Chapter One
Sydney
The screen faded to black, the soft hum of the video call still buzzing in Sydney’s ears long after she ended the call with Daddy Greg. Her heart fluttered. Wild and nervous, like a butterfly trapped behind her ribs.
As always, he’d looked so handsome on the screen, even in grainy webcam quality, with his full salt-and-pepper beard, dark glasses, and easy smile that always melted her heart.
“I’ll be waiting, Little Syd,” he’d said. “Right outside the arrivals lounge in Yellowstone International. Just follow the signs when you land. Nothing to worry about.”
She held that voice in her chest like a warm hug. He’d have flown to her, and traveledwithher if he had the extra money for the plane ticket, but his mom had been very sick and he had needed all his extra money to help with her bills.
And it was fine. Sydney could do this.
She had to do this for her shot at happiness.
Sydney pulled her backpack a little closer, clutching the handle like it might float away. The departure lounge at O.R. Tambo buzzed with low conversation and the inaudible announcements of boarding gates. She glanced around her,slightly overwhelmed by all the people. There were businessmen in suits, rushing to their next plane, a harassed mother trying to wrangle a pair of identical toddlers while the dad fiddled with their paperwork, and a teenager slumped over her phone in the corner, sending a disdainful glare at the family.
And her. A grown woman with a hidden stuffed bunny in her backpack and a pair of soft, pastel socks with bows on them, tucked under her jeans for comfort.
Her dark brown curls were pinned back, neat but not severe, her lightly tanned skin glowing under the warm airport lights. She wore a soft pink hoodie with a gaggle of Disney princesses layered over a lavender tank top and a pair of slim-fit jeans. It had taken heragesto come up with the kind of outfit that said “comfortable adult traveler” instead of “neurotic mess, who’s never left the country”.
Sydney had opted for make-up free for this first leg of her journey. No point in spending too much time dolling up, especially if she was just going to end up sleeping it all off on the plane.
But there was nothing that a bit of eyeliner, a lip gloss, and a pinch to the cheeks couldn’t fix when she finally got there.
To her Daddy.
She checked the time on her phone again. Two hours until boarding.
Or so she thought. The announcement hit her like cold water.
“Attention all passengers on Flight SA208 with connections through Atlanta. Due to technical issues, you’ve been reassigned to Flight SA102, now boarding at Gate A12. Please proceed immediately. Your luggage will be redirected.”
What? That wasn’t the plan.
Sydney’s phone buzzed almost like it knew she was panicking, but she ignored it. She stood still for a moment,disoriented. Her stomach dropped and she bit down on the inside of her cheek, hard.
She hated last-minute changes. Surprises were fine for Little girls in Little space, when someone else was in control to handle all the details. But this... this was grown-up chaos and exactly the reason Sydney practically went into hiding all those years ago.
She didn’t want to deal with the big decisions. It was terrifying.
She looked down at her bag and knelt to unzip the small front pocket, her fingers finding the worn ears of Banana, her battered bunny.
Just a touch. Just for a second. She didn’t need to pull it out. Just knowing it was there helped.
Deep breath in. Count of four. Hold. Exhale.
“I’m okay,” she whispered to herself, barely audible above the din of shuffling luggage, crying babies and parents shouting at their kids. “It’s just a different flight. I can do this.”
Still, her fingers itched to call Greg and tell him. He’d want to know anyway, because he’d probably need to leave earlier to pick her up.
But... what if she surprised him instead?
The thought blossomed like a little flower in her chest, even as her nerves twisted tighter. She imagined stepping out of the car at the Ranch, her feet crunching gravel, the look on his face when he saw her hours before he expected her. Maybe he’d scoop her up.
Maybe... he’d say something really swoonworthy like “there’s my girl” and carry her off to one of the many playrooms he’d told her about.
A soft smile crept across her lips.
