Delayed

Delayed

"So you're really going home?"

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"Why? You know Mom'll be drunk the whole time, and she'll either ask you for money or steal it from you."

Jason Walker knew his older brother was right. Their mother was a hardcore alcoholic who'd given up caring about even trying to quit years ago. He also knew she was their mother, and neither one of them had gone back to see her in the last ten years.

It was also true that until their father died she'd been the best mom a boy could ever have. After that, well, not so much. And to make matters worse, without their father, her two boys needed her more than ever, but once she turned to booze to make the pain go away, things got worse. Worse to the point that child protective services came to their house and removed them from the home.

The home she still lived in was paid for thanks to a healthy amount of life insurance money that had allowed her to pay the taxes each year, buy enough to eat, and drink to her heart's content. Even so, she'd nearly gone through the half-million dollar, double-indemnity payout, and once it was gone it was very possible she could end up in jail for not paying the taxes. Then again, with the amount she drank and the number of years she'd been doing that, her life was probably better measured in months more than years.

"I know, Jerry, but she's our mom."

"Jason? She may have given birth to us, but she's not our mom."

"I understand, but I'm going anyway. I can't tell you why other than what I just said. All I know is I feel like I've gotta go home."

"Home. That's rich."

Not knowing what else to say he told his brother he'd talk to him soon.

The line went dead without a response, but then again, he and his big brother weren't exactly close, either. They'd been separated in foster care, and while they'd initially tried to stay in touch it was extremely difficult. By the time Jerry turned 18 he just wanted out and joined the Army, leaving his younger brother with another family, something that turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Jason.

Here it was, It was almost Christmas, and that was one of two times either of them bothered communicating. It was typically a short text with something like 'Merry Fucking Christmas' at the end. The other was on their birthday. Jason was five years younger than Jerry to the day. They'd been born on the same day in June, so that made remembering it easy, but it was really just another excuse not to have to talk to the other person an additional time each year.

Jason was just arriving at the Seattle-Tacoma airport in an Uber when he got Jerry's semi-annual text which prompted his younger brother, because of his decision to go 'home', to give him a call. As he put his phone away after the short, rather cryptic 'chat', he took care of the fee on the Uber app plus a tip then went inside.

He started heading toward the United ticket counter now wondering why he'd thought it was so important to go see someone he hadn't even spoken to on the phone since 2018 and it had been many more years since he'd seen her in person.

"Because she's your mother," he told himself as he checked the signs on the wall and saw that United was to his left.

He was two hours early, and the line for security was still a mile long. But it 'twas the season, and long lines were just a part of the new reality of flying. Pilot shortages caused cancellations and delays all the time, and the shortage was expected to get a lot worse by 2030 as older pilots retired and fewer younger people had the resources or interest to complete the required training.

Then there was weather to deal with. There may have been a pilot shortage but there was no shortage of Karens or Kens making asses out of themselves onboard or in a terminal which meant long delays waiting for the police to show up and remove the drunk and/or obnoxious passenger.

Jason put his earbuds in and listened to a podcast as he inched his way toward the screening area. He hadn't flown for a couple of years, and while the Seattle-Tacoma airport called 'SeaTac' was jammed with people, he was still looking forward to flying. Even in coach.

Jason worked for the Boeing Company. He was currently employed as a systems engineer on Boeing's 787, a job he truly loved. The old saying was true: if you do something you love you'll never work a day in your life. The only work he did was working out, another passion he'd picked up while in foster care.

He'd been lucky to be placed with a family that was obsessed with fitness and education. His foster dad was a civil engineer who had a home gym he spent an hour in every day. Jason had been 15 when CPS placed him there, and he credited this man and his wife with saving his life. They not only helped him with getting physically healthy and strong, they taught him to believe in himself and see life as a challenge to be met head-on every day. And above all else they stressed getting an education. Jason had a flair for math, and his new dad spent a ton of time with him encouraging and helping him, things for which he was grateful every single day.

Even now he considered them his parents and spoke to them at least twice a week although 'speaking' was often just texting, but he loved staying in touch with them. Either he flew to Dallas to see them or they flew to the Seattle area to see him at least once a year. So while he was going to see his birth mother, he would be staying with his adoptive family, so it was actually a win-win no matter how things shook out with his female parent.

The podcast was 53 minutes in length, and just as it was ending a TSA agent motioned for him to come forward. Less than a minute later he had his carry-on in hand and a small backpack re-slung over his shoulder.

He was grateful not to have to physically check in at the counter as that had already been done electronically. He had his boarding pass in hand and now only needed to hear the boarding call for his flight. He looked at his watch, a college graduation present from his 'mom and dad', and realized he still had a lengthy wait ahead of him.

The seating area was packed, but he found one empty seat, and to his pleasant surprise, it was on the end of a row. He sat down, placed his things under his seat and as close to his right side as he could then got ready to listen to another podcast.

About 20 minutes into it, the person to his left got up and grabbed his things. Less than three seconds later another passenger slid in next to him. He wasn't really paying attention until he saw a blonde ponytail that swished the side of his face when she sat down and quickly looked to her left. It didn't bother him in the least, but because he wasn't looking his arm came up in 'self defense.'

The woman noticed and apologized.

"Sorry! Did I get you?" she asked.

As she turned to look at him Jason saw a beautiful face with clear, smooth skin, blue eyes, silky blonde hair, and an amazing smile surrounded by two soft, full lips.

"No. I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but that was an involuntary reaction. You know, like when someone throws a punch. With...her ponytail."

She laughed then told him her name was Diana before apologizing again.

Jason then introduced himself and let her know that he was pretty sure he'd live.

"I'm glad. Oh, and merry Christmas, by the way," the very attractive blonde woman said.

"Thanks. Same to you."

"I take it you're flying to Dallas. Business or pleasure?"

"Definitely not business, and the jury's still out on whether or not they'll be any pleasure," he told her with a laugh.

"I'm normally not chatty, but I get nervous when I fly, so if I'm bothering you just...shut me up, okay?"

"What? You're not bothering me, Diana. It's actually nice to have someone to talk to."

That was true, but only because Jason found her disarmingly attractive. He was basically an introvert who got his energy from his own private thoughts while spending time alone. He tolerated people well, and being a very good looking guy himself, people--especially women--tolerated him, too, and no small amount of them enjoyed his company. Not physically in most cases but just being around them was a pleasant experience for them.

"How about you?" he asked her.

"Job interview," she replied. "I'm a registered nurse, and there's a doctor who used to work at the hospital where I'm currently employed downtown. He went into private practice last year, and we kind of stayed in touch. He's looking in for an RN, and I'm looking to get out of Seattle. He's also a very nice man and...single...and this is when both had the time to make this work."

Jason was surprised that he was surprised that he felt some kind of reaction to Diana 's comment about 'seeing' someone, or him seeing her because he was single, but didn't say anything.

Also, he didn't live in Seattle. He lived in the city of Auburn which was maybe 15 miles south of Seattle and worked at Boeing's office in Renton which was in between Auburn and Seattle. He wanted to ask why she wanted to leave the Emerald City, but he thought he knew the reason. Even more so, he didn't want to get into a political discussion if she disagreed with his Libertarian views. His beliefs were as strong as anyone's, but he never tried to push them on anyone, as that would be, well...very un-Libertarian.

"It's just such a shame," Diana said. "I grew up in Seattle, and it was such a gorgeous city. Now...not so much."

"I understand. Totally," was all he said.

"I believe the very mild sedative I took to calm my nerves is kicking in," Diana told him. "I think I'll give you a break and try and close my eyes and let it do its thing."

"Sure, but you're definitely not bothering me."

"Thanks for saying that, and I've enjoyed our brief chat. Just don't let me miss the boarding call, okay?"

She laughed a little, and Jason took a slightly longer look and was amazed at how beautiful she was. She was older than him, but that was the last thing on his mind as he did a quick, surreptitious check of the rest of her body which looked to be as amazing as her very pretty face.

Diana not only didn't notice the once-over, she'd already sat back and had her eyes closed. Jason went back to his podcast, and was nearly to the end when he saw an agent pick up the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, United's flight 1527 to Dallas is going to be delayed."

The groans were loud and deep, but the woman, who was used to the reaction, kept going.

"As expected, Dallas is getting hit with a snowstorm. It does snow in Dallas, but this is supposed to be the biggest winter storm there during December in years. That said, there is only supposed to be about 2-3" total, and it's supposed to over and done in about four hours. With any luck, they'll be able to clear the runways and we'll be able to send you on your way without too much of a delay."

A huge crowd formed around her and the other agent as passengers peppered her with questions and expressed their displeasure in every way possible.

"You couldn't pay me enough to do their job," Diana said, surprising him as she sat up.

She'd opened her eyes during the announcement, but whatever she'd taken had evidently worked quite well as she was sounding very mellow.

"No. Me, either. In fact, I couldn't do any job that required me to be interact with the public. To include teaching, as important a job as that is."

"Oh, right. People think they own servers at restaurants, police officers, and even teachers."

"Yeah. They get all self-righteous and say, 'I pay your salary!' or 'if you were expecting a tip you can forget it'."

"Exactly! They're just trying to do their job and people are SO rude!"

Diana sounded slightly more animated and sat straight up.

"So...I guess we wait."

"Four hours. Minimum."

"At least we're not sitting on the tarmac on a plane without heat."

"Oh, that would be pleasant," Jason quipped.

"I had the opposite happen to me three years ago. It was 92 degrees outside, and my flight had just pushed back from the gate and started to taxi. It came to a stop and the next thing we hear is the captain telling us the air conditioning system is malfunctioning. I have no idea how hot it was inside the plane, but we were all sweating like...."

"Pigs?"

Diana laughed then said, "I was going to say 'crazy' but, yes, that's how it was. And we each got one, 12-ounce bottle of water during the three-hour delay."

One thing led to another, and before they knew it they'd been talking for nearly two hours without a break. Both of them found the other person and their job extremely interesting. They also shared a common view of the world even though Diana wasn't a Libertarian.

She was one of those true Independents who didn't just claim to be but who always ended up voting either 'D' or 'R' in every election. She had an open mind, but it wasn't so open that her brains had fallen out, and she wasn't QAnon crazy the other way, either.

"I don't think I've ever met a woman as interesting, intelligent, and well-informed as you before," Jason told her after their first two hour of chit-chat that got a little heavy at times while touching on politics, religion, and relationships.

"Same here," she replied. "Except for the woman part. Which you most definitely are not."

Jason then laughed, glanced down at his lap, then told her, "Last time I checked I was most definitely not."

That made Diana laugh again just as the agent picked up the intercom.

"Ladies and gentlemen. The good news is that the snowfall in Dallas is over. The bad news is that it was a record amount with five inches accumulating in just over two hours. The worse news is that the Dallas airport will require an additional two hours to clear the snow and reopen. United has arranged for passengers to leave the secure area and return no later than two hours and thirty minutes from now at...."

No one heard her say the time as the moans and groans were even louder this time around.

"So now what?" Diana asked almost rhetorically.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

"We may not get our seats back."

"True. But do we really want to spend another three hours in these hard, plastic...torture devices?"

"Barstools do tend to be softer," she added after laughing at his description.

"Shall we?"

They picked up their bags and began the trek down the crowed corridors. The first bar they came to was jam packed and had a very long line outside.

"This isn't looking good," Diana said as they kept going.

The second location was almost as busy, but the line was only to the entrance. They continued chatting as they inched their way up, and within 15 minutes they were seated at a small table for two with barely enough room for their things, but neither of them cared.

"So do you date at all?" Jason asked rather carefully after they'd finished a first drink.

Diana explained that her husband had died four years ago from a brain tumor. She didn't go into detail, but it sounded like he'd been in horrible pain the last month after going blind two weeks before that.

"Not really. I've tried a few times, but my heart just isn't in it. I love my work, and that's enough. For now, anyway. How about you? You're a very nice looking young man, so I'm guessing that's a big 'yes'?"

Jason laughed politely then told her, "No, not much. I love my job, too, and I've had a really difficult time finding someone who isn't self-absorbed, covered in tattoos or who wants to share every aspect of her life on social media."

"Huh. I didn't take you for such a traditional kind of guy," she said in a polite way.

"Well, that's me. Twenty-six going on 40."

Diana raised an eyebrow then said, "Great. Thanks for reminding me."

"Of?"

She kind of rolled her eyes then told him, "I just turned 40. Last week."

He did another once-over from her boobs up and shook his head.

"No way. You can't be 40. Sorry, that just isn't possible."

"Yes, way. I can't believe it myself, but it's true."

"Wow. I don't know what to say as I was thinking 32 or 33-ish."

"I'm not as surprised to learn you're 26, but I am a little surprised. You carry yourself and sound like someone closer to my age. No offense."

She laughed, and so did Jason.

"None taken."

Diana now looked at him differently. He was at least six feet tall and had a gorgeous smile and thick, black hair and amazing green eyes. His very dark stubble made him look even more handsome, and perhaps that was what led her to initially believe he was in his early 30s. She couldn't decide if he was ruggedly handsome or GQ handsome, but both descriptions worked. And he was also very intelligent and could make her smile. If only....

"I also didn't mean to be offensive when I said you were traditional. I...l like traditional in many ways."

"Good because I'll always open your door and feel like it's my responsibility to protect you," he told her.

He smiled but didn't laugh, and Diana found herself liking what he said.

"Then at least in that sense, I suppose I'm traditional, too. I would never presume to able to protect you. At least not physically."

She laughed then said, "I do swing a mean purse, though."

Jason chuckled and told her that was good to know.

Diana wanted to ask him more about why he didn't date much, but now that he knew she was...ancient...she decided against it.

"If it's too personal just tell me, but may I ask why you said you're not sure if your trip to Dallas will be pleasant?"

She saw him look at his drink and was sure she was out of bounds, but he looked up then explained why he said that.

"Oh, my goodness. That's awful. Except for the new mom and dad. That part's pretty wonderful."

"I hit the jackpot. I know of so many foster kids who had shit...sorry...really bad experiences. Before I landed with them, I had a couple of those. People whose only interest was a monthly check. But when I ended up with them my whole life changed and the way I look at the world."

"You seem pretty incredible to me," she told him as she imagined a young boy going through that and how it could make anyone jaded and cynical.

"Huh. I was thinking the same thing about you," he replied, shocking her to the point that she kind of shook her head as she blinked and opened her eyes wide.

"Sorry. I didn't mean anything...."

"No. It's not that," she told him before he explain what he meant or didn't mean. "I...you...this whole thing. It's just been so...different. And...nice."

Jason saw her facial expression change and thought he knew why.

"I'm hoping that by 'this whole thing' you mean meeting and talking."

"Yes. Definitely," she replied immediately. "I always hope to find someone to talk to in order to pass the time, but I never even dreamed I'd meet someone...like you."

Her voice trailed off, and again, he was pretty sure he knew why.

"That goes double for me except that I normally hope that no one will say a word to me."

He smiled at her then said, "But I'm very thankful that someone did this time."

Those words made Diana wonder why she aware that was definitely feeling something. His comment was something she'd liked hearing, but it wasn't just the conversation. She knew that, she just didn't know what else it might be.

"Do you think we should maybe head back to the gate?" she asked as she hoped to deflect whatever these feelings she was having for this very unusual, much-younger man who seemed to possibly be having them for her, unless it was all just a figment of her lonely imagination which was probably the better explanation.

Even if she was feeling something, she couldn't see any possible future with him, and she needed time to think. To think and...to let these feelings go away once reality set back in.