The Stewardess’s Diary – 12:15 p.m.
Confirmed passenger list printed and walkie-talkie in hand, I stood by the glass door a few feet away from the counter, waiting for the crew to report that our Cancun-bound plane was ready for boarding.
Can’t wait to get there.
Kate and I had spent the past thirty minutes at the gate, reassuring an incessant stream of pasty-white passengers concerned about possible delays.
Don’t think I’m the only one who’s anxious to get my feet in the sand and body under the hot sun.
But my plans for this three-day-weekend included a few more extra-curricular activities with Matt—my friend with benefits. Lazy mornings, sex, brunch, swimming… Did I mention lots of sex? Or good rolls in the sack as he calls them…
Gosh, I can’t believe it’s already been a month since we met, during his very short stint as a flight attendant.
We shared a few pleasant evenings here and there, mostly when our schedules happened to coincide. Nothing serious, conversation over wine and cheese, and lots of hot sex.
He’s soooo frigging handsome.
And I’d managed to keep thinking of him as something other than boyfriend material. Not quite the string of one-night stands my friend Alex had recommended, but still…
I’d made progress. My disillusion about finding the one was hibernating. My sexual life was headed in the right direction.
Hanging out with Matt for three delicious long nights and two full days would be so nice. I missed his hands on my body, his tongue on my—
My cellphone vibrated in my pocket, interrupting my daydream.
I dug it out, and the small pop-up showed I’d received a text message from Matt.
With butterflies in my stomach and a big grin on my face, I swiped my way past the password protection screen to read his words:
Sorry
Have to cancel weekend plans
Back with ex
Will explain later
Sorry, babe
🙁
***
12:20 p.m.
What the fuck?
Ten minutes to boarding. And now I learned I was about to spend three days alone in a party town during the busy season without a hotel reservation… or any plans, really.
Shit.
What can I reply to that?
I shook my head for a few seconds, letting all the things I really wanted to say escape my mind, then I settled on sending the plain and politically-correct “ok.”
I returned my phone to my jacket pocket, trying to don a happy face and push my anger and worries down my throat. The walkie-talkie finally screeched the report I’d been waiting for, so I acknowledged it and then returned to Kate at the counter.
I placed a hand on her elbow. “Time to make the announcement,” I told her.
She nodded, flipped her brown hair behind her ear, and then picked up the handset.
While listening to her read the pre-written script in English then in Spanish to announce we’d soon start boarding families with young children and those who needed special assistance, I glanced at the crowd. A couple of families were getting their things together and coming our way. I didn’t have much time, but maybe Kate could help.
When she hung up, I used the couple of minutes we still had to talk to her. I knew it would become impossible once the actual boarding process began.
“Kate, are you staying in Cancun?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m deadheading to San Francisco a couple of hours after we land. Are you?”
“I was planning to, but my… friend canceled on me.” It still felt funny whenever I had to refer to him. He wasn’t my boyfriend. Fuck-buddy just seemed flat-out rude, and I wasn’t sure if fucker would have been a better label right now.
Then again, Matt didn’t owe me anything. I couldn’t be mad at him for canceling on me.
But it still sucked.
Her answer brought me back to reality. “That’s too bad, but I’m sure you’ll have fun anyway. Weather’s supposed to be great!”
She started walking, covering the few feet that separated the counter from where she’d be checking our passengers’ tickets.
“Do you have friends in Cancun?” I asked. “Someone who may have a couch or bedroom where I could crash?”
“No. Why do you ask? Don’t you have a reservation?”
“No, unfortunately.”
Her mouth made an upside-down U and she raised her eyebrows. “Good luck with that. Hotels near the beach are gonna be packed. You’ll pay through the nose… if you find something!”
I’ll be fine. I’ll figure something out, I told myself while smiling at the tired-looking father of three standing in front of me with his offspring. I greeted him and took the boarding passes he was handing me.
