Stopover

A few years ago, when I was in the dwindling days of a failing marriage, I was flying home from a business trip and was lucky enough to be sat next to this beautiful human on my flight. We connected immediately, and by the time we started ordering drinks from the flight attendant, it was as if we had known each other a lifetime. I've rarely felt such an immediate, passionate, intimate connection with another person, and throughout the 2 hour flight, we shared everything about ourselves. I knew my marriage was over. I learned about her romantic struggles, disappointments, and vulnerabilities. We confessed our lives' hopes and dreams and fears. But then, once we landed, we said goodbye and disappeared back into our separate lives. We never even exchanged names. I often wonder what would have happened if we were both heading for connecting flights once we landed, but a storm closed the airport. We find each other in the airport bar, learn we are going to have to stay the night in the airport or a nearby hotel, and things escalate from there . . .