𝐇𝐞𝐲 𝐃𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚 - 𝐓 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐭

22

Real Life

Samara sighed fighting her suitcase up to the check in desk, the old case has a broken wheel from her dragging it out of her hotel and now was refusing to move at all. her two week trip to New York had ended, and she was happy with what she'd achieved while she was there but also thoroughly frustrated. 

Taylor had been flown off to LA last minute for a few talkshows that no matter how much she tried to move, she couldn't change the dates of, so their excitement and plans to meet all fell through and really put a dampener on the end of Samara's holiday.

which the broken suitcase and rain wasn't helping in the slightest, but now that she was in the airport she was really ready to just get home.

the airport was exceptionally crowded, Samara expected nothing less from one of the busiest airports in the world, but the amount of people loitering around seemed ridiculous. Samara made her way over to the check-in desks, ready to leave this disappointing trip behind her. the queue for the desk went on for what seemed like hours in her boredom, but in just over 45 minutes, she was next to a desk.

"Hi there." 

"Hello." Samara smiled at the woman behind the check-in desk handing over her fight ticket and passport.

there was a few moments of silence as the woman scanned the ticket and waited for her system to load the details.

"did you enjoy your trip?"

"it was for work, but i've not been to America before, so it was still an experience." 

"oh really?" the woman smiled "what is it that you do?" 

"i'm an author."

"what kind of book?" 

"Young Adult."

the woman tried refreshing the system, apologising for the delay before continuing their conversation.

"huh, my son is a massive reader, he's just read this fascinating sounding book called the thunder games, or something like that."

"was it The Hunger Games?" 

"yes, i think it might've been..." 

"did he enjoy it?" 

"oh he loved it, won't shut up about it, said he can't wait for the last one." 

"that's nice to hear." 

"oh?" 

"that's my book." Samara smiled sheepishly "you can tell him the last one is on the way." 

"oh my god, that's incredible! i know it's very unprofessional of me but could i have an autograph for him? he loves your writing so much." 

"sure." 

"brilliant, i'll pass you pen and paper, let me just try this stupid computer again." 

The woman - Sarah, according to her name tag - passed a pen and paper through to Samara, who signed a little note for her son - Jonah - before passing the paper and pen back under the clear screen. 

"here." 

"that's so kind of you, thank you so much." 

"it's no problem." Samara smiled. 

"i'm just going to call my supervisor over as i cannot seem to get this computer to load up flights. excuse me." 

Samara looked around the airport waiting for Sarah's supervisor to come and see what's going on. a few moments later a woman with a stunning afro walked over to Sarah's desk.

"hi Sar, what seems to be the problem?"

"i can't find this flight." 

the supervisor stood over the computer, re-entering all of the flight details onto the tablet she  was holding before she sighed and looked up apologetically. 

"it seems that the flight has been cancelled i apologise." 

"oh." Samara exclaimed panicking internally "are there any other flights available today?" 

the supervisor back pressed on her tablet sending her to the virgin airlines start up screen.

"where are you headed?" she quiered not looking up from her computer.

"uhm, England, London preferably but anywhere will do, i can sort getting home."

the supervisor looked up at her then, the tablet fell to her side as her arm dropped and a look of guilt flooded her face.

"haven't you heard?"

"heard what?" 

"the UK is in lockdown, no airports are open at all." 

shit.