As the plane finally began to taxi towards the runway, Herculea lifted up the flap on her window seat and watched the perpetual Northern California rain pour down. She wondered how Kent was doing. The university’s travel department had not been able to purchase side by side seats for the colleagues, and for that she was grateful. She had endured a curt encounter with Kent at the gate before he boarded the plane to sit in the next to last row. Kent had appeared perturbed with her. Herculea felt a twinge of regret for having bailed out on their assignment, but it was not because she doubted her purpose. No, it was because the long standing friendship between her and Kent seemed to be threatened now, and she did not want to lose him. The jet became louder as it rapidly picked up speed before ascending into the murky sky. The voices of her fellow passengers were drowned out by the raucous propulsion of the plane, and Herculea found herself alone with her thoughts. Pedro had not contacted her at all since their date. She had tried not to be too dejected, but it had seemed so clear that they were mutually attracted to each other. Their bodies had fit so well together when they danced, and that kiss…oh, that kiss.
