The Connection

My legs were up against my chest as the restless child who sat in the seat before me pushed back and forth trying to get a reaction from her mother who was scrolling through her phone. I closed my eyes as another push from the little princess's seat hit my chin. I turned to my best friend, Becky who had convinced me to take this Florida trip “to relax”.

Becky just gave me a nudge, “Just think in a couple of hours you will be basking in the tropical sun.” She tapped the child’s mother on the shoulder and pointed while the little kicker sat still in chair trying to pretend, she was angelic the whole time.

I grinned as I thought about how I did need to get away. I had just broken up with Ted after a seven-year engagement which was never going to end. I just could not set a date as it seemed so final. His only response was “I need to know it has been seven years!"

“You are rushing me, I’m not ready!” It was all I could think of to respond.

Finally, I got the nerve to pack my things and move in with Becky for the time being. Two weeks living with Becky, her husband, two kids, two cats and a dog. They were all being supportive, but ten years I had given to Ted, three dating and seven engaged. Ten years and I was alone again. I looked out the window as we passed through the sky flying to Florida for a girl’s weekend away, while Becky’s husband, Mike took care of her life and kids at home. I didn’t need anyone to take care of anything for me, except a couple of plants which Mike said he would water.

I slid down in the seat and rested my legs on floor now that princess in front of me had curled up in ball and fallen asleep. I closed my eyes again and was just about to nod off when a familiar voice asking the stewardess for peanuts caught my attention. I looked over across the aisle and there he was, Nate, my old on again, off again boyfriend from college. We remained friends after the last breakup and even made a pact just as in the movie, My Best Friend’s Wedding, that if we neither one of us was married by thirty then we would find each other and take the leap together. Well, I know now that we are both close to forty, but hey who is counting I thought to myself. I could not even fool myself; I was counting. I had always been counting and even tried to look Nate up several times. He seemed to have fallen off the grid, yet here he was.

I put my sunglasses on so I could spy without being noticed and looked over. He appeared to be alone. He was in pretty good shape, still had most of his hair. I cringed my neck over Becky who looked at me funny,

“What are you doing? Why are you wearing your sunglasses inside on the plane?”

“It’s Nate!” I whispered.

“Nate who?” she questioned.

“Nate, the Nate from college!”

Her jaw dropped opened as she spun her head around and stared right at him. I ducked down in my seat.

“You need to switch seats with me!” she blurted out.

“What? No way! I’m a mess! I have no makeup on! I’m wearing sweats!”

“Amber Lee, you are a least going to talk to him. I have heard nothing but Nate this and Nate that for years as he is the one! Even when you were engaged to Ted! You have built him up to be some kind of superhero that no other man can compete with. You need to talk to him.” Becky started crawling over me.

“No, no! I’m not ready!” I screamed as she pulled me out of my seat.

The stewardess came charging over, “Everything okay here?”

“Yes, yes!” I responded, she is menopausal and needs a window seat. I stuck my tongue out at Becky and as I turned around, I heard

“Amb?”

I looked at the blue eyes of the guy I remembered. The guy who once swept me off my feet with just the smile. My stomach felt the same butterflies when hearing his voice. Why did we end things? I couldn’t imagine at this moment.

“Hi Nate.” I managed to whisper.

“You look amazing Amb! How are you?”

I just nodded until Becky hit me on the back. “I’m good, hanging in there. You look great too!”

“Ah you are just saying that.” He smiled and with that we slid into our twenty-year-old selves joking about all that had happened in the world since. He had married and divorced and had a daughter. A dog too. He wasn’t working right now but was heading to Florida to change his life around where he was going to stay with a group of friends he met during a political rally.

I explained I was attorney working in a legal aid program. He cut me off when I started to describe the program. I wasn’t sure whether he heard me so I nodded.

“Do you remember our pact, Amb?” He was staring right at me as he reached for my hand and kissed it.

I nodded again with a smile as I had held onto that pact for all these years. “Yes of course!” I felt my cheeks turning red.

He continued staring, and the passion between us was blinding. So strong, I felt the same connection we had when we were young. We were still here. He was the one.

“Hey Amb, let me show you something!” He stood up and took out his carry on from the compartment above. I sat watching him, what could he be showing me; something from the past? A picture of his daughter? Maybe even a ring? My heart sped up a bit. I then watched as the light changed in my eyes. He pulled out a red cap and put it on his head. A red baseball cap from the last president with MAGA logo. I froze as I heard him say “What do you think Amb?”

Millions of thoughts went through my mind as that strong connection shredded within moments. I shook as I could not think to do anything else. I was numb from the politics of the last six years. I protested and fought against everything that hat stood for. I could not believe this was my Nate and yet here he was, red hat and all. Then all of a sudden, things settled in my mind. Becky was right, I had made Nate out to be some kind of superhero and he was an imperfect person just like right the rest of us, but I could let him go now and let the pact of long ago be buried in that time.

Nate looked at me again, “Ah, don’t even tell me you believe the crap they say?”

I just held up one hand in a motion to stop and nudged Becky who was already moving over to reclaim her seat.

When I sat back down. Nate had turned away in disgust, but I smiled.

“Looking forward to some beach time Becky.”

“Yes, me too.” As she slid her arm in with mine and I rested my head on her shoulder.