Page 96 of Fly with Me

STELLA

People magazine just called me. Did they call you?

OLIVE

I had a couple missed calls yesterday, but I hadn’t checked my messages yet

STELLA

Would you have time to do a FaceTime around 4:30? I could come over there after I’m done teaching today?

OLIVE

Sure.

Six hours later, they sat together on Olive’s couch, Olive hyperaware of exactly where Stella’s thigh was in respect to her own. Stella’s laptop was open before them with a Zoom call on the screen. Gus was curled in a very large ball on the floor near their feet, and Olive was mildly concerned that his snoring would distract them from the interview.

The woman on the screen had kind eyes and short auburn hair. “Well, we’ve all seen the video. I’m so glad to be talking to you both today. What a story.”

“Thank you for having us.” Stella smiled. She had lots of different smiles. The professional one. The excited and enthusiastic one that deepened her dimples. The sweet one. And the wicked one she made as Olive removed her necktie.

Olive had been gaping. She swallowed. “Yes, thank you.”

The reporter smirked into the camera, noticing the small wordless glances between Olive and Stella. “So, tell me. Was it love at first sight between you?”

They both laughed.

Olive surprised herself by finding words first. “Not exactly. I mean, obviously I noticed her. Who wouldn’t? She’s stunning. But I don’t think it was until she offered to help me get to my race that I knew what a kind person she was.”

“She drove you all the way from Atlanta to Disney?”

“Yes.”

“And what about you, Stella?”

“After we all got off the plane, someone tagged me in the video of Olive saving the man’s life. It was remarkable. She was remarkable. Calm and collected despite the huge amount of pressure. I remember thinking, I’d love to get to know that person.” The look on Stella’s face melted something in Olive.

“What were you thinking in those moments in the video, Olive?”

“I approached the situation like I would any patient. Once I got into the zone it was easy for me to forget I was on an airplane and focus on what was in front of me and how I could help him.” Olive’s fingers scraped along the velvet couch cushion.

“I imagine being in the tight quarters of an airplane made it much harder.”

“For sure. I was using unfamiliar equipment in an unfamiliar environment. And I’m afraid of flying, so—”

“You’re afraid of flying?”

Olive’s eyes met Stella’s. Olive chuckled. “It was my first time on a plane.”

Stella patted Olive’s hand. “I keep telling her that flying is the safest way to travel, and Allied Airlines in particular has very high safety ratings.”

Olive lifted her palms in a meh gesture. “And I keep telling her that statistics never fixed a phobia. But flying Allied Airlines was a pretty good experience overall, despite the fact that I only got to sit in my seat for a few minutes.”

“So, your fear of flying is cured, then?”

“Uh…” Olive pursed her lips comically.

They stared at each other, probably both reliving their text exchanges. The corner of Stella’s mouth twitched.