“And well, hell!” Gail shouted. “It’s gonna be more than the turkey getting stuffed tonight!”

“Must you reduce everything to sex?” Sam shrugged with disgust.

“Yes!” she joyously responded.

“It was a rhetorical question, Gail. Montana, this is just like Funny Girl. You’re Fanny Brice, Barbra Streisand’s character, the little songstress slash actress that could, and Graham is Nick Arnstein, Omar Sharif’s character, the mysteriously handsome slash charming slash successful businessman. I’m about to cry!”

“I’m about to cry if you keep comparing Montana to them lily-white movies that ain’t nobody ever heard of, let alone watched.”

“Spoken from a woman who threatened to picket the Oscars because Booty Call wasn’t nominated by the Academy.” Turning back to me, “Montana, I’m so happy for you. I hope everything works out.” Reaching under his shirt, he revealed a thin silver chain. From it dangled a sparkling sapphire broach.

“This was one of the original pieces of jewelry worn by Barbra in the movie Funny Girl. I bought it on eBay. I take it with me everywhere I go as a good luck charm. I want you to have it. From this day forward I crown you diva for life…diva for love.” Tearing up as he placed the pendant around my neck, Sam paused, then looked at Gail. “Project Annie, it’s your turn. Don’t you have something lucky? A Boones Farm bottle top? An empty slug from your baby daddy’s gun? Anything?”

Shrugging Sam off, Gail turned in earnest. “Montana, go get your man, girl. I’m jealous. I wish it were me. Give me a hug, girl.”

“Group hug! Group hug!” we all shouted.

As we all stood hugging and sniffling the intercom rumbled and the ever-present, seemingly majestic voice of the captain announced, “Flight attendants, prepare your doors for our final descent as we approach Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.”

As the voice of the captain faded, what echoed through my mind were my mother’s words just moments before her fifth stroll down the aisle: “For a chance at love and security, no matter how fleeting, a woman is always ready.”

Chapter 3

5:00 P.M. CST
NOVEMBER 27TH, THANKSGIVING EVE

Happy Thanksgiving. Good-night. Good-night. Happy Thanksgiving.”

The last two passengers exited and I was left there standing alone. Finally it was time. Time for me to exit the plane and enter my future. Graham’s world.

Danger! Danger! Overload! Overload! It was too much. Too much too soon. Too much right now. I needed a few minutes to let what I had willed catch up with what I had wanted to catch up with the thing I had waited for all of my life.