“Does your friend have a name?”
“Mr. Buttons.”
“That is an excellent rabbit name.”
Fiona considered this.
Apparently he had passed the test.
For the next hour, Luca did something I had almost forgotten men were capable of doing.
He was helpful without making a performance of being helpful.
When Fiona dropped a crayon, he picked it up.
When I struggled to open the tray table while balancing her juice, he held the cup.
When the flight attendant asked whether we needed anything, he waited for me to answer rather than speaking for me.
He did not ask why I was traveling alone.
He did not ask whether I was married.
He did not tell me his life story.
He certainly did not flirt.
That made me trust him more than charm would have.
About forty minutes after takeoff, I began noticing the looks.
At first, I assumed I was imagining them.
A young man across the aisle had glanced toward Luca several times.
Two women farther ahead whispered and turned around.
A teenager walking to the restroom slowed as he passed our row.
Luca noticed too.
His expression changed.
Not fear exactly.
Weariness.
He leaned closer to me.
“Can I ask you a ridiculous favor?”
I enjoyed the story so much. It’s interesting, didn’t stop reading until the end.
Great impacts and realistic 👌 👏