Chapter 7: Plane Company
The Escalade screeched to a halt outside Portland International Airport. Greg and Kevin hastily removed their seatbelts and got out. Kevin opened the door and undid my seatbelt and tried to lift me from my seat.
" I can walk," I said grumpily. My voice was coming back at least, but did I really have enough strength to walk? Kevin withdrew his awaiting arms so I could get out. I got out, walked a few steps, and collapsed. Kevin scooped me up from the asphalt.
" No, you can't," he said mockingly. I fumed in his arms.
" Fine. But there is no way you can carry me in there and not draw attention to us. Anyone in there who sees you carrying me is liable to phone the nearest hospital."
" And they will call the police if you go in there staggering like a drunken fool. So, just rest in my arms and pretend to sleep. I will just tell them my girlfriend fell asleep in the car and she seemed too exhausted to wake." He smiled triumphantly at me with his eyes glowing. I relented and relaxed into his chest. Kevin carried me into the airport followed by Greg. We got in line to wait our turn at the ticket counter. Kevin held me snuggly to his chest. I lay there listening to the sounds of the airport. Hurried feet, computers, printers, urgent voices, luggage rolling, and somewhere nearby I heard a baby crying. Jeesh! It must be at least 2 o'clock in the morning! Who in their right mind would have a baby up at this time of night to board a plane! After what felt like an eternity, the girl at the counter motioned for us.
" Hi, welcome to Portland International Airport. What can I do for you?" she said without looking up from her computer.
"We need three tickets to London, England please," Greg said politely, but I heard urgency in his tone. She typed in the information and pulled up the flight listings.
" How immediately do you need?"
" Immediately. When's the next flight departure?"
" Hmm... there's one leaving at three."
" That's fine." She shuffled through some papers.
" Could you fill these out please and then I will get you those tickets." Greg took the mammoth sized stack of forms. God! It would take forever to fill all those out! We went and sat on a sofa in the waiting area. Kevin held me in his lap. I listened to the annoying sound of pen scratching hurriedly across paper. I glanced at the clock. 2:45 A.M. Greg turned to the second paper of about fifty. This is hopeless! There is no way we're going to make it! An announcement came on the loudspeaker.
"Flight 43 bound for London, England will depart in fifteen minutes. Would all passengers please report to departure gate six. The gate will close in five minutes."
Ah, heck! No way! If we don't get out of here, who knows what will happen. We don't have time to fill out these papers and wait around for the next flight. Christian could walk in here any second! CRAP! CRAP! CRAP! CRAP! CRAP! I got up from Kevin's embrace.
" What are you doing? You don't need to collapse in the airport. Get your butt back over here and sit down," Kevin said firmly.
" I'll be right back, okay? I need to try something. Greg, give me those forms." Greg handed me the forms and I walked slowly and shakily back to the desk where that girl was typing on the computer like her life depended on it.
"Excuse me, can we just give you the information verbally so we can get this done quicker. We really need to catch the flight leaving at three," I said as politely as was possible for me under the circumstances.
