Peter Gabriel
The elderly woman having now made it to the check-in desk was clearly agitated, but speaking quietly. The flight attendant looked like she was ready to cry and Kate almost felt sorry for her, until a familiar young male voice started to echo, “That snow is thicker…”
“Kid, if you do not shut the hell up, I’m going to call all the wolves and tell them to devour you to little bits, so that not even little red ridding hood could save you.” The elderly woman matched the child’s volume though her words came out hissed.
There was a moment of stunned silence, a calm before the storm and then the tornado touched down. The child began to wail, the parents finally taking it upon themselves to show an interest, though still not in their progeny, but in the woman. Some passengers erupted in spontaneous applause, while others acted indignant, yet shame faced.
“God, for the first time, I hope we don’t all get on this plane tonight.” Kate shook her head looking around her.
“Thank god it’s a kid and not a grown man with bolts in his neck, or we could have real problems.”
He had said the line with such straight delivery that Kate was almost uncertain if the surfer marine across from her was joking or just very weird. She turned her full gaze on him again, her head cocked to one side.
“Sorry.” He offered a shy smile and something stirred in the vicinity of her stomach. “It’s been a very long day.” His voice held the trace of a weak Southern accent.
She offered an equally weak smile and nodded back. Their eyes locked for a moment and she felt her body temperature start to rise. With considerable effort she forced herself to break his gaze and glance over to where the flight attendant was trying to calm a maddening crowd. She was annoyed with her self for feeling attracted to this stranger. Not only was it un-lady-like, but he wasn’t even ‘her type’ for Pete’s sake. She hated blonde Floridian surfer sorts. She’d dealt with plenty of her brother’s friends, who existed for the wave and wanted to live 1950’s surfer movies. She never understood why her brother, a normally smart boy, wanted to hang around with such Neanderthals. She knew ‘that type’ all too well.
“So you live in Florida, Moondog?” Kate asked as she glanced back at the man across from her, determined to find reason not to like him.
“Yeah. But, Moondog was rather a jerk. Call me Bruce, and I won’t have to call you Gidgit.” He remained straight faced, wondering if Kate would know the reference or realize it was not his real name. He noted she had flinched at Gidgit, a reaction he found endearing.
“I thought Endless Summers happened in California?” Kate quipped equally as staid.
“Beach. Sand. Sun. Surf … ” Denton shrugged easily. “Florida’s a nice place.” They both glanced toward the plate glass window. The snow had not let up. “I’m here on business, what’s your excuse?” Denton asked less out of curiosity then to have an excuse to study the woman before him. She was smaller than his initial impression, probably standing at 5’3” and he figured about 115 lbs.
“I live here.” Kate sighed sounding more depressed about it than she actually felt. “It’s not always like this. Only when I have to fly.” The resignation in her voice was clear and she sighed heavily staring into the swirling snow.
“So you win a trip to Disney?” The question brought her back inside the terminal and flared her annoyance.
“No. I’ve family down there.”
“Would Delta flight 472 passengers holding seats 17AB and C, 18 AB and C and 25AB and C please come to the check in counter. Thank you. Again, would Delta Flight 472 passengers…”
“That’s me.” Kate got up quickly, thankful that the announcement had interrupted their conversation. She really didn’t want to be discussing her family with strangers. She smiled politely and shrugged as she hefted her carry-on and turned to make her way to stand in line.
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