I felt completely in control of my own life.
I set my alarm for 3:00 a.m.
My flight to Kawaii departed an hour before theirs from a completely different terminal.
The airport was quiet and cold at 4:30 in the morning.
I checked my single bag, breezed through security, and found a comfortable seat near my gate with a hot black coffee and a fresh croissant.
My flight to Kawaii was scheduled for 7:00 a.m.
Mark and his group were flying to Maui at 8:00 a.m.
At 5:45 a.m., my phone screen lit up on the small table next to my coffee.
Mark.
“Hey, Mom. The kiosk is acting weird. It keeps saying reservation not found.”
I took a slow sip of my coffee, savoring the warmth.
I didn’t reply.
At 5:50 a.m., another text arrived.
“Mark, did you change the booking code? The agent at the desk can’t find our names.”
I watched the sun begin to rise through the massive airport windows, casting a golden glow over the tarmac.
At 5:55 a.m., my phone started ringing.
It was Chloe.
I let it go to voicemail.
2 minutes later, she texted.
“Helen, pick up the phone. The airline says our tickets were cancelled on Monday. What is going on?”
At 6:00 a.m., Mark called.
I let it ring three times before sliding my finger across the screen to accept the call.
“Mom, what did you do?”
Mark’s voice was loud, frantic, and echoing in what sounded like a very crowded check-in hall.
“Good morning, Mark,” I said, keeping my voice perfectly level.