Work Text:
Alex grunted when a sprinting man bumped into her before mumbling an apology and continuing his run to his destination.
Hoisting her backpack on her shoulder, Alex sighed as she took another step forward in the line she was standing at the Starbucks booth near her terminal. Eyeing the business credit card in her hand, Alex wondered if buying a venti size latte could be justified as a travel expense.
As an IT engineer, Alex was used to traveling. This trip, however, was not on her books. A last-minute call from one of their clients in Nebraska made Alex's boss send her to this unprompted one-day trip, at 6 am, on a beautiful Saturday, to a very cold Nebraska. So yeah, buying a latte with the company’s credit card was absolutely justified.
"Anything else with the Latte?" asked the lady behind the counter.
Alex smiled and offered the credit card, "Yeah, Add a doughnut, please."
Thankful for on-time flights, Alex made it to her terminal just in time to begging the boarding process. After families with children, Group B was next to board. Alex smiled at the lady staff as she scanned her ticket and made her way to the airplane.
A13 was her seat, and she waited for a couple to push their suitcases in the top compartment before claiming her spot.
"Did you open the cookies?" A gentle voice asked, a half-empty Ziploc of chocolate chip cookies in her hand.
"I was counting them," Said the little girl sitting next to the woman.
Alex chuckled silently. She bet the freckles and the strands of hair escaping a messy ponytail was too adorable for the mother to get angry at the little girl.
"Go ahead, ma'am," the guy pulled Alex out of the train of thoughts.
Alex looked over and realized the couple was done putting their suitcases away and waited for her to get on her seat, which was next to the window.
"Thank You," Alex said, completely missing the rest of the adorable conversation happening on the seats in front of her.
Placing her backpack between her legs and adjusting the air pressure above her head, Alex relaxed into her chair. Sending one quick text to her sister, she turned the cellphone off and put it away in her backpack. Opening her window to enjoy the beginning of a beautiful day, Alex leaned back comfortably and stretched her legs as much as she could.
"I will stay safe, baby, don't worry. Love you too. Bye." Said a man behind her.
Alex closed her eyes and rested her head back. The fact that the only person who cared whether she was safe or not was her sister made her feel so pathetic. She longed for the connection and intimacy between two lovers. She knew it’s been years since her last relationship but no matter how hard her sister had tried to hook her up with other women, Alex simply hadn’t found any connection or real interest beyond maybe a drunken one-night stand.
The announcement to take-off came through the speakers, and before Alex knew, they were in the air. Keeping her eyes closed through the change of altitude, she rubbed her hands on her jeans nervously.
She hated this part every single time.
The sound of her window shutting off startled her. She opened her eyes and frowned at her window closed. She glanced over the couple sitting next to her, but they were engrossed in conversation and were oblivious to whatever was happening around them.
The signal to unbuckle came on as soon as they reached their altitude, and Alex pressed the release button on her buckle and reached to pull the window open.
As she leaned to take her laptop from her backpack, the tiniest hand crept between the front seat and the windows and slowly pulled her window closed.
Alex raised one eyebrow and reached to pull back the window open only to see the small hand appear again to pull the window back down.
"Jamie, I need you to sit straight, honey," The gentle voice of the mother said.
A tiny grunt came from the front seat, and Alex chuckled.
"Do you want your blanket?" The woman asked.
"Yes," The girl, Jamie, said softly.
When the woman stood to reach over her top compartment, Alex quickly pulled her window open to no avail, when Jamie's hand reach as quickly and pull it closed.
Alex laughed softly and shook her head when the woman turned to speak to Jamie.
"Do you want your earplugs too?" The woman asked.
Alex blinked several times at the woman standing in front of her. The soft long hair cascading over her shoulder, shadowing the most beautiful face Alex has ever seen.
"No earplugs," Jamie replied.
The woman nodded and sat down after giving the Paw Patrol blanket to the girl.
The window remained closed as Alex got lost in her thoughts of the woman currently sitting in B12. She got a glimpse of freckles and full lips and the softest looking cinnamon skin.
An eye peeking through the small space between the seat and the window made Alex smile. She opened the window expecting the tiny hand to reappear to close it back again, and she was not disappointed.
Alex laughed softly.
"Jamie, do you want to rest your head on my lap?" The woman asked tenderly.
"I am no tired, mommy," Jamie said convincingly.
Alex grinned and opened her window.
Jamie closed it.
Alex reached back again, but Jamie's hand appeared before her and held the window closed.
Alex leaned forward and whispered, "That's cheating."
The girl pulled her hand back after a soft giggle. When the hand came back, it held a small cookie.
Alex's eyes brightened, and she took the peace offering.
Holding the cookie between her teeth, Alex reached to her backpack and took a lollipop she had in her front pocket and carefully handed it to the girl.
The mother quickly moved and turned around in her seat, handing Alex the lollipop back, "I'm sorry, ma'am, she is not allowed to take anything from a stranger."
Alex blinked twice, frozen in place with the cookie still between her teeth.
"Oh," The woman said, eyeing the cookie and her daughter.
Alex took the cookie and licked the crumbs from her lips, "We exchanged goodies," she said with a smile.
The woman, who sported a beautiful blush on her cheeks, seemed confused, "Jamie-"
"Hi," Jamie stood on her seat and grinned at Alex, a small gap between her front teeth showing a missing one, "My name is Jamie Sawyer."
"Jamie, come on," The mother said, smiling apologetically at her while trying to pull her daughter back down.
"Hi Jamie, I am Alex," Alex said, grinning back at the little girl.
"Mommy, you are supposed to introduce yourself," Jamie whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear, prompting soft laughter between the passengers around them.
Maggie blushed even more, and Alex thought the woman couldn't look more beautiful, when the woman smiled and flashed the deepest pair of dimples, proving her wrong, "I am Maggie," she said, offering her hand.
Alex opened her mouth but could only say, "Hi" to Maggie while shaking her hand.
"Do you get dizzy?" Jamie asked, resting her chin on the back of her seat. Big brown eyes staring back at Alex.
"Sometimes," Alex nodded.
"I get dizzy too," Jamie shrugged, "Mommy gives me candy that tastes like mint."
Alex eyed Maggie, who tucked hair behind her ear and rested her hand on Jamie's back, trying to coax the girl to sit back down.
"Your mommy sure knows best," Alex said with a wink.
Jamie nodded, "Mommy, can we give Alex some candy?"
Maggie glanced between Jamie and Alex and nodded, "Sure, honey, but we got to sit back down, ok?"
Jamie nodded and turned to Alex, "Tell me if you need to throw up, mommy has a bag for that too."
Alex laughed and Maggie sighed loudly.
"Here," Maggie said, offering Alex a handful of peppermint candy, "They are from her Christmas stocking," Maggie smiled apologetically.
"It's perfect, thank you," Alex said softly, allowing her hand to caress Maggie's as she took the candies.
The woman flashed her one last dimpled smile before turning back to her seat.
Alex unwrapped one candy and took it into her mouth with a smile. She then reached forward and opened the window.
The sound of the window being shut down made her heart smile.
The four-hour flight went by in a blur. Jamie would pop up randomly to tell Alex about clouds and volcanos and her cousin Adrian who learned how to run his bike without training wheels, and Maggie would whisper a "sorry" each time while pulling her daughter back down.
Exiting the plane together, Alex offered her help to carry one of Maggie's duffel bags.
"Alex, are you here to visit your maw-maw?" Jamie asked, skipping steps between Alex and Maggie.
Alex raised an eyebrow to Maggie, who smiled, "We are here to visit my mother," Maggie said, brushing some hair from Jamie's forehead, "Jamie sure loves her maw-maw."
"That's very nice," Alex nodded, "But I am here to work."
Jamie stopped and turned around abruptly, causing Alex and Maggie to bump into each other, "You work in another country?!"
"Honey, we are in another state, not another country, remember the map mommy showed you?" Maggie said, kissing the girl's forehead and turning her around by the shoulder to continue walking.
"But you only take your car to work," Jamie said, throwing her hands in the air, "Alex takes a plane!"
Alex laughed, "That's because I work fixing people's computers, and sometimes they live far, and I have to take a plane to go help them."
Jamie nodded and thought about it for a second, "Like Uncle Josh?"
Maggie smiled and nodded, "Exactly sweetheart," she said before turning her eyes to Alex, "My brother is a financial advisor, he travels a lot too," Maggie explained.
Before Alex could agree with Jamie, Jamie shouted, "It's the merry go round!" and hurried towards the baggage claim area visible in the distance. Her bright pink sneakers lighting up with each step.
"Not running away from me!" Maggie quickly said to the girl who was already way ahead of them.
"She is a good kid," Alex said
"She is a handful, but yeah," Maggie sighed with a dreamy smile, "she is the best."
Alex nodded and continued walking in silence along Maggie.
"Listen, I'm sorry if she made your trip uncomfortable," Maggie said, fidgeting with her hands nervously, "She is way too social, and we are trying to work on that," she chuckled.
Alex shook her head, "Would you believe if I tell you it was my best flight?"
Maggie laughed, "Having a 6-year-old non-stop talking cannot be your best flight."
Alex shrugged, "She gave me peppermint candies."
Maggie looked up and smiled, "Thank you, many people get tired of her easily."
Alex wanted to ask so many questions, with so little time.
"Mommy! I see our purple suitcase!" Jamie said, waving her hand excitedly.
"Alright, wait for me sweetie," Maggie said
Alex walked faster and grabbed the purple suitcase before Maggie could reach for it, "Here you go."
Maggie bit her lower lip, and Alex felt her pulse quicken.
"Thanks," Maggie said with a sweet smile.
"Alex, where is yours?" Jamie asked
Alex looked at the row of suitcases coming from the carousel, "Must be coming anytime now."
"Mommy, can we wait for Alex to get hers!" Jamie hugged Maggie's waist and looked up with a pleading smile.
Maggie glanced between Jamie and Alex and shook her head, "Baby, we have to go, maw-maw is waiting for us, remember?"
Jamie's shoulders slumped, and she lowered her eyes in defeat, "Ok..."
"Say goodbye to Alex," Maggie pushed her daughter gently towards Alex.
Jamie looked up and waved her hand, "Bye, Alex."
Alex blinked several times before blurting out, "Do you want to go have dinner with me?"
Maggie's eyes open wide, and Jamie squealed.
"Can we mommy? Can we?" Jamie jumped up and down.
Glancing between Alex's beautiful grin and Jamie jumping around, Maggie swallowed and nodded, "Uh...sure. I have to get to my mother's because she is waiting for me so-"
"Yeah, I also have to meet up with my client in a couple of hours." Alex shoved her hands in her jeans pockets and nodded.
"Ok, so maybe we can exchange numbers, and we can meet up somewhere tonight," Maggie said, blushing profoundly again.
Jamie stood between them, glancing from one to the other.
They exchange numbers and with a "See you soon," Alex watched Maggie and Jamie walking away from her.
The text came hours later, while Alex was in her meeting with her client.
M: There is a Pizza place that Jamie loves. We can meet there if you like.
Alex was starting to reply when another text came thru.
M: Or we can go somewhere else, we don't have to go for Pizza just because Jamie loves it.
A: Are you kidding me? I love Pizza! Send me the address and I'll be there.
M: [Location sent]
Alex smiled. Maybe this trip was not such a bad idea after all.
At 7 pm, Alex sat at a table with two extra chairs, waiting for Maggie and Jamie. Pirillo's Pizza seemed like a popular place, judging by the crowded tables and the delicious pizzas coming from the kitchen.
Taking the glass of water sitting in front of her, she felt nervous. Alex had no idea why she asked Maggie out to dinner. All she knew is that she wanted more time with them.
She had no idea if she dressed appropriately. A pair of jeans, a white t-shirt, and her old trusty leather jacket seemed like the best option. She didn't pack for a date, after all.
Running her fingers through her short jaw-length hair, Alex blew a breath, telling herself there was no reason to feel nervous.
"Alex!" Jamie shouted from the entrance.
Alex laughed at her and at Maggie, trying to keep the girl quiet.
"When I got to maw-maw's house, she got me a cake!" Jamie said as soon as she was standing in front of Alex.
"I'm sorry, she has too much energy" Maggie smiled and directed the girl to her chair.
"Was it chocolate?" Alex asked, resting her arms on the table.
"Double chocolate cake!" Jamie pointed out with two small fingers.
"Honey, Alex is closer now, let's lower our voice," Maggie said
"Indoor voice," Jamie said to herself with a frown.
Alex laughed, "Hey, double chocolate is my favorite."
"Mine too," Jamie smiled.
Alex turned her eyes to Maggie, "Hey."
Maggie flashed her dimples at her, "Hey."
Wearing black jeans and a soft grey sweater, Maggie looked even more beautiful than before. Everything about Maggie seemed soft, and she wondered if-
"Do you like cheese?" Jamie asked, interrupting her thoughts.
"Yes, I do. You can go ahead and order it the way you like," Alex said, winking at Jamie.
A waitress waited patiently next to their table, with a notebook in his hand.
Jamie looked up at Maggie, "Mommy, I just want cheese."
Maggie nodded and glanced at Alex, "Pepperoni?"
Alex nodded with a smile.
"One large pizza, half cheese, and half pepperoni and cheese," Maggie said to the waitress.
After ordering the drinks, the waitress walked away with a promise of 15 minutes.
"This place seems nice," Alex said, crossing her arms on the table.
"It's very popular," Maggie said, "Their food and customer service is excellent."
The waitress came back with crayons and a small coloring book, and Jamie quickly occupied herself with it.
"So, you travel a lot?" Maggie asked, also crossing her arms over the table.
"Not a lot, but I guess more than usual," Alex shrugged, "We have a list of clients all over the country, and we offer them our services when needed."
"And here I thought I could fix any problem in my laptop with just a restart," Maggie laughed.
"Normally yes," Alex laughed too, "But our clients are larger companies, with more complicated systems and Software."
Maggie nodded and tucked a strand of hair behind Jamie's ear.
"What about you?" Alex asked, her eyes fixated on the softness of Maggie's face.
"I am a social worker," Maggie said, pride in her eyes.
"That's amazing," Alex said, utterly awestruck by the woman sitting in front of her.
"It's a difficult job and emotionally draining," Maggie shrugged, "But it's worth it when you get to make a difference."
Alex nodded.
"Can I paint my horse Purple?" Jamie asked
Alex glanced down at Jamie's coloring, "I think that'd be cool."
Maggie smiled at Alex and nodded, "Yes, sweetie, you can paint your horse purple. It is your art."
"Purple is my favorite color," Jamie grinned at Alex.
"Mine is black," Alex said.
Both Jamie and Alex looked up at Maggie expectantly.
"Oh, mine is Green," Maggie winked at them.
Jamie nodded contently and continued with her coloring.
"So..." Alex cleared her throat, "Is it just you and Jamie?"
Maggie squinted her eyes at Alex and thought about it for a second. Maggie's scrutiny made Alex shift in her chair.
"It is just Jamie and me," Maggie said, "I was in a relationship a couple of years ago, but Jamie was always mine," Maggie said softly, glancing lovingly at Jamie, who seemed oblivious to the adult conversation.
"He never filed for custody?" Alex asked, cautiously, not wanting to cross any lines with Maggie.
Maggie shook her head and smile, "She never filed for custody because our relationship was not that serious," Maggie said, "or at least it didn't last that long for me to want to share Jamie with her."
Alex's heart jumped a beat, and she felt warmth all over her chest.
The waitress came to the table to deliver their Pizza, along with refills for their drinks.
Jamie took a couple of bites from her slice and then rested her head on the table to continue coloring on her book.
"She is almost done for the night," Maggie said, taking the half-eaten piece of Pizza and finishing it herself.
"She must be tired," Alex said, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
"She's usually in bed by now, but she was so excited to see you," Maggie said, shaking her head, "I'm sorry you must think this is weird."
Alex shook her head, "No, no," she placed her hand on top of Maggie's, "I was also very excited to see you two."
Maggie smiled and nodded, "This was nice."
Alex smiled back, "It really was."
After Alex paid the bill against Maggie's protests of splitting it, they both realized Jamie was fast asleep on the table.
"Told you," Maggie whispered.
"Here, let me help you," Alex said, gently lifting Jamie into her arms.
Maggie hesitated or a second but smiled and nodded, "Thank you."
They walked in silence to Maggie's rented car, and Alex carefully put the Jamie on the booster seat and buckled her seat belt.
Jamie sighed in her sleep and opened her eyes softly with a few blinks.
"Bye, kiddo," Alex whispered.
Jamie smiled sleepily, "Bye, Alex."
Alex straightened up, and Maggie was looking at her with a sweet smile.
"She really likes you," Maggie said.
Alex nodded and pushed her hands in her pocket. The night was cold and beautiful. A full moon danced over their heads.
"I'm flying back tomorrow morning," Alex said, looking down at her boots.
"We're going to be here for a week," Maggie said, biting the inside of her cheek.
Alex nodded again and sighed, soft white cold air coming from her lips.
Maggie took a step forward and taking Alex's chin; she kissed her.
The kiss was soft and quick. Before Alex could respond, Maggie pulled away and covered her mouth with a trembling hand.
"I am so so sorry Alex," Maggie hurried to apologize, "I-"
"Hey, it's ok," Alex said softly, taking a step forward and cupping Maggie's face, "I've wanted to kiss you since you offered me Jamie's peppermints."
Maggie laughed and bit her lower lip.
"Can I?" Alex whispered, her eyes on Maggie's lips.
Maggie nodded, and Alex closed the distance between them and kissed her.
The kiss was deeper this time, both opening their mouths to each other and allowing cold air mix with the warmth of their mouths, their lips, and their tongues.
Alex pulled Maggie to her body by the waist, their hips pressed together, and Maggie threw her arms around Alex's neck, deepening the kiss.
"Mommy?" A small voice pulled them apart.
Maggie took a step back and covered her mouth with her hand, hiding a smile.
Alex cleared her throat and laughed nervously.
"I'm cold," Jamie said with a yawn.
Both Alex and Jamie realized they left the door open, and cold air was getting in the car.
"I should go," Maggie said, slowly closing Jamie's door.
Alex nodded, "You have my number if you-"
Maggie cupped Alex's cheeks and pulled her down for one last soft kiss, "Text me when you get on the plane tomorrow and when you land," she whispered into Alex's lips.
Alex nodded and closed her eyes, "I will."
Alex felt Maggie's body pull away, and she opened her eyes.
Maggie walked around the car and looked at Alex from the other side of the car with a smile, "I'll let you know when I'm back, and maybe we can meet up again."
Alex licked her lips and nodded, "I'm going to be waiting."
Maggie waved goodbye and Alex stood there, watching Maggie's car disappear into the night.
She took her cold hands into the pockets of her leather jacket and stopped when she felt something. She took one hand and observed the peppermint candy in her hand.
She unwrapped the candy and took it to her mouth with a smile.
Tomorrow she was not only texting her sister before her flight, now there was two people expecting her text and that thought brought a warmth and chill to her heart; like Peppermint.