Samuel Evans counted his blessings, said his prayers, and waited for the end.
"If we don't get out of this alive, just know that you are absolutely without a doubt my soul mate, and I've cherished our time together."
"Sam, come on. Stop it," Mercedes scoffed. "We're not going to die."
"'Cedes, you do realize we're about to be 30,000 feet in the air, right?"
Here we go, Mercedes thought.
"Yes, I do realize that, but-"
"As in no ground?"
"Yeah, b-"
"As in certified death if anything happens to the plane?"
Sam was terrified of flying. After losing Mercedes and being homeless again, flying was his biggest fear. He couldn't stand anything about planes, from the recycled air to the tiny bathrooms. Every time they flew, Sam panicked and worried and sweated. And every time they flew, Mercedes delivered her spiel.
Unfortunately, the only person who could ever calm him down was quickly losing her patience.
"Sam," Mercedes tried again, "You know there's a higher chance of us getting into a car accident than us dying from a plane crash, right? Much higher, in fact."
"Yeah, but one of those doesn't involve falling out of the sky!"
"Sam, how many times have you flown on a plane?"
"…about a dozen times, give or take."
"And how many times have you died?"
"None, but-"
"As in currently breathing?"
"Very funny, M-"
"As in, still living your life?"
"Yes, as in still living my life," Sam sighed. "But this could be the one, Merce! This could really be it!"
"But it won't be."
"How do you know?"
"Well, you're right, maybe I don't. But if it was, which I don't think it is, but if it was…there's no one else I'd rather be with."
A smile began to spread across Sam's face, but he quickly caught himself.
"Stop that, you're saying sweet things to distract me!"
"Is it working?" Mercedes asked, smirking.
"Well…a little bit, I guess," he said, nestling into her shoulder.
The flight attendant announced that the plane would be leaving soon, and Mercedes braced herself when she felt her husband tense up. He looked over at her, worry etched into his features and creased into his brow. She looked back at him, took his hand and smiled.
"Remember the routine, sweetness."
"Right. The routine. Deep breaths, nice thoughts. Deep breaths, nice thoughts. Deep breaths, nice thoughts," Sam chanted.
"Aren't you missing a part?"
"Mercedes is here," He breathed. "Deep breaths, nice thoughts, Mercedes is here."
"That's right. I'm here. Always," Mercedes replied. "Okay?"
"Okay," Sam said, smiling, and finally beginning to relax a little.
"I don't know what I'd do without you, 'Cedes."
"Well…you'd probably only take the train," she quipped.
Sam laughed. A real, genuine belly laugh. "Yeah," he said, looking at her fondly, "I probably would."