Remarkably enough, it didn't feel awkward to be using a we that included Jesse when speaking with her parents. She'd already told them about her relationship with him and they'd assumed it with a loving parental naturalness.
It actually felt great. He was now next to her, reading a magazine from the back of the airplane seat and holding her hand.
She suddenly felt a thrill of enlightenment. She had some reasons to be preoccupied, but also to be happy and relaxed. She was everyday finding in this man, who barely knew her, a ten times bigger support in a ten times more complicated situation than she'd ever found in David, with whom she'd spent several years of her life.
"Do you think Mac will be fine in there?" she asked.
He kissed her.
"He's fine. He's sleeping. He's lucky to have you in his life."
She knew she'd regret it later, but she couldn't stop herself from asking.
"Are you really this sweet, or will you eventually turn out to be… some other way?"
"Only if you do," he answered, with no hint of the teasing she'd so detested in David every time she'd needed a grave and sincere response.
She sat back, stretched her legs and tried to enjoy the fact that, whatever life was to bring, right at this moment she was in love and loved.