“Yep.” My roommates are starting to feel like sorority sisters. I’ll miss them when I get transferred back here, but I’m sure I’ll make new friends.
We finally emerge into the outside pickup area that more closely resembles a freeway traffic jam. Brittany’s crew will have to playFroggerto cross to an island for their shuttle while I wait at this curb for Wyatt. The air is warmer than back in Seattle, but even more importantly, the sun is shining. I breathe deeply of engine exhaust and satisfaction.
Brittany squeezes my hand. “Bye, roomie. Text me any recommendations you have for our overnight.”
I point after her to keep her attention. “If you want lobster, there’s a good deal at The New England Lobster Company, not far from here.”
“I’ve never had lobster before.” She jogs after the rest of her crew to where another crew in uniform is already waiting for the shuttle.
One of them waves at us. She’s got darker skin and a sparkly red lanyard. Journey.
“Oh, hey, Journey,” I yell.
“Yo.”
The surfer-dude pilot grins back at me. “You girls have a lot of roommates.”
I drop my hand, sink back on my heels, and chuckle to myself. For the past year, I’d been left behind as all my old dance friends traveled the world without me. It feels good to fit in again.
A horn honks, jolting me from my reverie. “Claire.” This time the voice is male.
I look down to find Wyatt leaning toward the open passenger-side window of his slate-gray Infiniti sedan.
“Wyatt.” It’s so good to see him. I run to the trunk to stow my bags.
The trunk pops automatically. He meets me there, pulls me close, and kisses me breathless. Though to be fair, I was already a little bit out of breath from striding through the airport in a walking boot.
I smile up at him. This is how a girl likes to be greeted. “I missed you too.”
He frowns after Brittany’s crew. “Was that Nathan?”
“Where?” I follow his gaze with the hopes of introducing him to my favorite pilot. But he’s actually looking at the crew I’d just left. “Oh, no. I met them today. One of my roommates worked my flight, so I walked out with their crew. Then we ran into a bunch of other roommates on the way. The world is just smaller when you work for the airlines.”
“Huh.”
He lets me go, loads my bags, and heads back to the driver’s side. I take my place in the passenger’s seat. He gets stressed about traffic, so I let him focus on navigating out of this zoo. I’m still in a bit of a happy daze from that kiss. I wonder if he’s planned anything for our weekend.
“Oh, hey. You know how I attended church last week?”
He chuckles. “Where the homeless guy who scared you turned out to be a pastor?”
“Yeah.” I roll my eyes at my needlessly broken toe. “It felt good to return to church. As if I’m a part of a bigger purpose. So I’m hoping to find a church here for when I transfer home. I was wondering if you might want to go with me this weekend.”
He’s silent for a moment, but that’s probably because he has to change lanes to get around this big bus in front of us. When he finally speaks again, it’s more of a growl. “Claire ...”
I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, afraid his bite will be as bad as his bark. “Yeah?”
“You know why I quit going to church.”
“Oh.” His ex-girlfriend had left him for a youth pastor. That’s enough to make anyone want to avoid church. “I didn’t even think about that. I’m sorry.”
He shakes his head. “Churches are full of hypocrites. I’m not going to get dressed up one day a week to go pretend I’ve got it all together in an effort to impress other people pretending they’ve got it all together.”
I ponder this perspective. Even if it’s a misperception, it’s based on his experience, so it’s not stupid. It’s also not what I experienced last Sunday. Pastor Liam talked about finding purpose in serving. Since some people refer to flight attendants as glorified waitresses, serving is basically mynew profession. “I don’t want to pretend I’ve got it all together either. I want to go somewhere that serves. Maybe a church for the homeless.”
He smirks. “You going to google churches in the Tenderloin District?”
I hadn’t considered such an idea before, and with my fear of getting my retinas scratched, it should be the last place I want to go. But you know what? “Maybe.”
