Goodbye, my love // a.i.

Chapter 4

I sit in the seat between my mother and the window. We are seated directly beside the right wing of the huge plane. We've been waiting for about twenty minutes since we got seated on the plane.

A voice cracks over the intercom saying, "It's a beautiful day, ladies and gentlemen. We will be taking off shortly. Be sure to buckle your seat belts and turn off your electronic devices. Our estimated time of arrival for Atlanta, Georgia is approximately 2:40 P.M. Enjoy your flight," the pilot says in a deep voice.

I take my iPod out of my pocket and turn it all the way off and grab my seatbelt, pull it across my lap, and buckle it with a click.

"Do you want a piece of gum? It helps to keep your ears from popping when we take off," my mom says, shuffling through her purse.

"Yes, please. Thank you," I reply as she finds her pack of mint gum and takes out two pieces. She hands me a piece and saves a piece for herself. I hold onto the gum and save it for when the plane gets ready to take off, which shouldn't be long.

I look out the window and suddenly hear a really loud rumble and everything begins to shake. By instinct, I cover my ears and then realize we are about to take off. I quickly grab the piece of gum, open the wrapper, and put it in my mouth and start chewing. Mt mom turns to me smiling, and clutches my hand, I guess to comfort me, or herself.

"Attention, we are about to leave the Port Columbus International Airport. Stay in your sears and keep your seat belts buckled until we reach cruising altitude."

I look out the window and watch the turbines under the wing spin around and around. Also of a sudden, we jerk forward and begin driving down the runway, everything outside quickly becomes a blur.

After about two minutes, the plane begins to lift into the air. I clutch the armrests as we elevate higher in the air.

"This is what it's like to fly," I say to no one in particular.

As we continue to fly higher into the air, the ground below looks as tiny as ants.

"We are now at cruising altitude. You may now use your electronic devices and roam freely in the cabin," says a voice through the plane's intercom speakers.

I take my iPod back out of my pocket, press the power button, and wait for it to come back on. I look through my music and go to my favorite singer, Ed Sheeran, and click shuffle.

Looking out the window, I think to myself, "This world is so much bigger than I ever imagined."

***

Thirty minutes into the flight, the stewardess walks through the isle pushing a cart and says to my mother and I, "Would you like something to drink?"

"I just want a water, thank you," I tell her and she hands me a bottle of water.

"For you, ma'am?" she asks my mom.

"Can I have a Coke?" my mom says and the stewardess grabs a red can of Coke and gives it to my mom.

"Thank you," my mom says, giving her a smile.

"You are very welcome," says the stewardess as she continues down the a isle, asking the people behind us if they want drinks.

I put my earbuds back in my ears and drown my thoughts in the music, and eventually I must fall asleep.

***

I wake up to my mother nudging me saying, "Wake up honey, we are about to land."

"Already?" I say, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Yep," she says, flashing a smile.

I sit up and take my earbuds out of my iPod, wrap them, and put them in my backpack. I pick my backpack up off of the floor and put it in my lap.

"Attention, ladies and gentlemen. We are about to land in Atlanta, Georgia at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Please buckle your seat belts and prepare for landing. Thank you for choosing Delta Airlines," says the pilot.

I put my backpack back on the floor and buckle my seatbelt and wait for the landing.

Then, I feel the plane leaning forward and hold onto the seat in front of me. We begin to accelerate downward, and I feel a bump. And another. And then another. I look out the window, and we are back on the ground, speeding down the runway.