Last Flight to L.A.

chapter twenty: home sweet home...ish

"You cannot live your life to please others. The choice must be yours."

~Alice in Wonderland

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Kelsey didn't exactly know what happened when someone made the front page of a tabloid.

As she walked through the airport, she found herself subconsciously keeping her head down and avoiding eye contact as if she were a criminal on the run.

But no 'breaking news' flashed across the TV screen, and no one seemed to be staring.

Maybe the tabloid would stay on the shelves until another, juicer piece of gossip took its place.

"Now boarding flight 349," the announcer said.

Kelsey gathered her things and stood in line for her group, feeling a heavy sense of nostalgia settle on her.

The last time she'd waited to board a plane, she'd been filled with excitement about living in California, working as a chef, and living with Sandy. Now she was running as far away from all those dreams as fast as she could.

Would she even go back?

Her suitcase rolled behind her as she boarded the plane in the same awkward fashion as before.

She sat down in her seat by the window. She gave a faint smile when she pulled out a little cookbook she'd picked up at one of the airport kiosks, having decided against a giant hardcover this time.

A man began loading his carry-on into the compartment above Kelsey and ducked down.

He was middle-aged and had the suit and hairstyle of a businessman. He shot Kelsey a smile and she returned it halfheartedly.

She watched absently as he pulled a laptop out and began typing away.

She closed her eyes tiredly as the safety video began playing on the headrest in front of her.

A nag of guilt had been tugging at her ever since she drove out of L.A. when she thought of Ethan. What was he doing today?

He couldn't run away and take a breather like Kelsey could. She doubted that the tabloid had sent him into a downward spiral, but she couldn't shake the worry that his heart had been broken again.

She never wanted to hurt him. Had she?

But what else could she have done? Scenarios of a better resolution played through Kelsey's mind. What if Ethan had told Kelsey point-blank, "the paparazzi are everywhere. They're going to snap pictures and everyone will think we're together."

What would she have done?

After a long while of contemplation, Kelsey came up short. If she really cared about Ethan, she had to be willing to stick with him through it all.

What is she didn't care as much as she thought?

She pulled out her phone to check if Sandy had replied to her text from that morning.

-Hey Sandy. I tried to wait for you, but I had to catch my flight. I'm so sorry about how things turned out. I have a lot to think about, but if I come back to California, I want you to know that I won't be back in L.A. I'll get an apartment or something and start over. Maybe we can do the same?

There was still no response.

After what seemed like an endless sea of clouds, the plane made its painstaking landing three hours later.