"Love you." He finished. He kissed the top of my head.
"Go. You're going to miss your plane." He broke apart from my body. All I could do was nod. I gave me one last look before he turned himself and walked in the other direction. Leaving me alone. I stood there for a minute before I did the same. I had a flight to catch.
I checked my ticket before I entered the gate. My plane was almost ready to board. Slowly the sections were named. One by one. I was section D. Slowly the line moved forward and the next section would be called.
B.
I looked out the window for a distraction. The sky was a bright blue. It reminded me of Joe's shirt when we- I turned away from the window quickly.
C.
I look down at my shoes. I was wearing these shoes when Joe and I went- I stopped again. I looked across the room.
D.
Finally my section was called. I stood up and waited in the line to get in. I reached the attendant. His name was Joe. You had got to be kidding me. I choke back tears. I held my head high and headed to my seat on the plane. I shoved my carry on into the compartment and was again relieved that this was the only bag I brought before the rest was going to be shipped.
Sighing I sat in my seat and waited for takeoff. I looked over at the seat next to me. It was a quaint old lady knitting. I try my best to smile at her.
"You've been crying." She stated bluntly.
"Oh," I sniffled "Yeah I guess I have"
"May I ask why?" She smiled sweetly.
"Well you see my dad has never really approved if my job choice. So he found me a job as a business associate in New York. I didn't want to let him down like I've already have." I answered. "So I had to leave everything behind."
"It was a boy." She interrupted.
I nodded. Tears started to flow again.
"Yeah. And the most incredible friends I've ever met."
She placed her hand on my lap.
"When I was about your age I was in love. He had to go very far away for a long time. He was going to have to leave me behind because I had my life somewhere else."
"What did you do?" I asked.
"I followed my heart. And my heart belonged to him. So I followed him. My family didn't approve at first but that's the thing about love. It has you do crazy things. But before you do you have yourself the big question: is he worth it? And he was. Two years later we were married with our first child on the way. If I had to do it all again I wouldn't do it any differently. That's why I'm going to New York. He's there." She smiled again then began to knit.
Her story was the best love story I've ever heard. She was brave and did what she wanted even without her family's support. She was amazing. While I tried to picture this lady, young and daring, she flagged a flight attendant.
"Excuse me dear, I am having some chest pains and my granddaughter here an I have to exit the plane. But I don't want to make a fuss so if we could keep it on the downlow."
My head snapped faster than anything. I was stunned. Flabbergasted.
"Of course ma'me." And she headed to the back. The lady unbuckled her seat belt and almost skipped out of her seat.
"Well come on." She winked. Still stunned I stood up and grabbed her and my stuff. We exited the plane with ease. A minute later we were back in the airport. Another flight attendant came out with us.
"May I escort you to the first aid of the airport."
"No need sweetie. My granddaughter always carries my medication in a liquid form in her purse and I completely forgot! Silly me. Is it possible to get on this flight or should I wait for the next?" The attendant just stood there as shocked as I was.
"Unfortunately you will have to take the next one in a couple of hours but we can supply you with a room in our airport hotel, your luggage will be held for you and lemme get you a new ticket." She turned and walked over to the desk. The lady turned at me quickly.
"Go get him." She whispered and winked. As a instinct I nodded and walked the other way. As whatever just happened processed I walked faster. When I ran the events completely in my mind I ran. Out of pure adrenaline I laughed. Crazily. It was destiny. I was not made to be a business associate. I was made to act and if I had to do that completely without my father than so be it. The only thing I was cared about was the fact that I would see Joe's face again. I will hug his muscles. I will feel him pick me up in his arms. I could kiss his lips again. He was worth it. All of it. I just had to make it on time. His plane was leaving a little later than mine was suppose to so hopefully I had time. What was his gate? E10. His gate was E10. I ran faster. I had to make it. I searched frantically at the signs. I had to go left. I did. Faster.
E1
E5
E7.
Just a couple more.
E8
E9
E10!
I darted my eyes around the area. Something familiar caught my eye. It was Meredith's headband! Behind her was Brian, then Joe! They were in line to board the plane. I sprinted as fast as I could.
"Joe!" I called his name. "Walker!" I called again.
He turned around curiously. His face became confusion, shocked, and joy before I tackled him to the ground. Everyone was staring at us.
"Wha. How?" Was his response. I snatched the collar of his shirt and pressed my lips against his. Again he was at first shocked but quickly accepted it and kissed me back.
"I'm not going on that plane." I whispered.
"Neither am I." He smiled before he kissed me again.
"Umm Joe?" I muttered nervously.
"Yeah?" He answered not looking away.
"People are staring at us." I said through my teeth. Joe snapped back to reality.
"Right." He said standing.
"Guys." He nodded.
They laughed.
"Alright buddy we will see you guys in a couple of weeks." Brian chuckled. "Waitress." He nodded with a smile. The rest of them smiled as we waved goodbye with a whole mix of comments.
People still stared looking pretty confused.
"Come on." Joe grinned, grasping my waist.
"Let's go home."
Home. Home was good.
I had to call my dad as soon as I got back to my old trusty apartment (hey everything wasn't shipped yet and Evanna wasn't going to move in the same day!) why I wasn't going to be at JFK to pick me up.
"Yes dad I understand that... But you have to see it from my..." I looked at Joe desperate for help. He shrugged with a worried glance. I was sick of it. Sick of me telling me how to run my life.
"Dad!" I yelled into the phone. He got silent. I took a deep breath. "Dad it was my decision to come here. My decision to become an actress. I'm good at it. It makes me happy. I'm not made to be a business associate and I think we both know that. I know that you think I'm the failure of the family. I can see that with Rosa and Henry doing so well in their careers. But I'm happy here. I have met the most amazing people that I couldn't leave behind they're my family when I couldn't bring you guys with me. And if you're disappointed then so be it. Never talk to me again if you don't want to. Forget that I'm your daughter but I'm not changing my mind. And because of my situation they should be rebating you for the plane ticket. I'm staying."
I felt strong. I felt good.
"Fine. Okay." Was his response before he hung up. He hung up. Just fine? No, "You're right I pushed you." Just "Fine whatever." Did he ever say where we were at? Was I still considered his daughter? I stood motionless on the floor.
"He said fine." I repeated aloud.
"That's good!" Joe tried to cheer I cut him off.
"He said fine then hung up." I stared straight ahead.
"That's not good."
I shook my head. Fine.
I stomped into my room and ripped open one of the pecked boxes. Inside I grabbed a smaller shoebox and pulled out a flower notebook. I flipped through the pages in anger. I ripped the cap off a pen with my teeth and furiously wrote.
The time I asked to stay age 25
On my list. I could feel Joe stand over my shoulder.
"Whatcha doing?" He asked.
"This," I said through my teeth. "Is all the times that my dad has proved that I'm a disappointment. Even if he hasn't said it straight out."
The list was twenty things long. I started this list when I was ten. I finished writing and slammed the notebook back in the shoebox. It made me feel a little better.
It made me feel fine.
I walked out of the room faster than I did in.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Joe asked cautiously.
"No." I replied coldly. I marched into the fridge and snatch a juice box, stabbed the straw in it furiously and sipped. Joe furrowed his brow and stared at me. I stared back. Apparently we had a staring contest going on. We all knew I was avoiding the subject. I still held my ground. After I finished the juice box I set it down on the counter. A little while longer Joe gave up and shrugged.
"You need to tell Evanna your back." He said simply before sitting himself on the couch and flipped on the TV. He was right! I ran out of the room and knocked on Denny's door. She answered. Her eyes bugged out of her head, a smile forming on her face.
"You're not moving!" She exclaimed grasping me into a hug. I told her the while story and she agreed that it was no accident and here I was. She still broke the news that she had decided to move in with Denny and I was going to be homeless by next week. Well I had a week to find a new home. Okay. I then remembered that I had left Joe in the apartment all by himself and told her I would see her later. I came back to the same setting I left moments before.
"She sounded happy." Joe smiled up at me from the couch. I was glad he wasn't angry for not talking about it to him.
"Yeah, but now I'm homeless." I stated plopping myself on the couch. "Evanna is going to move in with Denny and she already told the maintenance so they are closing the apartment for rent next week." I sighed. I was going to miss the place. It was weird to think of someone else living in it. I bet it was going to feel weirder for Evanna living right next door.
"That means I have to go apartment shopping! And find a new roommate!" I whined as I flung my head back.
"Maybe not..." Joe grinned slyly. I gave him a confused glance. He literally rolled off the couch and got down on one knee in front of me. What the hell was he doing. He took my hand into his.
"Annabella Eyre Davis, it would be my honor to become..,"
What the hell. What the hell.
"Your roommate."
I stared at him wide eyed.
"My roommate? Like move in together?" I asked. Joe nodded with a huge grin.
"You are not proposing." I stated just to clarify. He looked shocked
.
"What? No! Just to do normal activities in the same living quarters."
I sighed in relief.
"Okay you're hired!" I joked and pushed him off balance. "Starting tomorrow." I confirmed.
We sat and watched Doctor Who for a while. Joe wasn't really paying attention. I watched the Tenth Doctor of course. Nothing wrong with Matt Smith but there was just something about David Tennant's hair...
The next thing I knew my phone beeped. I got a text. It was from him. I almost end screamed right there. I emotionally could not take this any more. I have been through enough emotions for one day. It was weird to think about that I got off a freakin' airplane today. I sighed and read the text anyway.
"We need to talk. -dad."
I don't know why we sighed it. He knows about caller ID. I rolled my eyes. I noticed there were still previous text messages from weeks maybe months before. I read through them all remembering each moment when I sent them. I was happy with him then. He was funny. I could feel hot tears form in the corner of my eyes. I was so exhausted. But I needed to get through this. I could not bottle it up for ten years.
"Joe." I whimpered petting him lightly on the shoulder. "I wanna talk about it." I cried.