“Shit. My flight is cancelled.” I unlock my phone then scroll the screen. I have a text message and an email all relaying the same information.
He straightens his posture, waiting for me to explain.
“Apparently, there is a computer problem affecting the plane.” Panic sets in, and I hit the link in the email to reschedule my flight.
“That’s not great. You have to be out there early for family stuff, right?”
I nod my head while my eyes skim the website. “My parents are already there. Esme and Keats, too, as they took a little vacation before his groomsman duties start.”
“You can reschedule for an earlier flight maybe.” He checks his watch. “You could make a mid-afternoon flight.”
Anxiousness now overtakes me. “They only have one flight a day unless I drive out to Chicago O’Hare. Oh, fuck.” I’m seeing only one thing on the website. “Tomorrow’s flight is full too.” I hold my phone up so Oliver can see.
“You should probably phone Liam and Bridezilla.” He recoils.
I drop my face into my hands with my elbows set on the table. This is just my luck. “I’m positive I’m cursed. Every time I fly, there is always a delay, or the flight has major turbulence.”
“Let me go find some sage to burn to cleanse your energy,” he jokes. Sometimes his dry sense of humor peeks out, and every time it causes me to smile wryly, even now.
Hitting Liam’s name on my phone, I set the cell on the table on speaker. I need both my hands to take a chug of my coffee
“Hey, what’s up?” he says as he answers after two rings.
“No flights. That’s what.”
“What do you mean?” His tone lifts an octave.
“My flight is canceled, and the one for tomorrow is already full.”
“Nooo.” It trails from his mouth, and I can tell that he is shaking his head, too. “We need you at the wedding. Are you making this shit up? Is this your way of messing with me while I’m scrambling with last-minute wedding prep?”
I chortle a laugh. “Trust me, I’m not that cruel… today. Oliver is here, I ran into him at Foxy Rox. He is my witness that I’m not joking.”
“Hey, Liam,” Oliver speaks up.
My brother growls at the other end, frustrated while Oliver and I stare at one another with pained looks.
“Well, we need you on a plane, Hailey. I can’t have a wedding without my sister. You’re already going to miss family dinner, it seems.”
I rub my forehead, trying to shake away irritation that I now have to deal with airlines, tickets, and probably a gazillion layovers just to reach my brother’s wedding. But that’s my problem, he doesn’t need this issue on top of his to-do list.
“I’ll figure it out,” I promise.
“Hailey, I love you, and I wish I could solve this, but I’m going to need you to take this one over on the solution train.”
My entire body sinks into the chair, accepting this reality. I agree with Liam but that doesn’t mean it’s any less daunting. I’m already gearing up for a conversation with a disgruntled airline agent on the other end of a call.
“Oliver,” my brother snaps.
Oliver scoots closer to the table to listen. “Yeah, man.”
“You’re driving out. Take Hailey.” My brother’s demand is clipped.
In unison, Oliver and I zip our wide eyes to one another.
“What?” Oliver peeps out.
“Easy solution. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist. Hailey will ride with you.”
