SSG James Reynolds was waiting for his flight to his hometown at San Francisco Airport. The flight was delayed for a while but he did not want to sit in the USO since it was on the other side of the airport.
He was sitting thinking about his friends and relatives back home waiting for his arrival. He was staring off into space when he realized a young woman was staring at him.
He smiled politely at her and nodded as if to say "hello" which was returned in kind, as she brushed her hair back over her right ear with a slight smirk on her face.
He politely signaled as if to say, "Can I sit over there?" She nodded and patted the seat next to her.
He moved closer sat next to her, "Hi I am James Reynolds but I go by Jim." he said politely holding out his right hand to shake hers.
She put out her left hand, "Michelle Sampson it's a pleasure to meet you Jim." Smiling coyly and staring directly into his eyes that she noticed were a very deep brown.
They flirted politely exchanging glances and soft touches on one another's arms and hands. Each touch sending a jolt of energy between them like lightning in a thunderstorm.
After several hours of telling each other's life stories, they seemed to have run out of things to talk about.
Sitting nervously quiet finally he broke the ice," So what are you doing for Thanksgiving?" he asked looking into her eyes.
She wiggled in her seat almost embarrassed to admit she was only going to Vale for some skiing.
After her confession she appeared as embarrassed as she felt but, he just shrugged it off, "that's alright I was just going home to have everyone dote over me since I am leaving for Afghanistan in a month or so."
Now she was embarrassed her face turning red but he politely took her hand and led her to the only open airport diner.
"Cup of coffee for me and whatever the lady is having please, Ma'am." as they sat down across from each other at a booth.
He had hoped she would sit next to him since he loved the way she smelled, the scent of her cologne, the look in her eyes and that overwhelming desire to never leave her side taking over him.
He kept fighting the urges to stare into her eyes realizing that getting too close would only wind up bad for both of them when he leaves.
Before he knew it, she was holding his right hand across the table. She smiled at him with a look in her eyes as if she already felt the same way.
They sat drinking coffee, talking politely and doing everything in their power to avoid the obvious points, he was leaving and she would probably never see or hear from him again.
As they order their meals of turkey sandwiches, mashed potatoes and some stuffing they both had a look of love and dismay in their eyes as they held hands.
They ate quietly then moved back to their seats in the waiting area staring out the glass watching the flights taking off and landing.
She would occasionally wipe a tear from her eyes as they sat quietly holding hands. Neither had felt this kind of attachment in their whole lives despite both growing up in large families.
After they announced his flight was, ready to depart he turned to her and the tears in her eyes said more to him than any words she could have spoken.
He took out a piece of paper and wrote his address down and a phone number where she could leave messages he would eventually get.
She took out another piece of paper and pen writing down her information. She looked at him tears running down her face, "you better write me soon I will never forget you Jim."
As she handed him the address she also handed him a business card. It turned out his crush was a local attorney who worked in a private practice.
"Why do you want me? Your so much more successful than I will probably ever be," he said to her looking at the ground a single tear falling to the ground from his eyes.
"You just write me and next year we will get together wherever you want for Thanksgiving. I will be waiting for you James Reynolds don't leave me high and dry or I will find you."
He smiled politely kissed her cheek picked up his duffel and briefcase walked away turning back once to say "goodbye" one more time.
She watched him get on the flight and the plane take off before she sat back down cried for a while until her plane was ready to take off.
She walked back to the exit and got into a cab going back to her apartment. She sat down and immediately began to write him a long letter, "Dear Jim..."