Chronicle 14
The return to Daral Lake was quieter than anyone remembered.
Not because the village was subdued.
It wasn't.
Children still ran between the cabins.
The smell of woodsmoke still drifted through the air.
Someone somewhere was hammering away at a repair.
Life had simply...
Continued.
As though Phoebe and Armintie had never left.
The Elder met the family near the centre of the village.
He regarded Phoebe and Armintie for a long moment.
Then simply nodded.
"You've come for your things."
"Yes."
Phoebe answered.
"You may take whatever belongs to you."
No lecture.
No argument.
No conditions.
Just permission.
Phoebe blinked.
"...Thank you."
The Elder nodded once.
Then quietly walked away.
Joanna watched him leave.
"I expected..."
"So did I."
Zas admitted.
The family made their way toward Zas' home.
For the first time in months...
Phoebe opened the front door.
Everything looked...
Exactly the same.
The familiar smell of pine greeted them.
Nothing had been moved.
Nothing had been disturbed.
Almost as if everyone had hoped the girls would return the
following week.
Phoebe quietly walked toward her room.
Armintie toward hers.
Neither spoke.
Joanna looked at Zas.
"Should we..."
Zas gently shook his head.
"No."
"They need this."
The adults remained in the main room.
Only occasionally hearing drawers opening.
A cupboard.
A wardrobe.
Then...
Laughter.
Soft.
Unexpected.
Joanna smiled.
"What was that?"
Arel-Sin grinned.
"I know."
He hurried down the hallway.
A moment later...
He began laughing too.
Curiosity finally won.
Joanna peeked into Phoebe's room.
The three siblings were standing beside the shared wall.
Phoebe laughed.
"You remember?"
Armintie nodded enthusiastically.
"Oh..."
"I remember."
Arel-Sin rolled his eyes.
"You two were awful."
Phoebe knocked gently on the wall.
Three quick taps.
Then two.
She smiled.
"Dad..."
"...stop snoring."
Armintie burst into laughter.
"You used to hit the wall so hard."
"You snored!"
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
Arel-Sin folded his arms.
"You woke me up too."
Phoebe laughed even harder.
"You always complained..."
"...but then you'd start snoring."
"I did not!"
"You absolutely did."
The laughter echoed through the little cabin.
Zas stood in the doorway.
Listening.
Not interrupting.
Simply...
Listening.
It had been so long since he'd heard all three of them laugh
together.
Eventually...
The laughter faded.
Reality quietly returned.
Suitcases appeared.
Drawers were emptied.
Books.
Photographs.
Favourite clothes.
A small collection of smooth stones Armintie insisted each
had a personality.
A stack of notebooks.
A scarf.
An old stuffed fox.
Joanna helped fold clothes.
Phoebe reached onto a high shelf.
Her fingers wrapped around a small wooden bird.
Its wings were uneven.
The carving imperfect.
She smiled.
"Dad made this."
Everyone assumed it would go into her suitcase.
Instead...
Phoebe walked over to Zas.
She held it out.
"I want you to have it."
He frowned.
"No."
"You love this."
"I do."
"Then keep it."
She gently shook her head.
"I've carried it everywhere."
"I don't need to anymore."
She carefully placed it into his hand.
"It belongs here."
Zas stared silently at the little carving.
Unable to respond.
Armintie disappeared into her own room.
She returned carrying a weathered wooden sign.
The faded paint still read:
ARMINTIE'S ROOM
KEEP OUT!
Below it...
In much smaller writing...
Except Dad.
She smiled sheepishly.
"I forgot I even made this."
She looked at Zas.
"You should keep it."
He looked up.
"You want me to?"
She nodded.
"So you'll remember..."
"...I wasn't always sensible."
Phoebe snorted.
"You've never been sensible."
"I've had moments."
"No."
"I've had one."
The sisters laughed.
Armintie placed the sign beside the little bird.
Now both rested in Zas' hands.
He looked at them.
Then at his daughters.
He tried to speak.
Nothing came.
He swallowed.
"...Thank you."
The words sounded painfully inadequate.
He shook his head.
"No."
"That isn't enough."
His voice trembled.
"I thought..."
"...I had lost every part of you."
"I thought this house would never hear your laughter
again."
He looked down at the keepsakes.
"You've trusted me with these."
"I don't deserve that."
Phoebe stepped forward.
"Maybe not before."
She smiled softly.
"...but you do now."
Silence filled the room.
Not awkward.
Peaceful.
Zas carefully closed his fingers around the little bird and
the sign.
"I will look after them."
"I promise."
Nobody doubted him.
When the packing was finally finished...
The suitcases were heavier.
...but somehow...
The house no longer felt quite so empty.
Because even though Phoebe and Armintie were leaving
again...
This time...
They weren't leaving forever.
The day before Joanna was due to fly back to Gotham...
She and Zas found themselves back in the same electronics
store.
The televisions hadn't moved.
The streaming devices still occupied the same shelves.
Only this time...
They weren't shopping for a phone.
Zas looked at the wall of televisions.
"I still do not understand."
Joanna smiled.
"I know."
"The village already has a television."
"It does."
"The Elder insisted upon it."
"He said every village should know what is happening in
the world."
Joanna laughed.
"Does he actually get to watch it?"
"When he is present."
"...and when he isn't?"
Zas smiled faintly.
"It becomes whatever everyone else wishes."
"So..."
Joanna folded her arms.
"...if one night you wanted to watch me
wrestle..."
"...and someone else wanted football?"
Zas sighed.
"I would probably lose."
"I know."
She gently squeezed his arm.
"I don't want you having to wonder if someone else
wants the television."
"I want you and Arel-Sin to be able to sit
together..."
"...whenever you feel like it."
"...and watch."
Zas looked back at the televisions.
Then frowned.
"There is another problem."
"The electricity."
Joanna nodded.
"The village has enough."
"It does."
"...but only enough."
"The microgrid was never designed for luxuries."
"The solar panels charge the batteries."
"The batteries power the important things."
"The freezer."
"The refrigerators."
"Priya's workshop."
"The computers."
"The television..."
He gestured toward the display.
"...feels indulgent."
Joanna shook her head.
"So we don't buy an indulgent one."
She pointed toward a modest television.
"That one."
"It doesn't use much power."
"It isn't enormous."
"It doesn't need to be."
She picked up a small battery backup unit.
"...and this."
"So if the power blinks..."
"...you don't suddenly miss the end of the match."
Zas looked genuinely impressed.
"You considered that."
"I considered you."
She smiled.
The words lingered.
Then Joanna picked up a small streaming box.
"...and this."
"What does it do?"
"It lets the TV stream over the Internet."
"You don't have to watch live."
"If you're rescuing somebody..."
"If you're away..."
"If you're busy..."
"...you can watch whenever you have time."
Zas turned the little box over in his hands.
"So..."
"I could pause."
"You could."
"I could watch again."
"You could."
"I could..."
He smiled.
"...skip Sugar Cane's entrance if I dislike it."
Joanna burst into laughter.
"You absolutely could."
She placed the little box in the shopping cart.
"One more thing."
She pulled out her phone.
"My employers give every wrestler something called the
WFE Family Pass."
"So families can watch."
She looked at him.
"I can add you."
"...and Arel-Sin."
"...and..."
She shrugged.
"...officially I'm supposed to stop there."
Zas raised an eyebrow.
"You are not going to."
"I'm really not."
She grinned.
"I don't think Vince McGeady's accountants are going to
notice if one login happens to be shared by a village in the mountains."
Zas chuckled.
"I shall tell no one."
"Oh..."
Joanna laughed.
"...I'm pretty sure everyone in Daral Lake is going to
know."
"They probably will."
After paying...
The two walked quietly out of the store.
The shopping bags felt strangely heavy.
Not because of what was inside.
Because of what they represented.
Tomorrow...
Joanna would leave.
The thought sat between them.
Neither wanted to say it aloud.
They stopped outside.
People passed.
Cars rolled by.
Life continued as though nothing important was happening.
Zas set the bags down.
Without a word...
He wrapped his arms around Joanna.
She melted into him.
He kissed her forehead.
"I do not want you to go."
His voice cracked.
Neither of them tried pretending otherwise.
"I know."
Joanna whispered.
"I don't want to go either."
A tear escaped down Zas' cheek.
Then another.
Joanna reached up and wiped one away.
Only to discover tears running down her own face.
For a long moment...
Neither spoke.
Finally...
She rested her forehead against his.
"We'll make it work."
"You still have the sat phone."
"You'll have the television."
"You'll have the Family Pass."
"You'll call me."
"I'll call you."
"...and before either of us knows it..."
"...I'll be back."
Zas closed his eyes.
He wanted to believe her.
More than that...
He already did.
He simply wished...
That tomorrow...
Would take just a little longer to arrive.
Purushapura International Airport.
Like most airports...
It somehow managed to be both meticulously organized and
utterly confusing.
Signs pointed everywhere except where people actually wanted
to go.
A bottle of water somehow cost as much as lunch.
Every corridor seemed to split into three more corridors.
...and everywhere...
People.
Business travellers hurried past with coffee in one hand and
luggage in the other.
Families tried desperately to keep their children together.
Announcements echoed overhead in half a dozen languages.
The controlled chaos somehow worked.
It always did.
Joanna wheeled her suitcase alongside Phoebe and Armintie,
each girl proudly pulling her own luggage.
Behind them walked Zas and Arel-Sin.
Normally...
Phoebe and Armintie would have been unable to contain
themselves.
Flying.
Their first time.
Something they'd dreamed about since they were little.
Instead...
Neither of them paid much attention to the aircraft beyond
the windows.
Their thoughts were elsewhere.
After asking directions twice...
Following one sign that turned out to lead to domestic
departures...
...and somehow ending up near baggage claim...
Zas finally found Joanna's airline.
"I believe..."
He looked at the overhead sign.
"...this is correct."
Joanna smiled.
"I'll take your word for it."
She looked around.
"...Actually..."
"...I think you're right."
Zas looked oddly proud of himself.
"I have defeated the airport."
"For now."
Joanna laughed.
"For now."
The smiles didn't last.
The security checkpoint stood only a few metres away.
A simple line of retractable barriers.
Metal detectors.
Uniformed officers.
An ordinary part of an airport.
Yet...
It might as well have been a border between worlds.
Zas looked toward it.
"So..."
"...this is where it ends."
Joanna quietly nodded.
"I wish you could come further."
"So do I."
"I have seen too many films."
Zas said.
"The man suddenly runs through the airport..."
"...declares his love..."
"...and somehow reaches the aircraft before it
departs."
Joanna laughed through the sadness.
"That isn't even remotely realistic."
"I suspected as much."
"You'd be tackled by security long before that."
"I imagined."
"...and arrested."
"Most likely."
She smiled.
The humour faded.
"I wish you could come all the way to the gate."
"I know."
"...but only passengers get through security."
They both looked toward the officers checking boarding
passes.
Reality.
Simple.
Unavoidable.
Arel-Sin was first.
He hugged Joanna so tightly she almost lost her balance.
"I'll call."
She promised.
"You'd better."
"I will."
She kissed the top of his head.
Phoebe stepped forward first.
She hesitated for just a moment...
Then threw her arms around Zas.
"I'm going to miss you."
Zas returned the hug gently.
"...and I will miss you."
Phoebe pulled back slightly.
"Take care of him."
She nodded toward Arel-Sin.
"I will."
Zas said softly.
"...and yourself."
"I'll try."
Phoebe smiled, though her eyes were already shining. She and
Arel-Sin hugged tightly.
Armintie didn't hesitate at all.
She rushed straight into Arel-Sin, nearly knocking him off
balance.
"I'm going to miss you."
"I'll miss you too."
Arel-Sin said, hugging her tightly.
"I don't want wrestling to take you away."
"It won't."
He promised.
"It just means you'll have to come visit."
Armintie pulled back, managing a small smile.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Armintie lingered for just a second after stepping back from
Arel-Sin.
Then, almost as an afterthought...
She turned and wrapped her arms around Zas as well.
It was a relatively quick hug.
A little awkward.
...but sincere.
"Take care of them."
She said quietly.
Zas blinked in mild surprise...
Then smiled, returning the embrace just as gently.
"I will."
"...and you too."
Armintie nodded, stepping back again, her expression
softening just a little.
Finally...
Only Zas and Joanna remained.
Neither moved immediately.
Neither seemed entirely sure how to say goodbye.
Or...
Perhaps they simply didn't believe in saying it.
Zas finally spoke.
"I have spent my entire life teaching people how to
leave."
"Patrols."
"Journeys."
"Pilgrimages."
"Searches."
"I never realized..."
"...how difficult it is to stay."
Joanna felt her eyes fill again.
She reached for his hands.
He held them gently.
As though afraid that if he held on too tightly...
She might never leave.
"I'll be back."
"I know."
"You'll call."
"I know."
"You'll visit."
"I know."
She laughed softly.
"You already know all my lines."
"I have learned."
He smiled.
Then grew serious again.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
She stepped closer.
"So..."
"...this isn't goodbye."
"It's..."
"...see you later."
Zas tilted his head.
"That sounds like a cliché."
Joanna blinked.
"You know what a cliché is?"
"I know the rhythm."
He smiled warmly.
"It is something people say often because it comforts
them."
Joanna laughed.
"...That's actually a pretty good definition."
"I thought so."
He gently rested his forehead against hers.
"Not every cliché is a bad one."
"No."
She whispered.
"...it isn't."
They kissed.
Not passionately.
Not dramatically.
Just...
Long enough to remember.
When they finally separated...
Neither wanted to be the first to step away.
Eventually...
Joanna picked up her suitcase.
Phoebe and Armintie did the same.
The three of them turned toward security.
Just before Joanna reached the queue...
She looked back.
Zas and Arel-Sin were still standing exactly where she'd
left them.
Waiting.
Watching.
She raised a hand.
They raised theirs.
Then...
She disappeared into the crowd.
For a long time...
Neither Zas nor Arel-Sin moved.
Finally...
Arel-Sin looked up.
"When do we call?"
Zas smiled through eyes still wet with tears.
"As soon as she lands."
Arel-Sin nodded.
"Good."
Together...
Father and son turned...
...and quietly began the journey home.
The drive home began in silence.
Neither father nor son felt particularly eager to start the
long journey back to Daral Lake.
Eventually...
A familiar green sign appeared by the roadside.
STEGO BURGERS
Arel-Sin looked over.
"...Can we?"
Zas smiled.
"I was hoping you would ask."
A few minutes later...
They sat opposite one another with two Stego Sandwiches and
enough fries to feed an army.
Neither ate very quickly.
The silence wasn't uncomfortable.
Just...
Different.
Finally...
Arel-Sin broke it.
"How long before they land?"
Zas took a bite of his sandwich while thinking.
"Hmm..."
He swallowed.
"I remember Joanna showing me the itinerary."
He began counting on his fingers.
"They leave Purushapura."
"Then..."
"Ctesiphon."
"After that..."
"Idris Island."
"The Kanem-Bornu stop."
Arel-Sin nodded.
"Then Gotham."
"Then Rosario."
"...and finally Cleveland."
Arel-Sin stared.
"...Why?"
Zas blinked.
"...Why what?"
"Why does it stop so many times?"
Zas opened his mouth.
Closed it again.
Thought for another moment.
Then...
"I do not know."
Arel-Sin looked genuinely surprised.
"You don't?"
"No."
"I imagine there is some reason."
"Passengers."
"Fuel."
"Cargo."
"Perhaps all three."
He shrugged.
"I do not know what..."
He smiled faintly.
"...what voodoo the airlines use to decide these
things."
Arel-Sin laughed.
"Joanna would know."
"She probably would."
"She'd explain it too."
"With diagrams."
"...and somehow make it make sense."
Zas chuckled.
"She has that gift."
For a moment...
He stared out the restaurant window.
"I miss her already."
Arel-Sin quietly watched his father.
"You've changed."
Zas looked back.
"Have I?"
"You used to know everything."
"I did?"
"You talked like you did."
"If somebody asked a question..."
"...you answered it."
"You sounded so sure..."
"...sometimes you didn't even realize you were
wrong."
Zas laughed.
"I remember."
"I have since learned..."
"...certainty and correctness are not always
companions."
Arel-Sin smiled.
"So now..."
"...when you don't know..."
"...you just say you don't know."
"Yes."
"It is strangely freeing."
They sat quietly again.
Then Zas looked down.
"There is one thing I do know."
"What?"
"If you continue talking instead of eating..."
"...your fries will become cold."
Before Arel-Sin could react...
Zas reached across the table.
Stole a fry.
...and ate it.
Arel-Sin gasped dramatically.
"You thief!"
"I am your father."
"That makes it worse."
Without another word...
Arel-Sin reached across.
Stole one of Zas's fries.
Then another.
Zas retaliated immediately.
Soon...
Neither of them seemed entirely certain whose fries belonged
to whom anymore.
"That was mine."
"They're all ours."
"You took three."
"You took four."
"I was recovering losses."
"I am recovering yours."
By the end of the meal...
Both baskets were empty.
Neither of them had eaten only their own fries.
...and for the first time since leaving the airport...
Father and son were laughing again.
It wasn't loud.
It wasn't forced.
It was simply...
Enough.
Enough to remind both of them...
That although someone important had left...
There was still family at the table.
Joanna took a deep breath.
"Ready?"
Phoebe adjusted the strap of her backpack.
"I think so."
Armintie nodded.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
The three joined the queue for security.
It moved surprisingly quickly.
Shoes stayed on.
Laptops came out.
Suitcases rolled onto the conveyor belt.
Phoebe watched nervously as her suitcase disappeared into
the X-ray machine.
A security officer smiled.
"Passports, please."
Joanna handed hers over immediately.
Armintie followed.
Phoebe reached into her backpack.
Nothing.
She frowned.
"...Hang on."
Another pocket.
Nothing.
Her smile disappeared.
"I..."
She checked again.
Still nothing.
Joanna's heart skipped.
"Phoebe?"
"I had it."
"I know I had it."
She unzipped every compartment.
Nothing.
"Oh no."
Armintie immediately crouched beside the backpack.
"It's got to be here."
"It has to."
Joanna looked at the security officer apologetically.
"Just one moment."
The officer nodded patiently.
Phoebe's breathing became quicker.
"I left it."
"No."
"I left it at the hotel."
"Or..."
Her face went pale.
"...Daral Lake."
Armintie stopped searching.
"...Pheebs."
"What if it's still on my bed?"
Joanna placed both hands gently on Phoebe's shoulders.
"Look at me."
"You had your passport when we checked in."
Phoebe blinked.
"I..."
"You definitely handed it to the airline."
"I remember."
Phoebe closed her eyes.
"Right..."
"I did."
"So it has to be here."
She nodded.
"You're right."
"I'm sorry."
Joanna smiled reassuringly.
"Nobody's angry."
"We'll find it."
Phoebe took one more careful look.
This time...
She felt something tucked behind the padded sleeve where her
laptop had been.
Her eyes widened.
"...Found it."
She slowly pulled it free.
Armintie immediately burst into laughter.
"You hid it from yourself!"
Phoebe buried her face in her hands.
"I hate travelling."
The security officer smiled.
"It happens every day."
Phoebe handed over the passport.
A few moments later...
The three were officially through security.
Phoebe let out one enormous sigh of relief.
"I thought we were going home."
"You nearly did."
Armintie grinned.
"...Without leaving."
They laughed.
The tension dissolved almost instantly.
They wandered through the departure concourse.
Duty-free stores.
Bookshops.
Luxury watches.
Perfume.
Everything seemed designed to separate travellers from their
money.
Then...
Armintie stopped walking.
She stared.
Her eyes had locked onto a familiar sign.
RAPTOR NUGGETS
"...Mom."
Joanna froze.
She knew that tone.
"What?"
"I'm hungry."
Joanna looked at the menu board.
Then at the prices.
Then back at the menu board.
"...Those nuggets are three times what they cost
outside."
Armintie nodded.
"I know."
"They're airport nuggets."
"As opposed to..."
"...ordinary nuggets."
"Exactly."
Joanna sighed dramatically.
"I've officially become my mother."
Phoebe smiled.
"What did she used to say?"
"'We're not paying airport prices.'"
"...and now?"
Joanna looked at both girls.
Then back at the menu.
Then sighed again.
"...Apparently what I want has become considerably less
important."
Armintie smiled innocently.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You absolutely do."
Five minutes later...
The three sat with three baskets of Raptor Nuggets.
Joanna looked at the receipt.
"I hope you appreciate this."
"We do."
Phoebe said sincerely.
"Very much."
Armintie reached over and stole one of Joanna's nuggets.
"...Especially yours."
"Hey!"
They laughed.
Eventually...
The departure board still read:
ON TIME
So they found three empty seats near their gate.
Waiting.
Like every other traveller.
After a few minutes...
An older gentleman sitting nearby smiled politely.
"Headed west?"
Joanna nodded.
"Cleveland."
"Long trip."
"It is."
He extended a hand.
"My name's Thomas."
"I'm Mohawk."
"I'm heading home."
"Katarokwi Lake."
Phoebe leaned forward.
"What's it like?"
Thomas smiled.
"Peaceful."
"We still fish."
"We still hold our ceremonies."
"We still tell the old stories."
He chuckled.
"...We also complain about Internet speeds."
The girls laughed.
"So..."
Phoebe asked.
"...it's traditional?"
"It is."
"...and modern."
"It has to be."
He smiled warmly.
"Our grandparents taught us who we are."
"Our children teach us how to use our phones."
Armintie laughed.
"That sounds familiar."
Thomas nodded knowingly.
"Different places."
"Same people."
Phoebe quietly thought about Daral Lake.
The routines.
The traditions.
The community.
It wasn't so different after all.
Just...
Less isolated.
Suddenly...
A chime echoed through the terminal.
"Attention passengers travelling on Flight 742 to
Ctesiphon..."
Everyone looked toward the departure screens.
"We regret to inform you that your aircraft has been
delayed."
A collective groan rippled through the gate area.
"The aircraft scheduled to operate today's service
remains on the ground in St. Petersburg due to severe icing conditions."
"We are currently arranging a replacement
aircraft."
"We apologize for the inconvenience."
Joanna sighed.
"There goes our schedule."
The announcement continued.
"All affected passengers may collect complimentary meal
vouchers from the service desk."
Armintie's eyes lit up.
"They're giving us food?"
Phoebe smiled.
"...Again?"
Thomas laughed.
"Looks like the airport's buying dinner."
Joanna stood.
"Well..."
She folded the vouchers into her pocket.
"...maybe those airport nugget prices don't seem quite
so bad anymore."
For the first time since saying goodbye...
The delay didn't feel like bad news.
It simply meant...
A little more time before the next chapter began.
Another hour passed.
Then another.
Airports had a peculiar way of making time feel both
painfully slow...
...and strangely meaningless.
Armintie had eventually surrendered.
She had rested her head on Joanna's shoulder.
"I'll just close my eyes for five minutes."
Twenty minutes later...
She was asleep.
Forty minutes after that...
She had somehow migrated further onto Joanna until she was
practically using her as a pillow.
Joanna smiled.
She didn't dare move.
Eventually...
She tried flexing her fingers.
Nothing.
"My arm's asleep."
Phoebe looked up from across the waiting area.
"So wake it up."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because I'd wake her up."
Phoebe looked at the peacefully sleeping Armintie.
"...Fair point."
She grinned.
"You've officially become a parent."
"I think that happened when I bought airport
nuggets."
Phoebe laughed.
"True."
With Armintie asleep...
Phoebe wandered only a few metres away.
A young couple sat nearby with a baby who seemed fascinated
by absolutely everything.
Especially Phoebe.
She made a funny face.
The baby giggled.
She did another.
Even louder laughter.
Soon the baby's parents were laughing too.
"You've got a gift."
The baby's mother smiled.
"I've had practice."
Phoebe answered.
"I helped raise my little brother."
The conversation lasted only a few minutes before the family
boarded another flight.
Phoebe returned to her seat.
Thomas had gone.
He went for Raptor Nuggets.
In his place now sat an Assyrian family.
A grandmother.
A young couple.
Two boys.
The grandmother smiled warmly.
"Long wait?"
Joanna nodded carefully, trying not to disturb Armintie.
"We're headed to Cleveland."
"We're going to Nineveh."
The grandmother replied proudly.
"We've been visiting relatives."
"I love travelling."
She sighed.
"...I just don't love airports."
Everyone laughed.
A baby somewhere else in the terminal suddenly began crying.
The sound echoed through the concourse.
A minute passed.
The crying didn't stop.
Then...
To everyone's surprise...
Another sound joined it.
The baby's mother.
Crying too.
Joanna looked over sympathetically.
The poor woman looked exhausted.
One airline employee quietly walked over to help.
Nobody said anything.
Every parent in the terminal understood.
Another half-hour drifted by.
Then...
The familiar chime sounded again.
Everyone instinctively looked up.
"Attention passengers travelling on Flight 742 to
Ctesiphon..."
Joanna gently nudged Armintie.
"Arm..."
"Mmm?"
"I think this is us."
Armintie rubbed one eye.
"Our plane?"
Joanna smiled.
"I hope so."
The announcement continued.
"We are pleased to advise that a replacement aircraft
has now been assigned to your flight."
A cheer rippled through the waiting area.
Several people actually applauded.
Armintie sat bolt upright.
"We're going!"
Phoebe grinned.
"I knew it!"
Then the announcement continued.
"The replacement aircraft is currently en route to
Purushapura."
The cheering became quieter.
"It is expected to arrive later today."
Several people exchanged uncertain looks.
"We thank you for your continued patience."
Joanna frowned slightly.
"...That sounds promising."
Then came the final sentence.
"Due to the extended delay, all affected passengers
will receive an additional complimentary meal voucher."
Armintie blinked.
"So..."
"...we're still not leaving?"
Joanna sighed.
"...Apparently not."
Armintie looked down at the fresh voucher now being handed
to her.
Then back at Joanna.
"So..."
"...another free meal?"
Phoebe couldn't help smiling.
"I think that's how airports apologize."
The Assyrian grandmother laughed.
"If they delay us another six hours..."
"...we might actually make money on this trip."
Even Joanna laughed.
What else could they do?
The plane, apparently, was coming.
Eventually.
The airline promised.
...and everyone in the terminal had silently agreed upon one
thing.
They would believe it...
...when they saw it.
Another announcement echoed through the terminal.
Nobody reacted.
Not at first.
After so many delays, promises and vouchers...
Hope had become something to ration carefully.
Then came the words.
"Attention passengers travelling on Flight 742 to
Ctesiphon."
"The replacement aircraft has now arrived."
Heads slowly lifted.
Passengers looked out toward the apron.
Sure enough...
A large airliner was taxiing toward the gate.
For a second...
Nobody moved.
Then someone clapped.
Another joined in.
Within moments, much of the waiting area was applauding.
Armintie shot to her feet.
"It's real!"
Phoebe hurried to the window.
"It actually came!"
Joanna laughed.
"I told you it would."
"...Eventually."
Twenty minutes later...
Another announcement.
"We will now begin boarding."
Armintie immediately grabbed her backpack.
Only for the gate attendant to smile apologetically.
"We'll be boarding passengers requiring additional
assistance first..."
"...followed by Priority Class..."
"...then Business Class..."
"...then Group One..."
Armintie slowly sat back down.
"...We're not Group One."
"No."
Joanna smiled.
"We're Group Five."
Armintie sighed dramatically.
"So close..."
Phoebe nudged her.
"You weren't close at all."
Eventually...
Group Five was finally called.
The line shuffled forward.
The gate attendant scanned Joanna's boarding pass.
Then Phoebe's.
Then Armintie's.
"Have a wonderful flight."
Armintie leaned across the counter.
"Is the plane actually real?"
The attendant blinked.
"...Yes?"
"You've checked?"
"I have."
"Recently?"
The woman couldn't help laughing.
"It was here about five minutes ago."
"Excellent."
Armintie nodded with complete seriousness.
"Thank you."
Phoebe covered her face.
"I'm travelling with her."
"So am I."
Joanna replied.
The jet bridge seemed impossibly long.
Then...
There it was.
The aircraft door.
Armintie stopped just outside it.
She reached out.
Placed her hand against the fuselage.
"...It's real."
Phoebe immediately copied her.
"It really is."
A flight attendant smiled warmly.
"First flight?"
The girls nodded enthusiastically.
"I can tell."
Joanna smiled as she followed them aboard.
She'd flown often enough that airplanes had become...
Just airplanes.
Security.
Queues.
Announcements.
Tiny seats.
Stale coffee.
She'd forgotten what it felt like...
To see one for the very first time.
Even finding their row became an adventure.
"These are our seats!"
Phoebe exclaimed.
"We have window seats!"
Armintie sat down.
Stood back up.
Sat down again.
"I've never sat in an airplane chair."
Joanna laughed.
"I promise..."
"...they become less exciting after about three
hours."
"I don't believe you."
"I didn't either."
People continued boarding.
Luggage thumped into overhead bins.
Seat belts clicked.
Children chatted excitedly.
The safety demonstration began.
Armintie watched every movement with absolute concentration.
Phoebe did too.
Just before pushback...
Joanna reached into her bag.
"Gum?"
Both girls looked puzzled.
"...Why?"
"Chew it."
"Trust me."
They each took a piece.
Armintie immediately started chewing.
Phoebe followed.
"What does it do?"
"It helps when the airplane climbs."
"Why?"
"The pressure changes."
"It can make your ears uncomfortable."
"This helps."
Neither girl looked entirely convinced.
The aircraft began to move.
Phoebe grabbed the armrest.
"We're moving."
"I noticed."
Joanna smiled.
The engines grew louder.
Much louder.
Armintie's eyes widened.
"It's going faster."
"It is."
Then...
The nose lifted.
The ground slipped away.
Purushapura became smaller.
Roads became lines.
Cars became dots.
Clouds drew closer.
Suddenly...
Phoebe frowned.
"My ears."
Armintie stopped chewing.
"So are mine."
Joanna smiled knowingly.
"Keep chewing."
Both girls obeyed.
A few seconds later...
Pop.
Phoebe blinked.
"...Oh."
Pop.
Armintie laughed.
"That was weird!"
"I told you."
Joanna smiled.
"I thought you were making it up."
Phoebe admitted.
"I almost never make up things about airplanes."
The climb continued.
Then...
Almost imperceptibly...
The engines quieted.
The aircraft levelled.
The seat belt sign remained on...
But the world outside no longer tilted.
Phoebe slowly looked at Armintie.
"We did it."
Armintie grinned from ear to ear.
"We survived our first takeoff!"
They immediately high-fived.
A businessman across the aisle smiled to himself.
Joanna leaned back in her seat.
Watching the girls celebrate something that seasoned
travellers barely noticed anymore.
She couldn't stop smiling.
Sometimes...
Seeing the world through someone else's eyes...
Made even the ordinary feel extraordinary again.
Once the seat belt sign switched off...
The adventure truly began.
Phoebe sat in the middle seat.
Armintie had claimed the window before anyone else had a
chance.
"I'll stay awake."
She had confidently declared.
"You can sleep if you want."
Phoebe had agreed.
For almost twenty minutes...
Armintie narrated absolutely everything.
"We're above the clouds!"
"Look!"
"That river looks tiny!"
"I think that's another plane!"
Joanna smiled.
She'd forgotten how magical flying looked the first few
times.
Then...
Without warning...
Phoebe yawned.
A very big yawn.
"You okay?"
Joanna asked.
"Mhm."
Another yawn.
"I'm just..."
"...really tired."
Armintie looked away from the window.
"You want the window?"
Phoebe hesitated.
"...Would you mind?"
"No."
Armintie grinned.
"I want to walk around anyway."
"You do?"
"I've never explored an airplane before."
Joanna laughed.
"I don't think there's quite as much to explore as you
think."
"There has to be."
The girls swapped places.
Phoebe settled against the window almost immediately.
Joanna now occupied the middle seat.
Armintie bounced into the aisle seat.
"Can I get up?"
"As long as the seat belt sign is off."
Joanna answered.
"It is."
"Then yes."
"Don't wander too far."
"I won't!"
Within seconds...
Armintie was off.
She slowly wandered toward the galley.
Stopped to look out another window.
Peeked curiously at the flight attendants preparing drinks.
Carefully counted the rows.
Studied the emergency exit.
She wasn't causing trouble.
She was simply...
Experiencing everything.
One elderly passenger chuckled as she passed.
"First flight?"
Armintie nodded enthusiastically.
"Is it that obvious?"
"I remember mine."
He smiled.
"I did exactly the same thing."
Meanwhile...
Phoebe had curled herself against the window.
The excitement...
The delays...
The emotions of the last several days...
Finally caught up with her.
Within minutes...
She was only half awake.
Joanna looked over.
A loose strand of hair had fallen across Phoebe's face.
Almost without thinking...
Joanna gently brushed it behind her ear.
Then...
She leaned over...
...and softly kissed Phoebe's forehead.
The moment lasted barely a second.
Joanna froze.
"...Oh."
Phoebe slowly opened one eye.
Joanna immediately looked embarrassed.
"I'm sorry."
"I..."
"I don't know why I did that."
"I just..."
Phoebe smiled sleepily.
"...You must really be becoming Mom."
Joanna stared at her.
The words landed somewhere deep inside her.
She hadn't thought about it.
She hadn't planned it.
She certainly hadn't meant to.
It had simply...
Happened.
She smiled.
"...Maybe."
Phoebe reached over and gently squeezed Joanna's hand.
"I don't mind."
She closed her eyes again.
Within moments...
She was asleep.
Joanna looked out the window.
Then toward the aisle where Armintie was enthusiastically
asking a flight attendant whether pilots ever got bored.
The flight attendant laughed.
Joanna smiled to herself.
For the first time...
The word "Mom" no longer felt unfamiliar.
It simply...
Felt right.
The stopover in Ctesiphon proved far less relaxing.
The aircraft had barely come to a stop before people were
already standing.
Overhead bins flew open.
Suitcases appeared.
Passengers politely—but urgently—tried to overtake one
another.
Joanna looked at the girls.
"Okay."
"We have a connection."
"So..."
She pointed at Phoebe.
"You."
Phoebe blinked sleepily.
"...I'm awake."
"Barely."
Joanna smiled.
"..and you."
She turned to Armintie.
"Stay focused."
"I am focused."
Armintie answered confidently.
Just then...
She became distracted by another aircraft taxiing past the
window.
"Ooh..."
Joanna sighed.
"...That lasted three seconds."
They hurried through the terminal.
Collecting their bags.
Checking the departure boards.
Finding the correct gate.
Checking it again because Joanna was convinced she'd read it
wrong.
Thankfully...
They made it with time to spare.
The second aircraft wasn't nearly as exciting.
It was just...
Another airplane.
Still...
As the aircraft climbed away from Ctesiphon...
Armintie suddenly pressed herself against the window.
"Look!"
Phoebe leaned over beside her.
Far below...
The illuminated Arch of Ctesiphon dominated the night.
Golden lights traced its ancient curves against the
darkness.
"It looks beautiful."
Phoebe whispered.
Joanna smiled.
"I've seen it before."
"...but never from up here."
For several minutes...
The three simply watched the city disappear beneath them.
Eventually...
The cabin lights brightened.
A flight attendant appeared with the meal trolley.
"Dinner?"
Armintie's eyes widened.
"We get food too?"
Phoebe looked just as excited.
"We're getting airplane food!"
The tray landed in front of Phoebe.
She stared at it as though she'd been served a royal
banquet.
"Oh wow..."
"A bread roll."
"Look!"
"A little dessert!"
"They even gave us butter!"
Joanna smiled to herself.
She remembered being impressed by airline meals once.
Phoebe eagerly picked up her fork.
"This is going to be amazing."
She took one enthusiastic bite.
Chewed.
Stopped chewing.
Her smile slowly faded.
She swallowed.
Silence.
Armintie looked over.
"...Well?"
Phoebe looked down at the tray.
Then back at Joanna.
"...Is airline food..."
"...always this bad?"
Joanna couldn't help laughing.
"Oh..."
"...this is actually pretty decent."
Phoebe stared.
"...You're kidding."
"I'm really not."
Phoebe looked back at her meal.
Then took another bite.
"...People pay for this?"
"Technically..."
Joanna smiled.
"...they pay for the flight."
Phoebe sighed dramatically.
"My expectations have been shattered."
Armintie cautiously tried her own meal.
She chewed thoughtfully.
"...It's..."
She searched for the right word.
"...Food."
Joanna laughed.
"That is probably the most accurate airline food review
I've ever heard."
Phoebe pushed the vegetables around with her fork.
"So..."
"...it gets worse?"
"It absolutely gets worse."
Phoebe slumped into her seat.
"I don't know if I want to fly anymore."
Joanna grinned.
"Wait until breakfast."
Phoebe looked horrified.
"...There's breakfast too?"
"There usually is."
Phoebe looked out the window.
"...Maybe I'll just sleep through it."
Joanna smiled.
"Now you're learning how experienced travellers
survive."
After what felt like half a lifetime...
The aircraft finally touched down in Cleveland.
The wheels squealed against the runway.
The engines roared into reverse.
Then...
Silence.
Phoebe looked out the window.
"So..."
"...this is Cleveland."
Joanna smiled.
"Home."
Armintie stretched until nearly every joint in her body
cracked.
"That flight took forever."
Joanna laughed.
"It wasn't the longest flight I've ever been on."
Both girls turned toward her.
"...You're kidding."
"I'm not."
"There are longer ones."
Armintie slumped dramatically.
"I don't ever want to see those."
Getting off the aircraft proved considerably less exciting
than boarding it.
There was no touching the airplane this time.
No amazement.
Just tired travellers shuffling through jet bridges and
corridors.
Eventually...
Immigration.
The officer took Joanna's passport.
Then Phoebe's.
Then Armintie's.
He paused.
"You are...?"
"Their legal guardian."
Joanna answered.
"Recently appointed."
She handed over the paperwork.
The officer read it.
Stamped a few documents.
Smiled.
"Welcome to Cleveland."
"Thank you."
Five minutes later...
They reached baggage claim.
A conveyor belt lazily circled beneath an electronic screen
displaying their flight number.
Phoebe watched the first suitcase appear.
"It'll be ours."
It wasn't.
Another appeared.
Not theirs.
Then another.
Still not theirs.
Passengers collected bags and wandered away.
Soon...
The carousel seemed almost empty.
Phoebe frowned.
"Did they forget ours?"
"They'll come."
Joanna assured her.
The belt continued turning.
Round.
...and round.
...and round.
...and round again.
Phoebe was certain she'd seen the same bright orange
suitcase pass at least five times.
Then...
Without warning...
The carousel stopped.
Phoebe stared.
"...No."
Armintie looked at the motionless belt.
"...It can't just stop."
"It appears it can," Joanna replied.
Phoebe folded her arms.
"I think the airport's making fun of us."
Armintie stepped toward the carousel.
She dramatically raised both hands.
"I cast..."
"...The Spell of Moving Conveyor Belts!"
She waved her fingers dramatically.
"Begone, evil airport spirits!"
Nothing happened.
Joanna laughed.
"I really wish that worked."
"So do I," Armintie admitted.
A maintenance worker walked over.
Pressed a button.
The conveyor belt lurched back into life.
Armintie gasped.
"...He knows magic."
"I knew it."
Phoebe nodded solemnly.
Moments later...
Their three suitcases finally appeared.
"There!"
Phoebe practically ran to collect hers.
"I've never been so happy to see luggage."
With bags finally in hand...
They followed the signs toward Arrivals.
The automatic doors slid open.
Beyond them...
A sea of people.
Families.
Friends.
Drivers holding signs.
Children jumping excitedly.
Everyone somehow seemed to know exactly who they were
looking for.
Except...
Them.
Joanna slowed.
"Huh."
"What?"
Phoebe asked.
"I thought she'd be..."
"There."
They walked a little farther.
Nothing.
Another lap around the waiting area.
Still nothing.
Armintie stood on her toes.
"I don't see anybody."
Neither did Joanna.
Just as she began wondering whether Sarah had become stuck
in traffic...
A familiar voice rang out across the terminal.
"Joanna!"
She turned.
Nothing.
Then...
"There you are!"
Sarah Eriksson hurried toward them, laughing.
"I wasn't going to let you walk past me again."
Joanna blinked.
"...Again?"
Sarah grinned.
"You've done at least three laps."
"I have?"
"You've walked past me so many times I was starting to
think you'd forgotten what I looked like."
Joanna laughed tiredly.
"I've been awake for about three countries."
"I noticed."
The two women hugged tightly.
Long enough for both of them to realize just how much they'd
missed each other.
Sarah finally stepped back.
Then immediately turned toward the girls.
"So..."
"You must be Phoebe."
She hugged Phoebe before the girl even had a chance to
answer.
"...and..."
She looked toward Armintie.
"...you must be the famous Armintie."
Armintie blinked.
"...Famous?"
"I've heard stories."
"...Should I be worried?" Sarah asked with an
exaggeratedly serious expression.
Armintie considered the question.
"...Probably."
Sarah burst into laughter and pulled her into an equally
enthusiastic hug.
"Oh..."
"...we're going to get along just fine."
Phoebe leaned toward Joanna and whispered quietly,
"...She's kind of like the cool aunt."
Joanna smiled.
"I've been saying that for years."
Sarah looked at the three travellers.
"You all look exhausted."
"We are."
Joanna admitted.
"So..."
Sarah picked up one of the heavier suitcases before Joanna
could protest.
"...let's get you home."
Together...
The four of them walked toward the parking garage.
Toward Sarah's car.
Toward the next chapter of their lives.
The first stop before going home...
Was, naturally...
Stego Burgers.
Phoebe looked up at the sign.
"...They're here too?"
Sarah laughed.
"They're everywhere."
Joanna nodded.
"You'll eventually learn that whenever civilisation
exists..."
"...there's probably a Stego Burgers nearby."
The restaurant itself looked noticeably different from the
one in Purushapura.
Brighter.
Cleaner.
More polished.
The ordering kiosks actually worked.
The tables weren't wobbling.
Someone had even remembered to refill the ketchup
dispensers.
Sarah smiled.
"Welcome to a flagship location."
A few minutes later...
Everyone sat down with their food.
Phoebe took one bite.
Her eyes widened.
"...This is better."
Armintie immediately agreed.
"It tastes completely different."
"It is."
Sarah replied.
"Same menu."
"Different franchise owner."
"...and they actually care."
Joanna smiled.
"I forgot how good this one is."
Sarah leaned back.
"So..."
She looked at Joanna.
"I've been waiting for this."
"I know."
"You disappear for what was supposed to be some random
house show in the middle of nowhere..."
"...and you come back..."
She began counting on her fingers.
"...having adopted two daughters..."
Phoebe and Armintie smiled.
"...having met the love of your life..."
Joanna couldn't hide the grin spreading across her face.
"...and..."
Sarah tried very hard to keep a straight face.
"...being worshipped by a mountain tribe..."
"...because..."
She paused dramatically.
"...you unplugged their Internet router..."
"...and plugged it back in."
Phoebe burst into laughter.
Armintie nearly choked on a fry.
Joanna buried her face in her hands.
"When you say it like that..."
"...it sounds ridiculous."
"It is ridiculous."
Sarah replied.
"...and completely believable."
Joanna laughed.
"It really happened."
"I know."
"They held a feast."
"They thanked me."
"They acted like I'd performed a miracle."
Sarah shook her head.
"I've known you for years."
"I never imagined your greatest achievement would
be..."
"...turning something off..."
"...and on again."
Joanna pointed a fry at her.
"Don't mock the process."
"It was a very technical reboot."
"It involved..."
She waved the fry mysteriously.
"...expertise."
Sarah laughed so hard she had to wipe tears from her eyes.
"So..."
She finally recovered.
"Worth it?"
Joanna didn't even hesitate.
"The greatest trip of my life."
The answer surprised no one.
Sarah nodded knowingly.
"I figured."
She took another bite.
"Speaking of life..."
"Sugar Cane."
Joanna sighed.
"...Sugar Cane."
"You still doing it?"
"I am."
"It's not like Vince has given me many other
opportunities."
Sarah nodded.
"At least he's giving you one."
She smiled faintly.
"I think it may have been luck for both of us that
Vince gave up on me."
Joanna reached across the table and squeezed Sarah's hand.
"You've got your family."
"I do."
"...and I wouldn't trade them."
Sarah smiled warmly.
"...Still."
"...sometimes I miss it."
Joanna nodded.
"I know."
Suddenly...
She looked at her phone.
"Oh."
"What?"
"I promised."
She immediately began searching her contacts.
"I have to call Zas."
Sarah's face lit up.
"Oh!"
"The Big Sexy Mountain Man!"
Phoebe covered her face.
"Sarah!"
"What?"
"I haven't met him yet."
"I've earned at least one phone call."
Joanna laughed as she dialled.
The sat phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Finally...
A sleepy voice answered.
"...Hello?"
"Hi."
Joanna smiled immediately.
"Hey."
Zas' tiredness seemed to vanish.
"You're there."
"We made it."
"I'm glad."
His voice softened.
"Very glad."
"Did we wake you?"
"A little."
He admitted.
"It is rather late."
"I woke Arel-Sin as well."
"I thought he would like to speak."
A pause.
"He has since fallen asleep in a chair."
Sarah whispered loudly,
"I like him already."
Joanna elbowed her gently.
"How's the village?"
Zas smiled.
"Busy."
"They already miss you."
"They have asked whether we can invite you back."
"For another feast."
Phoebe laughed.
"Already?"
"Already."
"They also wish to watch your first match as Sugar
Cane."
"Several people have even begun using the
Internet..."
"...simply to learn about this WFE."
Joanna smiled.
"They're really doing that?"
"They are."
"I suspect you have created wrestling fans."
Sarah leaned toward the phone.
"I approve."
Zas paused.
"...Is that Sarah?"
"It is!"
Sarah answered before Joanna could.
"Hello, Big Sexy Mountain Man!"
There was a long silence.
Then Zas laughed.
"I believe..."
"...that is the first time anyone has greeted me in
that manner."
"It won't be the last."
Sarah promised.
Joanna shook her head.
"I apologize."
"You need not."
Zas chuckled.
"I found it amusing."
"So..."
He asked.
"Tell me about the journey."
The girls eagerly took turns describing everything.
The delays.
The magic baggage carousel.
The airplane food.
Armintie's spell.
The gigantic airport.
Sarah watched Joanna as she listened.
Joanna hadn't smiled this much...
Perhaps ever.
Finally...
Zas looked over.
"Arel-Sin."
A sleepy groan answered him.
"Hmm?"
"Joanna is here."
There was a pause.
Then the sat phone changed hands.
"...Hi."
Arel-Sin mumbled.
"Hi."
Joanna smiled.
"You okay?"
"Mhm."
"You have fun?"
"Mhm."
"Miss you."
"I miss you too."
Another long pause.
"...Can I..."
He yawned.
"...go back to sleep?"
Everyone laughed.
"I think that's permission enough."
Joanna said.
The phone returned to Zas.
Before he could say goodbye...
Phoebe reached for it.
"Hi, Dad."
Zas smiled instantly.
"Hello."
"We made it."
"I know."
"I am glad."
Armintie took the phone next.
"Hi!"
"...The airplane was real!"
"I never doubted it."
Zas replied with a smile in his voice.
"I did."
Armintie admitted.
"I know."
When the phone finally returned to Joanna...
Neither she nor Zas had much left to say.
They'd already said the important things.
"I love you."
Joanna said quietly.
"I love you too."
Zas answered.
"Sleep well."
"You too."
The line clicked.
Joanna slowly lowered the phone.
For the first time since leaving Daral Lake...
Home...
Didn't feel quite so far away.