Chapter 32
32
‘If you guys are finished up, we should think about making a move to check in,’ Dylan said, putting the lid back on his empty coffee cup and placing it on the tray next to the remains of the wrappers and boxes that were all that was left of the kids’ fast-food meal. They’d arrived early to find everyone else had had the same idea and the check-in hall was packed to the rafters. Rather than stand around in a queue, they’d taken the opportunity to get something to eat. He would have been happy to wait until they got on the plane, but the food choices could be a bit hit and miss sometimes and this way at least he knew they’d had something.
The children had wanted a McDonald’s, probably because they knew it was their last chance as their mother never let them eat it, and he wasn’t sure there would be one airside. They still had over an hour before check-in closed, but things had quietened down a lot and he wanted to make the most of it in case there was another sudden influx of people.
‘I’m almost done, five more minutes.’ Avery raised the milkshake cup that was almost taller than her head to show him the dark shadow of the remains in the bottom of it.
‘Okay, but then we really need to go. Start sorting out your things while you finish up. Make sure you’ve got everything you want on the plane in your rucksacks and just double-check there’s nothing that’s going to cause a problem at security. Is all your make-up stuff and your wash kit in your case?’
‘Yup.’ She didn’t even pause from her one-handed typing of whatever life-and-death message she was sending.
‘You’ll need to switch your phone off when we go through security so finish that up.’
‘I can put it on silent,’ Avery protested.
‘Off-off. I mean it, Avie.’ She pouted, but nodded and Dylan turned to Theo, who was already sorting through his stuff.
‘Do you think this will be okay?’ Theo held up his reusable water bottle and shook it.
Dylan shook his head when it made a sloshing sound. ‘No, we’ll have to empty them before we go through. There’ll be water stations on the other side where we can fill up again.’ He held out his hand. ‘Here, give it to me and I’ll sort it out. Avie, give me yours as well.’
Three bottles in hand, Dylan carried them to the restaurant’s cleaning station and tipped them out over the liquid disposal point. There was only a dribble in the bottom of his, but better safe than sorry. Returning to the table, he tucked all three in his rucksack and checked his watch. ‘We’d better use the bathroom while we’re here as well.’
‘Yes, Dad,’ they both chorused, but they went to do as they were told while he cleared up the table and threw away their rubbish.
Check-in was running smoothly and they were almost at the front of the queue when Dylan’s phone began to ring. ‘Phones off for security,’ Avery said in a sing-song voice as she wagged a finger at him.
‘You have too much sass for your own good,’ Dylan said with a laugh as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. His laughter died as he saw the name on the screen. ‘It’s Sadie.’
‘Well, answer it, then!’ Avery said, all but jumping with excitement. ‘What if she’s changed her mind?’
Dylan shook his head as he pressed the answer button and raised it to his ear. ‘She’s probably just calling to wish us happy new year before we board. Hey, Sadie.’
‘I’m not calling to wish you happy new year,’ she said. ‘Well, I mean, of course I am, so happy new year, but that’s not why I called.’ She was talking so fast the words were tumbling out on top of each other.
Dylan frowned. ‘Is everything okay?’
‘Hey, buddy, get off the phone or get out the queue,’ a loud American voice called out behind him. Dylan turned to find a red-faced man wearing a Miami Dolphins cap glowering as he gestured towards the desk. ‘You’re holding everything up, man!’
‘Sorry!’ Dylan grabbed his case by the handle and wheeled it to the side, the kids following suit. ‘Sorry,’ he said again, this time to Sadie. ‘We’re just about to check in. Is everything okay?’ he repeated.
‘Everything’s fine. Look, you’re obviously busy. I can call you back some time. It’s nothing important.’
‘Tell him, Mum!’ He heard a faint voice in the background.
‘Who’s that?’
‘It’s my daughter and she really needs to mind her own business,’ Sadie replied, sounding somewhat harassed. ‘We’re at Jake’s for lunch and we got talking and?—’
Dylan found himself chuckling softly. ‘Sadie, whatever it is just get to the point, darling, because I’m about to get thumped by a very angry man for holding up the queue.’
‘Oh! Well, the reason I’m calling is to say that I was wrong. About us, I mean. And, well, yes, I was wrong and you were right and while I couldn’t just jump on a plane with you, I mean you understand why that was impossible under the circumstances, so technically I wasn’t wrong about that, but the other stuff about saying we shouldn’t try and see if things might work out between us. That’s the bit I was wrong about. So, um, yes, well, that’s it really.’
Happiness coursed through him, filling every inch of him so intensely Dylan found himself looking down at the ground to check his feet were still touching the floor. ‘We have the worst timing in the world, you know that, right?’
Her warm laughter echoed down the line. ‘But we’re working it out, right?’
Dylan pulled his bag even further away from the queue and smiled at the glowering man as he stomped past to take his place at the check-in counter. ‘God, I hope so.’
‘What’s going on, Dad? Is she coming with us?’ Avery’s eyes were bright with expectation.
‘No, sweetheart,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘It’s too short notice, and there’s too many security checks and things to do.’ He spoke into the phone. ‘Avery wants you to know she wishes you were coming home with us now.’
‘Oh, I wish I were too, but maybe we can sort out a date and I could come out and visit? It won’t be for a couple of months because I’ll have to juggle a few things around, and save up a bit as well, but I just wanted you to know that I’m not ready to say goodbye.’
‘I’m not ready to say goodbye, either. Look, I don’t want to hang up but I need to get us checked-in. Let me sort that out and get through security and then I can call you back before we board, okay?’
Theo waved a hand frantically in front of his face, shaking his head when Dylan looked his way. ‘Hold on, Sadie.’ He tilted the phone away again. ‘Give me a second to say goodbye, okay?’
‘No, don’t hang up, tell her you’re going to stay,’ Theo said.
Beside him, Avery was nodding as if she were a bobblehead and someone had flicked her spring. ‘Yes, Dad, you should stay.’
‘What are you talking about? Our flight leaves in a couple of hours.’
‘ Our flight leaves in a couple of hours, but you don’t need to be on it,’ Theo said. ‘I’m old enough to be responsible for Avie.’
‘I can look after myself,’ his sister cut in, hotly. ‘I’m not a baby.’
‘I meant legally, Avie,’ Theo sighed.
Dylan held up a hand before they could start bickering. ‘Guys, guys, there’s no point in arguing over something that’s not going to happen. Hey, Theo, where are you going?’
‘I’ll be back in a minute,’ Theo called over his shoulder.
Dylan turned back to where poor Sadie was still hanging on the phone and put her on speaker. ‘I’m sorry, it’s chaos here all of a sudden. The kids are trying to tell me they can fly home on their own and I should stay.’
Sadie laughed. ‘Oh, bless them, they are the sweetest. It’s a nice idea, but you’ve got the same problems I had about going back to work and taking care of them.’
‘Technically I work from home most of the time so I can do that anywhere and once the kids are back they’ll be with Jen and Eric…’ It was a mad idea, he couldn’t possibly consider it… ‘Besides, how on earth would I get to your place anyway? I’ve handed in the hire car and a taxi would probably cost a fortune.’
‘I could come and pick you up.’
She couldn’t be serious. ‘It’d take hours.’ He frowned, realising he had no idea where she actually lived.
‘Not really. Jake’s place is about half an hour from the airport.’ She laughed. ‘I can’t believe we’re even entertaining this. It’s a lovely idea, but we can wait. Go get checked-in and call me back.’
‘I asked the lady at the desk and she confirmed it,’ Theo said as he returned. ‘I’m sixteen so I can accompany Avie. All we need is a parental consent form and you can sign that now.’ He said it as if it were a done deal.
‘Your mom would kill me if I put you two on a plane alone.’
‘I bet she wouldn’t mind, not when we tell her why,’ Avery countered, pulling her phone out of her pocket. ‘I’m going to call her.’
‘No! Just wait a minute and let me think, okay?’ Dylan closed his eyes. Was he really considering this? Now the shoe was on the other foot he was starting to realise what an impossible position he’d put Sadie in by asking her to come home with them.
It must have taken a huge amount of courage for her to make this call. He needed to prove to her that it was worth it, that he was worth taking a chance on. If he got on the plane she might change her mind in the cold light of day. All those practical reasons why they shouldn’t try and make things work weren’t going anywhere. It might be months before she was able to sort things out and arrange a visit and anything could happen in the meantime. Taking the phone off speaker, he turned his back on his children and walked a few steps away. ‘Are you sure about this?’ he murmured into the phone. ‘If I can square everything away at this end, are you sure you want me to stay?’
‘More than anything in the world.’ Sadie sounded as though she might be crying, and he had to admit the lump in his throat was getting hard to talk around. ‘But it’s okay if you can’t stay because I’m not letting go, Dylan.’
‘Let me call you back.’