A Boyfriend for Christmas

I’ll have to buy a new dress, of course, because I’m sure we’ll go to a New Year’s Eve party since everyone knows that anyone with a date goes to a party on the most exciting evening of the year! Oh, I hope he’ll wear a dress uniform to the party! I’ll be the envy of every girl there!

Amy could already hear the band playing Auld Lang Syne. She could see the streamers and other colorful decorations, and even feel the champagne bubbles tickle her nose, as they toasted the New Year right before the clock struck twelve and the soldier kissed her. And it would be the most incredible kiss, of course! Amy was sure of it!

Before she knew it, Amy was at the gate and someone was checking her passport and boarding pass and wishing her a pleasant flight. She made her way down the gangway onto the plane humming Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and then suddenly stopped.

Oh, no!

The handsome soldier was already settled in a seat…a window seat!

You were supposed to save that seat for me, Amy felt like screaming. But she didn’t, of course.

An older couple was seated next to the soldier, leaving no room at all for Amy. This was definitely not the romantic picture of a cozy flight across the Atlantic that Amy had created in her mind. But what could she do? She frowned and searched for an empty seat. The closest one was on the aisle, five rows back. She made her way to it, still hoping to catch the soldier’s eye before she disappeared into the middle of the plane. Once she got to her seat, she put her coat in the overhead compartment before tucking her carry-on bag and purse under the seat ahead of her. She admired the soldier one last time before she plopped down and buckled her seatbelt, folded her arms across her chest and closed her eyes, wishing this particular airline assigned seats to all its passengers. Surely she’d have been assigned the seat next to the soldier if that were the case. Her fortune had almost come true but then an elderly couple got in the way. Amy realized she must correct this huge mistake before it was too late. She just needed to figure out how. Her mind was spinning when the person seated next to her bumped her elbow.

“Headed home for the holidays?”

Amy’s thoughts of the soldier vanished.

Is that person talking to me?

She opened her eyes for the first time since sitting down and pushed her glasses up on her nose. A young man seated next to her was looking at her. She hadn’t noticed him before because she’d been fixated on the soldier. But now she studied this man’s face—strong, square jaw, hazel eyes behind small wire-framed glasses, curly dark hair falling across his forehead.

Not bad, she thought.

Then she looked at his clothes—a baggy New York Jets sweatshirt and… jeans.

“Adam,” she mumbled in disappointment.

The young man leaned towards her. “Excuse me?”

Amy cleared her throat. “I’m sorry. Yes, I’m going home for the holidays…to Kansas City. How about you?”

“Just to New York to visit my parents.” He offered a hand to Amy. “I’m Brian Percival.”

Amy took his hand, mildly impressed with his firm—but not too firm—handshake.

“Amy McKenzie. Nice to meet you.”

They were silent after that. Amy made it clear she didn’t feel much like talking. She had a problem to solve, after all. And Brian didn’t seem to have anything else to say anyway. Amy went back to concentrating on the soldier. She had to devise a plan for meeting him before he got away. Brian plugged into his MP3 player. After a few minutes, a flight attendant made the rounds, reminding everyone to buckle seatbelts, and stow all bags under the seats or in the overhead bins. They’d be taking off shortly, and then refreshments would be served.