Chance Encounters

CHARLOTTE

“I’m sorry, you were crying in your sleep,” he uttered as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Are you alright?”

My eyes darted to and fro as I tried to remember where I was. The sound of the plane’s engine hummed in the distance as I realized what had happened. While I was having what seemed to be one of the worst times of my life, he was watching it happen in real time. I looked around, wondering if anyone else was watching this, but thankfully, they were lost in their worlds.

I turned my attention back to the man on his knees. “Please stand up,” I said, but he ignored me and watched me curiously.

“Do I need to get the medic?” he asked.

“Oh, no. I’m fine; I just need to catch a minute,” I replied, closing my eyes for a moment.

“You’re sure?” he asked, and I opened them and turned to look at him. I nodded in response and wiped the tears off my face. I looked around for the tote bag I had carried with me and found it on the floor. Some of the contents had spilled out in fron