I was smelling good, looking good, and feeling good. Now for the underwear. This time, I reached into the stash I saved for special occasions. You know, the ones you wear when you’ve already made up in your mind that you’re gonna give him some. I pulled out those. I wanted to feel sexy. Even on the plane, I wanted to feel sexy. Even though I wasn’t supposed to give him some, I still wanted to feel sexy. I reached in my closet and pulled out my uniform. It was Transcontinental’s standard blue, which was never intended to make a fashion statement. But after Sam got finished, it looked like Armani tailored and designed it himself. Fitting like a glove, it was painted on. Sam had hooked me up. And the shoes: a pair of blue Prada pumps set the whole suit off. I threw the Guccis in my ears and I was ready, my new look complete.

“What do you think, Muggly?”

“Meooww.”

Good. She approved. Pulling my overstuffed rolling bag behind me, I gave Muggly a hug, locked up the house, and left.

Outside I waved and whistled, shouted and yelled, trying to flag down a cab. All were full, off duty, or just not interested in stopping. Time was ticking, and any minute I would be dangerously close to missing my flight, which would cause me to miss my connection, which would cause me to miss Damon. I fanned myself to avoid sweating. It seemed like the louder I whistled, the faster they sped past. I looked at my watch, still fanning my face. I heard a honk.

“Need a lift?” It was William. Thank you, God.

“Yes, I’m running late to the airport. Do you have time to take me?” I asked.

“Sure.”

William hopped out of his aged family truck with the words “When It’s Wright, It’s Right” painted on the side. He lifted my bag into the back, opened my door as he always had, and we rushed to the airport.

“You know, I almost didn’t recognize you. You look totally different.”

“Well, some of us like to update our image every decade or so,” I said, looking around at the van that his daddy’s daddy’s daddy probably bought from Henry Ford himself.

“I know, I know. I’ve been meaning to get a new van for the past year or so. I guess I just never got around to it.”

“Uh, yeah,” I said playfully as we both laughed. “So, you like it?” I said, showing off my new do. From the sparkle in his eye I knew that he liked it, but a woman can never get enough positive feedback.

“Yeah, it’s cool. What’s the occasion?”

“I’m the occasion. I’m meeting a friend in Houston, and then he and I are flying to New York together.”