Four hours of sleep; that was it. I couldn’t complain; there were times out in the field that I would’ve killed for four hours of shut-eye. The quilts were finished, and everything was packed. Soldiers know how to pack quick and light.
The drive to the airport was silent for the most part. I don’t believe it had anything to do with the recent drama so much as the fact that we were just too exhausted, and it was going to be a long day. We made it through airport security with a minimal amount of invasive probing. Everything was running smooth until…
Holy shit, I was going to meet Jason’s daughter! I was going to meet his mother. There I was, traveling hundreds of miles to be examined and judged by an elderly couple and a seven-year-old. I was freaking out at thirty thousand feet. I was seriously considering searching the plane for a parachute. I mean, I am jump qualified.
I managed to keep my little panic attacked on the inside, but Jason must have picked up on it. He put his hand over mine and I began to relax. I just had to remind myself that I’m here for a friend so I can distract his ex-wife so he can see his daughter.
Once the plane landed I uncrossed my fingers and stopped hoping the plane would be hijacked to some Caribbean Island. I carried the bag with the doll in it until we got into the terminal, then I handed the bag to Jason.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“There’s someone here to see you,” I said.
“Daddy!” Her voice carried from baggage claim to the ticket counter. When Jason handed her the doll, Sky’s scream was even louder, loud enough to get the attention of airport security. Everyone’s eyes in the airport were on Sky and her look-a-like-doll, everyone’s except Jason’s mother. Her eyes hadn’t left me since she first spotted us.
“She’s young,” she whispered just a little too loud.
“Way to go, son,” Jason’s father whispered, also too loud.
Jason ignored his father and turned to me, holding his daughter, or I should say she was holding him, arms clasped around his neck. “Sky, this is Melody. Melody this is Sky.”
‘’Hello, Sky,” I said. “I’m so excited to finally meet you. I can’t wait to see you dance.”
“My Daddy told me you’re a dancer like me,” Sky said with the excitement of a…well, a seven-year-old.
“Yes, I was,” I told her. “Before I joined the Army I was in a dance class. My dance teacher’s name was Miss Shauna,”
“Oh wow,” Sky squealed. “My teacher’s name is Shauna too. Will you come to my class with me today?”
“I would love to,” I said to her. “That sounds like so much fun. It would be awesome to watch you practice.”
For the first time since her father picked her up, Sky let go of him and held her arms out to me. We were all shocked, but none more than me. I almost cried. I held my arms out and she jumped into them without hesitation.
