[[[all of my flaws]]][[[part ii]]]

36.

I felt a million times better the next morning. I got up, showered and dressed by 7am and then went knocking on all their doors. We had a flight to Ireland to catch at midday. Getting them all on a bus was easy. Making sure they all got on the flight was scary. Not to mention I'd never actually flown before. And of course, none of them were awake yet.

'Get up you lazy shit.' I shouted through the door to Woody's room. It was an hour before the first messy haired boy came out their room.

'Its still dark outside.' Kyle groaned, rubbing his eyes.

'We're flying in less than four hours. Are you packed?'

'No.'

'Go now please.'

'I've got no shoes.'

'What?' I stared at him. After a few seconds of no response, I sighed. 'I'm not even going to ask. Borrow someone else's for now and I'll get you some new ones later.'

'I'm hungry.' Will moaned as he emerged from his room, at least dressed and ready to go.

'Breakfast buffet downstairs. Go grab something.' I told him. This was the hardest part of the job. Getting everyone up and dressed so early without physically dragging them out of bed. I really needed to get copies of their room keys.

I drove us to the airport, the boot of the hire car full of bags and the crew having flown out earlier with all the equipment. The whole ride had been peppered with grunts, yawns and the occasional fart.

'Jesus Christ!' I cursed, opening every window so I could breath clean air. I couldn't be sure who it was but I made it clear that when I did find out, they would be walking the rest of the way to Ireland. They all found it highly amusing. And it at least took my mind off the flight.

That morning just seemed to drag on. There was a hold up with check in, and then again with security. All we seemed to do was wait. In my haste to get everyone ready that morning I'd forgotten to eat and I could hear my stomach growing as we queued for the X-ray machine.

'Is that you?' Dan laughed. He must've been able to hear it too. I could see a Burger King just past the gates to duty free. It was calling out my name.
I got through first, handing the guards the stack of passports for my entourage. Will set the machines off, forcing them to do a pat down on him. Dan wandered off to find a toilet. Kyle, Woody and I stood and watched Wills embarrassed face. I attempted to readjust the heavy bag on my back and dropped the pile of passports onto the ground by accident. Kyle leant down to help me pick them up. Mine had fallen open on my photo.

'Ha, your picture.' He laughed and I backhanded his arm. My passport had sat unused in a draw since I'd finished university, back when my hair had been long and brown. 'Why isn't your last name Wood?' He asked innocently. My heart stopped.

'I erm, I was married, I forgot to change it back.' I said quickly and tried to take it back from him.

'You were married?' Woody asked, over hearing the conversation.

'Yeah for a little while.'

'I didn't know that.' A strange look covered his face. Like he was hurt that he hadn't known. 'But Stevens last name was West-'

'Yeah.' I agreed. It was. And I didn't want to get into this right then.

'Whos Smith?' Woody asked. They were all looking at me.

'Oh god, drop it please.' I said, maybe a little more annoyed than I should've been. I went to get some food for us all, stopping in at the toilets to compose myself. I shouldn't have been so short with Woody. I hoped I hadn't set off any alarm bells. But Smith was a fairly common last name. They wouldn't make the link. We'd never done or said anything around them for them to realise the connection.

'Hey.' I felt a shoulder bump against mine as I came out of the ladies toilet just as Dan came out the mens opposite.

'Hey.' I said, distracted still by the earlier incident.

'Whats up?'

'Nothing.' I sighed. He glared at me as we walked to the burger shop. But I could feel him staring at me still, unsatisfied with my first answer. 'Woody and Kyle just saw my passport and asked why my last name was Smith.'

'Ah.' He grimaced and then I saw the realization that I'd never changed my name from his. I nodded. 'Fairly common last name.' He shrugged.

'I know, but they're asking why I never said I was married.'

'You don't have to justify yourself to them. It's none of their business.'

'I guess.' I sighed.

'Don't worry. They'll forget in ten minutes. Come on, I'm starving.' He draped an arm around my shoulders and we marched over to grab some much needed food, my stomach flipping and not because of the nerves or hunger.