September 22, 2014

FICTION | TRAVELS, PART THREE.

Note: Yep, it's another installment to my newest fiction piece. It's been awhile and my new goal is to have a new installment written (not necessarily published/posted) each month. I'm not always the best at keeping up with my goals, but you can always hope, right? Anyway, you can catch up (or refresh yourself) with chapter one and chapter two.
image via Unsplash.

Between worrying about getting airsick or getting my foot stuck in my mouth from our shallow but hilarious conversations, I let my mind wander as I tried to think. And plan. And just figure out why I had hopped on the plane in the first place.

For the most part, my life was figured out. I was going to college back East and about to start my fourth and final year of courses. I had friends, roommates, and parents who--while they were very supportive--were more often than not a little too invested in my life. It comes with being the only child, I guess.

But it was summer and after a stressful few weekends working under my mom at her local second-hand boutique, I was ready to just be done with it all. I wanted to get out and be done with inventorying women's scarves. So when my aunt asked if I wanted to be a nanny for her kids for the summer, I jumped on the opportunity without thinking twice. I had no experience with kids and had only been to California once, but at least I would get some time away from my life--and possibly get a chance to visit Disneyland and see if it really is the happiest place on earth.

My seatmate, on the other hand, seemed to have everything in his life figured out. Or at least he acted that way. Even though he seemed pretty wide awake, he had dozed off not even an hour into the flight.

I pulled out my journal and started scribbling down notes and thoughts. And that's when I felt someone looking over my shoulder. I wrote one last sentence in the journal and then turned to look at him.

"Sorry, I err, well, I guess you caught me red-handed." He cleared his throat and ran his hand through his hair again.

Except it was not going to work on me this time around. Suddenly this seatmate of mine was turning into more of a nuisance than a dream come true. I looked away and didn't know what to say.

You're pretty good at pretending to be asleep, you know that?" I didn't mean to come across as so snarky (especially to a stranger), but I couldn't help it. He was reading my journal. No one reads my journal. No one.

"Sorry, Liza. I didn't mean to. You just reminded me of someone and being so mysterious, well, I couldn't help," he smiled weakly. 

"Who do I remind you of?" I replied. I rubbed my fingers up and down the edges of my journal and clicked my ballpoint pen.

"It'll sound weird--but then again, apparently you already think I am--but you remind me a lot of my mom."

I looked at him and opened my mouth to speak. "I guess that's better than saying I remind you of your hot wife or mean stepsister or something."

He laughed and the man sitting on his other side let out a soft snore in his sleep.

"Seeing as I don't have either, you're safe this time around."

I couldn't help but smile. "So tell me more about your mom."

"She was a simple person. Simple in personality, simple in lifestyle, just simple. She juggled writing a food column for a magazine and raised me and my younger siblings and forced us to pursue our dreams, no matter what." He looked forward and then nodded and politely smiled at the flight attendant walking down the aisle.

"And you think that describes me?" I asked.

"Sure," he answered. He readjusted his position in his seat, likely uncomfortable from sitting so long like I was.

"Like I said, you're mysterious, Liza. You're most definitely not an open book. And I like that. My mom was the same way. She never shared much about her past or my father or even..." He looked right into my eyes and I started to feel a little uncomfortable.

"Your mom sounds like an amazing woman. So are you visiting her out in LA?"

"Actually, she passed away two years ago."

"Oh no, I am so sorry, Jeremy. I didn't mean to, I mean, I didn't know. I'm sorry." Sorry wasn't enough, though, and we both knew it.

"Don't worry about it. Really, don't. You had no idea." We both looked away and then he started speaking again. But I interrupted him before a word could escape his mouth.

"I feel like it's my turn now. I think it's my turn to talk. This way I don't humiliate myself any further," I needed to lighten the mood and at least Jeremy wasn't nearly as creepy as I once thought.

"I'm headed to LA. Well, not LA, per se, but nearby. Unlike you, my mom is kind of a nut and I need some time away from her. It sounds rude to say this--especially seeing as you've lost your mom--but I just couldn't take it any more. I could use another word to describe her, but there are kids on the plane, and I don't want the air marshal to arrest me."

The edges of his mouth turned to smile and he let out a muffled chuckle.

"You've got my mom's sense of humor." 

My cheeks flushed. And I pulled my ponytail a little tighter trying to diffuse the flirting that we both knew was going on.

"I'm pregnant," I stammered. I had no idea why I let that out of my mouth, but I couldn't take it back anymore.

I looked into his eyes as I said it and just noticed how crystal blue they were. Why did I just let that little detail slip from my mouth? 

25 comments

  1. So.... when are you going to publish your first book? ;)

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  2. Okay...I just read parts 1, 2, AND three!!! I love it when the fiction bug bites. :)

    This is really good and I'm DYING to know more about the mysterious Liza and the friendly (Australian?!?!) Jeremy and even the crossword playing/sleeping old man two seats over!!! Keep writing. :)

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  3. She is?? I hope you do stick to posting these, lol!

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  4. I am hooked and can't wait to read more!! You sure do have talent :)

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  5. I have so much catching up to do. I think this is going to be a good Saturday morning read for me. I'm already getting excited about it. A cup of coffee, a snuggly dog, and fiction by Kiki on my iPad...which reminds me, I have a lot of catching up to do on Amy's fiction installments as well!

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  6. You know, it's always been a dream of mine to write/publish a book! But I don't really have the mindset to sit down and continue a storyline. I have a terrible habit of starting stories and then never finishing them (knock on wood!). :)

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  7. I need to write more then! I'm hoping I get a chance to this weekend because the weather has been cooling down and it just screams writing time!

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  8. Yay, I'm glad you read them all! I love it when the fiction bug bites, too. It's always a good bug bite, haha. :)


    And I'm dying to find out what happens as well! Jeremy is the friendly Australian, Liza is definitely mysterious (and it wasn't on purpose!) and that crossword man is well, just another random person on the plane. Who knows, maybe he'll become a main character? :)

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  9. That last bit was definitely a last-minute change in the storyline. But I think it's a new storyline for me and I'm going to see where it takes me (and Liza!). :)

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  10. Yay, thanks Amanda! I cannot wait to write more! :)

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  11. I'm so flattered that you consider this a good Saturday morning read! :) I'm excited to hear your thoughts on it! :) And yes, you should go catch up on Amy's fiction pieces, too. That girl is amaaaaazing when it comes to fiction!

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  12. Eeeekkk!!! I want the next installment NOW!!! Get on it, girlie! ;-)

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  13. Aw, thanks!!! This cooler weather has me begging for a couple hours of writing and I'm hoping I get a chance to keep writing this weekend. I honestly have NO idea where to take this story next (I mean, they can't sit on a plane the whole time, haha), so we'll see where it goes!

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  14. shut. the. front. door.
    she is pregnant?! wait like in real life or she just let it slip out to deter him from flirting.
    TWIST TWIST.
    and that plot development is spot on - all the details about his mom and the smile at the flight attendant...GAH just so freaking good kiki!

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  15. both of y'all are too freaking sweet!
    BUT KIKI this was seriously just awesome. i really, really can't wait to see where the story goes!

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  16. Write! Write! Write! ;)

    I definitely think the old guy needs a name and a major role to play...but it IS your story, so that's all I'll say.
    ~ Victoria

    www.myjourneyforhim.blogspot.com

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  17. I never really thought of turning him into a character, but we'll see if he makes a bigger appearance! I'll definitely keep that in mind!

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  18. Sweet, maybe, but definitely just HONEST. Seriously, you have such a knack for writing!


    And thank you so much. I say this all the time, but it really does mean a lot coming from you!

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  19. Um, yes? I never really thought of it being a little lie to distance him from Liza at all. Although, I do kinda like that. But yeah, she's really pregnant. I've always wanted to write that into a story of mine but haven't done so until now. We'll see what happens next! Haha, I actually have NO idea what to do (again). :)

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  20. ohhhh goodness! ahhh i just don't know what to feeeeellll so many feels ahahhahah that is such a good twist! (and i never know what i'm going to do haha)

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  21. :) :) :) :) talent knows talent i guess ;) hahahaha
    that sounded like boasting - i promise it wasn't!

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  22. No worries, I definitely didn't read it as boasting! :)

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  23. I know, right? I really wanted to twist the plot and change up a typical (or potentially too boring/over-used) story line. We'll see where it takes me!

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  24. What?! I was definitely NOT expecting that last line to come out of her mouth. haha This is soo good! Keep going, keep going!! :)

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  25. Haha, I know, right? I was debating on what I wanted Liza to say and when I thought about that one, I thought of all of the different story lines and events that could come and it oddly enough made me more excited about this fictional piece. We'll see where it heads next!

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© IN ITS TIMEMaira Gall