We stood in the corridor
between our gates, just staring into each others' eyes. The crowds
parted around us as if we were a stone in a river, most ignoring us
as we ignored them, some making the impatient tsk sound or grumbling.
“I had a really wonderful
time this weekend,” I said, breaking the silence.
“I'm glad” he said.
“And your mom was so
sweet. Please tell her how much I enjoyed meeting her.”
“Of course. I know she
liked you a lot.” He took my hands in his, and we dissolved into
silence again. Trying to lighten the density of the air, I laughed
quietly.
“Great luck our flights
are leaving from the same terminal, right?”
“Yeah...” he said, his
large, green eyes never leaving mine.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah...sorry...it's...just
going to be so much longer this time.”
“I know. But we're both
going to be busy...the time will fly.” I said, half trying to
convince myself. James was off to a six month film shoot in LA and I
was on assignment for five to six months in India reporting on some
sort of guru who claimed to actually know the exact date of the
apocalypse (for real this time)...heavy stuff I know.
“And that's what Skype is
for, right?” he laughed, cracking a smile for the first time since
we had arrived at the airport.
“We're toughies. We'll
get through this. Unless of course, you get dazzled by the synthetic
perfection of the LA populus.” I winked.
“Well as long as this
guru isn't collecting a harem, offering salvation from the earth's
impending doom...”
We both laughed and slowly
embraced, my head only coming to his chest. He rested his head in
its normal place on top of mine.
“Think you'll grow
anymore between now and the next time I see you?” he whispered into
my hair.
“Ha. Ha.” I retorted,
breathing in the scent of his crisp, fresh ironed cotton shirt,
trying to commit everything, his smell, his hands, the way my arms
could fit perfectly around his torso, to memory.
“I'm really going to miss
you, Scarlett.” he murmured, the feeling of his lips still moving
softly against my head.
“Stop. You'll make me
cry.” I said, removing one hand from his back to wipe my eye. Too
late.
“British Airways Flight
264 with non stop service to LAX, your flight is now boarding from
Gate A2. Passengers on British Airways Flight 264 to Los Angeles,
please report to Gate A2 at this time.”
We didn't move.
“That's you.” I said.
“I know.”
“You'll miss it.”
“I have at least ten
minutes...”
“But you'll be the last
one on.”
“So?”
“You won't get any
overhead space.”
“Why? Can I put you in
the overhead? You're regulation size, right?”
“Ha. Ha. I wish.”
“Come with me?”
“I wish I could.”
“I could seriously stick
you right up there...”
“Not anymore. I can see
the line. It's miles long. You' never have enough space.”
“Even if you squeezed?”
“James...”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“I'll miss you.”
“I'll miss you too. Have
fun.”
“You too. I want to hear
all about it.”
“Email me when you get
there?”
“Definitely.”
“You really have to go
now.”
“Just one more minute.
I've been counting.”
“Have you?”
“Yeah...”
We pulled away slightly as
he leaned down and our lips met. Six months without this? This guru
story had better be hot. Slowly, we parted and once again I drowned
in the sea of his eyes.
“Bye” he said.
“...bye...”
He backed away into the
crowd, still holding my hand, disrupting the river. As he slid his
hand out of mine, he squeezed my fingertips with his, and then he was
gone, swallowed up by the crowd. I strained to see him join the end
of the line, but as luck would have it, the airport seemed to be
crawling with giants. And I thought James was tall...
Trying
to compose myself, I checked my watch. Still a half hour to go.
Better get my obligatory bottle of water. I took one last glance at
gate A2 which was now closed, the giants having moved on, and set off
towards the overpriced kiosk.
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