Only for You

Chapter 1

“Thank you so much for this opportunity. I’m excited to get started.”

“You’re welcome. You’ll receive an email with the next steps within the hour. Welcome to Sable Airlines. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

“You do the same. Thank you again.”

I ended the call and released a deep breath, taking a moment to let the news sink in. I’d just been officially hired as a flight attendant for Sable Airlines, a Black-owned airline, after a lengthy interview and training process.

“I did it! I did it! I did it!” I shouted as I praise danced through my apartment.

When I submitted the application, I had no idea what was in store. As I went through the unpaid, eight-week process, there were several times when I thought about quitting, but I was grateful I’d seen it through.

My phone vibrated, notifying me that I’d received an email. Before checking to see who it was from, I called my mother to tell my parents the news.

They owned a small construction company, and although my father didn’t do as much physical labor as he used to, he still oversaw the projects. My mother managed the office, and they were gracious enough to give me a part-time job after I was fired.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

“Hey, Ma. Is Daddy around?”

“Yeah. He’s right here.”

“Good. Can you put the phone on speaker?”

A few seconds later, she said, “You’re on speaker. Is everything okay?”

“Everything is perfect! I got the job!” I exclaimed.

“You got the job?” Ma squealed with just as much excitement as I had.

“Yes! I just got off the phone with them.”

“Congratulations, baby girl!” my father said.

“Thank you. I’m super excited but a little nervous, too. Even with all the training, I don’t know if I’m prepared.”

“You’ll do just fine. When do you start?” Ma asked.

“I’m not sure yet. They’re sending me an email with the details, so I’ll know everything soon.”

“I’m so excited for you, Khiya. You lost your job so unexpectedly, I was worried you wouldn’t bounce back,” she continued.

“I wasn’t. She’s a Reid. We always find a way and work best under pressure. We’ll miss you around the office, but I knew you wouldn’t be around for long,” Daddy added.

Four months ago, I walked into my job of ten years, in the finance department of a car dealership, and was let go.

They told me the dealership wasn’t making enough money, and they had to downsize to remain open.

I was offered eight weeks of severance pay, and they agreed to cover my health insurance for the same period.

It all sounded fishy to me, but I didn’t force the issue, because the last thing I wanted was to work somewhere I wasn’t wanted or welcome. A week later, I found out the owner’s granddaughter had graduated from college and needed a job, and he thought my job would be perfect for her.

“I was a little worried, too. I’ve worked there since graduating college, so the idea of starting over somewhere is scary.”

“Well, you conquered your fears, and now you're on a whole new path. We’re both very proud of you.”

“Thank you. That means a lot. I’m gonna call Blaine and give him the news.”

“Okay. We love you. Call us back with the details when you get them,” she said.

“Okay. Love y’all too.”

I ended the call with my parents and called my brother.

“Wassup, Ya?” he answered, calling me by the nickname only he used.

“Oh, nothing. You’re just talking to the newest flight attendant for Sable Airlines.”

“You serious?”

“I wouldn’t play like that.”

“Damn! That’s wassup! Congratulations, baby girl.”

“Thank you. I’m so damn nervous and excited.”

“Understandably so. When do you start?”

“They’re sending me those details in an email. I might have it already, but I just got off the phone with the parentals, and I wanted to tell you.”

“This is good news. How long before you can give free flights to family members?”

I smacked my lips. “Is that all you care about?”

“What? I congratulated you before I asked.”

“Whatever. I’ll talk to you later. I’m about to check my email. Can you tell Yandy the news?”

“I’ll tell her when she gets back from the store. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

I grabbed my laptop from the coffee table and sat in the center of my couch. When I logged into my email, I was excited to see the email I was looking for. Over the next hour, I read and electronically signed all the documents. By the time I finished, my eyes were tired.

I looked at the time, and it was almost seven.

My best friend, Willamena, should be home from the store downtown where she worked part-time.

She worked full time as an assistant at a human resource company but got a part-time job to pay off the debt she’d racked up in her early twenties.

Her goal was to buy a house soon. I picked up my phone and went to her contact information.

“Hey, bestie.”

“Hey, Mena. How was work?”

“Work. I’m so glad I work the early shift. I may not earn as much commission, but these people are rude as fuck, and the money ain’t worth it.”

“I feel you. What time do you work tomorrow?”

“I’m actually off. Why? What’s up?”

“I wanted to see if you wanted to go to brunch and celebrate with me. I got the job!” I shouted the last part.

“You got the job?”

“Yes! You’re talking to the newest flight attendant for Sable Airlines.”

“Oh my God! Sis, that’s so exciting. Congratulations!”

“Thank you. So, you wanna go to brunch?”

“Hell yeah. You want me to come to you, or you coming this way?”

“I’ll come there, but I don’t have any places in mind.”

“Let’s go to Jordyn’s Soul Cafe. My treat, and I’ll make reservations.”

“Sounds good, but I can pay for my own food, Mena.”

“Or, you can let me pay for it to celebrate your accomplishment. Let’s not go back and forth about it. Did you tell the family?”

“I did, and they were excited. Blaine is already trying to travel for free, and I haven’t even started.”

“Ha! Hell, I don’t blame him. If you got hotel rooms for free, too, I’d be on the same shit.”

“Your debt is slowly but surely disappearing, and when you’re ready, we gon’ rack up some miles.”

“I can’t wait. Are you nervous?”

“I am, but I’m excited too. This isn’t something I’ve ever thought about doing, and I honestly don’t know what to expect. What if I don’t like it?”

“Then you can say you tried and move on to something else. Don’t think negatively, sis. You’ll love the job, and the job will love you.”

“I hope so.”

“Maybe you’ll catch the eye of one of those fine ass Black pilots and have some fun between flights.”

“Wouldn’t that be nice, especially if he’s not from anywhere between here and Chicago.”

“Ugh! Don’t get me started. This big ass city, and it seems like all the women fucking on the same six niggas, and those six niggas are married. Where are the single men who ain’t on no bullshit? Can they please step to the front of the classroom?”

“Don’t hold your breath, sis. You’re too young to die. Enough about them niggas. Wear something cute tomorrow so we can take pics.”

“It’s cold as hell, but I’ll see what I can pull together. Let me go before my food gets cold. Call me in the morning. Jordyn’s opens at noon. Love you, and congratulations again.”

“Thank you. Love you more.”

Willamena, or Mena, as she preferred to be called, because she hated her name and her father, William, who she was named after, had been my best friend since college.

From our first phone conversation the summer before we became roommates at Southern Illinois University, we’d clicked.

Once we got to Carbondale, it was as if we’d known each other all our lives.

She was from Chicago, and I was from Waukegan, a suburb about an hour north of the city, and twenty minutes from the Illinois/Wisconsin border. After we graduated and moved back to our hometown, we remained close and got together a few times each month, but we talked daily.

After our call ended, I spent about an hour researching what life was like as a flight attendant.

I came across a group on a popular social media platform.

I joined the group and found answers to many of my questions.

Everyone’s experience was different, but having some insight calmed my nerves a bit.

The next day, I met my bestie at Jordyn’s Soul Cafe.

Our reservations were for a little later than we wanted because Mena had made them at the last minute, but I didn’t mind.

I’d been here a few times for dinner and was never disappointed.

Today would be my first brunch experience.

Once we were seated, I reviewed the brunch menu, which made my stomach growl and my mouth water.

“I think I want the lamb chops and waffles, with macaroni and cheese and yams as my sides,” I told her.

“That sounds good as hell, but you know I can’t do too much cheese. I want the oxtails and grits, with dressing and greens as my side.”

The food was easy, but deciding what to drink proved a little more difficult, especially for me since I had a longer drive home. The server arrived to take our drink and food orders, and when she walked away, two very handsome, well-dressed Black men were seated next to us.

“Today must be our lucky day,” one of them said, and it was clear he was talking to us.

“Why is that?” I asked.

“We’re seated next to the prettiest women in this place. I’m Garth, and this is my boy, Chuck.”

He offered his hand for us to shake, and we did, then repeated the gesture with Chuck.

“I’m Khiya, and this is my best friend, Mena. It’s nice to meet you both.”

“Likewise,” Garth responded with a smile.

“Did you finish going through your paperwork?” Mena asked, circling back to the conversation we’d started before our neighbors were seated.

“I did. I start in two weeks, but I’m at the bottom of the totem pole. I was lucky to get O’Hare as my home base, but I’ll be on reserve for a while, at least six months to a year.”

“What does that mean?” she asked.

“Filling in for people who call in sick, take vacation days, or don’t show up to work.”

“You won’t have a set schedule?”

“Possibly, but I think I’ll be on call and expected to be available when needed.”

“That kinda sucks.”

“Yeah. All I can do is hope I get full-time hours at this point. I still have money from my severance package and savings, but I don’t want to tap into any more of it if I can avoid it.”

“I understand, sis. Let’s hope for the best. We’re putting out positive thoughts only.”

The server arrived with our drinks, and Mena insisted that we do a toast.

“Fine, but don’t make it long or emotional,” I told her.

We held up our glasses, which caught the attention of our handsome neighbors. They focused on us, and Mena toasted my accomplishment.

“To my bestie . . . Life threw you a boulder, and you handled it like a G. I’m so proud of you for stepping outside your comfort zone and trying something new. I wish you nothing but success on this new journey. I love you, bestie.”

“Thank you, Mena. That was so sweet. I love you too.”

We gently connected our glasses before taking a sip of our delicious drinks. She ordered a Soul-Train, which was like a Long Island, and I ordered a Soul-Tini, which was like a Lemon Drop. The expression on our faces after the first sip proved how strong they were.

“Whew! This is strong, but good as hell,” I said.

“Same. If I wasn’t driving, I’d definitely have another.”

“What are you celebrating?” Chuck asked.

“I got a job as a flight attendant for Sable Airlines.”

“The Black-owned airline?” Garth questioned, and I nodded.

“That’s wassup,” he said.

“Congratulations,” Chuck said.

“Thank you.”

“What made you want to be a flight attendant?” Garth asked.

“Necessity, honestly. I unexpectedly got let go from my job after ten years and didn’t know what to do. I overheard someone talking about it and decided to apply. It was really on a whim.”

“That’s kinda dope,” Chuck added.

“I’m excited.”

“What do you do?” Garth asked Mena.

“I work in human resources. What about you two?”

“I work in construction,” Garth responded.

“I work for CTA,” Chuck said.

We ended up talking to them during our entire meal and found them to be nice guys. They were even nice enough to pay for our meal, even though we insisted it wasn’t necessary.

While we ate and conversed, I could tell Garth was feeling Mena, and Chuck was attracted to me. When we left, they walked us to our cars, and we were parked near each other.

“The weather almost made me decline Garth’s invite to brunch, but I’d been wanting to try this place out, so I agreed. Meeting you made coming out in the cold worth it,” Chuck said.

“That’s sweet. Thank you, and I really appreciate y’all footing the bill. You really didn’t have to do that.”

“It’s the least I could do. Black women aren’t celebrated or congratulated enough. You should be proud of yourself for pivoting.”

“I am.”

“Can I get your number and we continue this conversation on the phone? I don’t want to keep you out in this cold longer than needed.”

“I knew this was coming, and I hate to disappoint you.”

“Are you in a relationship?” he asked.

“No, but my life is in shambles, and I’m trying to get it together. I’m not trying to add dating to the mix.”

He nodded, and I prayed this wasn’t about to go left.

“That’s cool. I understand. Maybe we’ll run into each other again when your life isn’t in shambles.”

We laughed.

“Maybe.”

He walked away, and I sighed with relief. I went to hug Mena before getting into my car. I didn’t pull off until Mena had gotten into hers. Before I made it to the expressway, my phone rang, and my display lit up with Mena’s name.

“I didn’t give him my number,” I said when I answered.

“Me either, girl. I got things I’m trying to accomplish right now, and the last thing I need is a nigga distracting me.”

“They seemed nice, but they always do in the beginning.”

“Exactly. Those niggas probably got three baby mamas and four kids.”

We talked until she made it home, and I still had about thirty-five minutes to go. Today was a good day.