Instant Replay

The plane took off on time and landed in Houston at 7:15. Two and a half hours earlier than it would have landed if I’d gone back through Dallas. So I took that and the fact that I had a two-hour layover before my flight to Salt Lake City as a sign that I should go ahead and call Aspen.

I found a pay phone, swiped my credit card, and dialed her number.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Aspen.”

“Sam? Are you okay, baby?”

Baby? I smiled. “I’m fine. Why?”

“Well, you said you might be gone for several days? So—”

“Oh. Nah, the job went better than I thought it would. Anyway, I wanted to call to let you know I’m back.”

“Thank you! Sam, I miss you.”

What? Maybe I don’t need to issue the ultimatum after all. “I miss you too, sweetheart.”

“So I fired my stupid therapist?”

“You did?”

“I went to see him today?” Him? “And Sam, he asked me out to dinner! An’ then it hit me? That’s why he was sayin’ I shouldn’ talk with you or email you or anything? He was hopin’ he an’ I might... you know?”

Yeah, I know. I laughed. “So you set him straight?”

“Sam, I don’t wanna do that with anybody else but you? Not only that, but I was so dadgum mad I talked to my mama about it? An’ she said I ought’a report him. So I’m gonna do that tomorrow?”

I grinned. “Sounds like a plan to me. The guy shouldn’t be practicing if he’s doing stuff like that.”

“No sir he shouln’? An’ he won’t be anymore. Not if I have anything to say about it. Oh, Sam. I’m so sorry about all of this! So much wasted time?”

“No, it’s all right. And if you still need some time to figure out what you want to—”

“Oh God, no! I’m past all that? I’ve wasted too much time as it is? An’ I miss you so much? Besides, we only wanna give ourselves a chance, right?”

“Yes. That’s absolutely right. Give ourselves a chance and see where it goes. Like I said, you say the word and I’ll pack my stuff and drive down there. I’ll get a little apartment or something and—”

“No sir, you will not. You’re stayin’ right here with me?”

I frowned. “Are you sure?”

“‘Course I’m sure. How better to get to know someone than bein’ under each other’s feet twenty-four hours a day?”

I grinned. “I agree one hundred percent.”

“Only no sex, okay?”

“Oh. Okay.”

“You know, at least until we get inside the house?” She giggled. “So when do you think you can head this way, Sam?”

I checked my watch. It was almost 7: 40. “Tell you what, will you call TJ for me again in the morning?”

“Yes sir, I can do that. An’ what should I tell him this time?”

I grinned. “Tell him you’re gonna be out of town for a few days.”

“I am?”

“Yeah. I’m not actually in Salt Lake yet. I had a layover in Houston. How about if I fly from here to Huntsville instead? Then tomorrow we can fly to Salt Lake together, and you can help me pack. Then we’ll drive back to Huntsville together.”

“You would do that?”

“Of course I would, baby. I’d do anything for you.”

“Oh Sam! I love you so much!” I grinned. There it is. “So what time’s your plane get into Huntsville? Any time’s just fine?”

I chuckled. “Actually, I don’t know yet. In fact, I need to hang up so I can change my flight. But call the airport, okay? They’ll know. And I’ll be on the next flight.”

“Sam, I’m so excited! I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Very soon.”

I hung up. I didn’t bother trying to cancel the flight to Salt Lake. Instead I went downstairs and straight to the departures board and found the next flight to Huntsville.

It would depart in just over an hour at 8:50 p.m.

I ran to the ticketing agent for that airline.

*

The plane set down in Huntsville just before 11 p.m., and once I got through the throng of disembarking passengers I spotted Aspen waiting near the foot of the stairs.

I practically ran down them, grinning all the way.

As I stepped off the bottom step, I dropped my bag and she leapt into my arms, hugged my neck, and peppered my face with kisses. “Sam”—kiss—“I’m so sorry”—kiss—“It’s so good to have you home an’—”

“Sir?”

I frowned. Why’s she calling me sir? “Mmm?”

I opened my eyes, and Aspen disappeared.

A trim blond flight attendant was leaning slightly toward me, her left hand resting on the back of the seat in front of me.

I blinked and shook my head. “I’m sorry, miss. What?”

“You’ll have to put your seatback forward? We’re on our final descent into Houston now?”

Crap. She even has Aspen’s dialect. My stomach turned over as reality dawned, and I put on a weak smile. “Of course.”

As I reached with my left hand to work the seat controls, she straightened a little and smiled. “I’m sorry I had to wake you? An’ I hope that dream you were havin’ was as good as it sounded?”

I nodded. “Thanks, it was. Almost.”

She turned and walked down the aisle toward the cockpit.

*

I checked my watch. It was 7:08 p.m.

The actual plane set down in Houston several minutes later at 7:16. Still two and a half hours earlier than it would have landed in Dallas. I’d still have a two-hour layover, so I took that and especially the stupid dream as a sign that I should definitely call Aspen.

I found a pay phone, swiped my credit card, and dialed her number.

“Hello?”

“Aspen, is your therapist a guy? A man?”

“Sam? What?”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Yeah, it’s me. Okay, first, I called to let you know I’m back, but I’m not really. I’m in Houston. By the time I get back back to Salt Lake it’ll be too late to call, so I’m calling now instead.” I hesitated. “So is he a guy? Your therapist?”

“Well, yes, he is? In fact, we had what he called a ‘workin’ dinner’ today?” She paused. “But why do you ask?”

I huffed with frustration. “Jesus, Aspen, I’m really sorry about this, but— Do you think maybe he’s interested in you? Personally, I mean? That maybe that’s why he told you to not contact me while you’re trying to work through whether we should live together?”

“Oh. Actually, Sam—”

“Because I have to tell you, it’s already been over two months and this is killing me. I already know all I want is you. So I need you to make a decision.” I put up one hand. “All I’m asking for is a chance for us to slow down and get to know each other better.” I paused. “Well, you already know what I want. But you either want that too or—or you don’t.”

I shook my head and put up that hand again. “And if you don’t, that’s okay. I’ll just go back to living the same way I’ve lived up until now. But baby, if you want to give us a chance, you need to let me know that, okay?” I hesitated, closed my eyes, opened them. “Right now. Tonight.”

“God, Sam, I love this side of you? Still protectin’ me, aren’t you?”

“Yes. Maybe. Or maybe myself. So what’s your—”

“I was just gonna say, my therapist actually hit on me durin’ our ‘workin’ dinner’? You’re right, Sam. He actually thought I might, you know, do that with him? But I don’t wanna do that with anybody else but you?”

“You don’t?”

“No, a’course not. An’ not only that, but I was so dadgum mad I talked to my mama about it? An’ she said I ought’a report him to somebody? So I’m gonna do that tomorrow?”

I was a little confused. “Okay, so— Does that mean you do want to give us a chance?”

A broad smile came into her voice. “Of course I do, Sam! Could we start over right now? I miss you so much! An’ I do love you, Sam. It feels so good to finally say that?”

Relief flooded through me. “I love you too, baby.”

Then the end of the dream fired through my head. “Listen, if you really want to start over right now, can you call TJ for me tomorrow?”

“Of course I will. An’ what should I tell him this time?”

I grinned. “Tell him you have to be out of town for a few days.”

“I do?”

“Yeah. Like I said, I’m in Houston. How about if I fly from here straight to Huntsville? Then tomorrow we can fly to Salt Lake together, and you can help me pack. Then we’ll drive back to Huntsville together.”

“You would do that?”

“Of course I would, baby. I’d do anything for you. In fact, when we get to Huntsville I’ll even rent a little apartment or something so we can date and—”

“No sir, you will not. You’re stayin’ right here with me?”

I frowned. “Are you sure?”

“‘Course I’m sure. The best way to get to know someone is bein’ under each other’s feet all the time?”

I grinned. “I couldn’t agree more.”

“Only no sex, okay?”

“Oh. Okay.”

“You know, until we get inside the house?” She giggled. “So when do you think you can head this way?”

I checked my watch. It was almost 7: 40. “Tell you what, call the airport and ask when the next flight will arrive from Houston. I’ll be on it.”

“Really?” She squealed. “I’ll do that, Sam. An’ I’ll see you soon!” She squealed again and hung up.

*

Like in the stupid dream, I didn’t bother trying to cancel the flight to Salt Lake. Instead I ran downstairs and straight to the departures board and found the next flight to Huntsville.

It would leave in just over an hour at 8:50 p.m.

I ran to the ticketing agent for that airline, bought a one-way ticket, got my boarding pass and ran for Security.

I made it to the gate just before they called for final boarding.

*

Aspen met me at the foot of the stairs in Huntsville. She was wearing my favorite white shorts and her white sneakers and a white blouse with the tails knotted over her tummy, and her greeting in real life was pretty much like her greeting in the dream.

When I put her down we held hands all the way to her car. She drove us back to her house, and the whole way my left hand was on her right thigh.

At the house she dropped the keys twice as she tried to open the door, but she finally got it open and I dropped my bag just inside the door and the rest of that night is private.

*

The next morning we awoke early and showered together and ate breakfast together. Afterward while she was on the phone with TJ I got online and booked two first-class seats on a one-way flight to Salt Lake City. It would go wheels-up at 9 a.m.

The plane landed right at 3 p.m. and I drove us to my apartment in my car. We were there by 3:45, but we took the rest of the afternoon and the night off. We spent the next day and part of the next night packing, then went to bed.

The third morning we started the twenty-six hour drive to Huntsville. It took us three days, and I enjoyed every minute of it. From what I could tell, she did too.

*

Back in Huntsville, we settled into a more or less normal routine. We ran together and showered together each morning, and we cooked and ate together. We shopped together and walked to the mailbox and back together. We both enjoyed reading or watching old movies, albeit nestled on the couch together, and we enjoyed the same programs on television. She even started working to maintain her muscle tone with the new bench and free weights I’d bought.

Of course, occasionally we dined out for breakfast or lunch or supper or went dancing, but within a month or so, we realized two things: one, we no longer had to do things to impress each other, so we could just be ourselves. And two, we were both basically home bodies. But wherever we were, what mattered most to each of us was that the other was there.

*******

About the Author

Harvey Stanbrough was born in New Mexico, seasoned in Texas and baked in Arizona. For a time, he wrote under five personas and several pseudonyms, but he takes a pill for that now and writes only under his own name. Mostly.

Harvey is an award-winning writer who follows Heinlein’s Rules avidly. He has written and published over 110 novels, 10 novellas, and over 290 short stories. He has also written 19 nonfiction books on writing, 9 of which are free to other writers. And he’s compiled and published 5 omnibus novel collections, 29 collections of short fiction, and 5 critically acclaimed poetry collections.

These days, the vendors through which Harvey licenses his works do not allow URLs in the back matter. To see his other works, please key “StoneThread Publishing” or “Harvey Stanbrough” into your favorite search engine.

Finally, for his best advice on writing, look for “The New Daily Journal | Harvey Stanbrough | Substack.”