“Well had she not gone off to New York I don’t think I would be saying it was only two. Once that came up though I thought it best to keep holding off. It would’ve just made seven weeks seem that much longer.”

“I think it’s great that you two are taking your time.” Bette says.

The conversation quickly turns to new topics and before long everyone makes their way home.

***

Harper continues to throw herself into her work but still misses Shane like crazy. They talk three or four times a day, some times for a few minutes, some times an hour or more.

Shane’s working long hard hours but loving it and loving New York. She’s managed to do some sightseeing and get a feel for how to get around. One night she even got together with a few of Harper’s friends for dinner. She hit it off with a girl named Sarah who’s kindness reminded her a lot of Harper. Every morning Shane shuts off her alarm clock and re-reads the letter Harper hid in her suitcase. Reading it is almost pointless now since she practically has it memorized. The words about their relationship are so tender and the ones about work so encouraging. It starts her day with a smile every time, but she is still consumed by the void created by their distance.

Harper can’t take it any more, three weeks has been long enough. She needs to see Shane. She starts scanning the internet for tickets immediately. The best deal she can get on such short notice will keep them apart another week. Unable to justify spending so much money for a flight leaving sooner she books the later one. She decides not to tell anyone and keep it a surprise. The only person she mentions anything to is Tina and even that is a lie. She told her she was going to Mexico to surf and would be leaving Friday morning so she couldn’t be at movie night with the kids. If it weren’t for that she could’ve made a clean break. But once she said that she realized she had to tell Shane too in case word got back to her.

***

The red eye to New York had never felt like a longer trip to Harper. She is convinced that the pilot is going the long way and the plane will never land. Everything is moving in slow motion and taking twice as long, the landing, taxiing to the gate, getting off the plane.