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As she gathered her purse and jacket, Sam took off for her car. She yanked the door open to find a startled Aero on her stoop, a fist in the air ready to knock.
“Aero,” Sam breathed, surprised at his arrival.
“Hi. What’s wrong?”
Aero scrutinized her from top to bottom. She looked harried, her phone, keys, and a large envelope clasped in her hands, her coat unzipped.
“Nothing,” she lied. “I need to run an errand.”
She glanced at her watch.
“I’ll drive,” Aero said, sensing her urgency and pulling his keys from his pocket.
“Come again?”
Sam stood at the counter of the post office, staring with incredulity at the overworked postal clerk who held the envelope that would dictate the future of her classroom.
“Overnight to D.C. will be $152.67.”
Sam wanted to sob. She glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was 4:47 p.m. She had no time to get to the bank.
“Um, okay, well…” Her hands shook as she took out her wallet and unzipped it. Inside, she found a few crumpled bills, her credit card, and a handful of change. She handed over the card. “Here. Try this.”
The clerk appeared skeptical as she ran the card. The computer beeped twice. “Declined.”
She’d put all her expenses for Christmas on her credit card, planning on paying it off when she was next paid. That usually wasn’t a problem, but she wasn’t anticipating this expense. She blinked back stinging tears as she counted out the cash she had. A twenty, three one’s, and a handful of nickels and pennies. It wasn’t enough.
“Shit,” Sam whispered, the uncharacteristic curse seemingly getting Aero’s attention from the rack of greeting cards he had been absently perusing. A second later, he was beside her.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she lied, turning over her wallet and shaking it as if that would make more money appear. Her shoulders slumped and she began to curl in on herself, defeated.
“Hey,” Aero said, his tone a strange mix of stern and comforting. He took her face in his hands and made her look up at him. “Tell me what’s happening.”
She swallowed hard over the serrated lump that formed in her throat. “I can’t afford the shipping. It won’t get there in time.”
A deep line formed between his brows as he gazed down into her hazel eyes, watching tears well there. The sight gutted him. “Here.”
Releasing her, Aero fished his wallet out of his back pocket and opened it.
“Aero, no, don’t—”
He silenced her with a shake of his head, handing his credit card to the clerk. “Get it there by tomorrow. I don’t care what the total is.”
Again, the clerk appeared unimpressed and unconcerned with Sam’s plight and ran the card. A receipt was printed and she handed it to Aero. “Sign this.”
He did, ignoring Sam as she protested and grasped his wrist to try and tug him away. Aero outmaneuvered her, lacing their fingers together and holding on.
“Aero,” Sam continued, but he said nothing as the clerk printed the label, slapped it onto the envelope, and dropped it into a bin that said “US POSTAL SERVICE - OVERNIGHT MAIL.”
“There.” Aero turned back to Sam. “Problem solved.”
She floundered for a moment, not sure what to say. She was grateful but embarrassed, relieved, but apprehensive, surprised, but confused. The tsunami of emotion made her legs feel weak, so instead of arguing with him, she rested her head on his chest and breathed slowly.
“Thank you,” she whispered, rubbing her cheek just above his heart.
Something warm and liquid unfurled in Aero’s stomach, making his heart flutter. He sighed, inhaling her soothing lavender scent. “You’re welcome.”
