Jack’s heart skipped a beat. He blinked, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. “This has to be a mistake,” he whispered under his breath. “She’s not supposed to be here.” Yet, the view from the cockpit was unmistakable.

He squinted, focusing on her face. Those familiar warm brown eyes, the same ones he fell in love with. But something felt off. No, it couldn’t be. He looked again. And again. IMPOSSIBLE! He wanted to shout out to her, but the words got stuck in his throat. His hands trembled slightly on the controls. All he could do was gaze in stunned silence.

Jack’s mind was filled with questions. Is it really her, or am I just imagining things? Maybe I just want her to be here so much that I start seeing her, he thought. But then again, what if it really is her? That would imply… He fought back a sudden surge of emotion, refusing to believe the impossible. Yet, what Jack didn’t realize was that this flight was about to unravel a secret, one that could change everything he thought he knew.

As passengers boarded the plane, he found himself staring at her from the cockpit window. He couldn’t help but study her familiar brown eyes, the contours of her face, and her delicate hands – hands that once held his in moments of love. It seemed impossible. For nearly ten minutes, he kept stealing glances at the woman, but she never noticed. Completely absorbed in her book, she seemed oblivious to the bustle of flight preparations. Meanwhile, Jack’s world had been turned upside down.

His mind whirled. This had to be his wife! But how could it be her? And if it was her, why was she sitting here on this plane, seemingly unaware of his presence in the cockpit? He was certain he was looking at her, yet he was equally sure that she couldn’t be there. His mind began to race – could she have tricked everyone, even him?

Just minutes earlier, Jack was feeling positive. He had gotten ready for today’s flight, his first after some tough times. Being back in the cockpit was a good distraction, helping him focus on something other than his troubles.

His role as a pilot, the routine it offered, and the interactions with passengers had helped him find solace after the difficulties he had faced over the past year. Before boarding the plane, he had taken a deep breath and forced a smile onto his face. He had convinced himself that if he continued to feign happiness, eventually, he might start to believe it himself.