A Flight to Remember (Southwest Contest Entry)

A Flight to Remember

  "Remember, when you land in Phoenix, you'll be staying at the Sleep Inn. You're booked through the week and breakfast is free." My boss continues to remind me about every little detail that I should know, as I make my way through the airport.

  "I've gone over the documents and itinerary for the week several times and I've made sure to be prepared ma'am. I know you wanted to be able to come along, but I think your husband would be very angry if you managed to go into labor three thousand miles away."

  "I know. This is the first time I've not gone to a conference this important in some time." She gives a defeated sigh.

  "I may be younger, but you can trust me to handle it on my own." She knew I could do this, but she was too stubborn to let others handle things for her.

  "Okay Tasha, I'll let you go. If I don't, I might run your battery dead being my neurotic self. I'll see you in five days!"

  "I'll send you a message when I land to let you know that I have arrived in Phoenix. I know you're concerned that something will go awful since it's my first time flying alone, but it's a straight flight."

  "We'll talk soon!" She shouts.

  "Yes ma'am," I couldn't help, but to laugh at her as I hang up.

  Getting through security quite quickly, I hop onto the portal train to take me towards the gates. With just a little more than thirty minutes to spare, I decide to grab a bottle of water from one of the shops before continuing on.

  Just as I get there, they are starting to board people and I just so happen to be one of the first to board. My company, buying these before knowing the boss was pregnant, got Mrs. Banks two first class tickets. They had promised this year that they would as part of her raise; probably another reason she wishes she were going. So, the seat next to me was going to be vacant coming and going.

  Once settled in and more passengers file by, I feel my phone vibrating slightly, but I'm too late to answer it. Figuring that it was just my boss again, I knew she wouldn't call back because she knows I'm about to take off. However, my phone lights up just as I'm about to take out my earphones and turn it off. Only, it wasn't my boss calling; it was my doctor. Seeing passengers still straggling on, I decide I'm okay to answer.

  "Hello?"

  "Natasha?"

  "Yes, this is her."

  "I'm just calling to tell you about the results of your biopsy. I wanted to call and tell you myself and not one of the girls. I've had the privilege of being your doctor since the day you were born, so I felt I should do it." Instantly my throat started to tighten and my stomach dropped. "You have Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. It's a type of thyroid cancer."

  "O-oh."

  "If you're going to get cancer, that's the sort of cancer you'd want; not that you'd want cancer. What I'm trying to say; it's the most curable cancer. I've sadly been diagnosing it and breast cancer a lot recently it seems. If you have something to write with, I'd like to spell that for you so you can learn more about it. But I'm going to move fast and we're going to get you in with a surgeon, okay?"

  "Okay." My mind was blank, but I pulled out a pen and notebook from my bag as he began to spell it out for me.

  "We'll have you taken care of, I promise. I know you're a strong girl, you helped your mom through breast cancer, you can do this. Take care Natasha."

  "Thank you."

  Once I hung up the phone, I couldn't hold it in any longer and the tears started to flow. I'm twenty-three and my life has hardly started! I already have epilepsy, why must this happen so early on too? And just when everything was under control with my seizures finally! I'll be completely alone for the next five days, with no one to support me. Oh no.

  "Miss, is everything okay?" A very clean and polished young flight attendant asks, looking extremely concerned.

  I started to nod 'yes', but then shake my head 'no' when she looks at the words written on the paper in front of me. "Do you have any tissues?"

  "We definitely do. Just a moment." She disappears, but when she comes back she also has a cup of water in her hand. "I figured you might need a drink after crying, I usually do."

  The kindness in those words and the small thought while I was all alone, made all the difference right now. "You have no idea how much this means."

  "Honey, it's no big deal. Let me tell you a little something; my mother went through the same thing a few years back and other than your voice being weird for awhile, you're honestly fine a week after the surgery. And honey, you're younger." She gives my arm a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

  "Thank you, it means so much."

  "It's my pleasure!" She smiles warmly. "It's about time for take-off so I have to run through safety measures, but if you need anything, just let me know!"

  The amount of gratitude I have for her at this moment can't be expressed. Powering my phone down, we finally leave Pittsburgh and make our way to Phoenix.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  My story may not be the happiest, but in a shocking time, someone was there to shine a tiny bit of light. If someone is having a bad day, don't hesitate to help make it better! Oh and she was right, surgery went great and I was back at work less than a week after. And with working vocal chords, although a little weak and quiet.