The London Paradigm (book 4 of Adopted by the Josephs)

21. Tyler

Samantha's plane landed on time and we waited just outside the baggage claim area for her. 

People kept coming through the doors and reuniting with family and friends, or just moving on to whatever business brought them to Columbus.

Still no Samantha.

I was getting anxious and Jenna could see my agitation. 

"Relax, Tyler," she said quietly. "She's an unaccompanied minor. She still has to go through customs and declaration, and find her luggage. They may have held her back on the plane until an agent could come escort her

I wasn't buying it.  She was flying first class. She should have been one of the first off the plane.

I started pacing. Jake was watching me closely.

The doors opened and another group of passengers came through. Still no Samantha.

"I'm going to call Mark," I said.

"Just wait," Jake said. "Let's not jump the gun."

"She should be out by now," I said. "This is ridiculous. He didn't put her on the plane!"

"SaSa!" Rosie suddenly cried out. I turned around and there was my daughter, beaming at us and running towards us, her luggage trailing behind her.

She threw herself into my arms and I started crying with relief. Sam hugged Jenna and picked up Rosie and snuggled her before turning back to me and looking behind me.

"Hi, Jake," she said. "What are you doing here?"

"Just came to see you," he smiled. Sam cocked her head at him, skeptical.

"Dad," she said, hugging me again. "Why are you crying?"

"I just missed you so much!  I'm so happy you're home."

"I missed you too. How was California?" She asked.

"California?" I asked. "What do you mean?"

"Uncle Mark said you went to California for work and asked if I could stay an extra week."

"We didn't go to California.  Mark told us there was a festival in town and they wanted you to stay and see it and enjoy it."

Samantha frowned at me.

"There wasn't any festival. We just hung out last week and got Emma and Benji ready for school."

I looked at Jenna and Jake. Maybe I hadn't been all that far off in my thinking.

"Well, whatever that was," I said, and I was going to find out. "We have a very, very big surprise for you when we get home. But we have to make one quick stop on the way, if Jake doesn't mind tagging along."

"No problem," he said.

I took Samantha's suitcase and we left the terminal. Jenna had her arm around Sam and Jake was pushing Rosie's stroller while Rosie sang Samantha's name over and over again. Sam was talking about the friends she'd made and how Benji had hidden her passport, which made my ears perk up. 

We got to the car and loaded Sam's luggage into the back, put Rosie in her car seat and piled into the car. Rosie was smiling and kicking and reaching for Sam, who was tickling her and holding her hand and saying 'Rosie posey' over again.  My family was complete again.