Turbulence - (18+)

21.

GATE B17 JUSTIN

New York (JFK)

She can't follow rules for shit...

"Are you there, Justin?" Shay asked me on the phone, a full week and a half later. "Are you still there?"

"Unfortunately."

"Then what did I just say?"

Why am I still on the phone with this woman? "You said your brother seems to be acting like a bride-zilla and his girlfriend isn't even aware of his plan to propose yet." I paused. "And then, you said you realized that it's nine o'clock at night, you've been talking to me for over an hour, and you need to let me return to my life where late-night phone calls don't exist."

She laughed her infectious laughter. "I think you like my late night phone calls."

"I don't."

"Then stop picking up the phone."

"Stop calling me five times in a row."

She laughed again, and then continued talking as if she hadn't heard me say that we'd been on the phone for over an hour. For the tenth night in a row she'd decided that "no late phone calls" meant call me anyway, and as much as I wanted to hang up and tell her that I didn't want to hear about her life outside of the bedroom, I couldn't do it.

For one, the sound of her light and sultry voice-even though she rambled and asked one too many questions, was somewhat calming for my fraying nerves. For two, she was the only woman who could intrigue and enrage me all at once-the only woman who could literally piss me off one second and have me laughing at her the next.

"And that was it," she said, finally done talking. "Thank you for listening to me again."

"I didn't have much of a choice."

"You could make things even with me, if it makes you feel better."

"Make things even? How so?"

"Well, I've bombarded you with my family drama for the past few days-"

"Past ten days." I corrected her.

"Okay, okay." Her laughter came again. "Past ten days. You could tell me something about your family."

"I don't have a family."

"Everyone has a family, Justin. But you know, I bet I could fill in some of the blanks of yours myself, actually."

I rolled my eyes, but instead of ending this call like I should've, I let my intrigue get the best of me. "Try me."

"Well, you said you were from Missouri on the first night we met and unfortunately back in New York so...I'm willing to bet the 'unfortunate' part means either: A) Your family also lives in New York. B) You left your family in Missouri and New York is the only place they won't come bother you, or C) You're attempting to repair an estranged relationship with your New York family but it's harder than what you expected. Which one is it?"

"D. None of the above."

"Well, it was worth a try." There was a smile in her voice. "Can I guess again?"

"You can do whatever you like. I'm about to hang up."

"Wait," she said. "I only have one more question."

"Somehow I doubt that..."

"Are you going to the airline's gala tonight? Since my flight was cancelled, I'm considering going with my roommate."

"Shay..." I sighed. "Is this the last late night phone call we're going to have? It really needs to be."

"Yes." She sounded somewhat offended. "I won't call you again after tonight unless it's about sex."