What Happens on the Cruise

69. Beautiful Soul

Tim and Austin exchanged a glance as the woman next to them huffed angrily once again. Tim squeezed Austin's hand, trying to keep him from making a scene. The woman sighed.

"Are we bothering you?" Austin asked, trying to keep his voice level.

"What?" She gave him a confused look.

"You seemed to be upset about us holding hands," Tim said, leaning forward to talk to her past Austin.

"Oh, no. I'm sorry. I'm upset because they seated me separate from my son." She motioned toward the front of the plane. "He's seventeen, but it's his first flight."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I thought you were being... well, homophobic. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions," Austin apologized.

She smiled. "To be honest, I hadn't even noticed. I was too wrapped up in my own problems." She extended a hand. "I'm Amanda."

"I'm Austin and this is my fiance, Tim."

"Good to meet you. I'm sorry I made you feel uncomfortable."

"One of us could trade seats with your son," Tim offered.

"Oh, I couldn't ask you to do that."

"It's no problem," Austin assured her. "We've got plenty of time to spend together when we get to our destination."

Tim leaned out into the aisle and motioned for the flight attendant.

"Yes, sir, what can I do for you?"

"We were talking to this lady and found out her son has been seated separately from her, and we wanted to know if it was okay to trade seats so he could sit with his mom."

"That could be arranged. I'll need to double-check with him that it's okay and update the flight manifest before you can switch seats. Do you know your son's seat number, ma'am?"

"12E," Amanda answered.

"All right, ma'am, if you and whichever of you is switching seats will just come with me, we'll get this sorted out."

Tim and Austin both stood to allow Amanda out into the narrow lane, then Tim followed mother and flight attendant forward.

"Hey, buddy, what's up?" Rob asked when they stopped at row 12.

"You're sitting with him?" Tim asked, motioning toward the teenager next to Rob.

"Yeah, we were just talking about how he was nervous because it's his first flight and..."

"Mom, what are you doing here?" the teen asked.

"This gentleman offered to trade seats so you and I can sit together."

"Hold on, I've got a better idea," Tim said. "How about our friend Rob switches seats with Amanda?"

"That's a great idea," Rob said. "Let me just get my things..."

"Hold on one second while I adjust the manifest," the flight attendant said, pulling up the seating chart on a notepad computer. "Okay... You're Robert Lundquist, seat 12D, trading seats with Amanda Barnes, seat 23A?"

Both Rob and Amanda nodded.

"Okay. I've got you entered."

"Thank you so much," Amanda said to the flight attendant, then turned to Tim. "And thank you for helping out. I really appreciate it."

Rob turned and stuck out a hand. "It was nice meeting you."

"You, too," the teen said. "Thanks."