Jemima settled into her seat and buckled her seat belt. The cabin of the plane was filling fast.
Through her window, she saw the last luggage trailer returning to the terminal. Maybe this flight would leave on time.
A man plonked heavily into the seat beside her. ‘Sorry,’ he said, but his apologetic smile quickly faded. ‘Jemima?’
‘Tom?’ She stared at him in dismay. The odds against meeting him like this had to be a million to one. And they would be stuck together for hours.
‘Now we’ve verified our names, how are you?’ he asked.
‘Fine, thank you. What about you? Your father told me about the car accident.’
‘I’m good as new.’ He reached for the in-flight magazine, plainly as uncomfortable with the situation as she was.
Just a couple of passengers still to reach their seats, and the cabin crew were checking everyone else was buckled in.
‘I wish things weren’t so awkward,’ Jemima said.
‘So do I. But that’s life.’
‘It’s been five years. Mum and Piers are very happy.’ Jemima’s mother marrying Tom’s father
