Family Ties

Unfortunately, I couldn’t think of a way to talk to her alone before we left. She and Trip had to pack for their drive to Atlanta. Christy and I had to do the same for our flight to San Diego. So unless I wanted to answer some awkward questions from Christy, I needed to leave it alone.

I felt like I was flying blind into a relationship with her, but I didn’t have much choice. I didn’t have charts or nav beacons. I didn’t even have

instruments! Was my engine running too hot? Was I flying too low? Too slow? The metaphors alone were enough to drive me crazy.

So I kept my questions to myself and responded with a smile when Christy silently asked if I was okay. She realized that something was going on in my head, even if she didn’t know what. So instead of bouncing around, she walked silently beside me.

“Are you nervous?” she finally asked. “About meeting my family?”

“What? No, not at all. Sorry, I’m just making a list in my head. Stuff I need to pack. Running clothes, something dressy, stuff like that.” It was a white lie, but less messy than the truth.

“Oh. Okay.” She glanced up at me. “They’re going to love you, though.

Mom says…”

She chattered on nervously, and I didn’t have the guts to stop her. I felt guilty for letting her worry, but then again, it probably wouldn’t hurt for her to realize that something was up between us. We’d have to talk about it sooner or later, although I had no idea when.

At home we headed to our separate bedrooms. Wren and Trip weren’t planning to leave until later in the afternoon, but Christy and I had a flight to catch. So I packed my clothes and toiletries in my suitcase. Then I added some books and few other things to my backpack, and I was ready to go.

Christy took an hour and a half, and I finally went to check on her when she still hadn’t come downstairs. I knocked on her half-open door and then gently pushed it open.

Her room looked like her dresser and closet had both exploded. Two large suitcases stood by the door and she was doing her best to close a smaller one.

I looked at my watch.

“Um… we need to leave in about fifteen minutes. Anything I can help with?”

“Oh, thanks! Would you take those downstairs for me?”

“Wait… these?” I gestured at the large suitcases. I’d thought they were empty, just standing by in case her things wouldn’t all fit in the smaller suitcase.

“Yes.” She caught my expression. “What’s the matter?”

“You know it’s just four days, right?”

“Of course I do. Please don’t give me a hard time about all my clothes.

I’m taking a bunch of summer outfits home so I can return with my winter clothes.”

“Hold on…” I nodded at the closet and all the other clothes strewn around the room. “You mean this isn’t all your clothes?”

“Are you kidding? No, no way I could keep all my things in here.”

My eyes widened, but she missed it.

“I have a full closet at home, plus all this stuff. Crap! Will you help me close this stupid suitcase?”

I put my weight on it and persuaded the latches to close.

“Thanks! This is the one with things I’m gonna wear. Lemme pack my bathroom stuff and a few delicates and then I’ll be ready. Five minutes.”

I knew better than to trust her estimate. “Five minutes” of Christy-time was half an hour in the Newtonian universe. Still, pestering her would only make things worse, so I lugged the two large suitcases downstairs.

Trip was walking from his office to the kitchen. He backed up and did a double take.

“Don’t ask,” I said.

He shook his head, and his expression said it all: Better you than me, pal.

I went upstairs, brought my own things down, and loaded everything into the Land Cruiser. Then I waited for Christy to finish packing. When she did, after only twenty-five minutes, I loaded her two smaller bags. We said goodbye to Trip and Wren and left in a bit of a hurry.

“Why are we rushing?” Christy asked. She looked at her watch. “Uh-oh. I thought we were two hours early. In my defense, it wasn’t my watch this time. I stink at math, too. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I usually have to get to the gate an hour early. It’s just a habit.

We don’t have to this time, though. Thank goodness.”

“Why? I mean, why do you get there so early?”

“I fly for free because my dad works for the airline.”

“Oh, that’s right. Pretty cool.”

“Yes, but… I have to fly stand-by. I have to show up early, wear a coat and tie—I’m representing the company when I fly, so I have to look nice—

and I might get bumped if there aren’t enough seats.”

“Oh. That kinda stinks.”

“Right. It’s worst around holidays, though.”

“Like Thanksgiving.”

“Exactly. I don’t wanna get stranded in the Atlanta airport, so I paid full fare this time. That’s why I’m not in a coat and tie, and why we don’t have to be there early.” I glanced at my watch and mashed the accelerator. “We’re

gonna be cutting it close, though.”

Christy nodded. Then she jerked upright. She yanked open her purse but then relaxed.

I chuckled as she pulled out her ticket. “Thought you’d forgotten it?”