"Brenda, we have a line building here. What are you doing?"
The woman talking with Nathan turned to see her friend Susan gesturing to the long line of passengers at the counter.
"I'll be with you in a minute. I think this guy got jumped."
Susan looked passed her friend and offered Nathan a weak smile. She doubted Brenda would have been half as concerned if the guy hadn't been as cute as he was.
"Want me to call security, Bren?"
"No," Nathan answered quickly. So quickly it startled both of the ladies. "I mean, no thank you. I wasn't jumped. I tripped."
"Are you sure you are okay?" Brenda asked.
"Where was that flight going?"
"Chicago."
"Chicago? Why would she be going to Chicago? Was that it's final destination?"
"No. Chicago's a major hub so there are a bunch of connectors and the eventual destination of that jet was Los Angeles.
Nathan shifted his weight and winced at the jolt of pain that shot up his leg.
"Sir, are you..."
"Nathan, please. I can't stand sir."
"Okay, Nathan," she said with a smile. "Are you sure you are okay?"
Nathan nodded.
"Like I said, I tripped. I was trying to catch the plane."
"That plane?"
He nodded again.
"That plane that you weren't supposed to be on?"
"Well not the plane. The woman. The last one you let on before you shut the door. I think...I think that was my wife."
Brenda couldn't suppress her frown.
"She wasn't traveling with you? You weren't expecting to see her here?"
Nathan did not know how to explain just how much of an understatement that was, so he only murmured, "No."
"Sorry," Brenda whispered and continued to frown.
Who would cheat on a guy like this? Did they have a fight? Did she hit him? Was that what the bump on his head was from? Did he hit her? She hadn't looked like anything was wrong. She had seemed a bit flustered, but no more than any other person who had come only moments from missing their flight. She certainly hadn't given the impression she was on the run from anything, only trying to ensure she made her flight.
"I don't suppose that you could tell me what her destination was?"
"That would be a breech of confidentiality, sir...Nathan."
"Please," he began, his voice barely a whisper. "You've no idea how important this is to me."
She looked into his eyes and recognized what was there. She had to force herself not to tear up, the man's pain was so visible, so raw.
"I'll see what I can do. Come on," she said, taking him by the arm.
"Bren?"
"Just give me a minute, Susan." The tone of her voice more or less telling her friend to mind her own business.
"Her name?"
"Sorry?"
"The woman, your wife. Her name?"
"Oh, of course. Paige. Paige King."
Brenda clicked away at her keyboard, her eyes dancing between the flickering screen and the man. A moment later, she turned her full attention to the screen and frowned.
"Only King on that flight was a Thomas."
"Kendall, try Paige Kendall, please."
She clicked away at the keys again and a moment later she nodded.
"Seat 19A, Paige Kendall. Transferring in Chicago with a final destination of San Diego."
"San Diego?"
"She have family there?"
Nathan shook his head no.
"She's originally from Kansas. San Diego? How the heck am I going to find her in San Diego?" His voice was flat, defeated.
"Do you hit her?" Brenda asked forcefully in a hushed tone.
"What?"
"Do you hit her? Cheat on her? Abuse her? Is she running from you? Scared of you?"
The shocked look on his face was all the answer she really needed, but she was reassured when he finally spoke.
"N...no. I loved her. She was the love of my life."
Coming from anyone else Brenda would have thought the words corny, but the sincerity in his voice tore at her heart.
"You swear?"
He simply looked at her, his pale blue eyes answering for him. She couldn't help herself. She reached out and brushed the few stray strands of his brown hair from his brow and then ran her fingers lightly over his cheek. She offered him a sad smile and then turned her attention back to her computer and began typing furiously for a few moments before turning back to him.
"She has a three hour layover in Chicago. I can get you a seat on that flight to San Diego. American has a flight leaving in ten minutes for Chicago. There are two seats open on it. Gate seventeen, other end of the airport. Shall I call them and tell them you are coming?"
"Gate seventeen?"
She nodded.
He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the cheek, before turning and moving as fast as his ankle would allow.