Jass

Part 1 - Beginings

Steve was ready for a trip to Heathrow airport to meet Bridget and pick her up. The car was washed, vacuumed and even a little bit polished. He had already filled it with diesel. He had just come back from the superstore with some drinks and snacks for the road. He had also bought a small bouquet of roses. His and Bridget's joint plan was to pick up Bridget from the airport and bring her to his place. Steve told her she can stay as long she want. Both agreed that this way they will have the opportunity to get to know each other better, rather than just writing on the internet. They had already been writing to each other for a few months, Bridget lived in America close to New York, and she had her own furniture business. She did a fair bit of travelling, to assure her deliveries to her store. She was in her forties but still slim and sporty. Steve had seen a lot of her photos where she was smiling and looking happy. About month ago, Bridget became the first one of them to take the next step, and she told Steve that she loved him. Steve also told her that he had become very close to her and was also falling in love with her. He told Bridget that he was falling in love with her, but he wanted to wait until he saw her in life to tell her in person that he loves her. Steve felt excitement, often present before some new adventure, before some unknown. But he told himself boy you need to try things, go out, don't spend all your days closed up in these four walls, go and try some new things, be open, take that little risk, leave the comfort zone; it may be a comfortable zone, but it's boring one. 

He got into the car, started the engine of his beloved BMW, an old 'Beemer' but in very good shape. He thought to drive even for the just the pleasure of the trip, to drive his 'Beemer' was worth it. The three-litre engine sounded very nice and strong. He rolled on the local road, then later he joined the state highway leading to the airport. It took him two hours, and he arrived at the Heathrow airport car park for Gate 5. Gate 5 was where Bridget's plane was to arrive. Steve took the flowers and his phone, looking for the last time in the mirror to check his appearance, and went up to the arrivals room. He found some chairs in the room and sat down, waiting, the time was getting about right for the plane to land. He was thinking how should I behave, how should I act, should I kiss her, where, on the lips? Or on the cheek? Should I be excited, or tone it down and be calm? While he was thinking this, he felt his phone vibrate; short vibrations for text messages. He took his phone and look at the screen. It was a text message from Bridget: 

"Baby, I am very sorry, but I am in a big trouble, I couldn't text you earlier as I was halted at the airport at the last minute because my trading partner called the airport police and reported that one of my business transactions was short 1800 dollars. As soon as I pay that money, they will let me fly on the next plane. Could you please, Honey, lend me 1800 dollars? I will give it back to you as soon as I arrive in London." 

 Steve looked at this message again with disbelief, 

"Fuck! It's a scam! How fucking stupid am I? How stupid..." 

 He was angry, and he also felt ashamed that he was made so easy by this scam. But he was still in control, he was calm and polite, and wrote back to Bridget: 

"Sorry I can't send you anything until I meet you in person" 

She sent him back a few more messages ensuring that she will give him the money, and that he should trust her. Steve ignored all these messages and hesitated for a few seconds about what to do with the flowers. His first instinct was to throw them away in the bin. Then the thought occurred to him that maybe he should give them to some female stranger working at the airport. But he could not find any women, there was a lot of men, to whom he did not want to give any flowers as he did not want to be perceived as gay. Finally, he decided to keep them and take them back home.