Our goodbye with Cheryl and Tom is emotional, Cheryl making sure to send us on our way with a few bottles of the wine we shared on our first night here.
“Thank you. It’s been a pleasure.”
She tugs me into one of her Chanel scented hugs, her hand running a frantic pattern across my back. “Our pleasure entirely.It’s been so fun having you here and you’ve been so incredibly helpful. I don’t know what I would have done without you yesterday.”
Stepping back, she flicks her gaze to Noah before continuing. “Make sure he brings you back. I can tell it’s been good for you both.”
My cheeks burn knowing not only is a return trip more than unlikely, this trip wasn’t all that good for either of us. With one last squeeze she steps over to hug Noah, and Tom smacks me on the shoulder, offering his other hand.
“It was a treat meeting you, Charlotte. I hope we’ll share a bottle and a few laughs at Noah’s expense again soon.”
I force a chuckle, fully aware of the weight of the words as I say them. “I can’t think of anything I’d rather do.”
They stand in their driveway, waving at us like parents seeing their kids off into the world as the car winds down and away from the house. The empty seat between us echoes the metaphorical space—the hollowness that’s followed us all morning.
Our transition to the plane is just as strained, our interactions limited to speaking with the flight attendants as they introduce themselves. Noah won’t even look at me.
As we rise up into the clouds, I finally clear my throat and reach for something safe to talk about.
“I think we still have that meeting with marketing tomorrow afternoon. If there is anything you want me to add to the agenda, just let me know. I wasn’t sure if you and Tom discussed anything that didn’t get relayed, but I think it would be good to have everyone on the same page.”
He laughs, but keeps his eyes trained on the window. “On the same page. Right.”
“Excuse me?”
Finally, he looks up at me. I want to be relieved but the hurt and anger mixing on his features doesn’t give me any room to breathe.
“So that’s it? Back to business as usual?”
My insides twist. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
He sits back against the seat, his face stoney. “I want you to tell me how you can remain so unbothered by all of this.”
“I’m notunbothered. I’m honoring the terms of our agreement.”
His jaw clenches. “Right.”
The cloud of sadness I’ve been bound by all morning evaporates under a hot flash of anger.
“You promised.” His face falls as a different, softer frown works its way across his features as I continue. “You promised me that this was safe. The other night. You promised.”
My voice breaks under the last of it, but he doesn’t soften further. Instead, he matches my spar.
“You mean the other night when you were clearly panicking about more than Tom’s fucking speech but wouldn’t let me in? I was trying tohelpyou.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“Clearly.”
The flight attendant, a woman named Maggie with velvet features and a soothing voice comes by, pausing our argument.
“Just wanted to let you two know we’ve reached cruising altitude. It’s safe to move about the cabin.”
“Thank you,” we both say, in unison as she sways back towards the front and swishes the curtain closed. It’s a silly show of privacy, but Noah takes it as reason to continue.
“Just answer one question. One question and I’ll let it be.”
I look at him, neither agreeing nor refusing.
