A Short Love

The snowstorm took us by surprise, resulting in the cancellation of all flights. I regretted not taking an earlier one, as I usually prided myself on being prepared for such situations. However, this time, I had had found myself trapped in the office, unable to escape.

Crisis after crisis had kept piling up, demanding my attention. It was part of the job. I was the boss, but it also meant that I was now stranded at the airport until the storm subsided. As the announcement echoed through the terminal, I couldn’t help but overhear the collective sighs and complaints.

Yet, I knew it wasn’t anyone’s fault. The weather had a mind of its own, and it seemed we would all experience a slight delay in reuniting with our families for Christmas. It was disheartening, but there was little we could do.

Instead of wallowing in frustration over an uncontrollable situation, I made my way to the bar, secured a comfortable seat, and ordered a drink. However, I found myself lost in my thoughts and barely touched the beverage.

I turned my gaze toward the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, observing the falling snowflakes and the twinkling lights emanating from the various towers and grounded planes in the darkness. I took a small sip of the Scotch I had ordered, reminiscing about my father. This was his favorite drink, and I recalled the first time I had requested a taste, brimming with excitement, only to discover my disdain for its flavor.

Yet, after a few years, for some inexplicable reason, I had grown to love it. Perhaps it was a longing for him or an attempt to bridge the gap between us. We hadn’t always been close, as he was consumed by work, leaving me with same the drive to succeed.

However, after my mother’s passing, we had forged a stronger bond, which was why I couldn’t bear to miss Christmas.

“Is this seat taken?” I turned my attention to my left, encountering a remarkably handsome man with a charming, slightly crooked smile, gesturing toward the empty seat beside me. For a moment, my voice failed me, but I managed to shake my head, avoiding complete embarrassment.

“No, please, go ahead,” I finally replied, extending my hand in a welcoming gesture.

He smiled gratefully, taking the offered seat and ordering the same drink as me. Suddenly, I felt a slight sense of confinement. Despite not being very broad, his presence filled the space.

“Is your flight delayed as well?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Heading home?” he continued, his curiosity evident.

Again, I nodded, acknowledging his question.

“Where are you going?” he probed, amusement dancing in his eyes as he clearly noticed my sudden speechlessness.

I took a long sip of my drink before placing it back on the table. Pull yourself together, Mary, I scolded myself, offering a smile to the stranger as I finally spoke, “Kansas.”

“Visiting family, or is it a boyfriend?” he teased, a playful smile on his lips.

Boyfriend? As if, I chuckled inwardly. When was the last time I even had time to date?

“Family.”

“That’s nice,” he said, taking a sip from his drink.

“How about you?” I asked.

“Family too.

“Do... Do you have a wife waiting there as well?” I inquired, unsure if I was being a bit too forward. However, it didn’t seem that way. In fact, he appeared a little sad.

“Widower,” he told me.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I said and instinctively placed my hand on my chest.

“Sorry that a stranger’s wife died four years ago?” he asked, a hint of a smile on his lips.

At first, I was taken aback, but as I noticed his smile, I realized he was teasing me for using that overly common sentence people often say when they hear about someone’s passing. I couldn’t help but chuckle. The best part was that he laughed too, and the tension disappeared, making it much easier to sit beside him.

“Yeah, I bet you didn’t buy that one,” I said.

He simply shook his head, taking another sip of his drink. “But I appreciate it anyway,” he replied.

We continued to laugh for a while. Despite being stuck in an airport, at least the conversation isn’t half bad, I thought.

“So, where are you headed?” I inquired.

“New York,” he replied.

“Oh, a New Yorker,” I teased.

He nodded, smiling.

“And what brings you here, trapped in an airport in Washington?” I asked.

“My sister lives here.”

“And she isn’t coming back with you?”

“She and my parents aren’t on speaking terms,” he told me.

“Why not?”

He flashed me that adorable, crooked smile, and it dawned on me that I had just asked a complete stranger about his personal affairs.

“Sorry, that’s none of my business,” I quickly apologized, raising my free hand.

He merely laughed, showing no signs of offense. Once again, I realized he was simply teasing me, and I couldn’t help but chuckle a little. When was the last time I had sat beside someone and had such a simple conversation?

“They just don’t see eye to eye,” he commented.

“Well, I understand that.”

He raised an eyebrow, silently asking me how.

“I never got along very well with my mother. We lost contact for a while,” I confessed.

The alcohol might have been affecting me, or perhaps it was the pleasant company, but suddenly old secrets came pouring out.

“Oh?” he responded, sounding curious.

“Sometimes it’s just not easy to get along with your parents. My mother wasn’t thrilled about me starting my own company, whereas my father encouraged me to go for it.”

“You have your own company?” he inquired, admiration evident in his voice.

“It’s not very big. Just my own little design company.”

“Wow,” he exclaimed, making me smile. “Why wouldn’t your mother want you to start your own company?”

“Job security. She feared the possibility of me failing, but I know she just wanted the best for me. That’s just how parents are. They want their children to have good lives and be safe,” I explained, leaning my arm on the counter and resting my chin in my hand.

“Do you mind calling my sister and telling her exactly those words?” he joked, retrieving his phone from his jacket.

This time, I understood it was a playful remark, and we both burst into laughter as I pushed his hand away, shaking my head.

“I think you can tell her yourself,” I replied.

“I think she would like to hear it from you.”

I continued shaking my head. This is really nice, I thought, as I looked at the man in front of me. Connecting with people had always been a challenge for me.

“And what do you do for a living?” I asked.

“I’m an engineer,” he told me.

“Really?” I inquired, intrigued.

“I work in cybersecurity.”

I looked at him, surprised, and he started laughing at my expression. I smiled, feeling a bit embarrassed as if I had been caught doing something I shouldn’t have.

“You thought I would look different, right?” he asked.

“No!” I protested, but it was clear that the image I had of people working in that field was quite different from how he looked.

“It’s fine, you can admit it,” he said.

I sighed and shook my head before joining in his laughter. “I’ll need another drink before I admit anything,” I told him, realizing my glass was empty.

“Then we must get you a new one,” he said.

He called the bartender and ordered me another drink, and I smiled gratefully. He even insisted on paying for it, although I initially objected. However, I didn’t want to be rude, so I eventually accepted his kind gesture.

“What’s your name?” he inquired.

“Mary. And yours?”

“Ryan.”

Ryan. It suits him, I thought, as we locked eyes. He was very handsome, and I had to admit that if there was someone out there controlling the weather or destiny, I almost wanted to thank them and tell them that I was finally a believer in the idea of two people destined to meet. Was there any better proof than this right here?

Suddenly, my phone rang, and I held up a finger to signal that I needed a moment. I reached into my jacket pocket, which was draped over the back of the barstool I was sitting on. It was my dad calling, and I quickly answered, turning away from Ryan.

“Dad?”

“Mary, where are you? I just saw your text.”

“Still trapped in the airport. It looks like I’m going to have to wait it out for now.”

My father let out a low curse, but I knew it was because he was worried about me. He didn’t like that we lived so far apart.

“I’ll get there, Dad,” I assured him, knowing what he was already thinking.

“I’m more worried about you.”

“Don’t worry about me, and I’ll text you as soon as they say it’s safe to fly again, okay?”

“Okay. Do that! And keep me updated as well.”

“I will. Bye, Dad.”

“Bye.”

I hung up the phone and turned back in my chair, noticing an almost sad smile on Ryan’s lips.

“I wish my parents would be concerned enough to call,” he commented.

“They aren’t concerned about you?” I asked, surprised.

He shrugged a little as he took a sip from his glass. “It doesn’t matter,” he said as he put it down. “I don’t mind the company I have found.”

The smile changed into a charming and warm one, and this time I wasn’t sure what made my cheeks flush—the man or the drink. But it felt like things were suddenly changing between us. The energy became stronger and more heated, and it was as if there was an imaginary pull between us, bringing us closer and closer, until our lips were only inches apart.

Yet, neither of us took the final step. Just as I told myself to go for it, a woman’s voice broke the moment, “The storm has calmed down, and all passengers flying with American Airlines to Kansas City, please go to your gate and prepare to board the plane.”

“Isn’t that your flight?” Ryan inquired, and I felt his hot breath fan my lips, making me shiver in a delightful way.

We stayed close for a second longer, and then I turned my head, breaking the moment.

“It is.”

“Then you better hurry,” Ryan said, leaning back and smiling, though the smile seemed different, sadder in a way.

I nodded as I grabbed my jacket and got up from my seat. “It was very nice to meet you, Ryan.”

“You too, Mary,” he said.

I felt reluctant to go for some reason. I knew it was silly. We had chatted for a little while, had some drinks, and yet, I felt closer to him than I had with anyone in years. It was stupid, right? I gave him a small smile as I took my suitcase and started to walk away, but I hadn’t taken more than a few steps before I stopped and looked back.

Ryan was looking at me, and he raised his glass when he saw me glance back at him. My smile grew, and I waved a little before turning away and walking out of there. The strangest things always happened when you least expected them, and I could only say it was something I would never forget.

Meeting someone in a snowstorm, who would have thought?