Twenty minutes later, I was uncomfortable again.
Henry glanced over his book.
“Everything okay?”
“Just trying to get comfortable.”
His eyes moved toward Josh’s legs.
He’d noticed.
I was uncomfortable again.
I wished he hadn’t.
For years, I’d worked as a school secretary, handling impatient parents and angry phone calls. I could settle a disagreement without raising my voice.
Yet somehow, I couldn’t persuade one grown man to move his knee.
During drink service, I ordered ginger ale.
Then I tried lowering my tray table.
I wished he hadn’t.
Josh’s elbow blocked it.
“Excuse me. I need to put my drink down.”
He barely moved.
“Josh, could you give me a little room?”
He sighed.
“Seriously?”
Josh’s elbow blocked it.
“I’d like to use my tray.”
“You women love making everything a problem.”
I stared at him.
“Needing my tray table isn’t much of a problem.”
“Then stop acting like it is.”
I considered answering, but the flight attendant was waiting with my drink.
“I’d like to use my tray.”
I thanked her and held the cup until Josh finally moved.
***
Steven would’ve laughed at how carefully I’d tried to handle the situation.
Once, at a grocery store, I’d bumped into an abandoned shopping cart and apologized.
“Celeste, sweetheart, the cart doesn’t have feelings,” he’d said.
“Well, I might have startled it.”
He spent the rest of our shopping trip apologizing to shelves.
Steven would’ve laughed.
***
Remembering him made me smile.
Then Josh stretched his leg again.
I checked the time.
We weren’t even halfway there.
A little later, the flight attendant returned to collect our cups.
Then Josh stretched his leg again.
She stopped beside our row.
“Ma’am, is everything all right?”
I glanced at Josh.
He’d removed one headphone and was watching me.
I could explain everything. She was standing right there.
Instead, I smiled.
“Yes, thank you. I’m fine.”
I could explain everything.
She nodded and continued down the aisle.
Josh put his headphone back on.
Then his knee pressed against mine again.
I wanted to kick myself.
Why hadn’t I said something?
Because people were watching. Because I hated arguments.
I wanted to kick myself.
Because I’d convinced myself that eventually he’d realize how selfish he was being.
I looked down at my book.
I’d read the same page four times.
Then I took out my phone and opened Rose’s photograph.
Marianne had sent another picture of her wearing a knitted hat much too big for her head.
I smiled.
I’d read the same page four times.
I wanted to arrive happy, not limping through the airport because I’d spent hours twisted against a window.
I looked at Josh’s leg.
“Josh, I’m asking you once more. Could you please stay on your side?”