My husband, Tyler, has been a commercial pilot for almost nine years, but our 7-year-old son, Mason, had never actually been a passenger on a plane his dad was flying.

 

The realization hit so fast that my brain almost refused to catch up with it.

 

This wasn’t Tyler improvising because he had discovered Mason and me hiding near the back. This wasn’t some sweet announcement forhis wife and son.

 

He was talking about someone else.

 

Someone who was apparently on that same plane.

 

I could still feel Mason’s hand against mine. A few seconds earlier, I had been worried about ruining his surprise. Now, all I could think about was how badly I wanted to keep him from understanding mine.

 

Tyler continued speaking through the cabin speakers, and the moment I understood who he meant, I slowly sat back down.

 

Part 2: The Woman My Husband Called His Everything

“Her name is Vanessa,” Tyler continuedMy fingers went cold.

 

Vanessa.

 

I knew that name.

 

Vanessa was Tyler’s former flight attendant colleague. She had left the airline nearly a year ago, supposedly to take care of her sick mother. I had met her twice at company gatherings. She was beautiful, charming, and the kind of woman who made everyone feel like they were the most important person in the room.