Painting Wolves

Chapter 4

     The airport was surprisingly full when I found my luggage. I would have though mid-fall is an odd time to be flying. I wouldn't really know though since I’d seldom left New York, except to go visit Genny in Tennessee, since I'd moved there with Mam.

     I looked around, wondering if I would be able to identify Jared by his looks. Was he the slightly rotund, balding man huffing towards us? No, he was huffing his way towards that woman with the green suitcase.

     I sat down on the bench and pulled the suitcase to rest between my legs where I secured it against potential thieves. Molly's covered cage was on the bench next to me. She was quiet, being used to coming to Tennessee with me to visit Genny. The rest of my things would be sent along in a few days, or when I decided if Tennessee was really the place for me.

     I occupied myself by thinking up stories for the passengers and those greeting them. That woman? The one in the blue cloche hat and the mint green dress? She was a time traveler. That hat had been given to her by her husband before he went away to fight in World War I. He never came back, and she enlisted as a nurse to search for him. Instead of finding him however, she was recruited by a special medical division researching the accelerated aging of cells as a weapon. As a result of a botched experiment, she was transported into the future.

     I watched her sweetheart greet her with a huge grin and a bear hug. Her laugh rang out loud and clear over the hum of the crowd. How sweet. Her sweetheart had been reunited with her in the future. 

     Two children tackled the woman, and she laughed and kissed them on the head. I smiled delightedly. They'd had children!

     I was well absorbed into my imaginings when a man with fluffy brown hair hurried up to the waiting area, looking around frantically. After a few minutes of looking around and becoming more and more frustrated, he stiffened, and stood straight. 

     "Anne Moore," he yelled, hands cupped around his mouth. "Will Ms. Anne Moore please come down? Her ride is here." His Tennessee twang made even his frustration sound appealing.

     I started to reality. That must be Jared. I stood up and started towards him when another woman walked up to him. 

     "Your wife," she asked frankly. Jared stared at her with wide brown eyes. She advanced. He took a step back, and shook his head. It was hilarious to see the tall man looking so terrified of a woman who couldn't be more than five four. I watched, interested. 

     "Y'know," she said coyly, looking up at him through her lashes. "I'm sure Ms. Moore has already found a ride. The last flight landed almost fourty-five minutes ago. How about we go get some coffee or something? My treat."

     Jared looked petrified now, and his eyes darted around the crowd frantically. I took pity on him and stepped forward.

     "I'm Anne Moore, and I'm afraid I'll be needing Jared now thanks." I brought my suitcase to a stop, and tried to not be offended as she gave me a disdainful sniff. Molly's carrier rested on my hip, and it may be weird, but I felt stronger for her proximity. As a result, I didn't flinch as she leaned in to look at me, and sniffed at me again.

     "Really," she told Jared "she's not even one of us."

     Jared snapped out of his terror and grabbed my suitcase. He turned and almost ran away from the woman. I followed, trying to stifle a grin and restrained my desire to wriggle my fingers at her as we left. We didn't slow until we'd reached a blue truck with gigantic wheels. Jared stopped, and his shoulders relaxed as he sighed. He turned- stuck out a hand.

     "Hi," he said, a little embarrassed. "I'm Jared Mayview. Donald's my grandfather."

     I took his hand awkwardly and gave it a quick, hard shake before releasing it. "Nice to meet you."