It was fine. Everything was going to be okay. Sydney was going to America. To him.
After six long months, she was finally going to see her Daddy. Six months of bedtime voice messages, gentle reminders to drink water or take breaks. Six months of stories read in his deep voice, just for her.
And now, finally, she was going to get to curl up in his arms and feel what it was like to be held in real life.
So what if her flight was changed? She’d board the plane, land earlier, and surprise the man who had started to steal her heart.
She made her way through the terminal toward Gate A12. Her nerves were tightening again, winding higher with every step.
She’d just gotten to the gate when a flight attendant in a neatly pressed blue uniform smiled at her and held her hand out for the ticket.
“Miss Sydney du Preez?” The woman asked, checking the name against the system.
Sydney blinked, clutching the strap of her backpack. “Yup.”
“Great!” the attendant said with a reassuring smile. “You’re one of the passengers from SA208? Excellent. The original flight had some technical delays, but this one will actually get you there a bit earlier as it’s a direct flight.And,” she paused to send a wide smile Sydney’s way. “It seems you’re one of the lucky few who got the First Class upgrade.”
Sydney stood there for a second, eyes wide. “Wait... direct? First class?” She found it impossible to figure out what to focus on, and Banana was way too far away in her backpack.
“Yes, ma’am,” the woman said brightly. “It’s boarding now, through the gate. Here’s your boarding pass. And no worries, your luggage has already been redirected and will be arriving with you in Yellowstone.”
Sydney nodded mutely and followed, still processing what she’d just heard. Her feet moved on autopilot, but her brain was spinning.
Her thoughts were a swirl of excitement and anxiety.
She should tell Greg. Right? That would be the right thing to do.
She pulled out her phone and saw she had a new message. Expecting it to be from the airlines repeating the fact her flight had changed, she was surprised to see it was from Greg.
Just wishing you a great flight. See you soon…
She’d typed the first letter of a reply to let him know her new arrival time, but then her fingers stilled. The idea of showing up early, unannounced, curled around her like a secret gift.
It was reckless. He could... punish her. That’s what Daddies do when their Littles are naughty, right?
The thought made her cheeks flush and her tummy flutter.
Sydney took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. This was happening. Right now. She was going to him. And if that meant taking the tiniest risk to make their first meeting unforgettable?
So be it.
The attendants guided her onto the jet bridge, and the cold tunnel air bit at her cheeks. The plane door came into view, and soft lighting and hushed luxury wrapped around her the moment she stepped inside.
“Right this way, ma’am,” another attendant said, leading her to the front cabin.
Sydney took her seat in stunned silence.
The chair was wide enough to curl up in, with a blanket and pillow waiting for her, and a touchscreen menu glowing softly from the side panel.
She sank into the leather seat, her fingers brushing over the armrest, almost like she was afraid to touch anything too hard in case it shattered the illusion.
Once she was settled, she reached into her backpack and pulled out Banana, her fingers immediately going to the worn ears to rub them. She placed her gently in her lap under the blanket, away from prying eyes.
No one here needed to know Banana was there with her. No one needed to judge her for it.
She tucked her knees up slightly, hiding behind the little wall of her seat, and looked out the window. The runway stretched ahead, golden with light.
After all the announcements and demonstrations from the pilot and flight crew, the plane moved, and her heart thumped in time with it.
