I turned around and raised one eyebrow in a question.

“Whoever you lost must have loved you dearly.”

Tears stung the backs of my eyes.

“But know that there’s someone, somewhere who will love and understand you, again.”

“Be sure you give her a chance to.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I was thumbing through my email, standing next to the baggage carousel, when I heard my name called out. “Aerin? Is that you?”

I wheeled around to look for the voices that had called out to me. A sea of people were milling around, most of them waiting by the other carousels.

A thin girl who my mom would have said was a spitting image of a young Warren Beatty (someone my mom had crushed on way back when) was waving in my direction. She and another girl with dirty blonde hair were making their way to me ducking and weaving through the crowd. I racked my brain for their names as they hurriedly walked over to me.

Oh yeah! Shane and Alice!

“Hi!” I waved back at them, a little excitedly, glad to see welcoming faces like theirs in this chaotic place.

“Did you just get in?” Shane asked, sounding a little excited also as they drew within a few feet from me.

“How long are you staying?” Alice asked almost simultaneously. She gave me a warm hug, rubbing my back affectionately, neck craned up slightly.

“This is such a nice surprise!” Shane exclaimed, laughing lightly as my hug with Alice lengthened.

After a few moments, she added, “C’mon Al, give the girl a chance to breathe, will ya?”

I chuckled as Alice gave me a last tight hug before releasing me.

Shane stepped closer and opened her own arms, preparing to give me a hug also, “Hey, give me some of that!”

I laughed again, feeling genuinely pleased about having run into them, and stepped gladly into Shane’s embrace.

She gave me a tight one, and a quick, friendly kiss on the cheek also. “You alright?” she whispered into my ear.

I nodded my head, tearing up slightly upon being asked the question with obvious concern.

“C’mon fatty, don’t even think about getting handsy with this one, will ya?” Alice cut in with a friendly slap on Shane’s arm.