“They’re taxiing around,” Derek says. “He should be here in five minutes.” I look out the window for his plane and finally see it coming. I want to jump out now, but what if he is looking out the window? I wait until I see the stairs open. I start to get out of the car, but then I freeze. Grant is with someone. I see a woman appear next to him, and I watch as they kiss. He takes her hand and holds it down the stairs. I’m frozen in time as I watch them. I can hear my heart shatter on the ground and lose my breath like I have been sucker punched in the gut. I know Derek is seeing this. I have to act fast.
“Derek, take my bag out when you put his in. Please don’t tell him I was here.” I slip out the door facing away from the plane and tuck myself next to the tire. I want to cry, but I don’t. I can hear Grant’s voice laughing with this woman. Derek greets them. I think he is making sure Grant doesn’t walk around the car.
“I’ll get that for you, sir.” I listen to him get them in the car, and I move around to the back. Derek walks around and sees me. I feel pathetic. I’m hiding behind the car like a pitiful person. He opens the tailgate and puts all the bags in. He takes mine out and closes the door.
“Hannah, I will call Sam to come get you.”
“Don’t, please. I can get myself home. Just please get out of here.”
“I’m sorry,” is all he can say.
“Me, too.” Derek gets into the SUV and pulls away. I stand there in the middle of nowhere with nothing but my suitcase.
I’m in shock, just watching the SUV as it disappears out of sight. I begin to walk off my anger to the nearest building. I notice a car pull in, but keep walking. I start to feel uneasy when it pulls up next to me. As the window slides down, I see it’s Aiden. I stop and look at him, and I see red. When he steps out, I attack him. I run right up to him and start slapping him and hitting him with my fists.
“You knew. You fucking asshole! You knew and didn’t tell me!” I’m screaming now; he doesn’t move as I hit him. He takes every swing and just lets me get it all out.
“I hate you. I hate you both.” I stop and fall to the ground. He takes me in his arms and holds me while I cry.
“I didn’t know,” he whispers.
“Yes, you did.”
“No, I had a feeling but was never able to confirm it.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I had a feeling. I didn’t want to see you get hurt. I know how Grant is.”
“Who is she?” I watch as he hesitates. After a deep breath, he begins.
“Ava, my ex that cheated on me with him.” His voice is bitter, and I feel the same way. I move closer to him and he pulls me in. We sit on the ground while I wrap the last ten minutes around in my head. What a fucking asshole. I think of last week when I called Grant in the middle of the night, and I thought it was the TV I was hearing. It was her; it had to have been her.
I grab my bag and walk over to Aiden’s car. He opens the trunk, and I see his suitcase. He places mine next to his and opens my door. I sit in his car and feel so many different emotions at once. I feel angry towards Grant. How could he do this to me? Was he just stringing me along? Was this some kind of sick pay back for me sleeping with Aiden? I trusted him with me heart and he shattered it.
“Catch up to him,” I say. “I want to see if he brings her back to his apartment.”
“Does it change anything if he does?”
“No.”
“I’ll take you home.” His eyes are soft as he says this.
“No, take me anywhere else. I don’t have to be home until Monday.” He nods. I stare out the window, and before I know it, we are heading north. I replay seeing Grant and Ava. He looked so happy with her. He kissed her. As I think about it, I hear my phone ring. I take it out of my bag and see it’s him. I turn my phone on silent and throw it in the backseat. I look over at Aiden.
“Let me disappear until Monday. I don’t want anyone to know where I am, OK?”
“If that’s what you want. No one would ever find you at my house.” I adjust my seat back so I’m almost lying down. I can see the sky this way, and I get lost in the clouds.
To be continued…