She favored me with her great grin while she pretended to fan herself. ‘Wow. I should sue you for alienation of affection. You really had me going there.’
‘Maybe you can visit me in Chicago for a day or two after the election’s over. Then we can get a little crazy again.’
‘I’d like that, Dev. I felt very comfortable last night and it’s been a long time since I felt that way with anybody.’
‘Me, too, Kathy. But now I’ve really got to go.’
This kiss, this hug, were ones that my third-grade nun would have approved of. ‘There’ll be a cab downstairs to take me to the airport in five minutes. I already checked out while you were showering.’
She took my arm and squeezed it. ‘I hope everything goes all right. I hope they get everything with Erin and I hope you and she have that long talk you’ve been needing all these years. And if you want to talk while you’re there, you have my cell number.’
At the door I said, ‘You’ll hear from me. Probably more than you want to.’
One hour and twenty-five minutes later I was sitting in my United seat. Right then all I could think about was Erin — how much I’d loved her and how much I feared for her now. Then the plane was lifting and we were heading back to the past.