I clicked off the intercom and stretched my arms over my head, smiling over at my co-pilot. He gave me the thumbs up and thumbed toward the door. “I got the post flight checks; you get out of here. Start your week off early.”
“You sure?” I asked.
“Yep, it’s my first day back, so I’m good to go,” he replied.
I shook his hand and stood up, grabbing my things from the pilot stow. “Thanks, man. It’ll be nice to get home to the kid and just relax for a bit.”
After gathering my things, I buttoned up my jacket and grabbed my hat, stowing it under my arm. I was excited to get off the plane. I had felt cramped the whole flight, something that usually didn’t happen to me unless I was doing an international route. But the time on duty had exhausted me, not to mention I didn’t sleep well the night before, my mind fluttering in and out of memories and current events, specifically ones pertaining to Emma.
Glancing at my watch, my heart sank a bit. By that point, Emma would be the new Mrs…whatever his name was, starting their most likely ultra lavish party. I took a deep breath and pushed back the lump in my throat. It wasn’t my worry anymore, and I had to stop thinking and guilting over Emma. It had been close to a decade. Eventually, I knew I would be in the clear to release those negative emotions about myself, even if she hated me the rest of her life.
I put in the code and opened up the pilot cabin, stepping out just as the last passenger exited the plane.
“Have a great week off, Captain.”
I nodded. “Thanks, Heather. You guys did a great job with service today.”
The flight attendants all smiled as they moved through the cabin, cleaning up for the connecting flight that would be boarding soon. Thankfully, a new pilot would come on board, and I didn’t have to wait on them. Between being early in and the co-pilot taking on the post flight checks, I had plenty of time to grab a drink at the airport bar before heading home. I liked to take a few minutes to decompress from a flight before jumping in a cab and taking the long hours home with me. I wanted to be refreshed and take off my captain hat, replacing it with my dad one.
As I rolled my carry-on up to the bar, parking it next to me, I took off my pilot’s jacket and set my hat in the seat next to me. The regular bartender was there, and he immediately started pouring me the rum and coke with a lime I always got after a long flight. He nodded and set it down in front of me. “I feel like you’ve been here almost every day.”
I sighed, taking a sip. “Two weeks straight. I was either flying, on a layover, or on call for flying. But I’m starting five days completely off.”
“Nice,” the young bartender replied.
Glancing around the bar, I noticed how empty the place was. “Tough crowd.”
He chuckled, cutting limes. “It’ll pick up. Not as many early evening travelers. They either come in during lunch or after dinner. Gives me time to cut my fruit and catch up on my celebrity drama.”
I chuckled as he motioned toward the television above his head. The reporters were doing some story on reality television show stars. I shook my head, sipping my drink, letting the sound of the TV kind of wash into the background as I sat there, decompressing. It was probably a good thing I was going home. I needed to start having a life, something more than just working, home, and sometimes the park. Sean was right on one accord: I had far too much time on my hands for thinking. I needed to find a hobby or invest in something for Mia and I to do. I lived in the city after all. Chicago had a plethora of things going on almost every day.
As I watched the people milling around the airport, I glanced up at the television, at first glancing away almost immediately. With the familiar face on the television, though, I sat straight up and nodded toward the TV. “Can you turn that up?”
On the screen was Emma’s face with the title above it saying “Runaway Bride.”
The bartender turned it up and leaned back, watching with me, no idea I knew her at all. The reporter shook her head, standing outside of one of the largest and most posh hotels in the city.
“Thanks, Tom. I’m standing here in front of the Waldorf Astoria in downtown Chicago where just this morning, reporters and paparazzi were waiting excitedly to get a shot of the newlyweds, Emma Harrison and heartthrob Keith Cramer. However, what was supposed to be a photo op after the ceremony turned into a dramatic flashing of bulbs as Keith Cramer exited the Astoria, anger on his face, and jumped into his limo and sped off. Just an hour later, the marketing spokeswoman for the Harrison family made a statement.”
On the screen different video clips of Emma with Keith through the years played out as the reporter read the statement.
“The Harrison and Cramer families thank you for your understanding during this time. Both families have always been open and honest with the press, and today will be no different. As of an hour ago, the wedding between Ms. Harrison and Mr. Cramer was called off. The Harrison family would like to make a plea to their daughter, Emma. Emma, if you’re listening, you don’t have to run. Your heart and your privacy are our utmost concern, and we beg you to come back home and let us work everything out with you. We love you.”
The bartender snorted, looking over his shoulder. “Her privacy is their concern. Right. They could have sent that to her in a text. They didn’t have to make a public statement about it.”
I gave a fake smile and chuckle, watching the rest of the story. To be honest, after seeing her face in the paper, the whole thing wasn’t all that shocking to me. In fact, Emma had always said that she didn’t want to be forced into a loveless marriage. The match was far too perfect, and if Emma was even a tiny percentage of the woman she used to be, she would never be happy with a man like Keith.
Picking up my drink, I took a long gulp, trying to identify the emotions I was having. Most of it was pure sadness for her. I truly did feel for her on all levels. I felt bad for her, and I knew in some ways, it was my fault. I had taken this loving and beautiful woman and made her hopeless when it came to love. Of course, I could be overthinking my effect on her, but I was the one who did the dumping, and I was still highly affected. It stuck with me and made any relationship after that hard to trust, hard to open up to. Even my marriage. I loved my wife, but there were parts of me that stayed locked away.
Glancing out the window at the runway, sipping my drink, I wondered where Emma was at that moment. The parents' public plea was a publicity stunt, even I knew that. Her father would be furious with her for running out on that wedding. She was most likely finding a safe, quiet place to lay low and chill for a bit, until things blew over. That was what I would do with parents like hers.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out, smiling at Mia’s name on the screen. “Hey, you.”
“Hi, Daddy! Where are you?”
I glanced at my drink. “I just got in, and I will be leaving here shortly. Where are you?”
She giggled. “I’m at Grandma’s and Grandpa’s, of course. Grandma said since you had an evening flight, she’s going to keep me for dinner and then bring me home. That way you can do dad stuff first. Oh, and she said to tell you…feed your tummy!”
Laughing, I nodded. “I will do that, squirt. You be good at dinner, help Grandma clean up afterward, and I will see you really soon. Love you.”