No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

A man approached me, tipping his hat politely, "Sorry, my little one's been a bother."

"Ha, no bother at all. I'm adorable," the girl immediately corrected her dad, her smile infectious.

I couldn't help but smile back, "Hannah's a delight. I'm quite fond of her."

"Ha, like you too," she said, her words a bit muddled.

I patted her head and turned to her dad, "For a moment, I thought both her parents were from overseas."

The man's expression darkened for a split second. Though it was fleeting, I caught it.

Realizing my blunder, I quickly added, "Sorry..."

He just nodded slightly and reached out his hand to Hannah, "Come on, sweetheart, time to board our flight."

"Can't you come with us?" Hannah clung to me, unwilling to let go.

I was about to tell her we weren't on the same flight when Dustin came over, brandishing our boarding passes.

He extended a hand to Hannah's dad, "Nice to meet you."

go," Hannah said to me, uninterested

us," her dad said after shaking Dustin's hand, sparing me from having to

she could change flights," Hannah protested, clearly no stranger to the ways

a little European princess but with deep, dark eyes. Clearly, she was a beautiful

a fuss," her dad gently chided, but she wasn't deterred, gazing

wanna fly with you," she said, her eyes brimming with hope, rendering

to her dad, who apologized, "Sorry, she's quite

nodded at me

neck to look back at

back, silently echoing her

them

reflecting on the notion that crossing paths with someone

Dustin's voice brought me back

guess," I said, settling back into

that little girl," Dustin observed, catching me off

had forgotten everything else

softly, not replying, and Dustin took a seat beside me, "When you decide to settle down, would

thought about it, Hannah's cute face flashed before my eyes, "Someone like