Race Against the Clock

Chapter 21 of Love from Above

Libby speeds along the highway, passing cars that get in front of us at every opportunity.

 

I bounce my leg, drumming my fingertips on my knees anxiously. “Libby, drive faster,” I say through clenched teeth from the passenger seat, staring out the windshield in distress.

 

Janie puts her hand on my shoulder, “Calm down, they didn’t have that big of a lead on you. You’ll make it.”

 

“And us getting pulled over won’t help you get there any faster,” Libby’s knuckles are white as she grips the steering wheel, scanning the road ahead for hidden police cars.

 

I know they’re right, which only agitates me further. If I don’t make it in time, I won’t be able to get a hold of Jeremy to tell him I’m not dead for nearly 5 hours, and then who knows if he’ll be able to convince his dad to let him fly back. Finally, what feels like an agonizing amount of time later, the airport comes into view. I click off my seatbelt and grip the door handle, ready to throw myself out of the car as soon as Libby has slowed down enough. She pulls up to the drop off curb and I’m out of the car before it has made a complete stop. I rush to the check in desk and run right up to the first empty counter I see.

 

***

 

“But I have to get to the gate!” I yell at the lady at the check-in desk after telling her my predicament.

 

“I’m sorry, I can’t let you through without purchasing a ticket or paying the fee for a guest pass ma’am,” the woman replies with exaggerated patience. I grab out my cell phone and punch in Janie’s number.

 

“Hello?” She answers on the second ring.

 

“I need the credit card, pronto!” I say, near hysterical.

 

“On my way,” she says as the line goes dead.

 

“Can you at least tell me if the next flight to Pennsylvania is running on time?” I say turning back to the woman.

 

“Yes, it is, it begins boarding in twenty minutes.” I turn to anxiously watch for Janie. Moments later, she comes flying (not literally) around the corner and practically throws the credit card at the woman in her haste. The lady fumbles to catch the card and thrusts a guest pass into my hands, whispering “good luck.”

 

"I'll take care of this, you go," Janie says, shooing me in the direction of the gates. 

 

I take off running toward security, which is packed. I push past angry passengers to the security clerk. After showing him my guest pass, he waves me past with a very uninterested expression. I tear off my shoes, belt, and jacket and place them in the x-ray. Once they’re through the machine, I quickly put them back on and go. I pause briefly to check the departure screen on the wall. Jeremy’s flight to Pennsylvania is in its final boarding group. I scan across the screen to see where his plane is and bolt for gate 17 at the extreme end of the terminal (figures). Gates 23, 22, and 21 flash by me. I push past throngs of people and try to stay balanced when they start shoving back. Finally, I see a large “17” painted on a sign. As I get closer, I spot Jeremy walking onto the loading platform, shoulders slumped.

 

“Jeremy!” I cry out as loud as I possibly can. He jerks straight up as if he had been electrocuted. Slowly, he turns and scans the people around him. His eyes fall upon me, still running toward him, and widen. Jeremy drops his duffel bag at his feet and runs to reach me. Time seems to slow as we race toward each other, like in old movies. Finally, we meet and he wraps me in a tight embrace. I’m crying tears of sheer joy as he strokes my hair.

 

“I thought I would never see you again. I was afraid I would be too late,” I murmur into his shoulder.

 

“I thought you were dead,” he whispers back. I feel a cold droplet land on the side of my neck and feel his frame shaking in my arms. Jeremy is crying. I clutch him tighter.

 

“Jeremy! Get on this plane!” An infuriated voice bellows from the threshold of the loading platform. We turn to see his father, beat red with barely suppressed anger.

 

“Change of plans, dad. I’m staying right here,” Jeremy says triumphantly. Airport security pushes Jaegar back onto the plane, and the doors close.

 

Not caring who sees, I pull Jeremy’s face down to my own and kiss him with everything I have in me. I hear people who had witnessed the whole thing begin to cheer. We break apart and smile luminously at one another.

 

Jeremy grabs his bag, slings it over his shoulder and in a voice ringing with joy says, “Let’s go home!”