Operation: Final Fantasy Ch. 02

You should have kissed me, she thought. Maybe I didn't deserve it. But was one last kiss so hard to ask for?

She turned around and walked slowly to the security gates.

After she made it through the security gates and picked up a sweatshirt and a few magazines in the gift shop, she still had an hour until her flight. She didn't take her iPad with her because she didn't need it in Hawaii; her job was entertaining the client, even on the airplane. The batteries had already run out on her iPhone. She tried to read her magazines, but she couldn't focus. All she could think about was Ryan.

At least no one is sitting by me, she thought when she sat down on the airplane. She knew that she was grumpy and didn't feel like talking to anyone.

At first, she kept thinking about the last few days with Ryan and how magical they were. Then, she remembered the conversation not that long ago on the beach. And then, she remembered the conversation in the airport and their uncomfortable goodbyes to each other.

He was going to take a long time to get over, and she knew it. She sighed and threw her head back against the headrest.

She kept thinking about everything they had talked about, every conversation, like when she first met him.

"And of course, you'll have to be available for me... sexually. When I ask. Is all of this acceptable to you?"

She laughed thinking about when Ryan had told her that. He looked so cute saying it; it was like a little boy trying to act all grown up. He didn't fool her one bit. Rookie.

"So about this time last week, did you imagine you'd be on the Hawaiian Islands, snorkeling in crystal blue water and swimming with sea turtles?"

She squirmed, remembering what happened in the ocean after he said that to her. She missed him already. All of him.

"They say the flower up here on the right side means you are still available. If I were to put it on your left side, it would mean you were married. Or, at least, you were taken."

Trixie remembered vividly taking that pink flower and switching it from her right side to her left side when Ryan wasn't paying attention. Instinctively she reached up and touched her ringlets on the left side of her head, almost as if she was expecting the flower to still be there.

"Promise me I get to be your first client?"

The tears started to fall. He was so sincere when he asked to be her first client; not with Trixie the call girl, but with Trixie the licensed massage therapist. She looked out the airplane window and wondered how much longer it would take to get this plane off the ground. They hadn't even pulled out of their parking spot yet and she was already being tortured by her memories of the recent past that she couldn't seem to shake.

"I may not be in the majority these days, but I still hold faithfulness extremely important."

She bit her lip. How dare you tell me that, Ryan! How DARE you lie to me! Can't you see what you did to me? I miss you already, and it's your fault. That's not fair. She sniffed and wiped away her tears.

"I-I'm sorry. I was trying to do something that... I thought I could do."

It took everything she had to avoid bawling. Do what, Ryan? What did you think you could do? The heartache was too much.

"For what it's worth, I haven't smiled in a long time. Not until I met you."

She stopped sniffling. She kept replaying those words in her head. I haven't smiled in a long time. I haven't smiled in a long time. Not until I met you.

Something wasn't right.

"Darling, oh darling,"

Her eyes widened. It struck her like a lightning bolt. He kept looking at her like she was someone else; someone he was madly in love with. His wife. It had to be his wife. He said he wasn't divorced. He was even wearing his wedding ring before he met with Trixie. All signs pointed towards a happy marriage.

Yet he said he hadn't smiled in a long time, and the pain in his life was clearly evident.

There is no way he would have cheated on his wife. He wasn't divorced, and didn't want to be divorced, but he was having sex with an escort.

Her hand went to her mouth. It all made sense now. Quickly, she unbuckled her seat and ran up the aisle. Yelling at the stewardess, she said "Ma'am, wait! I have to get off!"

But the flight attendant had already closed and latched the door, and the plane was being towed out to the taxiway.