's alright I guess." They laughed and Trisha hip checked her friend as she walked to the next rack. They shopped for almost three hours before Sparkle was satisfied. They stowed their bags in their respective trunks before speeding to the other side of Moreland Ave for the food court that was tucked between an animal clinic and a furniture store. Each girl ordered their own bowl of pho then sat at an indoor picnic table.
"So, I glanced at the pre-arrival email EveRy sent me," Sparkle said, "and I'm a little nervous. We have a test pretty much every other day not to mention a test on the very first day on airport codes."
"I have no doubt about your abilities." Trisha sipped some broth. "Remember, you were just tenths of a point from being our high school valedictorian and you graduated college with, what? A 7.5 GPA?"
Sparkle choked on her soup with laughter. "Shut up! You make me sound like some weirdo genius. I only had a 3.92 in college. And four people were between me and high school valedictorian. I just liked studying..."
"There you have it." Trisha wiped at her mouth with a napkin, "I would volunteer to help but you know how hectic my summer schedule gets."
"Don't even worry, girl. I know how those bridezillas can wreck you."
"Best of luck to us both," Trisha said, holding up her spoon. Sparkle clinked their spoons together with a laugh. They finished up their pho and headed back to their cars.
Sparkle glanced at her phone and saw a reply from Hassan. He was still at work but invited her to head over to his place and let herself in.
"Ooo-ooooooooo....." Trisha sang as she read the text over Sparkle's shoulder.
Sparkle laughed and jerked away, not even slightly embarrassed. "Nothing is going to happen just like nothing has happened since we broke up."
"C'mon, not even a little scrabble? Just a little coffee?"
"We have not played scrabble or drank coffee for months." Sparkle crossed her arms. "He doesn't get to break up with me and then enjoy the softest place on earth."
"Fair enough... but now that you've started your life journey and have an idea of what you're gonna be doing, it might be time for some make up scrabble and coffee, eh?"
Sparkle rolled her eyes and pulled her friend in for a hug. She couldn't say yes or no because, secretly, Hassan had been the best lover Sparkle had ever had and even though she missed him, she wasn't willing to put aside her pride just for a good lay. He would have to prove himself first. Sparkle felt secure that she could keep her defenses up but still went home to freshen up before heading to Hassan's apartment. She took a shower and did some major hair removal- again, not because she hoped something would pop off at Hassan's- just to make herself feel better. She put on a mint colored dress and a pair of baby blue heels she'd been inspired to buy after watching Clueless for the hundredth time. She put on some pearls, some perfume, and tousled her curls a bit before leaving.
When she arrived, she found the spare key in it's place- taped to the back of the red Kappa diamond hanging from the front door. She let herself in and was surprised to see that Hassan was already home. All the shades were drawn shut but inside was lit by candles all over, giving the room an alluring glow. The table in the dining room to the left was set up with a delicious assortment of desserts and Hassan was standing in the open area between the dining and living rooms. He always looked so handsome to Sparkle; she'd always been a sucker for dark chocolate skin and pearly white teeth set perfectly behind a pair of full lips.
Hassan offered her a glass of chilled white wine. "Hello."
Sparkle smiled and took the glass. "Hello yourself. What is all of this?"
He smiled easily and shrugged. "I thought it was about time... I had something I really wanted to talk to you about."
"So do I."
Hassan took her hand. "You can go first but just so you know, I've got the massage bed set up in the room. I got that lavender oil you like."
"Well, I can't say no to that but maybe I should tell you my news before we start..." Sparkle eased into the chair Hassan held out for her and plucked a chocolate covered strawberry from the table. He sat beside her and gave his undivided attention. Sparkle took a few sips of wine before clearing her throat. "I got a job."
He smiled. "That's great, babe. What is it?"
"Well..." she took a few more sips. "I'll be a flight attendant for EveRy Airlines!"
"That's amazing! I didn't even know you'd applied for something like that."
"I know. I didn't wanna tell you in case I didn't get the job. The good news is, my training is right here in Atlanta and I've got a ninety percent chance of being based here once I graduate training." She looked into his dark brown eyes and added, "I'd be able to put down roots here..."
Hassan caught onto her meaning and his smile widened. He took her hands and kissed them. "This is the best news I could've gotten. Before I say what I've gotta say, why don't we get started on your massage?"
Sparkle agreed and ate one more strawberry before allowing Hassan to lead her to the bedroom. He presented her with a towel and nudged her towards the master bathroom. She smiled to herself as she disrobed. Hassan had come a long way from his first massage seminar five years ago and it had been a while since she'd enjoyed a good pampering. Whatever he had to tell her must be pretty serious if he wanted her in such good spirits and she was even happier that she had gone home to freshen up before coming over.
She went back into the bedroom with the plush towel wrapped firmly around her and Hassan took her hand again, guiding her to the table. She laid down, settling her face into the cushioned donut at the end.
"Any places I should concentrate on?" he asked, warming some oil between his hands.
"Everywhere," she said with a giggle. "But you can start with my shoulders."
Hassan chuckled lightly and placed his large hands on her back. He worked her muscles in a soothing rhythm and with just the right pressure. Sparkle closed her eyes and sighed with content. Hassan's hands inched down towards the top of her towel and she held her breath, waiting for him to pull it off. But he didn't. He placed a gently kiss on the small butterfly tattoo between her shoulder blades and continued on to her calves.
"You're going to be the sexiest flight attendant I know," he said. He lifted her right leg and kissed the outside of her ankle.
Sparkle smiled. "Thank you... even if your opinion is biased."
"I mean, just look at these legs..." His hands moved to the lower part of her hamstrings. The tips of his fingers brushed just beneath her towel and it was at that moment that Sparkle realized he was teasing her.
"San?" Sparkle lifted her head to look over her shoulder at him. He was looking at her and she felt something flutter in her stomach. It was a familiar flutter and a flutter that Sparkle missed dearly. "Should I just take it off?"
He ran his hands over the curve of her hips but still didn't take the towel off. "Not yet. I wanna say this first."
Sparkle sat up and swung her feet over the side. "What is it, San?"
Hassan pulled a gold ring from his pocket. It was dainty and adorable and not at all what Sparkle was expecting. Her throat went dry and she could hear her blood rushing in her ears. She couldn't deny that Hassan had been her fiercest love and she would like to give things another try but wasn't it too soon think about getting married? She was only 23 after all.
"Before you freak out," he said, looking Sparkle in the eye. "I'm not asking you to marry me." She breathed a sigh of relief and Hassan chuckled before continuing. "I love you Sparkle... and even though I was the one that broke us up in the first place, I think it was just my fear of getting hurt."
"I would never hurt you Hassan."
"I know that now. I knew it then, too, but I still couldn't handle it. I was afraid of how strongly I felt for you. Anyway, I want to give you this ring as a promise. It's my promise to you that I will do everything necessary to secure our future together. It's my promise that you are it for me."
Neither spoke. Sparkle could see the sincerity written all over his face. This was the gesture she had been waiting for. Accepting this promise wouldn't wound her pride in the slightest. In fact, she'd be an idiot to turn him down when he was everything she could ever want in a partner.
"Sparkle?" he prompted. "Don't leave a brotha hanging..."
"If I say yes, will you watch one Lifetime movie with me a month?"
Hassan hung his head and groaned. Sparkle laughed and kissed the top of his head. They agreed to talk about it later and Hassan slipped the gold band onto her right ring finger. The knot in the middle of the band seemed to be gold, copper, and silver weaved together and it was the loveliest promise ring a girl could hope to get.
Sparkle pulled Hassan toward her so that he stood between her legs. He leaned forward and kissed her deeply. It had been too long since their last kiss and there was an ache in Sparkle's heart for more. She peeled his gray t-shirt up and over his head and tossed it to the floor. She ran her fingers over the muscles Hassan had earned in his years of being a personal trainer.
"We've got a lot of making up to do," she said.
"What is it?" her mother asked, frantically dabbing at the tea she spilled on her leg.
"I've chosen EveRy Airlines," Sparkle declared.
"That's my girl!" Connor stood up and hugged his daughter tightly.
Sparkle laughed. "I just wanted you guys to be the first ones to know. Now, I've gotta go send Blue Sky my rejection email and then go celebrate with Trisha by buying a new business casual wardrobe."
"Go forth, my daughter, and live stylishly," Mya said, raising her tea cup. "We're so proud of you!"
Sparkle smiled and turned on her heel, feeling light as a feather. As alluring as starting over in a new city sounded, she wasn't ready for such a big adventure just yet. She would wade into the water and get some more experience before deciding to take that plunge.
Writing her rejection email had been easier than she thought. After the email was sent, she referred back to the letter from EveRy. It detailed the the things she would be tested on on the first day of training, and the company's training policies and expectations, including the very strict business casual dress code. Saturdays would be the only casual day and even then, they expected a certain level of professionalism.
"Guess I won't be bringing any of my crop tops..."
Sparkle called Trisha and told her the news. She seemed to be slightly more excited about going shopping than the news about her best friend finally getting started on a career but that was just fine. Trisha had begun her event planning career right out of college, two years ago, and it was about time that Sparkle caught up. They met up off of Euclid Ave, prepared to hit all of the thrift stores in the area; the girls always found it to be a treasure trove if they looked hard enough. They went to Rag-O-Rama first.
Sparkle perused the discounted racks and glanced over at the men's side of the store. "I guess I should call Hassan and tell him the news."
"He'll be dumb excited that you'll be sticking around," Trisha said.
Sparkle draped a black A-line skirt over her arm and fished her phone from her pocket. She scrolled through her call log and tapped Hassan's picture. She cleared her throat as the line rang and rang. It went to voicemail.
"Hm," Sparkle frowned as she hung up. She knew he never listened to his voicemail so she sent him a text asking to meet up later instead.
"No answer?" Trisha asked.
"Nope. Maybe he's at work or something."
Trisha held up a pink sequined dress. "What d'ya think about this one?"
"A little loud for a flight attendant training class, but I'm always looking to make a statement." Sparkle laughed as she reached for the dress but Trisha pulled it away.
"'Scuse me, ma'am. I meant for me."
"Oh, then it's alright I guess." They laughed and Trisha hip checked her friend as she walked to the next rack. They shopped for almost three hours before Sparkle was satisfied. They stowed their bags in their respective trunks before speeding to the other side of Moreland Ave for the food court that was tucked between an animal clinic and a furniture store. Each girl ordered their own bowl of pho then sat at an indoor picnic table.
"So, I glanced at the pre-arrival email EveRy sent me," Sparkle said, "and I'm a little nervous. We have a test pretty much every other day not to mention a test on the very first day on airport codes."
"I have no doubt about your abilities." Trisha sipped some broth. "Remember, you were just tenths of a point from being our high school valedictorian and you graduated college with, what? A 7.5 GPA?"
Sparkle choked on her soup with laughter. "Shut up! You make me sound like some weirdo genius. I only had a 3.92 in college. And four people were between me and high school valedictorian. I just liked studying..."
"There you have it." Trisha wiped at her mouth with a napkin, "I would volunteer to help but you know how hectic my summer schedule gets."
"Don't even worry, girl. I know how those bridezillas can wreck you."
"Best of luck to us both," Trisha said, holding up her spoon. Sparkle clinked their spoons together with a laugh. They finished up their pho and headed back to their cars.
Sparkle glanced at her phone and saw a reply from Hassan. He was still at work but invited her to head over to his place and let herself in.
"Ooo-ooooooooo....." Trisha sang as she read the text over Sparkle's shoulder.
Sparkle laughed and jerked away, not even slightly embarrassed. "Nothing is going to happen just like nothing has happened since we broke up."
"C'mon, not even a little scrabble? Just a little coffee?"
"We have not played scrabble or drank coffee for months." Sparkle crossed her arms. "He doesn't get to break up with me and then enjoy the softest place on earth."
"Fair enough... but now that you've started your life journey and have an idea of what you're gonna be doing, it might be time for some make up scrabble and coffee, eh?"
Sparkle rolled her eyes and pulled her friend in for a hug. She couldn't say yes or no because, secretly, Hassan had been the best lover Sparkle had ever had and even though she missed him, she wasn't willing to put aside her pride just for a good lay. He would have to prove himself first. Sparkle felt secure that she could keep her defenses up but still went home to freshen up before heading to Hassan's apartment. She took a shower and did some major hair removal- again, not because she hoped something would pop off at Hassan's- just to make herself feel better. She put on a mint colored dress and a pair of baby blue heels she'd been inspired to buy after watching Clueless for the hundredth time. She put on some pearls, some perfume, and tousled her curls a bit before leaving.
When she arrived, she found the spare key in it's place- taped to the back of the red Kappa diamond hanging from the front door. She let herself in and was surprised to see that Hassan was already home. All the shades were drawn shut but inside was lit by candles all over, giving the room an alluring glow. The table in the dining room to the left was set up with a delicious assortment of desserts and Hassan was standing in the open area between the dining and living rooms. He always looked so handsome to Sparkle; she'd always been a sucker for dark chocolate skin and pearly white teeth set perfectly behind a pair of full lips.
Hassan offered her a glass of chilled white wine. "Hello."
Sparkle smiled and took the glass. "Hello yourself. What is all of this?"
He smiled easily and shrugged. "I thought it was about time... I had something I really wanted to talk to you about."
"So do I."
Hassan took her hand. "You can go first but just so you know, I've got the massage bed set up in the room. I got that lavender oil you like."
"Well, I can't say no to that but maybe I should tell you my news before we start..." Sparkle eased into the chair Hassan held out for her and plucked a chocolate covered strawberry from the table. He sat beside her and gave his undivided attention. Sparkle took a few sips of wine before clearing her throat. "I got a job."
He smiled. "That's great, babe. What is it?"
"Well..." she took a few more sips. "I'll be a flight attendant for EveRy Airlines!"
"That's amazing! I didn't even know you'd applied for something like that."
"I know. I didn't wanna tell you in case I didn't get the job. The good news is, my training is right here in Atlanta and I've got a ninety percent chance of being based here once I graduate training." She looked into his dark brown eyes and added, "I'd be able to put down roots here..."
Hassan caught onto her meaning and his smile widened. He took her hands and kissed them. "This is the best news I could've gotten. Before I say what I've gotta say, why don't we get started on your massage?"
Sparkle agreed and ate one more strawberry before allowing Hassan to lead her to the bedroom. He presented her with a towel and nudged her towards the master bathroom. She smiled to herself as she disrobed. Hassan had come a long way from his first massage seminar five years ago and it had been a while since she'd enjoyed a good pampering. Whatever he had to tell her must be pretty serious if he wanted her in such good spirits and she was even happier that she had gone home to freshen up before coming over.
She went back into the bedroom with the plush towel wrapped firmly around her and Hassan took her hand again, guiding her to the table. She laid down, settling her face into the cushioned donut at the end.
"Any places I should concentrate on?" he asked, warming some oil between his hands.
"Everywhere," she said with a giggle. "But you can start with my shoulders."
Hassan chuckled lightly and placed his large hands on her back. He worked her muscles in a soothing rhythm and with just the right pressure. Sparkle closed her eyes and sighed with content. Hassan's hands inched down towards the top of her towel and she held her breath, waiting for him to pull it off. But he didn't. He placed a gently kiss on the small butterfly tattoo between her shoulder blades and continued on to her calves.
"You're going to be the sexiest flight attendant I know," he said. He lifted her right leg and kissed the outside of her ankle.
Sparkle smiled. "Thank you... even if your opinion is biased."
"I mean, just look at these legs..." His hands moved to the lower part of her hamstrings. The tips of his fingers brushed just beneath her towel and it was at that moment that Sparkle realized he was teasing her.
"San?" Sparkle lifted her head to look over her shoulder at him. He was looking at her and she felt something flutter in her stomach. It was a familiar flutter and a flutter that Sparkle missed dearly. "Should I just take it off?"
He ran his hands over the curve of her hips but still didn't take the towel off. "Not yet. I wanna say this first."
Sparkle sat up and swung her feet over the side. "What is it, San?"
Hassan pulled a gold ring from his pocket. It was dainty and adorable and not at all what Sparkle was expecting. Her throat went dry and she could hear her blood rushing in her ears. She couldn't deny that Hassan had been her fiercest love and she would like to give things another try but wasn't it too soon think about getting married? She was only 23 after all.
"Before you freak out," he said, looking Sparkle in the eye. "I'm not asking you to marry me." She breathed a sigh of relief and Hassan chuckled before continuing. "I love you Sparkle... and even though I was the one that broke us up in the first place, I think it was just my fear of getting hurt."
"I would never hurt you Hassan."
"I know that now. I knew it then, too, but I still couldn't handle it. I was afraid of how strongly I felt for you. Anyway, I want to give you this ring as a promise. It's my promise to you that I will do everything necessary to secure our future together. It's my promise that you are it for me."
Neither spoke. Sparkle could see the sincerity written all over his face. This was the gesture she had been waiting for. Accepting this promise wouldn't wound her pride in the slightest. In fact, she'd be an idiot to turn him down when he was everything she could ever want in a partner.
"Sparkle?" he prompted. "Don't leave a brotha hanging..."
"If I say yes, will you watch one Lifetime movie with me a month?"
Hassan hung his head and groaned. Sparkle laughed and kissed the top of his head. They agreed to talk about it later and Hassan slipped the gold band onto her right ring finger. The knot in the middle of the band seemed to be gold, copper, and silver weaved together and it was the loveliest promise ring a girl could hope to get.
Sparkle pulled Hassan toward her so that he stood between her legs. He leaned forward and kissed her deeply. It had been too long since their last kiss and there was an ache in Sparkle's heart for more. She peeled his gray t-shirt up and over his head and tossed it to the floor. She ran her fingers over the muscles Hassan had earned in his years of being a personal trainer.
"We've got a lot of making up to do," she said.