Seat 2A

by Dela

  Breathing again, sort of. “Oh, I thought she was your daughter. She looks like she could be yours.”

  His sudden cackle released the nerves I could feel. “That’s what everyone says.”

  Daniela played with her sweater, trying to add apples in the fold as Kendal stared.

  “After you left Whistler I saw what happened on TV.” I rushed. “I’m very sorry about your dad.”

  He looked down and studied the bag of red berries for a second. “Thank you.” He looked back up as his thick eyebrows furrowed. “Would you like to go grab a bite to eat? My sister lives not too far from here. I could drop Daniela off.”

  “No, no. I don’t want to bother you. I actually already have a dinner arrangement.”

  “Oh . . .”

  Colby! I needed to get back to him. He’d be worried. I didn’t want to leave; I forced myself to. “It was good seeing you again, Kendal.”

  “No, yeah. I always wondered about you. You look great by the way.”

  I tried not to blush but it came anyway. “Thank you. It was nice to meet you, Daniela.”

  Her cherry lips curled up and she said in the sweetest voice. “Nice meet you, Brooke.”

  I winced, knowing full well what Kendal wanted to know when I glanced back up to him. It’s the least I could do for him after all these years. So I smiled. “It’s Jessie, actually.”

  I never knew a man’s smile could be so sexy. My hormones surged; if I didn’t get out of his zone soon, I was going to be in bad shape.

  “You’ve no idea how long I waited to hear your name,” he said.

  Blushing, me, again.

  “Goodbye, Kendal.”

  He nodded and I swore I got lost in his grotto green eyes once more. “Goodbye, Jessie.”

  When I returned to the car I let out all the breaths I’d withheld in his presence. I was panting and dizzy. I waited in the car at first, wanting to watch him walk out and follow him to their house, but my better sense told me to go. Colby was waiting, and probably starving by now. I took one last glance into the lit windows of the store, sighed, then drove away with a thorn in my heart.

  Colby was asleep on his leather couch. He’d picked up the place a little. The dirty clothes were gone and the sink was empty. I set the grocery sacks on the counter and woke him.

  “Babe, wake up. What time did you say this dinner is at?”

  He looked at his watch. “Shit. It’s in thirty minutes.” He divvied a smirk and pulled me into him. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “I am too. How far did you say your friends live?”

  “Twenty minutes away. Want to fool around?”

  After seeing Kendal? Good luck, fella. “We better not if you want to be on time. I still need to clean myself up.”

  As if he didn’t hear me he moved so fast and was smooching his lips into mine before I could resist. He moaned, “You’re perfect.”

  I kissed him back shortly but then stood. He protested with a whine. “You’re killing me, Jessie.”

  “Later, I promise. I need to get ready. I smell like airport.”

  “Fine. But I’m ripping your clothes off the second we walk through my door.”

  “Agreed.”

  I hurried to the small bathroom and closed the door. Holy crap I just saw Kendal! My hands shook with excitement but then I looked in the mirror and jumped in hysteria. Why did I have to look like this when he saw me? My eyeliner was smudged tragically around each eye and my lips were barely stained with whatever color I had on earlier. I reapplied my makeup and filled my lips with a bright pink lipstick.

  “You look nice,” Colby said, pressing his hand on my back as we left his apartment.

  I was nervous Colby’s friends wouldn’t like me as he hopped on the freeway and drove southwest towards the suburbs.

  “So who am I meeting?” I asked, watching the skyline change to dark trees.

  “My buddy Austin and his wife Gizelle. I went to law school with Austin.”

  I nodded as Colby exited the freeway and headed up the hill deeper into the woods towards the rich folks’ houses. He entered through a gate where the homes were large with long driveways and vastly spread out. I was beginning to feel out of place when he stopped at a mansion on the corner. The long, lacquered sidewalk reflected all those lights lit under the soffits.

  “Does he practice the same type of law as you?” I wondered. Colby did well, but this seemed out of his price range.

  “Yes. His wife has money, too.”

  “Oh . . .”

  “Relax. They’re really nice, you’ll see. And I should warn you, Gizelle will probably say what’s on her mind.”

  I pocketed what he’d said about Gizelle and walked up those long, glistening steps. I was okay ascending one by one, even though the entrance seemed a bit much for any normal human. It was waiting for the hosts to reach the door long after we rang the doorbell that unraveled my nerves. The place was so big they probably didn’t even hear it the first time, or it just took them that long to make it down to the door. I was too preoccupied wondering how the evening would go to notice the bashful little girl who opened the door.

  Holy mother I’m dead.

  Daniela!

  My stomach coiled tight as her beautiful eyes stared back. She waved shyly before running away down the hall, letting her dark hair flow behind her. Colby chuckled. “That’s Daniela. She’s four. Ain’t she cute?”

  Is it too late to run?

  I followed Colby inside the house with a massive electric charge pulsing through my body. It was like walking through a haunted house, waiting for something—or somebody—to pop out and surprise you. Except I wasn’t sure who’d be more surprised.

  “They’re probably in the kitchen,” Colby said. I nodded shakily, following him past an elongated living room and down a long hallway to where Daniela had run. The walls had frames filled with pictures with Kendal starring in some. There was one with his gorgeous hair as I remembered, a slender woman who must be Gizelle because her dark features matched Kendal’s, and a middle-aged man who looked equally like both of them. It must have been their father.

  I kept walking with Colby until we turned a corner and entered a deep kitchen that took up nearly one side of the house. It was modern and sleek, with subway tile lining the backsplash and strange iron chandeliers hanging over the marble island. Austin was head deep in the stainless steel fridge helping Daniela to a juice box.

  “Austin!” Colby cheered.

  Austin turned quickly with a chuckle and left the fridge to give Colby a proper handshake. “You guys made it!”

  Austin was fairly good-looking, with light brown hair and small freckles on his nose. I kept my arms folded tightly against my queasy stomach as they chatted when the back door suddenly opened. My stomach dropped at the sight of him. Kendal was holding a plate of grilled chicken talking to Austin and blabbing about some soccer game but when Austin didn’t reply he glanced up, caught sight of me, and nearly dropped the chicken. I bit my lip and smiled uneasily. He stared back blankly, confused. His eyes went from mine, to Colby, and then back to me.

  “This is my girlfriend, Jessie,” Colby suddenly said to Austin. It made Kendal moved quicker to the island where we stood and set the plate down before his disbelief got the better of his grip.

  “Nice to meet you, Jessie. Colby can’t stop talking about you,” Austin replied as he took my hand in for a shake.

  Austin must have noticed my wandering eyes and looked to Kendal. “This is my wife’s brother, Kendal.”

  “Nice to meet you.” I nodded, I think. It was probably more of a raise-one-shoulder-and-move-your-chin sort of thing. But I did it, and I avoided all eye contact like the plague, until I couldn’t resist and glanced back up.

  “My pleasure,” he gritted through bared teeth and turned to Colby. “How did you guys meet?”

  My heart pumped fast as I suddenly felt trapped. The question made me feel jinxed or disgusted or angry! All these yea
rs I blamed Kendal for that night. Colby felt me stiffen and rubbed my hand. Colby would never tell him the real reason, especially when he could feel my heart quickening. The memories of that night came back like a storm. He turned back to Kendal.

  “We met in L.A. a couple years ago,” Colby replied.

  “Oh? I live in L.A.”

  Did I say jinxed? I meant unlucky. Really Kendal, L.A.? I wanted to call his stupid, whimsy bluff.

  “Where about?” I asked.

  “I live in the hills in Studio City, right up Laurel Canyon.”

  My center of gravity flipped and I started to wobble on my heels. Colby began to laugh somewhere at my side. “No way, Jessie lives in Studio City, too. What’s the name of the street you live off love?”

  I saw the way Kendal jerked when Colby called me love. I kept my gaze on him, and answered firmly. This time it was me who spoke through gritted teeth. “Lankershim.”

  Kendal’s reaction turned startled, the same startled I felt when he said he lives right down the street from me. We both knew this was insane.

  His narrow eyes burned into mine, so many questions probably racing through his mind. “How long have you been there?”

  I sensed hurt in his crumbled voice. I knew because I felt the same pain. I wanted—needed—to know how long we’ve been near each other. As I answered, I wondered how many times we could have passed each other and not even known it. “Seven years.”

  His mouth gaped open and he didn’t blink. “Four years.”

  His bewildered expression was like stone, and when he only stared and didn’t move, or care to hide his astonishment, the others began to look at us suspiciously. I looked away and rubbed my arms. He’d left the door open and a chill was breezing through the house.

  “So what’s for dinner?” I asked anxiously.

  “BBQ chicken, salad, and rolls,” a lovely voice said behind me.

  I turned around as Kendal’s sister approached. She was short and thin, and had the face of Heidi Klum, but with dark brown hair.

  “I’m Gizelle,” she smiled, holding her hand out.

  “Jessie.”

  “Nice to meet you. Thank you for coming all this way. We told Colby we insisted that we finally met his heroine.”

  I tried to ignore Kendal as he stared longer. I could already sense even more questions ruling inside of his perfect head. “Oh, thank you. I hope Colby didn’t say anything embarrassing.”

  “Goodness, never. Only beautiful things.”

  “Phew,” I chuckled.

  Gizelle was alarmingly beautiful. Her hazel eyes were like crystal gems in her olive-toned skin; she had the smooth complexion of a child. “Let’s eat. I’m sure you’re starving.”

  We sat down in the dining area at a long table set with fancy silverware and linen napkins. The room had a cool feel to it; its entirety was wrapped in gorgeous metallic wallpaper with a modern, square design. The table was too big for us but we stayed close together. Colby and I sat on one side near the end. Austin sat next to Colby, Gizelle seated herself at the head, and Daniela sat across from us next to Kendal, who still hadn’t said a word since the kitchen and still carried a puzzled look on his face.

  “So Jessie, what do you do?” Kendal finally said, stabbing a piece of chicken with brutal force. Poor chicken.

  I knew what he was getting at. I thought of the promise I made to him in the sleigh at once, to chase after what I love. I dropped my hands below the table to push the yarn he’d given me beneath my sleeve a little higher so it didn’t show. For a reason I didn’t know, I was embarrassed to let him know I’d worn that old thing all this time.

  I took a bite with a straight face as I thought of all my years of charity work. Kendal would have been so proud, but I couldn’t let him know what happened.

  “I’m a teacher,” I said proudly. When he chewed the piece painfully slowly, humphing to himself as he did, it clarified what I feared. He probably thought that even after Whistler I still ended up doing what I didn’t want to do. Bastard, you have no idea.

  Colby stepped in, reaching for my lap under the table to ease the tight energy gathering in my body. “Jessie, actually, had a very successful homeless shelter in L.A. for a while.”

  Kendal perked up. “Oh really? Not anymore?”

  Colby fell silent and gazed to me briefly as I plastered an uncomfortable smile. My bottom lip wanted to tremble so badly, but I forbid it for doing so. Damn you, Kendal. Now you’re making me fight off tears.

  Kendal set down his fork and stopped chewing, glancing back and forth between me and Colby.

  “She decided she liked teaching more,” Colby added.

  Kendal frowned, disappointed. Seat 2A, you are such a jerk.

  “Kendal, why don’t we talk about something else?” Gizelle rushed. Did she know? Colby nodded, confirming. It made me feel better that she did know and I was grateful for her already. I noticed her smiling kindly at me but apparently Kendal noticed, too, and dropped his fork with a loud clunk.

  “What is going on?” he insisted.

  “Excuse me? You are being rude,” Gizelle glared at him.

  “So Jessie, Colby said you were thinking of moving to Portland,” Austin said quickly, recovering the battlefield.

  I wiped my mouth with the linen napkin. “Yes, I am.”

  Instead of looking at Colby like I should have, I stared angrily at Kendal. That’s right, Kendal, have at it. He went still for only a moment until that damn adventurous grin spread across his face. I was suddenly afraid of what he was going to say.

  “Gizelle, Austin, I should have my place done in a few months,” he finally said, stabbing another piece of chicken, eyeing me as he did so.

  “Oh, that’s wonderful!” Gizelle squealed, then she leaned to her daughter. “Daniela, Uncle Kendal is going to finally get his house done here, isn’t that great?”

  Wait, what?!

  I sat up straight and pretended to stir through my food so I didn’t seem suspicious. “You have a place here, too?”

  Colby laughed. “It isn’t a place, hon. It’s an old resort.”

  I raised my eyebrows, still circling the food on my plate. “Oh, so you live in resorts? That must be so lonely being there all by yourself.”

  He glared at me angrily and huffed through his bared teeth again. “I’m not in the habit of sharing. I have my visitors and do just fine.”

  My face kept low but my eyes darted up. He knew exactly what he was doing and I feared I wouldn’t win this battle. Battle? Why were we even fighting? Wasn’t this the man I’d missed all these years? It wasn’t his fault he had to leave because his dad died unexpectedly. He was probably only mad because I had a boyfriend. Oh, my life! Knots came back in my stomach and I winced.

  “Excuse me, where is your restroom?” I asked.

  “Just down the hall and to the right,” Gizelle pointed.

  I took a good long minute in the powder room. The flustered energy was beyond my control and whatever sickness I now felt only worsened. I dabbed my cheeks with a wet towel and went back.

  “Is the chicken bad?” Austin asked.

  “No, I’m fine. I think I’m just tired from the flight.”

  “Jessie, Kendal is traveling back to L.A. on the same flight as you Sunday. How ironic! Now you don’t have to travel alone. You know how I hate that,” Colby said, elated and utterly clueless.

  I glared at Kendal, who only smiled back. Wiseass.

  “You know, I’m really not feeling too well. Do you think we can get a raincheck for dinner?” I wondered.

  “Of course. Let me pack you some leftovers for tomorrow. Colby says he starves when you aren’t here,” Gizelle winked. Colby chuckled, rubbing his full belly.

  Yeah, and apparently he doesn’t know how to pick up after himself either.

  As Colby and I drove away from the dinner from hell, I felt bad that I actually felt relieved not to have to see Kendal. What happened to him these past seven years? And more pressing
: why was he not married? Thankfully my stunt at dinner got me off the hook with Colby at bedtime. I fell asleep cuddling in his arms, thinking of Kendal.

  The next day when Colby and I were shopping downtown my phone beeped. It was from an unknown number.

  You ready for our flight tomorrow?

  Who is this?

  I stared nervously at the dot, dot, dot with a good prediction.

  Seat 2A.

  How did you get my number?

  Doesn’t matter. I’ve been searching for your number for seven years. I’m not about to give it up now.

  Doubtful.

  Dot, dot, dot. Dot, dot, dot. Oh stupid dot, dot, dot, you’re making me wild with anxiety! What was he writing, a novel?

  “What you doing, hon?” Colby asked, peering over my shoulder.

  “Um, this is Kendal. Gizelle gave him my number so we could plan to meet on the plane.”

  “Oh?” His higher tone reserved more accusation than I liked.

  “Don’t worry. I’m almost done. I’ll just tell him I already have a ride home.”

  “Thank you.”

  I started typing when his response came in and made me stop.

  I hired an investigator to find your smart ass, but somebody booked the wedding rooms under a fictitious name. Never knew Regina’s last name, and I clearly didn’t know your name, Brooke, or should I call you, barf buddy?

  No comment.

  It’s okay. We can continue this conversation on the plane. See you tomorrow, Doe.

  Love that night with Colby was short. I made up another excuse, courtesy of Kendal. It was enough to get Colby off. He insisted on pleasing me, but I kept refusing it. I couldn’t, not when guilt ruled me for secretly wishing it were someone else.

  I woke up Sunday with a clearer head. I rolled to my side and tossed my fingers through Colby’s curly hair as I remembered the first time I saw him. I was broken and naked, my legs shaking as I sat in a ball on the floor.

  “Good morning,” he said, wrapping his arms around me and breathing in. “Mmm, you smell like sunshine.”