Dale Atkins POV:
I leaned back in the plane seat, rubbing my temples. My head throbbed. Jetta's soft hand, small and boneless, covered mine, her fingers tracing soothing patterns on my skin. "Headache, Dale?" she purred, her voice a seductive whisper.
"Mmm," I grunted, my eyes still closed. She smelled of some light, floral perfume, not unlike Faith' s usual scent. My tense muscles relaxed under her touch.
I had brought Jetta on this trip, trying to clear my head, but Faith's image kept flashing through my mind. I didn' t want a cold war with her. I just wanted her to come back. I had envisioned our reunion, a warm embrace, a renewed intimacy. I thought she would be so happy to see me, to finally be home. I thought she was being overly sensitive, irrational even, about Jetta. I had told her I loved her. Wasn't that enough?
My frustration grew. My brow furrowed even deeper. Jetta' s hand, still massaging my temples, slid lower, tracing the line of my jaw. "Is Faith still giving you trouble?" she asked, her voice laced with feigned concern. "She was really upset about the tickets, wasn't she? I mean, they were just… pieces of paper. But she shouldn't have burned them. That was going too far." She paused. "Maybe you should just ignore her for a while. Let her know she can't control you."
I stared at my phone, waiting for a reply from Faith, a sign that she was ready to talk. I remembered leaving her in the hospital, thinking a little time apart would make her see sense. But she was so stubborn. I thought about all our years together, the arguments, the reconciliations. Faith was always the one to apologize first, to bridge the gap. I loved that about her. Her fierce independence, her unwavering spirit.
I typed out another message, offering an olive branch, hoping she would take it.
Jetta leaned in, her warm breath caressing my ear, her voice a soft murmur. "I've had such a wonderful time with you, Dale. It feels like a dream." She sighed. "I know I don' t deserve your love, your real love. But… can I just have this memory? Just this one night?" Her body pressed against mine, soft and pliant. "I promise I won't tell anyone. I'll just be here, for you, when she can't. I just want to make you happy, like she used to." She looked up at me, her eyes pleading. "Please, Dale."
My eyes darkened. My throat felt tight. I reached out, pulling her onto my lap.
