Cosima sat at the airport bar, sipping her beer. She looked out the window, the gusts of snow making it difficult to see anything, except some flashing lights in the distance. She looked down, checking her phone for the hundredth time, but there was nothing there.
It was sad, really. It was Christmas Eve, and there she was, sitting all alone, a few random people smattered around the dimly lit room. She sighed, looking around at everyone with their heads in their laptops or phones, headphones in, completely oblivious to where they actually were. She turned back to the bartender and waved her empty beer, signaling for another. One more drink, she decided.
She took a sip of her new beer and rested her cheek in her palm, elbow on the bar, closing her eyes for a moment. What was she doing?
"Ehm, yes, hello, a glass of your red wine," she heard a voice say and her ears immediately perked up.
Cosima looked to the right of her to see a tall blonde with the most amazing curly hair situating herself into the seat three down from hers. She was like a bright ray of sunshine in an otherwise dreary day and Cosima couldn't help but smile. Perhaps this night would not be so bad after all.
She watched as the blonde thanked the bartender and took a sip of her wine. She looked over at Cosima, catching her eye for a moment and gave a small smile before looking away.
Cosima realized she had been staring and clumsily reached for her beer, accidentally knocking it over onto the bar. "Shit," she swore as the bartender ran over with some napkins.
"Don't worry about it," he said. "I'll get you another."
Cosima gave him a nervous grin, not daring to look back over at the blonde.
"Excuse me, are you alright?"
Cosima turned to the source of that smooth, accented voice and felt her heart beat faster when she realized the woman was talking to her. "Oh, yeah, yeah, just...a...a little clumsy," she stumbled, waving her hands in the air.
The blonde nodded and chuckled at her, turning back to her wine.
Cosima exhaled and thought about the fact that it was Christmas Eve and she literally had nothing left to lose after her disaster of the past week, so she decided to put herself out there. Be bold, Cosima.
"Hey, um, so I don't mean to bother you, but I can't help but wonder what brings you to a Toronto airport on Christmas Eve," Cosima turned to the blonde and said.
The blonde turned back toward Cosima and smiled. "Oh, well, my flight has been cancelled. I was trying to get back to France for the holiday, but I guess that is not happening," she answered.
"Oh, damn, sorry, that totally sucks," Cosima replied, continuing to nurse her beer. She got up and moved closer. "Well, since you're not going anywhere, would you mind some company? I'm kind of bored...my...uh...flight was cancelled too."
"Please," the blonde responded, gesturing toward the seat next to her. She ran her hand back through her flowing curls as Cosima shimmied her way onto the bar stool.
"We have not been properly introduced," the blonde noted, holding her hand out, "Delphine."
Cosima extended her hand to meet Delphine's. It was soft and warm and Cosima grasped it for a little too long. "Cosima," she replied with a smile.
"Enchantée."
Cosima tilted her head and grinned, her fangy teeth showing as she showed her delight for the French woman speaking her native language. "Enchantée," she copied.
Delphine chuckled at Cosima's pronunciation and Cosima turned red when she saw the blonde woman's dimples show up on her face as she smiled. She is gorgeous, Cosima thought, grabbing her beer and taking a long swig.
"So what brought you to Toronto?" Cosima asked, her elbows up on the bar, mindlessly twirling her fingers together.
"Oh, I had a few meetings for potential jobs," Delphine replied, taking a sip of her wine as she looked at Cosima over the glass.
Cosima couldn't help but stare at her lips, how they gripped the wine glass just right, how they looked so soft and warm. She realized she was staring again and snapped herself out of it. "Oh, wow, here? That's far from home."
"Um, yes, well, I need a change of pace," she told the brunette, seeming a little flustered.
"Oh, why's that?" Cosima asked before she realized she was being nosy and noticed the change in the woman next to her. "Oh my god, don't answer that. Gosh I don't mean to pry...seriously, you can tell me to go away."
Delphine took a deep breath and reached out, resting her hand on Cosima's forearm. "Non, it's okay," she assured.
Cosima's skin tingled where the blonde was touching her and her mouth opened slightly, a barely audible breath escaping her lips. She swallowed, thinking it was extremely ridiculous to be so attracted to this woman she just met.
Delphine looked back at her with a smile, but a sad look in her eyes. She looked like she was going to say more, but instead turned back to her drink, removing her hand from Cosima's arm and taking a sip.
Great, way to make things awkward, Cosima thought, gulping down her own beer.
Cosima finally broke the silence. "Hey, um, so can I tell you something? I feel like I need to be honest here...and I kind of have a confession to make," she muttered.
Delphine raised her eyebrows, a concerned but curious look on her face. "Oh?"
Cosima fidgeted nervously with the fabric at the end of her shirt. "Yeah, so, like, my flight didn't get cancelled."
Delphine looked at her, even more confused.
"I, uh, flew in a few hours ago...from San Francisco. I was coming home. I live here," she continued.
"Then why…" Delphine asked, turning to face her.
Cosima chuckled nervously. "Yeah, why am I here? That's a good question. It's sad, really. I, uh, didn't really want to go home and be alone on Christmas Eve, and I was already here, so I just decided to stay and have a couple drinks. I know...super pathetic."
Delphine reached her hand out again to place it on the brunette's hand. "Non, Cosima, it is not pathetic. I am sorry you are alone," she soothed.
"Yeah...well, here's the even sadder part...I was supposed to spend Christmas with my girlfriend, but I found out she's been cheating on me, so I had to get out of there. We were doing the whole long distance thing anyway...which never works...so…" she trailed off, feeling like shouldn't be rambling so much to a stranger.
"Oh, Cosima, that is terrible," Delphine replied, "It is her loss." She brushed her thumb over the back of Cosima's hand, causing the brunette's heart to race.
"Uh, yeah, thanks," Cosima mumbled. "I'm, um, sorry that I kinda lied to you before."
Delphine shook her head. "I have a small confession of my own to make," she told her.
Cosima's eyes and ears perked up. "Yeah?"
Delphine nodded. "I am happy that my flight got cancelled. I know it's Christmas Eve, but I am glad for two reasons."
Cosima gave her a curious look, wanting to know more.
"I did not want to go home. I did not want to see my family for the holidays. They are...judgmental. They don't like that I am looking for jobs here. They want me to stay and work in the family business," she explained.
"Oh," Cosima replied. "I see. What's the family business?"
"Oh, my family runs a large bakery in Paris," Delphine answered, "I am just not interested in that life. I am not passionate about it, and I want to do something I am passionate about."
"What are you passionate about?" Cosima asked, her thumb mindlessly raising up to brush the side of Delphine's hand.
"Well, science is my life," the blonde responded, "I want to help people. I want to find cures for diseases. I specialize in immunology."
"No way!" Cosima exclaimed. "I am a scientist too. Evo-devo is my specialty."
"Evo-devo?" Delphine asked, before a look of recognition washed over her face. "Oh, evolutionary development, I see. Wow, that is impressive."
Cosima smiled her toothy grin, way too excited to have made a connection like this. "So, um, what was the other reason?"
"Hmm?" Delphine asked, staring right into Cosima's eyes.
"You said there were two reasons you were happy your flight got cancelled," she told her, "What's the other one?"
Delphine's cheeks flushed red as she smiled, biting her lip. "Oh, well, because...I met you," she whispered, nudging Cosima's hand to turn it over as she intertwined their fingers, both women feeling the light buzz from the alcohol they had been consuming.
Cosima's mouth fell slightly open as she let out a shaky breath, electricity pulsing from her fingertips. She finally found her words, "Hey, um, I know we just met...obvs...and I hope this isn't too bold, but like, if you don't have anywhere to stay tonight, you could, um, come back to my apartment." She paused and tried to read Delphine's expression. "I've got lots of wine," she added quickly, grinning her sweetest smile.
"Oh, well, wine…" Delphine replied, "I do love wine."
"So is that a yes?" Cosima asked. "I mean, I kinda feel like it would be a crime if we both spent Christmas Eve alone."
"A crime?" Delphine teased, sipping down the last of her wine. "Ah, yes, I agree. Definitely a crime. I would love to come home with you."
Cosima gripped Delphine's fingers tighter in hers, her palms sweating. She was flushed with nerves, but trying so terribly hard to play it cool with this woman. This gorgeous woman who seemed interested in her. Was this really happening?
"Uh, awesome...shall we?" Cosima asked, reluctantly letting go of Delphine's hand to grab her bag.
Delphine nodded and smiled, following the small brunette out of the bar. She never would have thought in a million years that this is where she would be on Christmas Eve, going to a practical stranger's apartment. An adorable, sexy, amazing, practical stranger.