A Trip to the Airport
(Turbulance)
by Nyssa Jayne
"Where are you going?" she whispered.
"To the airport," he replied. "I'm coming back."
She wrapped her arms around him and began to gently rock.
He fell asleep, wrapped up in love.
It was the eve of an event that meant I had to leave her behind.
"Last time this happened, you said you were just going to the airport," she sighed, as we sat in her room, I in her lap and she sitting on the back of the armchair. "And you lied."
"I didn't lie about coming back," I argued.
"You took your time. You took a year."
"Please don't be mad."
"Our friendship has had to put up with a lot. It hasn't always been a smooth ride."
"But it always ends okay." I reached bck for her hands, bringing them around me. She slid off the back of the armchair, sitting with me. We were so close. It made me feel like I really was only going to the airport tomorrow because I could never leave her behind.
The next day, I didn't cry because I knew I was coming back, it was only a trip to the airport. I don't know if she cried. I felt bad for not knowing after the plane had taken off and the seatbelt sign was turned off. I never removed my seatbelt, just sat there and thought of her.
"The captain has turned on the seatbelt sign," announced the steward. "We are experiencing some slight turbulance, so could all passengers please return to their seats and fasten their seatbelts. Please don't be alarmed. Thank you."
I tilted my head and fell asleep to the gentle rocking, remembering how it felt to be wrapped up in love.