Michael by Kirby Elaine Page A

worked so hard and pushed me to work hard too.” He glanced at me but quickly took his eyes back to the road. “What about you? What do you do? I mean I assume that with a husband with that name that you don’t have to work.”
    “That’s an accurate assumption. I was a teacher before I met Michael. My mother was a teacher and I wanted to be one too. I loved it but with three young children, I don’t know where I would even find the energy to work a full time job. I do help organize a lot of charity events for our company but other than that, not much.” I thought about how easy life had been being able to be a full time mother. It wasn’t an option afforded to most women.
    “That’s pretty cool. I mean, I’d hope to find a woman willing to make that sacrifice for the sake of our kids. She wouldn’t have to but it’d be pretty nice.”
    “So who is the woman you bought to dinner last night? Not a girlfriend?”
    “No, no. no. She’s just a friend who lives in the city. We try to get together whenever I’m in town, which isn’t too often.”
    “She’s pretty.” I commented.
    “Gorgeous. But I doubt she’d ever let me cross that line.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “She’s the forever single, business type of woman. Strong willed, no children ever type of woman. I love her to death and think she’s amazing and brilliant but it’d never happen. We both know what we want and it isn’t each other.” He let out a cackle as if he tried to picture himself with her.
    “To each their own, I guess.” I laughed with him. We made brief eye contact.
    “I’m glad we found each other, sis.” He smiled. “It’s been a lonely life I’ve been living.”
    “I’m glad too, Abi.” I looked his way and watched a tear roll down his cheek. I knew there was more to him but I didn’t feel like now was the time to ask. So instead I patted his hand and watched the buildings pass by as we hit the halfway mark on our way to the airport.
    ***
    I settled into my seat and watched people file down the aisles and into their seats.
    “Mam,” a voice spoke from behind. Is that seat next to you occupied? I asked for a window seat and they were sold out last minute.” He said.
    “It is, maybe you should have—” I turned in my seat. “Maybe you should have told me to snag one for you.”
    Charlie stood, as did I. I wrapped my arms around him. It was a unique feeling being connected to another man, a man other than Michael. Even in the platonic sense, it was weird. There were clear boundaries to the relationship I had with Charlie but I couldn’t help but to feel comforted by his presence.  Comforted to have a friend I knew wasn’t going to disappear.
    “Happy to see me?” He asked sliding back into his seat.
    “Absolutely!” I looked around the cabin for Abi. “I’m surprised, but happy.”
    “I felt guilty for saying no. I know what all of this has meant to you I knew it was important for me to be with you to see it through.” He smiled. The look in his eyes always put me on edge. I knew that having a friendship with a straight single man was a touchy idea. And I knew that it was possible that Charlie had feelings for me that I would never be able to reciprocate.
    Charlie and I met at a fundraiser for a youth community center a month after Michael had entered rehab. He had garnered so much support and funds for the center and had impressed me further when I found out he was the contractor that had won the bid for the project. After a few conversations and hiring him to remodel the kitchen I found myself asking him out for coffee. Coffee led to dinner and dinner led to movies on the couch and talking about life. And then he told me he could help me find Amita and he did.
    Abi strolled into the first class cabin with a glass of wine in his hand. He locked eyes with me before letting his gaze wander to Charlie. Charlie stood stretching out his hand to Abi.
    “Charlie Jenner, you must be Abi.”
    “Abhishek