Teaser Tuesday: "...because you smiled."

This week's teaser is actually an #EasterEgg.  I'll confess, I did visit with a mechanic on a flight once, and he did say the words, "...because you smiled." It stuck with me. I thought it was such a powerful message!

Her Second-Chance Family 

I guess when I say karma, I’m saying that we all put a lot of things out into the world. I just try to put out more good than not. For instance, I was flying to a conference last fall. Maggie May came and stayed with Clinton and Bea…”

“This was before Willow?” he asked.

Audrey nodded. “Yes. She didn’t come to us until February, but you know, I can’t remember what it was like before she was ours.”
He was afraid she’d stop her story, so he said, “And you were flying to a conference?”

“Yes. I had the window seat. And this man came and took the aisle seat.” She smiled at the memory.

Sawyer would never admit it, but he didn’t like the thought of her smiling at another man. He didn’t say anything, but he felt out of sorts picturing it. Which was absurd. He hardly knew Audrey and certainly had no claims on her.

She didn’t seem to notice his annoyance, and kept talking. “I looked up from my book and smiled. I said hello. And then he said hello, and then… Well, we talked the rest of the flight. He was an airline mechanic. He mentioned his wife within the first few minutes. I thought it was lovely that he wanted to make sure I knew he wasn’t hitting on me, that he was married. We talked about his kids and my kids. I mentioned my kids want a dog, and he said he had cats…”

“And?” Sawyer pressed.

“At the end of the flight, as we taxied to our gate, he told me thank you. I had no clue what he was thanking me for. But then he said he flew every week for work, and he hadn’t talked to someone on a flight for years. I asked why me, and he said, ‘Because you smiled at me.’ I’ve remembered that ever since, and I am more aware that the smallest thing can mean the most.”