Where You Are

Windsor

Birgitta

The lights came back on in the cabin accompanied by a loud dinging. I jolted awake, heart racing. I'd always hated loud noises. My mother used to throw things and slam doors when she was angry and even now, years later, I still flinched at loud noises.

I checked the time, and then double checked to figure out if it was London time or Toronto time. We were almost there. I checked the flight map on my phone, we were due to land in under an hour. I'd never been able to sleep before on a flight, at least, not as soundly as I just had. I could get used to first-class. Especially on an overnight flight.

'Breakfast, love?' The flight attendant approached. She'd introduced herself last night as Phoebe and was friendly and seemed kind.

'Oh, um... sure,' I told her, straightening up and stretching my arms out in front of me.

'Full English or Western style?' She asked.

'Western, please,' I answered.

I knew that Full English meant baked beans and black pudding and I wasn't sure I could stomach that first thing in the morning.

An hour later, my belly was full and we'd touched back down to the ground.

I smiled to myself when Jesse's voice came over the intercom as we taxied to the gate, informing the passengers that we'd arrived and could turn our phones back on.

Even though this was the first time in my life that I was in a position to get off the plane first, I stayed put until the cockpit door finally opened and Jesse appeared. He grinned widely when he saw me and motioned for me to come to him.

'So? How did you find it?' He asked, placing both of his hands on my waist.

'It was very nice,' I told him. 'You might have ruined me from ever flying economy again, though.'

He laughed.

'It might not happen every time, but when I can, I'll get you in first-class,' he said.

'Oh, there's no need, I was just being silly,' I assured him.

'I thought I heard an east coast accent out here,'

An older man appeared behind Jesse, wearing an identical uniform but spoke just like I did.

'Hello,' I said, giving him a small smile and trying to peel myself away from Jesse. Only. Jesse wasn't having it, he just squeezed my waist even tighter.

'Captain Jack McLellan,' he held out his hand for me to shake. 'I'm usually the one stuck in there with him.'

He pointed his thumb towards the cockpit and then Jesse.

'Nice to meet you, I'm Birgitta,' I told him.

'Yes, I've heard all about you,' he replied with a funny look in Jesse's direction. 'So you're from New Brunswick?'

'Near Calgary, originally,' I answered. 'I've been in Moncton for three years.'

'I always told him he'd have to find himself a nice, Canadian girl,' he smacked Jesse on the back. 'Way more down-to-earth than British girls.'

'I'm sure some British girls are down-to-earth,' I replied.

'Not in London,' both Jack and Jesse said at once.

'Uh... okay...' I said slowly.

'We ought to go,' Jesse said abruptly. 'See you Friday.'

'Are you piloting my flight back to Toronto, too?' I asked him as he dropped an arm around my shoulders and led me out of the plane.