Love Like You're About To Miss It.

She’s running.

The cab almost hits her.

That makes her stop.

Driver: You crazy, lady?!

She gets in the cab.

Girl: Sorry, I’m in a hurry.

Driver: (sighs) Where to?

Girl: Airport!

The Girl takes out her phone, calls someone, and then throws the phone away.

Driver: All okay, miss?

Girl: (shouts) No!

Driver: (sighs) Okay.

A few minutes later.

Girl: How much longer?

Driver: With this traffic? I’d say another 30 minutes.

The Girl looks at her watch.

Girl: Shit.

Driver: You late for a flight?

Girl: No.

Driver: Okay.

Girl: I…can I borrow your phone?

Driver: Sorry?

Girl: I… I’m sorry about earlier… my phone’s battery died. And I really need to make a call. Can I use your phone, sir? Please?

The Driver hesitates.

The Girl starts to well up a little.

The Driver feels a little bad.

Driver: Look, miss, no fake crying okay. Just take my phone. Make your call.

He hands her his phone.

Girl: Thank you so much!

She tries dialing in a hurry. And then she stops. After a few seconds, she hands back the phone to the Driver.

Driver: All okay, miss?

Girl: I… I don’t remember his phone number. (talking to herself) It was a new number… I just saved it. I didn’t even think about remembering it. And now I’m doing this…

The Girl stops talking. The Driver stays quiet.

Driver: It’s okay. We’ll be there soon. Maybe you’ll get lucky.

Girl: Can I ask you a question?

Driver: Uh, sure.

Girl: Are you married?

Driver: I… yes.

Girl: Kids?

Driver: Yes. Three.

Girl: Your wife… you… love her?

Driver: Three kids, miss. And I love them too.

The Driver gives her a smile and a wink through the rear view mirror.

The Girl laughs a little, surprising herself.

Driver: Was that your question?

Girl: I… no.

Driver: Then ask, miss.

Girl: If your wife… I mean… if the love of your life… was about to go away from you… for good… (drifts away) without knowing how much you loved him… (snaps back) I mean her... what would you do?

Driver: Ah.

Girl: What?

Driver: You running after a boy to the airport?

Girl: (defensive) So?

Driver: Just asking, miss. It’s your question.

Girl: I… yes. So? Do men have a patent on running after someone to the airport?

Driver: I didn’t say nothin'.

The Girl becomes quiet, and looks out the window.

Driver: When did you find out?

Girl: Find out what?

Driver: That this boy was… the love of your life?

Girl: Is.

Driver: Sure.

Girl: I… don’t know. About an hour ago.

Driver: That quick, huh.

Girl: It’s complicated.

Driver: Everything is.

Girl: How much longer?

Driver: I’m not a GPS.

Girl: Don’t you have one?

Driver: You don’t need a GPS when you know where you’re going.

The Girl doesn’t respond.

Driver: You have a speech?

Girl: Excuse me?

Driver: A speech. Like the movies. What will you say to him when you find him?

Girl: I…

Driver: It’s okay. An hour is a short time to make up a speech.

Girl: (with some attitude) I was going to say…that I don’t need a speech.

Driver: This boy, he loves you?

Girl: Yes.

Driver: How do you know?

Girl: Because he said so.

Driver: But you never said it back.

Girl: No… I didn’t.

Driver: So… then… what changed?

Girl: He… no… I guess I did.

Driver: Because he said he was leaving.

Girl: If you’re going to judge me, then just say what you want to say.

Driver: I don’t think I’m the one who’s judging you.

Girl: Really?

Driver: I don’t know you. But I’ve seen this happen before.

Girl: What? A last minute airport dash for love?

Driver: Happens more than you would think.

Girl: Well… this isn’t like those times.

Driver: I’m sure they would all agree.

The Girl is quiet.

Driver: You know, miss, the funny thing is… we never get to know what happens.

Girl: What do you mean?

Driver: The kids. Who come in my cab and say ‘to the airport!’ I hear their calls, I hear their stories, I see them run, but I never get to find out what happens when they reach the airport.

Girl: What do you think happens?

Driver: You care to know my opinion?

Girl: Better than sitting here doubting every decision I’ve ever made.

Driver: Okay. Well, first you have to assume they make it to the person. These kids, they don’t think it the whole way through. How will you get into the airport? What if the person is already in the flight? What about security? So you assume they somehow find the person.

Girl: Sure. It would be too sad otherwise.

Driver: Oh, you still get those ones. I’ve had a couple of people who I pick up from the airport and I can tell they couldn’t make it. But It's the ones who make it, those are the ones I don't know about. Never seen one of those before.

Girl: Really? (sarcastically) Is your cab like the go-to for these things?

Driver: (smiling) I do tend to attract the crazies.

Girl: So what are they like? The ones who don’t make it?

Driver: Some are sad. Some cry. Some feel better.

Girl: Why?

Driver: Maybe they realize that it was a fool’s quest. Maybe they see that it was just a feeling, not a permanent thing.

Girl: (ignoring his response) What about the ones who make it? What do you think happens then?

Driver: I think it works.

Girl: Well, that’s reassuring.

Driver: That’s not all though, is it?

Girl: A big declaration of one’s love for another, that isn’t enough for you?

Driver: The declaration is great. Telling someone, showing someone…that you love them…that’s a good thing. But you must know that isn’t all there is, right? What happens after that, that’s the rest of the story.

Girl: Well, I haven’t gotten to that part yet.

Driver: That’s okay. You will. (pauses) Traffic is clearing up. 15 more minutes, I think.

Girl: Good.

Driver: Why don’t you tell me about him. Give that brain a little time to breathe.

Girl: (laughs) Okay…well. He is…we met a few years ago. The connection was quick. I knew I liked him. But I was never… I hesitated to see it I guess. But he… he was always upfront. He told me he wanted more. And I kept waiting. Waiting for… I guess the right time. To be sure. My friends thought I was just testing him. Some thought I was playing with him. But I was just…

Driver: … not sure?

Girl: There’s no time limit on these things you know. There shouldn’t be. Why do people just put a clock on everything? It’s not like there was someone else. And that’s another thing. Uff. Just because there’s no one else… does that just mean there has to be?

The Driver doesn’t say anything, they just look at each other though the mirror.

Girl: So he left. He said he didn’t want to wait more. The last thing he said to me was ‘I can’t wait more. Because I love you.’ That was…six months ago.

Driver: You haven’t talked to him since?

Girl: No. (panicking a bit) Oh god. This was a stupid idea. I don’t even know why he’s going. My friend texted me he’s leaving the country. What if it’s someone else? What if he’s just moved on? I… I’m an idiot.

Driver: What if he's just going on a vacation?

Girl: I... I didn't even think about that. What if...what if he's going with someone?

Driver: Don’t dwell on questions when you don’t control the answer, miss. Wait till you find out. That’s the only way you’ll know.

Girl: Sure, better to look stupid in front of someone and potentially lots of other air travelers, than just yourself and your friendly cab driver.

Driver: Now why would you put so much value on the opinions of some people, when you don't even know who they are, and they don't even know your name?

Girl: It doesn't matter if they know my name or not. The 'crazy lady' is always called 'crazy lady' in the stories people tell. 

Driver: Sure, crazy lady (he gives her a wink through the mirror), but that's their story. You're not in their story. You're in yours. How you see yourself, that's important.

The Girl looks out the window.

Girl: Maybe I should just go back.

Driver: Are you sure?

Girl: I…don’t know.

Driver: You know… my wife and I… before we got married… we never said I love you. We didn’t need it, I guess. We met. We became close. And then I said 'marry me’. I didn't make it sound like a question, or a command, just a... hope. I didn’t even think about what she would say. I just told her what I wanted, and hoped she did too. Sometimes thinking gets in the way of doing, as they say.

Girl: That’s… nice. So what should I do? I mean, if I had more time, I would...

Driver: Don’t take this the wrong way, miss, but…what time? Six months? Haven’t you waited enough for an answer? And what did that tell you?

Girl: I’m the one sitting here going after a guy I haven’t seen in six months without a speech…so clearly not enough.

Driver: Well, you know I can’t decide for you. I’m just the one driving you to it. But if I can tell you something, it’s that this time thing you worry about… it doesn’t have an agenda. It’s not here to rush you or delay you. It just is. It just moves like it always has and always will. It doesn't hate you, maybe it doesn't like you (laughs). But don't take it personally. And don’t make it your enemy, I’d say. But what do I know…I’ve just seen it more than you. That’s it. 

Girl:  Really? It doesn't like me, but it does like to mess with me.

Driver: You know, maybe, and hear me out on this because I just came up with it... maybe time is like the airport. It's like a... means of transportation. Taking you from where you were, to where you want to go. It doesn't care if you arrive early or if you miss your flight. You don't expect the airport to give you a thumbs up and a cheers if you arrive on time, do you? So maybe don't blame it when you're later, either. You just have to get there when you need to. And perhaps, more importantly, you have to know if you want to go to the airport or not. Because let me tell ya, (he gives her a smile through the mirror), nobody likes being stuck at the airport.

The Girl gives the Driver a quiet smile, and looks out the window towards the city skyline.

Driver: The airport exit is coming, miss. Where do we go?

The Girl looks at the mirror. She straightens herself up.

Girl: Let’s go to the airport, then. No time to waste.

The Driver smiles.

Driver: Okay, then.

The cab arrives at the terminal.

Girl: What if…what if I can’t find him?

Driver: Then you just keep looking.

The Girl steps out of the cab, walks over to the Driver’s window.

Girl: And what if I do?

Driver: (smiling) Then you better come up with a good speech.

The Driver drives away. The Girl enters the terminal.

Thirty minutes later…

The Girl walks out of the terminal. She sees the Driver standing, without his cab, just standing right where she left him.

Driver: (smiling) Need a ride, miss?

-

Author's Note

So I wrote this story quite quickly. It was a self-challenge. I just asked myself, can I write a story in an hour? Then this line came to my head - 'Love like you're about to miss it.' So I started thinking, and then I started typing. This was the result. I know it's not perfect. Is the ending ambiguous enough? Perhaps the title could be more exciting. If you've read my stories before you know it's not easy for me to keep things simple and short. But I'm happy with what it looks like so far. I'll be posting this in The Garage too, so if you have any feedback on the ending or title suggestions, let me know!