At the Airport with the Red Halls

Written on May 7 th , 2023

She entered the airport. The view was familiar; people carrying suitcases in the red halls, the revolving doors. 

She had to pick a lift to go upstairs. She never knew which. It was almost time. 

On the second floor a little bar. A view on the planes. It was almost eight and already dark outside. She stopped by the entrance to check the departure times. There was one in a few minutes. She wouldn’t have time to catch it. She had to request a ticket by the bar and there was already a line. 

She would have to wait for the next one. About an hour and a half. Should be enough time. 

Inside the bar, she saw him. Sitting with a friend by the bar. To him see felt, she would be invisible. Yet she felt the intensity of the moment. 

She walked to meet her friend, seated next to the column. 

Her friend was working on her laptop. A half empty glass of mint tea next to her. A lemon tart missing a few bites. 

She greeted her, then saw him walking towards them. She wouldn’t look away. That moment was right. 

He stood by their high table. She saw him talk and gesture with his hands. For a while, she was talking too, without knowing what she was saying. 

He didn’t have a suitcase with him. 

She reached across to touch his hand. Get his attention. All those days she’d longed for him. 

She wouldn’t speak to him about anything else. 

“I want to kiss you” she said quietly. 

No rejection. Just  bewilderment. 

He took her by the hand. Lead her by the second collum, right before the entrance of the toilets. 

She wouldn’t hide in there. She pushed him against the collum. He didn’t resist. 

The intensity of the moment. 

Could he see the longing behind her eyes? Did he feel the same desire?

She took hold of his shirt. She could sense his proximity. Desire that is almost unbearable.

Such perfect second, could last forever. Bliss that cannot be recreated.

She kissed his lips. Longing like flames briefly dying down, only to be reignited. 

He kissed her back. 

All those nights she’d dreamt of him. Following days of hide and seek. 

They would meet in crowded hallways. In busy streets. He’d ask how life had been. Share details about his. Make jokes. Then he’d go away. 

Time would pass. Longing made the heart grow fonder. 

What was it if not fate that kept bringing them together? 

Had their story not ended four years ago?

Her whole life she’d lived for this moment.

And as they parted she saw. The sweet daze of longing behind his eyes. His hand on hers; still holding onto his shirt. 

Their perfect moment.

He’d waited too.