“Or, you can let me pay for it to celebrate your accomplishment. Let’s not go back and forth about it. Did you tell the family?”
“I did, and they were excited. Blaine is already trying to travel for free, and I haven’t even started.”
“Ha! Hell, I don’t blame him. If you got hotel rooms for free, too, I’d be on the same shit.”
“Your debt is slowly but surely disappearing, and when you’re ready, we gon’ rack up some miles.”
“I can’t wait. Are you nervous?”
“I am, but I’m excited too. This isn’t something I’ve ever thought about doing, and I honestly don’t know what to expect. What if I don’t like it?”
“Then you can say you tried and move on to something else. Don’t think negatively, sis. You’ll love the job, and the job will love you.”
“I hope so.”
“Maybe you’ll catch the eye of one of those fine ass Black pilots and have some fun between flights.”
“Wouldn’t that be nice, especially if he’s not from anywhere between here and Chicago.”
“Ugh! Don’t get me started. This big ass city, and it seems like all the women fucking on the same six niggas, and those six niggas are married. Where are the single men who ain’t on no bullshit? Can they please step to the front of the classroom?”
“Don’t hold your breath, sis. You’re too young to die. Enough about them niggas. Wear something cute tomorrow so we can take pics.”
“It’s cold as hell, but I’ll see what I can pull together. Let me go before my food gets cold. Call me in the morning.Jordyn’sopens at noon. Love you, and congratulations again.”
“Thank you. Love you more.”
Willamena, or Mena, as she preferred to be called, because she hated her name and her father, William, who she was named after, had been my best friend since college. From our first phone conversation the summer before we became roommates at Southern Illinois University, we’d clicked. Once we got to Carbondale, it was as if we’d known each other all our lives.
She was from Chicago, and I was from Waukegan, a suburb about an hour north of the city, and twenty minutes from the Illinois/Wisconsin border. After we graduated and moved back to our hometown, we remained close and got together a few times each month, but we talked daily.
After our call ended, I spent about an hour researching what life was like as a flight attendant. I came across a group on a popular social media platform. I joined the group and found answers to many of my questions. Everyone’s experience was different, but having some insight calmed my nerves a bit.
The next day, I met my bestie atJordyn’s Soul Cafe. Our reservations were for a little later than we wanted because Mena had made them at the last minute, but I didn’t mind. I’d been here a few times for dinner and was never disappointed. Today would be my first brunch experience. Once we were seated, I reviewed the brunch menu, which made my stomach growl and my mouth water.
“I think I want the lamb chops and waffles, with macaroni and cheese and yams as my sides,” I told her.
“That sounds good as hell, but you know I can’t do too much cheese. I want the oxtails and grits, with dressing and greens as my side.”
The food was easy, but deciding what to drink proved a little more difficult, especially for me since I had a longer drive home. The server arrived to take our drink and food orders, and when she walked away, two very handsome, well-dressed Black men were seated next to us.
“Today must be our lucky day,” one of them said, and it was clear he was talking to us.
“Why is that?” I asked.
“We’re seated next to the prettiest women in this place. I’m Garth, and this is my boy, Chuck.”
He offered his hand for us to shake, and we did, then repeated the gesture with Chuck.
“I’m Khiya, and this is my best friend, Mena. It’s nice to meet you both.”
“Likewise,” Garth responded with a smile.
“Did you finish going through your paperwork?” Mena asked, circling back to the conversation we’d started before our neighbors were seated.
“I did. I start in two weeks, but I’m at the bottom of the totem pole. I was lucky to get O’Hare as my home base, but I’ll be on reserve for a while, at least six months to a year.”
“What does that mean?” she asked.
