I grabbed my chest and slid off my seat onto the floor.She walked away laughing, and everything around me faded as I watched her disappear into the crowd.
I climbed into my chair, arms crossed, a dopey smile still on my face.Movement caught my eye, and I turned toward that same dad barreling toward where he had originally been with his kid.Panic marred his face, but when he spotted a stuffed dinosaur, he sighed and snatched it up.Relief flooded his features.He spun, then halted as the elderly lady touched his arm.
“You’re doing a good job,” she said.
The dad blinked at her, looking completely off guard.“I don’t feel like it,” he admitted with a self-deprecating smirk.
She patted his hand.“None of us do.But you showed up, doing your best.That’s more than enough on most days.”
He stood there for a moment as if he didn’t know what to say.Then he nodded, whispered a quiet “Thank you,” and jogged off.
The old woman settled her blanket over her knees like nothing had happened.Like she didn’t just hand that man a life raft in the middle of a damn airport terminal.
Maybe I’d never feel ready.Maybe the timing would never feel perfect.But the old woman was right.
Sometimes showing up was enough.I hoped it would be enough for Rose.
My knee bounced uncontrollably as the plane started down the runway and the flight attendant went over the basic safety measures.I tried not to listen.Probably not an ideal decision, but I’d heard it before.Besides, in case of an emergency, I’d probably faint, so I’d be no help to begin with.
I bit into a ginger chew and begged the sky gods that we would get up there safely and I wouldn’t puke.Oh God, I hoped I wouldn’t puke.I’d done enough of that this morning and in the bathroom right before we boarded.
There was literally nothing left in my stomach.Unless I counted ginger chews, then I might be in trouble.I’d been popping them like popcorn from the minute I left the bathroom.
“How you doing, Rosebud?”Wyatt asked, taking my hand.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the gentle squeeze of his hand, the warmth absorbing into my skin and spreading through my arm.My eyelids fluttered open.I turned to him, and a laugh burst free.The flight attendant hesitated in her speech; a few people turned.I slapped a hand over my mouth as Wyatt continued to stare at me with a paper mask of Albert’s face.
“What even is that?”
By the way the paper moved, I assumed Wyatt wiggled his eyebrows behind the Albert paper cutout.He pointed to the mask.“Emotional Support Albert.”
I choked on my ginger chew.“You’re nuts.”
“Nuts, comic relief?Potato patato.”
“Isn’t it tomato tamato?Who the hell says patato?”
“Okay, slow it down there, Dr.Suess.”
I snorted as he lifted his hands and motioned down.
“You’re so weird.”
“Yet here you are.Sitting next to me.Questionable life choices and all.”
The plane lurched forward as the engines roared louder, and my laughter died in my throat.My grip tightened on his hand, most likely cutting off the circulation, but he didn’t say a word.My heart battered my chest, and my breath came out in uneven rasps.
Wyatt’s thumb ran over mine, stroking soothing circles.
“I hate this part,” I whispered.
“I know.”
The wheels lifted off the ground, the plane tilted, and my stomach rolled.My eyes slammed shut again, and I buried my head in the comfort of Wyatt’s shoulder.
“It’s okay,” he assured me, his other hand sliding into my hair and holding me close.I focused on the soft, soothing strokes of his thumb, the tender touch of his other hand, the press of his lips against my temple.
“I’ve got you.”
