Suddenly, There was Kai

Chapter 26

I opened my eyes to see Chris standing over me with her hand on my shoulder. I looked around a bit dazed but my memory returned lightening fast. I snatched the headphones off not even minding that I lost a few strands of hair as I did so reaching for my seatbelt.

"Relax lady!" She said to me smiling. "I only wanted to let you know that we are landing in about five minutes."

"Oh." I said attempting to pull myself together. "What time is it?"

"Is about five minutes after five o'clock, the captain was right, we made good time."

I smiled widely at this sinking back into the chair. It seems as though I will make it in time. I just need luck to be with me for a little while longer.

"You have an important business function to get to?"

"Business? No. Important? YES. If I manage to somehow survive this day in spite of my nerves trying to kill me at the moment to see how this all plays out, I will have to tell you about it."

The flight attendant raised her eyebrows. "How are you going to set me up like that? Now I'm dying to know!"

"Flight attendants, please take your seats and prepare to land."

She sighed heavily turning on her heel. "I am going to hold you to that. You have my number!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" I called out after her with a laugh. I watched her take her seat at the end of the isle near the cockpit.

I laughed again as she made a "phone" with her hand while mouthing, "Call me. Don't forget!"

It took a little longer to deplane than I would have liked, but I was soon off once again jogging through the airport dodging suitcases and people. Chicago Midway is a large place and I saw that I would need to travel a bit before I could get over to the pickup section.

I jumped into the monorail car just as the doors closed scaring the pants off a teenaged boy who fell back into a girl standing next to him eliciting several choice words. I apologized, but this only got me an eye roll from both of them before they went back to their respective jams coming from their headphones.

I looked at the map located above the door and saw I had two stops before I could get off. The surly set of teens ended up getting off at the next stop with several other people leaving the car relatively empty.

When it was time for me to get off, the doors where barely open when I slid between them taking off jogging down hall towards the taxi area.

The bright sun met my eyes causing a momentary overload. I hadn't even realized that I had left my sunglasses in the car back in Boston. I opened the door of the first car I came to and climbed in.

"Hi," I said panting as I swiped back some hair that had become plastered to my sweaty face. "Would you be able to take me to the Four Seasons in Chicago?"

"Sure, why not?" The woman said in a surprisingly deep, gravelly voice that required me to do a double take. "How soon do you need to get there?" She asked as she moved away from her spot along the curb.

"Why do you ask?"

"You seem to be in a hurry, and I just want to get to you to your destination. I can drive normally, or can drive like my life depends on it."

I hesitated momentarily. "The second option?" My question was soon answered with a smirk and a sudden burst of acceleration that threw me backward into the chair and I suddenly had an overwhelming urge to fasten my seat belt.

"So where did you come in from sweetie? Are you here to visit, or are you returning home?" She honked her horn at a driver trying to merge into our lane and I was briefly reminded of my own wild ride to Logan.