If Tomorrow Never Comes (33 page)

           
Hand positioned on the phone, Mike added, “Just say the
word, friend, and I'll close the airport.
 
I can't hold the flights indefinitely, but long enough for you to get
there.”

           
Despising the weakness in him, that huge yellow streak
covering his back keeping him from confessing to Jordan when he had the chance,
Jake looked from Margaret to Mike, dripping from his eyes fat puddles of tears,
as he shook his head no.
 

____________

           
While the taxi driver weaved through the traffic with the
ease of experience, and familiarity, Jordan reached into her purse to reexamine
her tickets.
 
Withdrawing them, she found
the note that in her haste she neglected to place on Jake's pillow.
 
“Oh, no,” she groaned.
 
“Stop the car!
 
Please.
 
Stop the car,” she shrieked.

           
“Hey, lady, you're nuts if you think I can in all this
traffic.
 
Christ, we'll get run
over.”
 
The words no sooner left the
driver’s mouth when he daringly pulled into another lane of erratic traffic
made hazardous by buses and other taxis.

           
What should she do?
 
Jake was awake by now, probably frantic wondering where she was and why
she left.
 
He'd been through too much
already because of her, he didn't deserve what she was putting him through, but
it was too late, she couldn’t say goodbye to his face, lacking the strength, she'd
stay.
  
The pain he was going through now
nothing compared to what he'd experience when she finally told him the truth, then
there would be no choice but to leave for good.
 
Determination squared her shoulders and ordered her heart to beat
anew.
 
“Forget it,” she blustered.

____________

           
Bursting to his feet, Jake grabbed Margaret's hand.
 
“Come with me.
 
I need to make sure she's on the plane.
 
I have to see for myself that she's all
right.
 
I have to know it’s over.”

           
Mike drove them, the patrol cars' lights flickering,
siren whining, in hopes they could reach the airport before Jordan's flight
departed.
  
Knowing O’Hare that on a
daily basis flights were often delayed, just maybe one would be Jordan's, Mike
thought.
 
Just in case he, increased the
odds by calling the airport to place a temporary hold on her flight.
 
At least now, his friend had a chance.
    

           
After checking in and clearing security, Jordan was on
her way toward her departure gate.
 
You
would have thought that someone as insignificant as she would become lost in
such a network of commotion.
 
She was
never lucky.
 
As she walked listlessly
through the confusion she, sensed eye's on her, following her.
 
Whenever she turned, sometimes they looked
away, sometimes they didn't.
 
Women's
hands shielded their mouths while they spoke to strangers beside them.
 
Men smiled appreciatively, respectfully.
 
Teenagers wearing headsets frantically waved
as if to gain her attention, and, as she came closer to her departure station,
the resonance of the conversations grew enabling the hearing of bits and
pieces.

           
“It’s her, I know it's her.”

           
“Isn't that Morgan's girlfriend?”

           
“Wasn't her picture on the front page this morning?”

           
“She's the heroine who stopped Scorpio.”

           
“Where's Morgan? He must be here.”

           
As though she was honey, like a swarm of bees Jordan
became enveloped.
 
People shook her hand,
and asked for autographs, while telling her how much they admired her
bravery.
 
They asked where she was going,
how long she'd be gone, why she was leaving, where Jake was, if they were
getting married, if she loved him.
 

           
Baffled and flabbergasted, color rose rapidly to Jordan's
cheeks.
 
Warmth ballooned in her chest
from the wild pulsations bouncing her heart crazily.
 
Unbelievably she was returning the
handshakes, signing newspapers, pads, books, and scraps of paper shoved under a
pen that came from out of nowhere.

           
Pandemonium broke out.
 
Perplexed and anxious, security officers converging on the scene were
helpless in controlling the surging crowd.
 
No one heard the final boarding announcement, no one saw the man
approaching from behind.
 

           
In order for anyone to hear over the humming crowd when
announcing the final boarding for the third time, the airline attendant had to
scream, a huge relief to Jordan.
 
She
needed to get away from the roaring crowd, from Chicago, from Jake as fast as
she could, while she could.
 
Making a
motion to move, though the throng graciously parted ever so slightly, their
voices continued.
 

           
“Don't go, Jordan.”

           
“Come back soon.”

           
“We love you.”
  

           
Trembling made her feet unsteady as she took a step
forward.
 
Fingertips flicked away the moisture
collecting in her eyes before the telltale sign of distress became
embarrassingly visible.
 
She was handing
her ticket to the flight attendant when the clapping crowd became riotous.

           
“Jake,” women screamed.

           
“Morgan,” men shouted.

           
Having made it to the loading ramp, Jordan solidified.

           
Despite the security officers surrounding Jake, his
faithful followers pressing against the ranks broke through and milled around
him to permit a closer look at their shamefully good-looking hero.
 
They needed to touch the man responsible for
many broken hearts to be certain he was real.

           
In route to the airport, Jake decided this time he wasn't
going to listen to Margaret.
 
The fact
that he made it in time was a sign Jordan was his destiny.
 
He wasn't going to wait for her to make up
her silly, female, mind.
 
He was going to
take charge.
  
If it were the last thing
he did, he'd convince her to stay.
 
It
wasn't over yet.
 
Without any thought
processes in motion as to how he was going to accomplish the formidable task,
elbowing his way through the crowd he plucked the microphone from the stunned
flight attendants hand.

           
“Settle down, folks.
 
Settle down.
 
Please,” Jake
commanded.
 

           
As though he were a God, the crowd quieted.
 

           
Scanning their faces for long moments by the time Jake
spoke, his heart had found a voice. “Can you believe she's leaving me,” he
asked pitifully, his face just as forlorn.
 

           
“No,” the crowd screamed.

           
“Why,” they shouted.
 

           
“She doesn't think I love her enough.
 
Do you, Jordan?”
 

           
The melody of her name on his lips stole Jordan’s breath
and made her head list slightly.
 
Eyelid's clamoring shut liberated the tears behind them as she shrieked
inwardly.
 
“Don't, Jake, don't beg, I
couldn't bare it.
 
I can't stay.
 
I won't.”
 
Refusing to face him, grasping fortitude from the air her head shaking
from side to side sorrowfully, she managed another step forward.

           
Fear shifting gears became gravel in Jake’s throat. “But,
I do, more than life itself.
 
She doesn't
know it would take dying for me to get over her,” he persisted.
 
Words that prompted a loud sigh from his
captive audience, women's faces gooey with adoration.
 

           
“I want her to marry me, instead she's running away.
 
Can you imagine that?”

           
Every female, young and old alike, sighed aloud, “No!”

           
Moving to a seated elderly woman microphone in hand Jake
bent down, “If I asked you, would you turn me down?”
 

           
“Not on your life,” she gushed, as her lips found his
cheek.

           
“How about you?
 
And you,” Jake inquired, moving the microphone to various lips spread
wide with smiles of infatuation.
 

           
“I'm married, but give me a minute and I won't be,” a
middle-aged woman replied.
 

           
“You name the day and time, sweetie, and I'll be there
with bells on,” another added.

           
“Why don't you ask her again, Jake?
 
If you don't I will,” a man shouted.

           
“Me too,” another added and another and another.

           
Still maintaining a smidgeon of grit, persevering Jordan
refused to face Jake.
 
Though he was a
maniac, a stupid, brain-dead fool, for the life of her, she couldn't stop the
twitching smile defying her will.
 
Wringing her hands madly in front of her to keep herself from crumbling,
she prayed for the ability to faint.
 
Stiffening she took another step forward.
 
That's when she noticed the pilot and
co-pilot advancing toward her.
 

           
“It's quite apparent you're the one delaying this flight,
Miss.
 
The sooner you agree to marry that
idiot behind you, the sooner we can get on our way,” the pilot said.

           
“God, no, the whole damn world is against me,” Jordan
moaned.
 
At this moment “Idiot” wasn't a
good enough description for Jake, she could easily think of a whole lot better
expletives.

           
A great warm wash of inner smugness made Jake smile but when
Jordan began to move again, panic struck another blow.
 
“Jordan, don't you know by now you’re holding
on to nothing but the wind, that where ever you go there's bound to be
rain.
 
That everyone has to make his own
happiness.
 
That even joy carries a price.
 
You told me once I was the sunshine on your
shoulders, maybe together we can gather enough to hold off the rain.
 
Take my hand.
 
Don't throw away the happiness we can find together.
 
Give us a chance.
 
Don't go, please!”

           
Clutched fists came to women’s breasts.
 
Tears found every cheek in the crowd.
 
Despite the explosive air, the terminal grew
quiet with anticipation.
 
Bystanders, withdrawing
their video and camera's recorded a moment in time to view whenever they felt
most love was lost forever.

           
Jake's electric words
succeeded in lowering Jordan's guard.
 
She was sobbing inwardly, quaking insufferably as she recalled his,
dirty cigarettes, drinking, horrible temper, vulgar mouth, one moment, the next
the luxury of his arms, his kiss, and his love.
 
The crazy imbecile was wrong when he said she was his once in a million
chance of a lifetime.
 
He was her stroke
of luck and she'd forever live in darkness if she refused him.
 
Besides, how could she when she heard him
say, “Marry me, Jordan Montgomery.
 
I
love you, God, how I love you.”