It was the most fleeting of moments. But from there, all I could think was grey cotton under a brown corduroy skirt. And by the sparkle in her eye, I knew she’d even surprised herself.
They needed to fix the aircon at Gate 17. As she fumbled inside her backpack, her tongue lashed idly over her lip-ring and my bra felt way too tight. Someone called somebody’s name over the PA and I looked away so fast, my neck cricked. When I turned back, she walked past; a note fell in my lap: Ladies, 5 mins?
But we’d be boarding soon. I counted time. It only took four to summon the nerve and pick the right cubicle by her shoes. She said hello with Turkish delight and coffee lips, then afterwards twisted the ring on my finger, asked where I’d be staying in Prague.
“Connecting flight to New York,” I apologised.
She re-fastened the hook through my clothes, and smiled. “Oh, that’s too bad.”
She was gone when I got back to the gate. As I sat down, my husband winked and nudged me a quiet greeting, smiling into his phone.
First published in Dot Club #15, Sep 2019.
Love, Nostalgia & Lights in the Sky
Available with a subscription to my low-noise newsletter, Dot Club.
1 comment:
Transit is great, JL. I love the idea of a 'tiny' story. :)
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