First Class to New York (2 page)

“I want to apologize again for back there, in the lounge,
the water catastrophe.”

Janie slowly turned her head to see a serious expression on the
dark grey suit’s face. “It’s fine, only water. No harm done,” Janie managed a
weak smile.

Dark grey suit seemed to visibly relax after her words were
spoken. “I’m Matt. Matt Lathem.” He smiled, and it went all the way to his
eyes. He had the deepest blue eyes Janie had ever seen.

“Janie. Anderson. Nice to meet you.”

“Well this is a story you’ll be able to tell your husband,
isn’t it?” Matt smiled again.

“I don’t have a husband.”

“Well, boyfriend then?”

Janie shook her head.

“Girlfriend?”

Janie smiled. “No. Probably just my friend, Katy.”
Awkwardness gone
. Phew!
“Hopefully your wife has a good sense of humor.”

“Two wives.”

Janie’s eyes opened wide and her mouth fell open.

 “Well, two ex-wives that is. And no. I won’t be telling them.
No girlfriend either.” He smiled again.

He’s gonna have to stop doing that
, thought Janie
.
It really is a perfect smile.

*****

 “We will be cruising at 35,000 feet today and it looks like
a smooth flight all the way to New York. Expected arrival will be 3:55p.m.
local time. Please sit back and relax and enjoy the flight.” The Captain’s
voice stopped and Jackie, the flight attendant, appeared with the breakfast
menu.
What? No pretzels and a coke?
Janie grinned to herself. She didn’t
feel very hungry, but seeing as though this was probably going to be her one and
only trip in first class she decided she should enjoy ALL of the perks.

“Ma’am? What would you like for breakfast?”

Janie looked at her menu again and then up at Jackie. “I
will have the bacon and egg muffin please, with orange juice and fresh fruit.”

“Certainly. And for you sir?”

Matt was grinning and ordered coffee, black, nothing else.
He turned, just slightly, to Janie and spoke softly. “I’ll try not to spill it
on you.”

“Thank you. I’d appreciate that. I am running out of
shirts.” Janie blushed.

*****

The breakfast trays had been removed and Matt was working on
a laptop. Janie leaned her head on the window and looked at the patchwork of
farmland below. Had she fallen asleep? They had been flying for a couple of
hours but she didn’t have the desire to break out the novel she had purchased
especially for the flight. She heard Matt’s laptop close and saw him put his
hands to his face and cover a yawn. He ran his right hand through his hair and
put his back against the seat. He turned and his eyes caught Janie’s.

“So, what’s taking you to New York?” he asked.

“It’s the trip I have been planning for a long time,” Janie
replied wistfully. She bit the inside of her cheek, thinking of all the times
she had all but begged Robert to take this trip with her. He was too busy at
work, they didn’t have enough money, the boys had practice for one sport or
another, it was the wrong time. There was always a reason, an excuse, and now
she was on a plane taking the trip alone. The tears had stopped flowing a few
months ago, the shock was slowly disappearing too, leaving happy memories in
its place, and at times, sadness.

“Do you have family there?”

“Nope! Don’t know a soul. I have wanted to see New York
since I was 16 and I decided I wasn’t going to wait any longer.”

“You’ve never been there?”

“Nope. First time. You? How many times have you been there?”

Matt chuckled. “I live there. I’ve just been in Portland on
some business.”

“Oh.”

“It’s the most amazing city in the world. Of course I’m
bias,” he smiled. “You’ll have a wonderful time.”

“I hope so.” Janie bit the inside of her cheek again.
WHAT
AM I DOING?
she thought.
I am going to New York by myself for two weeks?

“Where are you staying?”

“Umm. The Ritz Carlton at Central Park. I am splurging, you
know, a once in a lifetime trip?” Janie felt as though she needed to explain
herself. She
didn’t
fly first class and she
didn’t
stay at the
Ritz.

Matt smiled. “I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time.” He
turned back to his computer and opened the lid. The complicated looking
spreadsheet reappeared and he starting typing.

*****

Janie awoke, startled. The Captain’s voice could be heard
asking everyone to return to their seats and buckle their seatbelts. There was
turbulence. The early flight, getting up at 3am, had helped her to fall asleep,
something she rarely did on planes. Janie looked down to make sure her seatbelt
was on.
Oh crap!
Her sweater had twisted and the top of her right breast
was exposed for all the world to see. Heat rushed to her cheeks and she tried
desperately to pull her sweater back over and cover herself without looking
totally obvious. She could see that Matt was still on his laptop and she risked
a glance sideways to his face. He was grinning.
DAMN!!
Again, totally
mortified, Janie turned to look out of the window. The ground was getting closer
and she could see buildings and freeways below.

“Janie?”

Oh please don’t talk to me. Just let me disappear!
Janie
thought to herself, but she turned to Matt and attempted to smile. “Yes?”

The Captain’s voice came over the speaker. The plane was
just about to land and flight attendants were to take their seats.

“I have a car waiting at the airport and I will be going
right by your hotel. Let me take you so that you don’t have to deal with cabs
on your first day in New York.” Matt smiled. “It would be my pleasure.”

Well?
Janie frowned.
This could be a very innocent
chivalrous offer, or it could turn out to be an episode of Law & Order SVU
in a couple of months
, she thought.

“The cabbies are gonna smell you coming a mile away,” Matt
chuckled. “They are going to take you on a tour of the city and you’ll never
know it!”

So I could be milked out of some money or be the victim
in a not-so-fictional TV show
. Janie pursed her lips.

“Really, I’m a nice guy!” Matt threw his hands up in
surrender and grinned. It lit up his whole face.

Oh what the hell! No more regrets! At some point I have
to start again.
“Thank you Matt. That would be great. I appreciate the
offer.”

*****

 “What have you got in here? Bricks?” Matt frowned as he
lifted Janie’s suitcase off the conveyor belt. Janie was sure the weight of her
bag wasn’t the only thing he was irritated about. Matt hadn’t checked any
luggage, so here they were standing waiting for her bag when he could have been
out of the terminal and on his way already.

“No, just another suitcase.”

Matt whipped around to stare at her in unbelief. “Another
suitcase. Why on earth…” Matt’s voice trailed off.

“I packed my small suitcase and then put it inside the big
one so I had room to take home souvenirs,” Janie explained, almost apologizing.

“Women!” Matt shook his head and grinned. “Come on. Just out
these doors.” Matt held out his arm, offering Janie the lead through the big
sliding doors.

Just a few steps out of the terminal a large man in a black
suit strode purposefully toward Matt. “Sir?”

“Ray, this is Ms. Anderson, and her two suitcases.” Matt
smiled, looking down at Janie.

“Sir?” Ray looked confused.

Matt chuckled and handed Ray Janie’s suitcase and his carry-on.
“We will be taking Ms. Anderson to the Ritz at Central Park.”

“Very good, Sir. Good afternoon Ms. Anderson.”

“Hello Ray. It’s nice to meet you.”

Matt strode to the black BMW parked at the curb and opened
the rear passenger door. He turned to Janie and took her hand. “Your chariot
awaits, ma’am.” And then he smiled.

That smile will do me harm
, thought Janie. But she
accepted his hand and slid into the leather seat. Matt stopped to say something
to Ray as he walked around the car to the other side. He opened the door and
slid in gracefully, folding his long legs in to the back seat. Janie turned and
pulled her seatbelt across her body and buckled it. Turning upright, her
sweater had twisted AGAIN! UGH!! Gently pulling on the wool, she tried to straighten
it without exposing more skin in the process. Out of the corner of her eye she could
see the smile spreading across Matt’s face.

*****

The drive from the airport in to Manhattan was all Janie had
hoped for; bridges, tunnels, skyscrapers, people. It was everything she had
seen in books and on TV, and it was exhilarating to think she was finally in
New York. Her senses were on overload with the sights, sounds, and smell of it
all. She looked over at Matt who was watching her intently. “This is
beautiful,” she sighed. “All I imagined it would be.” Janie couldn’t help but
smile from ear to ear.
FINALLY! In New York for two weeks!

“Wait till it gets dark and the city REALLY comes alive,”
was Matt’s response. “You haven’t seen New York until you have seen it at
night.”

Janie smiled. “Only a few more hours and
then
I will
see it.”

The stop light turned green and the car moved forward and
pulled curbside. “The Ritz ma’am,” said Ray, and he jumped out of the car. For
a big man he sure moved quickly.

Janie reached for her purse and Matt grabbed her hand.
Janie’s head swung to look at him and their eyes locked. She stopped breathing,
her heart was beating just a bit too fast and her hand was tingling where their
skin touched.

“Janie, would you have dinner with me this evening?”

Janie’s eyes got bigger and her voice caught in her
throat.”You are asking me on a date?” The words were barely audible.

“Well if taking you to a restaurant and having something to
eat is a date, then, yes, I guess I am asking you on a date.” He smiled again
and Janie blinked slowly, took a breath and all but swooned.

Get a grip! Are you fourteen?
Janie mentally scolded
herself.
I do have to eat and it would be nice to go out at night and not be
alone,
she thought.
But
I don’t know this man and it’s too soon.
It’s too soon, isn’t it?

‘Mom, you’re still young and beautiful. I know you miss dad
and can’t imagine a different life, one without him, but you can’t just sit
here in the house by yourself, day after day. Live. Please?’ She recalled the
words of one of her boys, Adam, and it was his plea that pushed her into
booking this trip. And now, at this monumental moment, it is his voice that
decided for her.

“Okay. Dinner sounds good.” She heard Matt exhale. She was
still trapped in his gaze and realized he had been holding his breath while she
took a second, or two, to contemplate his offer.

“Great. I’ll pick you up here at 7:30. Meet you in the
lobby?”

Her room was lovely. Janie was glad she had upgraded to get
the view of the park. It was well worth it for her once-in-a-lifetime trip. She
was standing at the window after a long hot shower, in a long white robe she
found in the closet.
What is it about airplanes that make you feel grimy?
she thought. But the unlimited supply of hot water in the marble shower had
washed away all traces of her travel and now she had to think about the
impending DATE! For two weeks this room would be home, so Janie had unpacked
her suitcase and put everything away in the closet and the dresser. Hanging in
the closet were the two dresses that she had to choose from for this evening,
both black. The fashion magazines had always said that every woman’s wardrobe
should consist of a little black dress so Janie had purchased two for the trip.
She walked to the mirror and pulled off the towel wrapped around her wet hair.
It fell just below her shoulders, non-descript color, just light brown, with a
few layers cut in to try to and control the natural waves. Her eyes moved to
her face; average blue eyes, short eyelashes, eyebrows that needed to be tamed
every few weeks, average nose - although she thought the pores on her nose
stood out like a sore thumb, and average mouth.
Yep, just plain average
,
she thought. 

Janie, still looking at herself in the mirror, removed her
robe and let it fall to the floor. Her skin was pale. She wasn’t in the sun
much. Her eyes were drawn to the faint, but still visible stretch marks across
her not-quite-flat belly. She didn’t pay any attention to them anymore; they
were just a part of her, her battle scars if you will, of bringing two
beautiful baby boys into the world. She was proud of those scars, but would
never wear a bikini because of them. Being honest with herself, Janie knew she
wouldn’t have worn a bikini no matter what her body looked like. She was just
too self conscious to ever expose that much skin. Moving down her body she
glanced at the dark hair covering the apex of her thighs, down her legs to her
feet. Yesterday she had indulged in a pedicure and bright red toenails shone
back at her. Janie’s eyes travelled back up her body and stopped at her
breasts. They sagged! Not much, but enough for Janie to feel very self
conscious. She didn’t like being without an underwire bra and even Robert had
rarely seen her without one on. She and Katy had joked that the person in
history they most wanted to meet was the person who invented the underwire;
they wanted to say thank you! She lifted her arms above her head and her breasts
magically lifted to where they were supposed to be. Perky! Then she lowered her
arms and they went back to their usual position. Not so perky!
Oh well
,
she thought, as her lips pursed.
It’s not like anyone but me will ever see
them.

*****

Janie stepped out of the elevator and headed into the lobby.
She unconsciously straightened the skirt of her dress as she walked. The click
of her heels across the floor made her very aware of the leopard print pumps on
her feet her best friend Katy had encouraged her to purchase. She said they
made her legs look longer and they had an edge of sexiness to them. Janie had
grudgingly bought them and this was the first time she had worn them. Robert
was a home body, would much prefer to eat in that dine out, would take a DVD
rental over the cinema every time. Needless to say, there wasn’t a lot of
occasion to get dressed up in leopard print. But here she was, in the lobby of
the Ritz Carlton in New York City, headed out on a date! Maybe the shoes would
give her the extra courage she needed.