2015 Prompt Responses - 1. Prompt 382

The snow swirled around the narrow window in a dance that would have been beautiful under other circumstances. Away from the window, closer to the plane’s wing, the snow flew by horizontally. I couldn’t see anything past the wing.

The plane rocked slightly as it was buffeted by the high winds. The air on the plane was stale and as I listened to the coughs and throat clearing of several passengers I wondered what sort of toxins I was inhaling every time I breathed.

The silence was punctuated by the murmuring of occasional adult conversation and the piercing cries of the child in the seat across from me. I pinched the bridge of my nose, wondering why they thought it was necessary for us to board the plane. Even an hour ago it was obvious that the storm would not make for a safe or pleasant flight.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am very sorry to announce that this flight has been delayed due to the weather. We will disembark and hope that the storm will be over in the morning. We apologize for the inconvenience.” The stewardess looked relieved that we wouldn’t be braving the blizzard raging outside.

There were a lot of groans and muttering from the other passengers. I wasn’t sure how I felt. We left the plane orderly, but grumpily, and I found a seat near the window so I could observe the blustery snow. I set my bag down next to me and removed a tattered envelope. I caressed the top before opening it and looking at the two vacation tickets and brochure it contained. The brochure was for a beach resort in the Bahamas. It featured two men playing with a beach ball next to a sea of crystal blue water.

“Is that where you’re headed or is it just wishful thinking?”

I jumped and hastily wiped the tear that fallen down my cheek. “It’s where I’m headed. Well, hopefully.” I glanced out the window.

The man sitting next to me grimaced. “Yeah…I hear ya. I’m going to Florida to visit my parents.” He held out his hand. “Names Mike.”

I shook his hand. “Tom.”

“So, Tom, are you going on vacation alone or meeting someone down there?” He looked me over with a hint of a smile.

My hands clenched around the brochure involuntary and I fought to keep more tears from falling. I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder reassuringly.

“Are you ok?”

I nodded, then shook my head. “I wasn’t supposed to go alone. Andy was supposed to come with me,” I whispered.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

I looked up as the tears started to fall. Mike was looking at me sympathetically. I opened my mouth to speak, but instead emitted a strangled sob. Mike drew me into an embrace and I cried like a baby into his chest. After a few minutes I sniffled, then sat up.

“Thanks. Sorry I slobbered all over your shirt. You probably think I’m nuts.” I laughed uneasily.

“It’s no problem. I don’t think you’re nuts. I think you have a story to tell.”

I nodded. “Andy was my fiancée. He died two years ago of cancer. This was supposed to be our honeymoon. He made me promise I’d still go.” I took a shuddering breath. “I couldn’t bring myself to go last year.”

Mike took my hand and squeezed. “That’s perfectly understandable. Tell me about him.”

I found myself telling this perfect stranger all about Andy. The first time I met him, our first date, when he proposed a year later, and then learning about his diagnosis. I poured out every detail of our relationship, good and bad, including the last few months before he passed away. With every word I felt like a weight was lifted off me and by the time I finished I felt a lightness I hadn’t known since I first met Andy.

“It sounds like he was an incredible guy.”

“Yeah, he was.”

We sat in silence, watching as the storm appeared to lessen. I observed Mike as he gazed out the window, lost in thought. He was about the same height as me and had blond hair and piercing blue eyes. He was trim and I could see the hint of a muscular frame through the cloth of his plaid button-down shirt. It clung in all the right places.

He saw me scrutinizing him and smiled, taking my hand. I scooted a little closer to him and he put his arm around my shoulders. I fell asleep shortly after that. I was exhausted from all the emotions I experienced talking about Andy.

I dreamed about him. We walked hand in hand along a beach similar to the one on the cover of the brochure. His black hair fell over his eyes and he wore his glasses with the tape he put on the nose after he accidentally broke them. I had teased him mercilessly about how much it made him look like a dork. He didn’t see the need to spend good money on something that still worked, considering he only wore them around the house.

“There’s a reason I wanted you to go on this trip, Tom,” he said, squeezing my hand. “I love you with every fiber of my being, but I want you to be happy.”

I stopped and embraced him tightly. “I’m in your arms. Nothing makes me happier.”

He kissed the top of my head and hugged me tightly. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I know what you meant.”

“It’s time for you to move on, my love.”

I shook my head as the tears began to fall. Andy tilted my head up to kiss me. I shuddered as his tongue entered my mouth.

“Tom?” I shook again. “Tom? They’re announcing our flight. The storm finally stopped.”

I groaned and burrowed deeper into the shoulder I was leaning against. “I don’t want to go, Andy.”

My hair was smoothed back as a soft voice said, “It’s Mike, Tom. We need to board our flight now if we’re going to leave.”

I sat up, shaking off the remnants of the dream. I looked at Mike and smiled. “Ok.”

We walked onto the plane hand in hand. It wasn’t a conscious decision on my part. It just felt natural. Mike talked to the lady sitting next to me and she willingly changed seats. We held hands throughout the flight. We didn’t talk much, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. I thought a lot about the dream I had and wondered if it really was a message from Andy or just my psyche dealing with the feelings I was experiencing toward Mike.

When we arrived in Florida, I needed to change planes and Mike needed to get to his parents’ house. We stood in the terminal and embraced for a long time. Neither one of us wanted to let go. An idea had formed in my mind on the plane, but I wasn’t sure if I would be able to go through with it. Feeling Mike’s arms around me cemented my decision.

I pulled away from him and reached into my bag for the envelope containing the resort passes. I held one out to him. “It seems a shame to let this go to waste.”

He looked at me in shock. “I can’t take this…”

“I really want to see you again. If you don’t feel comfortable with this, I totally understand. Even if we never see each other again, I just want to let you know how much I appreciate what you did for me. I feel like I’m finally able to move on.”

I entwined my fingers through his hair and drew him in for a kiss. When we separated, he rested his forehead on mine, smiling.

“I’d like nothing more than to see you again.”

I hope the dream didn't come off as too clichéd.  Please leave a review and let me know how you liked the story.