"Winter in Winnipeg," Michael thought to himself, "It's hardly surprising!" Trying to get to Los Angeles, coming from Fredericton, his connecting flight, indeed, all flights out of Winnipeg had been cancelled. So, there he was, standing at the front desk of the Hilton, conveniently located at the end of the airport concourse, checking in, as were several other weary, stranded travelers.
Something about one of the other people at the desk caught is attention: was it the sound of her voice, her mannerism, her profile? But he glanced over at her checking in, then, finishing up himself, turned to look again.
"Sarah? Sarah Childress?" When she turned to look at him, he couldn't believe his eyes.
"Michael MacAsky," she said, droll as ever. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Apparently," he laughed, stepping into the space between them, pulling his carry-on along with him, "the same thing as you. Getting stranded in the 'Peg!" Sarah, laughed, brightly, then turned back to the clerk to finish up her registration. Stowing her wallet and grabbing her carry-on, she turned to face Michael, who observed, "It's been a long, long time, eh? What, seven or eight—no, not eight, yet—seven years?"
"Yeah, must be. And, last I heard you were way out east."
"Well, I was, as you say, 'Way out east!'—after UBC, I went Dalhousie and got my MBA, then got on with Falcon manufacturing, in Fredericton."
"So, what're you doing here?"
"I was—I am—heading to a trade-show in LA," Michael explained. "The huge annual convention— plastics manufacturing. I'm with a mid-sized firm making, among other things, kitchenwares and such. Couldn't get a direct-flight."
"And where's home, now?"
"Still out east—Fredericton. How about you? What are you doin' in Winterpeg?"
"I'm just heading home, to Edmonton, from visiting a supplier in Omaha, Nebraska," Sarah replied. "Same deal—no direct-flights."
Both of the travelers had been on a couple of the last flights in. Shortly after they'd landed, all flights out—including their connecting flights—had been cancelled due to heavy snow—at least for the overnight. Fortunately, Sarah and Michael's respective companies would cover lay-over costs at the adjacent hotel.
Having finished checking in, the two old friends walked together toward the elevators. Sarah shook her head. "And here we are, meeting up after all these years, in 'Hub City'."
"Such a small world. Who would have believed it?"
"Yes. What a coincidence! That we should meet here, in an airport in a strange-city—Winnipeg, of all places!
"Doesn't get much stranger than that," Michael agreed. "Though," he suggested, after a moment of companionable silence, "maybe not such a coincidence—eh?" With a wry chuckle and a "Nudge, nudge!" he went on. "Maybe more of a trick of the fates—some sort of omen?"
"Pshaw!" Sarah said dismissively. "You wish!" Their old friendship once more apparent in her retort. Ignoring Michael's insinuations, Sarah went on to explain that she was in 'natural, organic cosmetics'. "A modest online business, run out of my own home."
While going up the elevator together, but pressing for different floors, Michael and Sarah agreed to meet back in the lobby. "I'll just drop my bags. See you in five?" Michael proposed.
"Better make it fifteen. I'd like to freshen up, and I'll need to touch base with home—you know, let 'em know where I am—and that I'm stranded indefinitely." Her eyes twinkled before she added, seriously, "Hopefully, though, for no more than overnight."
Michael was waiting, watching the elevators as Sarah stepped out. "Geez!" he hissed, "She looks better now, even, than at grad!" He gave a low wolf-whistle, to catch her attention as she looked about.
"Stop it!" she reprimanded, flushing slightly with embarrassment, as she strode towards him. Then, casually taking his arm, she said, "I ate on the plane, not too long ago. How 'bout you?"
"Yeah. Me too. D'ya want to get a coffee or a beverage?"
"I could use a beverage," Sarah stated, dryly. Hence, they mutually decided to go to the lounge for a drink— "for old times' sake, you understand." And that's how they found themselves re-connecting in the lounge, sitting next to the roaring fireplace, sipping. Having not seen each other since graduation, nor even kept in touch, they had a lot of reminiscing to do.
Michael and Sarah had met in first year college, when, through mutual friends, they found themselves moving in the same social circle. "Those were heady days, eh? The parties; the freedom."
At first their chat was filled with, "What ever happened to...?" "Do you remember when...?" "Have you ever heard from...?" Sarah had been going steady with Barry Dubrowsky all the way through university, and that fact suddenly clicked when Michael spied her wedding ring. "You and Doobie finally got married, eh?" It was more of a statement than a question, so that Michael was very surprised at Sarah's response.
"No," She stated, matter-of-factly, "Barry's and my plans diverged soon after grad."
"I always thought you were wasted on 'the Big Doob'. Of course, that was because I had the hots for you." Sarah raised an eyebrow in surprise, as Michael went on quickly. "Oh, I wasn't the only one. Not by a long shot." He gave her a rather sad look before concluding, "But you were spoken for the whole time." After a moment of awkward silence, Michael nodded at Sarah's ring. "But...?"