Crashing Stephanie

14 Lifebuoy Soap

Steph made it to the gate for her next flight and again sat by the window, watching what was happening on the tarmac. She thought about everything she had been through since the plane crash. How she came to see herself in a different light and how she wanted to be a different person. She could not stop thinking about Paul or forget what the older woman had said as she left the plane.

Steph returned to the exit and watched Paul's family through the plate glass window. Like she had told Paul, she had great parents but never felt like part of a family, and she envied Paul and Suz.

Tom had been a different kind of man than she usually encountered. The type of man Steph now thought men out to be. Paul was that kind of man, too. He had a strength and honesty about him. She saw the same strength in Earl as he stood watching over his family members, waiting for his son to return.

Steph suddenly had no idea why she was going back to New York. That was where the old Steph wanted to be. The new Steph didn't want that life anymore. She wanted more. She wanted a life where she was part of something. She wanted Paul. She wanted to be welcomed into his family and be sitting with them when he arrived.

That thought took her aback. She would be risking everything and taking a monumental leap of faith. Would Paul want her? Would it work out between them? Could someone like her be part of a real family? And the biggest question of all, was this really what she wanted as her forever?

"Yes," Steph said out loud, "This is what I want." She still had doubts about the future but remembered what Tom had said when she asked how he knew west-southwest was the right direction. Steph told herself, "Sometimes you just have to have faith."

Back at the gate, Steph told the ticket agent she had already checked in but would not take the flight to New York City. Steph laughed out loud when the Ticket Agent said the tickets were non-refundable. Steph replied, "I couldn't care less." She was committed now.

Steph hurried back to the plate glass windows, walked through the exit, and turned straight for Suz. As she approached, Earl looked directly at her. Both brothers also focused on this woman approaching their family. Men had been looking at Steph for as long as she could remember, but not like this.

When close enough, Steph said, "Excuse me, are you Suz?" It took Suz a second, and then Suz yelled, "Stephanie?" Steph smiled as Suz jumped up and embraced her. It had been a long time since anyone had hugged her like that, and Steph could not believe how good it felt. As Suz hugged her, Steph saw Earl's expression soften as he looked away. She had made it past Earl's defenses, one hurdle down.

Suz introduced Steph to her mother and her sister, Alice. She pointed to Earl, stating he was her father and those were two of her big brothers. Suz introduced Steph to her brother's wives and said their children's names as she pointed them out.

Paul's mom insisted Steph sit beside her with Suz on the other side. At first, the conversation was about Suz, her date, and her dresses, but eventually, it got around to how Steph and Paul had met. Paul's mom smiled as Steph explained they had just met today and had enjoyed each other's company. Steph tried to make it sound like no big thing but could tell Paul's mom was seeing right through her.

Paul's mom told Steph to call her Margaret, then quickly changed the subject to where Steph would stay while in town. When Steph said she would find a hotel, Margaret said, "Oh no, I won't hear of it. You are staying with us."

Margaret turned and motioned for Earl to come over, then told Earl, "This is Stephanie, Paul's friend. She will be staying with us while she is here. Make sure you get her luggage." Steph stood and held her hand out to Earl, who ignored her hand and leaned across a row of chairs to hug Steph.