Dancing with the Devil

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

The woman behind the counter at Blue Skies Airline looked as though she’d been up for hours, even though it was only just after seven a.m. Her hair was pulled into a neat bun at the nape of her neck, and her uniform was starched and wrinkle-free. She pecked at the keyboard in front of her like an impatient bird gobbling every available breakfast breadcrumb.

Mackenzie prayed this last airline would have something available. The woman looked up at Mac after examining her screen and said, “I’m sorry, but that first flight and every one after is completely booked.”

“You have got to be kidding me?” Mac gasped, more to herself than the lady. “What am I going to do?” She glanced up and realized the agent was going to think she was a big pain in her butt and shoo her along. Mackenzie cleared her throat and stood up straight. “Look, there’s an emergency at home and I really have to get there. Please, isn’t there some single seat, somewhere?

The agent’s expression softened a bit and she checked her screen once more, clicking and waiting, and clicking some more. Without looking up said, “You understand, it’s a holiday.” She continued clicking her keys and added, “Everyone has their own little emergencies.” She looked up at Mac, her perfect eyebrows raised, probably thinking that everything was urgent when you’re a teenager.

Mac tried to look serious and mature, despite the fact that she hadn’t showered in what felt like weeks and was wearing her kit shammy that had BIKE GEEKS emblazoned across the chest. “I do understand that, yes,” she replied. She wanted to scream at the woman. 

The clerk seemed satisfied and looked back at her computer. “There is one seat left on the second flight out, at nine o’clock this morning. However,” she paused and clicked more keys, “it’s in business class.”

“How much is that ticket?”

“That would be $970.” When she saw all the color go out of Mackenzie’s face, she added, “But that’s including all airport taxes and fees.” When Mac still didn’t respond, the agent said, “I suggest you make a decision, since this is the last seat available, it could be snapped up at another counter.” She tapped her long, manicured nail on the edge of the keyboard. “Or online. At any minute.”

Tap tap tap.

Of course she’d spend almost $1000 on a plane ticket to save Lily.

How could she not?

Mackenzie paid the woman, and went through security and on to her gate. Her stomach rumbled, but since she was worried about her budget, she limited herself to an orange, looking longingly at the $7 croissant behind the glass at the food stand.

Her hands still smelled like citrus by the time her flight was called. She got in line and waited while the passengers ahead of her boarded. It was a small plane, and they were taking everyone’s carry-on luggage and loading it below. Mac got worried, since she had wads of cash hidden all over her pack. If they took it, how was she going to fish out all the money without everyone seeing?

She stepped up and before she handed her ticket to the attendant, the woman said, “I’m sorry, Miss, you’ll have to—” she stopped as she read the ticket. “Why don’t you give me that pack and I’ll put it in the closet right up front?”

Going Business Class clearly had its perks, Mac decided. She settled in the second row and fell asleep before the plane left the ground. Mackenzie didn’t wake up until all the passengers had disembarked, and the flight attendant was shaking her shoulder. She rose up from the depths of a deep, deep sleep. She did not want to wake up and face her day.