Dear Bailey

Part 30

Bailey

I sent another email  as soon as our wheels touched down on Texas soil. Lucas and I had been exchanging emails daily for the last month. I'd been ticking the days off until I knew we'd get to meet up. There was no way I could have predicted my stupid flight would be delayed fifteen minutes while they figure out why there was an engine light on in the cock pit. Watching them bring out the manual had made my stomach sick. By the time we finally got the OK to taxi down the runway, I knew my window of seeing Lucas was closing fast.

I buckled myself into the seat and quickly typed out an email to Lucas, explaining the situation. His phone was probably dead. I refreshed my phone checking for his response a million times before the flight attendant made the announcement that phones had to be shut off. I wouldn't know if he got my email until we landed. I fidgeted in my seat the entire trip and prayed that the plane would encounter a strong tail wind to help make up the time. If only I had a longer layover. By the time we landed, I was a nervous wreck. Still, my email box was empty.

The woman in front of me struggled to get her bag down from the overhead compartment. I wanted to reach up and yank it down myself. Why was this happening to me? Damn it. It was going to take forever for me to get off this plane. My head felt hot with the frustration and pent up anxiety. When she finally managed to free the bag, I slipped past her as she took a minute to rearrange her items. It earned me a dirty look, but I could live with that.

I pushed my glasses up my nose as I walked as quickly as possible up the ramp and into the airport. It was hot even though the air conditioning was on so my sweatshirt was shoved into my backpack. When I finally reached the open air of the airport, I scanned the crowd, hoping he was here already. He knew my flight number, but I didn't know his. If he wasn't out there waiting for me, I'd only have about ten minutes to figure out which flight he'd be coming in on and then find it.

There was a group of businessmen waiting next to a large group of women. The women appeared to be flying somewhere for pleasure, not work. They were laughing and looking through pictures as they waited for the next boarding announcement. My heart was slowly being crippled in my chest. He wasn't here. How could that even be possible?
I'd thought about that moment so many times over the past few weeks, but I hadn't imagined what would happen if he never showed up. No, in my day dreams he was here waiting. He'd come up to me like we'd known each other for years, because our letters were making it feel like we had. He'd pull me to him like he promised, and he'd kiss me. I needed that kiss so badly, but as the minutes flew by and the crowds shifted I began to give up hope of ever getting it.

I stepped aside to let the passengers behind me pass, and tried hard not to cry as I looked around the room for the boy I'd been so desperate to see again. When I didn't see him, I felt my shoulders slump and I bit my bottom lip to hold in the cry that wanted to escape. He didn't come.