Page 92 of Man Flu

Chapter Twenty-Seven

A week that was supposed to be filled with hotel sex … was not filled with hotel sex

Four Days Later

“FOLKS, THE FLIGHT MIGHT be a little bumpy, so we’re asking that you keep your seatbelts fastened throughout the trip. We should be arriving in in approximately three hours and ten minutes, where it is currently snowing and the temperature is thirty-two degrees. We hope you enjoy your flight with us today.”

I need wine or something. “I hate flying, even in good weather,” Brielle whines in my ear. This week has felt like three while listening to her go on about her threesome troubles, a lack of a ring, and no guaranteed wedding date. I’m looking forward to going home, getting my Cora snuggles and forgetting about everyone and everything else. “Did you shut your phone off?”

“Oh, I almost forgot.” I take my phone from the pocket of my bag and find a notification from Words With Friends on my display. Actually, there are twelve notifications with new game requests. I open the app quickly, keeping an eye on the flight attendant who’s slowly making her way down the aisle. All the requests are from Dickle15, but why twelve games?

I start with the first one, looking at the game board, finding the word,” hi.”

I click “next” for the second game board and find the word: “no.”

The next ten have either a “no, sad, mad, low, foe,” oh, and there’s a “dumb” mixed in with his two and three letter words. Then, the twelfth game has the word “sorry.” A thirteenth game request comes in, and it’s the word “love.”

Love. You can’t love someone after a week.

A message on the side pops up next:

Yes, I love you. It’s been a year, and during that time, I fell for your personality. No, I didn’t know what you looked like, but that was just the extra good part of everything.

I screwed up bad. I wasn’t thinking. I wanted to be with you, and men don’t always make the right decisions. We can’t always handle life properly, kind of like the flu. I originally got your name from a friend, who explained your situation, which, marital-wise, was like mine. After sucking at vocabulary most of my life, I was willing to take a chance. I never thought this silly game would create a friendship, as well as teaching me some words I’ll never use in real life.

Anyway, Hannah, I miss you. I’ll play another 365 days of Words With Friends with you if it means you might forgive me someday.

“Ma’am, I need you to turn your phone off now.”

“Oh okay, sorry,” I tell her.

“Told you,” Brielle adds in.

I quickly move my fingers along the keys, typing in a short message, then telling him the plane is taking off.

I shut my phone down and return it to my bag. “I made a mistake,” I tell Brielle.

“What are you talking about? People do it all the time. You just shut it off, you’re not going to get a detention or anything.” She laughs and places her headphones over her ears.

“Not that kind of mistake,” I tell her, even though she can’t hear me.

It’s taken me all week to realize some things are worth fighting for. Some things are worth forgiveness. Some things are worth seeing through to get to the other side. It’s taken me a while to figure it out, but maybe this was my lesson to learn all along.

Once the plane steadies in the air, I pay the premium fee to gain access to Wi-Fi for the duration of the flight.

I open my texts and type in Rick’s name.

Me: I’ll be home in a few hours. We need to talk, okay

Rick: Sure thing, babe.

Me: Is Cora okay?

Rick: She’s perfect.

Me: Thanks.

Rick: Do you need a ride from the airport?