for the time you had with her. I know how much you loved her, and I can only imagine how much it hurts.”
“I don’t think anyone knows how much it hurts. I just want to go home now. Can you take me?”
“Of course, Jake.”
Erika and Jake drive home in near silence. Jake is miles away in thought, staring aimlessly into space as he rides home. It isn’t a long ride, and the two of them make their way into the house. He throws his bags down on the floor, grabs a beer and plops down on the sofa. Erika does her best to comfort her friend in need, but he just wants to sulk in his misery. Perhaps some time in the future he will be thankful for the time he and Abbey had, but today it hurts to the core of his existence. He just can’t believe she’s gone from his life forever.
Erika stays with him as he drifts off to sleep on the sofa. She debates on whether to inform her co-workers of the bad news, but figures some of them must have seen the news report of the crash. But then, probably no one else knows that was Abbey’s flight. She will wait for Jake to wake up before making a decision.
The cell phone rings, causing Jake to spring up from a sound sleep to take the call. He slows down when he realizes it won’t be Abbey. Without looking at the caller ID, he simply answers the phone in a monotone voice.
“Hello.”
“Hey, there, sweetie. Do you have Erika’s number? I need to have her pick me up at the airport, and I lost my cell phone so I don’t have her -”
“- Abbey? How the hell -”
“- I know. Stupid me, I left my handbag in the coffee lounge. I ran back to get it, and they closed the doors and wouldn’t let me back on the plane. I left my cell phone in the seat back. I tried to call you from a pay phone, but there was no answer, and I didn’t leave a message. I booked a six AM flight and just got home now. Can you have Erika come get me?”
“Yes! God, yes, of course! Oh, my God. You have no idea what a relief it is to hear your voice.”
“Really, Jake, it wasn’t that big a deal. Pain in the ass, maybe, that’s all.”
“So you don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“Nothing. Erika and I will be there in twenty minutes.”
“I thought you were in Oregon. What are you doing home? You alright? And why isn’t Erika at work? You aren’t cheating on me already, are you?”
“That, my dear, is the last thing I would ever do. We’ll see you in a few. I love you!”
Run through the emotional wringer, Jake’s tears of sadness turn to tears of joy. Erika drives him to the airport.
“Should we tell her, or just wait till she finds out?”
“I think you should tell her.”
“I have no idea how to break it to her.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
They arrive at the airport and Jake runs in to meet Abbey the moment she comes out of security. As close as he’s allowed to get to the security exit, he grabs her and flings her around in a circular embrace, her feet flying in the air as they do in the movies, kissing her like it’s the last chance he’ll ever get.
“Wow. This is some welcome home. What’s all this about?”
“Abbey, I’ve made up my mind. I never want to live another day without you. If I had a ring - oh, hell, I’ll ask you anyway and get the ring later.”
Jake bends down on one knee. Seeing this, a small crowd begins to gather.
“Abbey, will you be not only my partner in business, but my partner in life? Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Abbey, stunned and confused, has no idea where this sudden streak of emotion has come from. But she now knows it’s for real. She knows Jake will make a great husband, even though she knows she isn’t ready for marriage. She’s about to tell him she will consider it and let him know. She looks around at the gathering crowd. She looks into his puppy dog eyes, and she can see how much he loves her. She thinks she can love him as much some day, but right
“I don’t think anyone knows how much it hurts. I just want to go home now. Can you take me?”
“Of course, Jake.”
Erika and Jake drive home in near silence. Jake is miles away in thought, staring aimlessly into space as he rides home. It isn’t a long ride, and the two of them make their way into the house. He throws his bags down on the floor, grabs a beer and plops down on the sofa. Erika does her best to comfort her friend in need, but he just wants to sulk in his misery. Perhaps some time in the future he will be thankful for the time he and Abbey had, but today it hurts to the core of his existence. He just can’t believe she’s gone from his life forever.
Erika stays with him as he drifts off to sleep on the sofa. She debates on whether to inform her co-workers of the bad news, but figures some of them must have seen the news report of the crash. But then, probably no one else knows that was Abbey’s flight. She will wait for Jake to wake up before making a decision.
The cell phone rings, causing Jake to spring up from a sound sleep to take the call. He slows down when he realizes it won’t be Abbey. Without looking at the caller ID, he simply answers the phone in a monotone voice.
“Hello.”
“Hey, there, sweetie. Do you have Erika’s number? I need to have her pick me up at the airport, and I lost my cell phone so I don’t have her -”
“- Abbey? How the hell -”
“- I know. Stupid me, I left my handbag in the coffee lounge. I ran back to get it, and they closed the doors and wouldn’t let me back on the plane. I left my cell phone in the seat back. I tried to call you from a pay phone, but there was no answer, and I didn’t leave a message. I booked a six AM flight and just got home now. Can you have Erika come get me?”
“Yes! God, yes, of course! Oh, my God. You have no idea what a relief it is to hear your voice.”
“Really, Jake, it wasn’t that big a deal. Pain in the ass, maybe, that’s all.”
“So you don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“Nothing. Erika and I will be there in twenty minutes.”
“I thought you were in Oregon. What are you doing home? You alright? And why isn’t Erika at work? You aren’t cheating on me already, are you?”
“That, my dear, is the last thing I would ever do. We’ll see you in a few. I love you!”
Run through the emotional wringer, Jake’s tears of sadness turn to tears of joy. Erika drives him to the airport.
“Should we tell her, or just wait till she finds out?”
“I think you should tell her.”
“I have no idea how to break it to her.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
They arrive at the airport and Jake runs in to meet Abbey the moment she comes out of security. As close as he’s allowed to get to the security exit, he grabs her and flings her around in a circular embrace, her feet flying in the air as they do in the movies, kissing her like it’s the last chance he’ll ever get.
“Wow. This is some welcome home. What’s all this about?”
“Abbey, I’ve made up my mind. I never want to live another day without you. If I had a ring - oh, hell, I’ll ask you anyway and get the ring later.”
Jake bends down on one knee. Seeing this, a small crowd begins to gather.
“Abbey, will you be not only my partner in business, but my partner in life? Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Abbey, stunned and confused, has no idea where this sudden streak of emotion has come from. But she now knows it’s for real. She knows Jake will make a great husband, even though she knows she isn’t ready for marriage. She’s about to tell him she will consider it and let him know. She looks around at the gathering crowd. She looks into his puppy dog eyes, and she can see how much he loves her. She thinks she can love him as much some day, but right
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