Flight's Canceled

"We're going to be late," Roy called down the hallway in the wee hours of the morning. "Stella is already here to drive us."

"I'm coming. I'm coming. Did you manage to get through to find out if the flight is a go?"

"It'll be a go. The weather's fine. No need to call."

I looked over at him as we piled into Stella's car wondering if he had even thought to consider the possibility of the flight being canceled.

"Did you call to confirm?" his sister asked.

"Yes," he told her.

I marveled at how the lie slipped so easily off his tongue.

Not for the first time did I wonder about this trip. Going away despite the huge fight we had had only days ago. His lies were catching up with him and I was tired of taking the blame.

Though he had denied the affair, I could feel the lie deep in my bones. I kept telling myself this vacation to the Caribbean would help fix what was broken in our relationship. But some part of me knew better.

I smiled at Stella as if nothing was amiss.

We arrived at the airport at the appointed two hours beforehand and headed for the check in area. Glancing up at the flight board I noticed the word canceled running along the edge of many of the flights. I stopped in my tracks.

"What the hell, Ryna? Let's go," he called back annoyed. He kept moving.

"Our flight's cancelled." I called out to him.

"No it isn't," he insisted and plowed forward.

I stood amongst the swirl of people. Their baggage piled up, filling the space like a clogged pipe. My eyes scanned over the throng of everyone. Displeasure rumbling through the crowd.

All flights to anywhere tropical seemed to have been canceled. Hurricane warnings were no longer warnings.

I could be home in bed, I thought darkly. And then I saw her. Threading her way through the crowd towards Roy. I picked up my pace and almost reached them when I heard her say, "I decided to come after all."

So he'd invited his floozy to come. I searched the crowd for her boyfriend, but couldn't make him out. Tears burned in my eyes and I quickly blinked them away as I stood there frozen by what I saw.

The crowd surged around me cutting me off from their view.

When I saw her lean in to kiss him I felt my heart seize and break. Did he really think I was that naïve and stupid? Did she?

I turned and walked back through the crowd numbly. I needed a drink. I needed to think. I needed the distance.

Towards the other end of the terminal the crowds thinned and I finally felt could catch my breath. I found a spot to sit after buying a Café au Lat. It was as strong as they could sell out here and I wrapped my hands around the cup trying to find some warmth.

My eyes scanned the area stopping on a poster of Paris, France. It advertised Paris in the spring. There was no way Roy would even dream of going to Paris. Paris was my dream not his.

Suddenly I knew what to do. I searched the flight boards and noticed the flight to Paris was still on schedule. Wildly, I thought, if they have a ticket. I would go there. Leave my crappy life and go. What did I have here. My job had just let me go due to cut backs and my relationship was in shambles. I had nothing to lose and only adventure before me. I grabbed the handle of my suitcase and hoisted my carryon securely over my shoulder. With a hope and a prayer I made my way to the front desk and asked if they had any tickets left for the flight to Paris.

I held my breath as the attendant looked.

"We only have one..."

"I'll take it," I said impulsively.

This was so not me, but the current me was not who I wanted to be. As I bought the ticket and passed through security, I felt like my life was taking a turn for the better.

I would have my spring break in Paris and maybe just stay and see how things played out.



Word Count = 726 words.

{dropnote:"Notes"}
Written for "The Writer's Cramp" 
NEW PROMPT DUE: March 27, 2024
Write a story or poem about a family dealing with delayed or canceled flights as they try to get away for spring break week. Make TRAVEL one of your genres.

To qualify, make sure you include your word count for stories (1000 words or less) or a line count for poems (40 lines or less) IN your forum post with the b-item link to your entry.
{/dropnonte}