His Little One (Book 1)

3 Coffee and Confidence

Abigail sleeps heavily in her seat. I watch the dark clouds underneath us. After eleven hours my back is killing me, but I've never felt so free. Watching the world beneath me move away, the tiny homes, and learning of our obsession with squares as a people, I must breathe it in. I've never experienced such joy in life, the feeling of soaring above the world's mundane problems, above the demons that lurk in the night.

            "Hey, you should get some sleep. I'll stay up to make sure you're safe." Slate whispers. His wife lays on him, hand up his shirt. Abigail is curled up in a little ball in her seat. My pasta meal is still sitting in front of me probably colder than ice at this point. The flight attendant has offered to warm it up multiple times, but I keep refusing. I don't know if I can bring myself to eat it.

            "I can't. I don't know why. I'm sorry." I do know why. I can visually watch the distance between Carter, and I grow by the minute.

            "How are you, Eos? And be as honest as you feel comfortable being." He covers his wife's ear while he whispers, the child wouldn't move if a tornado hit us. I think through my whirlwind of thoughts. I feel comfortable telling him nothing, but I suppose he is rather kind and wants to help.

            "I'm overwhelmed. This is the freest I've felt in years. I don't know how to close my eyes when I can't get my heart to slow." The honesty cracks my resolve. I can't believe I said something so selfish aloud. What regular person wants to hear such sad thoughts? Aren't I supposed to be positive all the time and make it seem like I'm perfectly fine?

            "I believe that's indication to the start of something new. Something good."

            I study the man, he's so different than I would've imagined him. If I'd have the need to imagine. Knowing myself, if he was to walk down the street I would've been just like those people in the airport, scared and running away, "How much does Mr. King know of my situation?"

            The situation, that's what I've decided to call it, "More than you might expect. He's here to support you, no matter what you need. He plans to show that, as well. Now slow that heart of yours, it might break your ribs if you don't calm down." He gives a grin before turning more serious, "I swear on my bloodline Eos, if I have anything to do with it, no harm will come to you ever again. No clumsy moments again."

            Syd told him. I smile finally nodding. I shove the food away from me and lean back the seat taking in the spacious leg room I have compared to the seats we passed on the way onto to the plane, "Thank you Johnathan Slate. I've felt more alive in the last day than I have in a while."

            "That's what family's for, kid. Now go on before I clip your eyes shut."

~

            "Thank you for flying with us!" Her voice startles me awake, my eyes cracking open with sleepy gunk. I rub away the crust and stretch my legs careful of the bandages. Slate is waking his wife up who has run drool down his front. The kid is attempting to find gravity as she rolls around in her seat for the floor. I unclip myself standing up, Syd does the same cracking her back. She rubs her belly for a moment then looks around.

            "Tacos." I look around trying to figure out what she is referring to or trying to mention. Slate nods his head.

            "Of course, sunshine, let's get you some tacos. The others are probably hungry as well." He meets my eyes giving me a fatherly glare. I hadn't eaten much yesterday to them, but it was my normal. I also have so many fear foods that it's irrational, but I can't help that feeling that Carter is going to come around the corner with a cigar if I eat something I want. I follow them out, the lady yelling at us the correct direction to leave.