Seasoned by Love

la (Firs

as the taxi pulled up t

carf refused to cooperate-each time I tucked it, another stubborn curl spra

cases. One

mango, pineapple, ginger. My farewell g

the weight of everything I was

was

ossy, her smile barely holding steady. She hugged me li

rld on fire,"

r. "I'll try not to b

ed toward the sliding glass doors, legs shak

ity, even the suspicious glance the TSA agent gave

sm

hould've known

bout the gas bill-that I barely noticed how wide-eyed I'd become. The huge gate numbers on the ov

ying to get one more look at a digi

h

la

os popped off like it had been waiting to betray me. Juice-

asp

gosh-

a deep voic

oked

nd glaring down at me with enough heat to curdle milk. His blac

n't se

through airports creating mistakes and baptizing people in tro

wipe juice off my scarf. "Maybe if you weren't stan

d closer.

"People like you-clumsy, loud, and untrained-you don'

aw l

nked

n t

from nerves-but from h

I said, voi

inting out the weather. "You look like you wan

ved on its own. Due to

l

. My palm met his chee

like stone. He slowly raised a hand to his face, wher

. Someone gasped. Bu

what I've walked through to be standing here. And if that shirt is ruined, I hope the stain reminds you that about sta

urious grin on his face told. "I can't waste a

-like I had done som

e unfor

wait for

e hammering in my ears, head held high ev

agent scanned

Right this w

class?"

ed, already tag

I heard the uni

, air that smelled like wealth and lavender oil. The cabin

und my window se

i

hirt-slightl

readabl

ossible

e seat beside m

be kidding me

aid, settling in.

Not a word. He just kept that face

xied, something new

e

whirred louder. My hands started to

ed for

t like a

hed. Loo

ere to cause

my first t

sta

rise-he leaned

ed underneath his breath saying. "This is wh

n't s

idn't pu

let me

e the clouds,

woke up,

at was

No look

y of a stain o

anger who held still w

hen, but I hadn't

that would and could b

y blunder that was built up m