Page 71 of Plane Passion

The morning sun was still streaming through the east windows. Definitely too early.

She sat next to the phone but couldn’t bring herself to dial Ernie. It was only delaying the inevitable. He deserved a warning about what he was walking into next time he went to work, but if she talked to him, she would have to end things. And after the morning she’d had, she couldn’t quite face it.

After staring at the phone for five solid minutes, she finally picked up the receiver.

Best to get this over with, Mildred. It has to be done.

The operator connected her call, and the ring tone through the phone tolled like a funeral knell.

There was a click and static as someone picked up. Her heart jumped. She stopped breathing.

“Pritchard residence, Ernie speaking.”

Oh, God. It was him. She’d half hoped he wouldn’t be home. Her throat was suddenly terribly dry.

“Hello? Is someone there?”

She swallowed, hoping her voice would work.

“Ernie, it’s me. Millie.”

“Millie! I’m so glad you called.” He paused. “But is everything all right? You sound upset.”

The temptation to lie and say everything was fine was almost overwhelming. What if she didn’t say anything? What if she asked to see him and invited him out for drinks? Wouldn’t this be easier with alcohol?

“No, I’m afraid things are not all right,” she said at last. “A reporter saw us. It’s in the Town Tattler. Mr. Dickson saw, and…”

She couldn’t go on. Her throat closed up.

“And?” The edge of panic in his voice made her wince.

“…and he’s firing us both.”

Dead silence.

“Ernie?”

More silence.

“Oh, God. What am I going to do?” he whispered at last. “My family,” he said slightly louder then trailed off.

“I’m so sorry, Ernie. I know how much you need this job. We should never have…” She couldn’t say it aloud. “The cost was too high.”

There was a long silence.

“No,” he said at last.

“No?”

“No,” he said firmly. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I can’t bring myself to regret you. We’ll figure it out. Somehow, we’ll find a way forward together.”

“You can’t mean… Ernie, we can’t keep seeing each other after this. We have to end it. This proves we should never have gotten together in the first place. It was a mistake from beginning to end, and now we’re paying the price.”

“What? That makes no sense. I⁠—”

“Don’t make this harder than it already is.” The phone cord was wrapped around her hands, and she was twisting it into knots.

“Please, Millie. Listen to me. I⁠—”