My daughter, Marianne, had recently given birth to a beautiful baby girl named Rose.
For weeks, she’d been sending me photographs.
Rose sleeping.
Rose yawning.
Rose wearing tiny knitted outfits.
Rose curled up with one little fist beside her cheek.
I had already saved enough pictures to fill an entire album.
And now I was finally going to hold her.
Marianne called me twice on the morning
of my departure.
“Mom, are you absolutely sure you packed everything?”
I laughed.
“Marianne, I’m sixty-one, not six.”
“I know. I just want the trip to go smoothly.”
“So do I, sweetheart.”
Before boarding, I looked at one more photograph of Rose.
She was wearing a knitted hat that was much too big for her tiny head.
I smiled.
No matter how nervous I felt about traveling alone, meeting that little girl would be worth it.
At first, the flight seemed perfectly pleasant.
I had a window seat on a six-hour journey.
My daughter had insisted I choose it because she knew how much I enjoyed looking at the clouds.
When I reached my row, a broad-shouldered man was already standing nearby.
He appeared to be around fifty.
He wore an expensive-looking quarter-zip sweater, neatly pressed trousers, and polished loafers.
He smiled when he saw me.
“Looks like we’re going
to be neighbors.”
I moved my handbag from the middle seat.
“For the next six hours, apparently.”
He chuckled.
“I’m Josh.”
“Celeste. Nice to meet you.”
He glanced at my window.
“You got the best seat.”
“My daughter chose it for me. She thought I’d enjoy the view.”
“Smart daughter.”
The older gentleman in the aisle seat introduced himself as Henry.
He carried a paperback and had the kind of calm expression that immediately made me feel comfortable.
“Heading on vacation?” Henry asked.
I shook my head.
“Something even better. I’m going to meet my first granddaughter.”
Both men smiled.
“Congratulations!” Henry said.
“Thank you. I’ve seen so many pictures already that I feel like I know her.”
We all laughed.
I settled into my seat feeling optimistic.
Maybe the trip wouldn’t be so difficult after all.
Unfortunately, that pleasant feeling lasted approximately twenty minutes.
Shortly after takeoff, Josh shifted
in his seat.
His knee pressed against mine.
At first, I assumed it was accidental.
Airplane seats weren’t especially spacious, and he was considerably taller than I was.
