The Journey Collection

by Lisa Bilbrey

  Half an hour before their flight was due to board, an announcement came over the intercom. “Flight 2343 to Dallas has been delayed until eleven-thirty.”

  “Damn, that’s us,” Travis muttered.

  “Yep,” Russ chirped.

  Sighing, Travis stood up. “I’m gonna grab some water. Want anything?”

  “Nah, I’m good, but thanks.”

  Travis walked through the terminal, finding a small bookstore. A picture of himself on the front page of the daily paper caught his eye when he approached the center display. He groaned and picked it up, unsurprised when he saw Tamara Roberts’ name on the byline. The woman was ruthless when it came to getting a story. A quick glance at the article, however, proved that she’d given out the same old information that every other paper and news channel had been reporting.

  Tucking the paper under his arm, Travis grabbed a bottle of water, paid the cashier for both, and headed back to his gate. He dropped the paper in Russ’s lap and sat down.

  “It would seem that they are determined to make more of my leaving than there is,” Travis said.

  “Sharks’ ex-quarterback Travis McCoy has denied rumors that organizations from Seattle to Denver have offered him a place in their leagues, though inside sources report that they’re sweetening the deals by offering a five-figure signing bonus. Only time will tell if Travis decides to make his move,” Russ read. Shaking his head, he looked over at Travis. “When you get your five-figure signing bonus, can you spot me a figure or two? I thought I might buy some ocean front propriety in Arizona that I’ve had my eye on.”

  “Sure thing, Dad,” Travis laughed.

  “It’ll blow over soon enough.”

  “I know, I just . . .” Travis sighed. “I don’t want Max to have to deal with any of this. He’s already struggling enough with the fact that I’m not there. He shouldn’t have to see this crap all over the place, too.”

  “No, he shouldn’t,” Russ agreed, “but he’s gonna have to. It’s a hard life for a kid, but he’s going to have to understand that you’re a celebrity. People know you; boys want to be just like you. Dealing with articles like this is a part of the lifestyle. At least for now. Sooner or later, you’ll fade away, and people won’t care as much.”

  “Um, thanks, I think,” Travis said.

  Russ laughed. “Sorry. I just meant that once you’re not in the spotlight all the time, they’ll back off.”

  “I always hated that part of the game,” Travis explained. “People in my face all the time, demanding more than I could give them. I had to be cordial, because, well, Mom would have kicked my ass if she’d been alive and heard about me being a jerk. But it’s hard to take because they don’t understand that I’m just a man who’s playing a game.”

  “You’re more than that,” Russ scoffed. “You’re a hero.”

  “No. The football player — he was the hero. I’m just Travis, a man who was lost until he went back home.”

  “They aren’t the same person?” Russ asked.

  Travis shook his head. “No, the football player was confident, brave, and unafraid to make a last-minute decision to run with the ball rather than throw. Travis, the man — he’s terrified that he’s gonna mess everything up and lose Penelope and Max in the process.”

  Russ leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. “Everything you’re feeling right now: that’s normal. It’s called being a dad.”

  “Yeah?”

  “When you were born, I was scared to death. What if I couldn’t get you to stop crying? Or put your diaper on wrong? Hell, what if I dropped you again?”

  “Again?”

  Russ ignored him. “But I figured out how to get you to stop fussing, and I put your diapers on the right way. Sure, I made my mistakes — some of them worse than others — but in the end, you turned out to be a good man. You do the best you can, Travis, and love that boy like there is no tomorrow, and I promise that he’ll be okay. Max is a good boy; you and Penelope will do right by him.”

  Travis nodded. “I’m a lucky man to have such a great kid, aren’t I?”

  “Yeah, you are,” Russ agreed.

  “So, um, you dropped me?” Travis asked.

  Russ chuckled. “Just once, and you didn’t even cry much.”

  “Still, you dropped me,” Travis stated. “I don’t know how I can live, knowing that you did that to me.”

  “Stop being a baby. It’s not like I hurt you.” Russ scoffed.

  “Flight 2343 to Dallas has been delayed. The new departure time is now twelve-fifteen. Please watch the monitors for additional changes.”

  At the sound of the latest announcement, Travis sighed. “They push our flight back any longer, and we’ll miss our connection in Dallas.”

  Russ nodded. “Yep. Let’s just hope that doesn’t happen.”

  “No kidding,” Travis muttered, checking his watch: just past ten. It was going to be a long day.

  ~*~*~*~

  By the time noon came, Travis and Russ’s flight had been delayed twice more, making it impossible for them to make their connection in Dallas at six. Sighing, Travis told Russ to stay put while he went to find out what was going on. Of course, he wasn’t the only one. A small and rather hostile group of passengers had gravitated up to the counter and were demanding answers.

  “Please, everyone, just calm down,” the woman behind the desk demanded. Barely old enough to be out of high school, she looked frazzled and overwhelmed. Brushing her dark hair out of her face and adjusting her nametag, Lilia said, “If you will line up, I will try answering any questions that you have, but I can’t do anything if you don’t cooperate.”

  “Just tell us when the flight is leaving,” a rotund gentleman to Travis’s right snarled. “It’s almost one already.”

  “Sir, the plane that was scheduled to take you to Dallas experienced mechanical trouble and was forced to land in New Orleans. We’re now waiting for a flight from D.C. to come in. Once it is here, we will refuel and pull it to the gate and get you on your way,” Lilia explained.

  “What about our connections?” Travis asked, pulling everyone’s attention to him. The whispers and muffled gasps didn’t go unnoticed, but he kept his focus on the task at hand. “Even if we leave now, I won’t be able to catch my connecting flight.”

  “Sir, if you’ll wait for me to get everyone else settled, I would be more than happy to assist you,” Lilia offered.

  Travis agreed and stood to the side while she attempted to settle the masses. Some were patient and kind, while others were rude and angry. He could understand their frustrations, but taking them out on the girl wasn’t going to help get them on a flight out of Miami any quicker.

  “Why are you just standing there?” the chubby man from before bellowed, slamming his hand on top of the counter. Lilia jumped backward. “Are you just stupid? Get your head out of your ass and do your job!”

  “Sir, I’m trying, but —”

  Before she could finish speaking, he reached across the desk and picked up the phone, throwing it at her. “Call the tower!”

  “Hey,” Travis snapped, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him away from Lilia. The man spun around and attempted to punch him, but he was quicker and was able to duck out of the way. With a sweep of his leg, Travis brought the man down to the ground and pinned him against the floor. “Calm the hell down!”

  “Get off of me, you jackass!” the man screeched. “Let me go!”

  “Not until you calm down,” Travis retorted. Looking over his shoulder at Lilia, he said, “Call security.”

  “I — I already did,” she stammered.

  Travis nodded and turned back to the guy under him. “I know you’re frustrated, but treating her like crap and throwing a fit isn’t going to get you out of here.”

  “What the fuck do you know?” the man snarled, and from Travis’s left, he heard a small girl gasp. “You’re just an asshole who couldn’t hack it in the pros when things got hard.”


  “And you’re just a jerk,” Travis answered from between gritted teeth. When two security guards came rushing over to them, he stood up, dragging the man up with him. “He assaulted this nice woman and has been using foul language, even though there are children in the area. I’m sure I speak for everyone here when I say that we’d prefer not to be stuck on a flight with him.”

  A chorus of murmured agreement echoed around him. The guards pulled the man out of Travis’s grip and thanked him for his help. As they proceeded to cart the disgruntled passenger away from the gate, a round of applause broke out. Travis shook his head at everyone before he turned back to Lilia.

  “Are you okay?” Travis asked.

  “Um, yes, thank you,” she whispered, taking a shaky breath. “This is just my third week on the job.”

  “You’re doing fine,” Travis insisted. “Now, I’m going to go over there,” he pointed to Russ, “and when you’re ready for me, you just call out for Travis, okay?”

  “Thank you, Travis,” she said, calmer now that the excitement was over.

  Nodding, he turned and walked back to his father, settling down on one of the hard plastic seats. Russ didn’t speak, but the smile he wore told Travis that his father was proud of how he’d protected that girl.

  Twenty minutes later, Lilia called out Travis’s name, so he went back up to talk to her.

  “I’m afraid I have some bad news. The flight coming in from D.C. will be delayed for another hour,” she explained.

  Travis sighed.

  “But,” she was quick to add, “I was able to get you and your friend on a flight to Chicago that leaves in ten minutes down at gate thirteen. From there, you’d be on standby for a connecting flight to Dallas, but at this point it might be the only way you’re able to get there tonight. I’m sorry; it’s the best I can do.”

  “Thank you, we’ll get the flight to Chicago and take our chances,” Travis told her.

  A few minutes later, Lilia had their new boarding passes printed out, and he and Russ had made their way down to their new gate just in time to board the flight. Russ’s seat was in the front, while Travis was all the way in the back. Once they were settled and had their seatbelts on, the plane rolled away from the gate, and they were off to Chicago. Travis said a little prayer that they’d have better luck at their next destination.

  ***

  Chapter Seven

  Weathering the Storm

  Travis and Russ’s flight landed at terminal B in Chicago a few hours later, and their possible connecting flight was in terminal C, which meant they had to catch a ride on one of the vans. They stood in line for almost twenty minutes before they were able to head down to their van, hissing under their breath when a gust of frigid air slammed into them. For the first of October, it was blistery cold, even for Chicago.

  They were driven across the tarmac and around to their terminal, where they headed up and went searching for their gate. As their luck would have it, it was on the far end. Travis and Russ rushed through the crowd, dragging their carry-on bags behind them. While Russ went to check on the status of their pending flight, Travis called Penelope.

  “Hello,” she answered.

  “Hey,” Travis said, plopping down in one of the chairs. At least these were cushioned, unlike the ones in Miami. “So you aren’t going to believe this, but Russ and I are in Chicago.”

  “What? I thought you had a direct flight into Dallas.”

  “We did, but due to mechanical problems and a very slow replacement jet, that flight wasn’t going to work out, so they booked us through Chicago. We might not even get on the next flight out. We’re on standby.”

  Penelope huffed. “Jesus Christ!”

  “I know, baby,” Travis grumbled. “How’s Max?”

  “Restless,” she said, sadly. “He’s asked me at least a dozen times if it’s time to leave. Guess I get to break the news to him. Any idea what time you’ll be here?”

  Travis checked his watch. “Well, it’s already six-fifteen here. And the flight from Chicago to Dallas is at least a couple of hours. If we make the seven o’clock flight, we might be able to get a connection from Dallas to Amarillo and be there by midnight, but if not, then I don’t know.”

  “This is insane. How can an airline run a business like that? I just might have to write a strongly-worded letter to someone,” Penelope muttered.

  Travis smiled as she rambled on. “You do that, honey. I’m sure they’re bound to listen to you. Just don’t dot your i’s with little hearts.”

  “Don’t make fun!” Penelope laughed. “I know I sound like a loon, but I miss you so much.”

  “I miss you, too,” Travis cooed. Russ sat down next to him, but he shook his head before Travis could ask him if they’d gotten on the flight out. “Baby, Dad just said it’s not looking good for the next flight out.”

  “We’re tenth and eleventh on the standby list. I even threw out your name to see if they’d bump us up, but they don’t seem to like you here,” Russ explained, and based on the way Penelope laughed, she’d heard him loud and clear.

  “Well, you did cost them their playoff bid last year,” she chirped. “Can’t blame them.”

  “True,” Travis laughed.

  “Maybe you two should just get a room in Chicago for the night and try to get the first flight out in the morning,” she suggested. “Might be better than sitting in the airport all night.”

  “Maybe we should just rent a car and drive home,” Travis muttered.

  “That would take you, what? Twenty hours?” Penelope asked. “As much as I want you back home — and believe me, I do — I would rather you wait for a flight rather than risk getting in an accident.”

  “Yeah, I know, but it’s tempting,” he groused. “Let me talk to Max.”

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  A moment later, Max said, “Travis, are you almost here?”

  “No, little man, I’m not. Gramps,” Travis winked at Russ, “and I are in Chicago.”

  “Aw, man, that sucks,” Max grumbled.

  “Language!” Penelope called out, and Travis smiled.

  “Sorry, Mom,” Max droned. “Are you gonna be home tonight?”

  “I don’t think so.” The moment the words were out of Travis’s mouth, he regretted them. Max gave a loud huff. “Hey, but we’re one-step closer, right? I mean, just a little bit longer.”

  “Yeah, I know,” he mumbled.

  “Little man, do me a favor, okay? Keep your mom distracted. Make her play a game with you or something.”

  “I can do that,” Max said. “But only if you do me a favor.”

  “What?” Travis asked.

  “Don’t leave like this again.”

  Travis could tell Max was serious by the tone of his voice.

  “She cried — a lot. I don’t like it when she cries, so don’t leave us again.”

  “Max, I promise that when I get home, I will never leave either of you again.”

  “I hope so,” Max muttered. “Mom’s back, so I’d better let you talk to her. Love you, Travis.”

  “Love you, too, little man.” Travis swallowed against the lump in his throat while he waited for Penelope to come back on the line.

  “Are you still there?” she asked.

  “Yeah,” he whispered. “I’m here, but my battery is dying, so I need to find an outlet.”

  “Okay, let me know when you know what your plans are. I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” Travis said, trying to keep the whimper from his voice, but when Russ gripped his shoulder in reassurance, he knew he’d failed. Ending the call, Travis dragged his hand over his face and through his hair. “This sucks.”

  “Yeah,” Russ agreed.

  “I need to be with them,” Travis bit out.

  “Yep.”

  Travis looked over at him. “I was serious when I told her that I’d drive there this second if I could.”

  “I know you were,” Russ stated.

  Travis
sighed. “But we won’t, because driving off in the middle of the night isn’t any more rational than sitting in an airport all day.”

  “No, it’s not.” Russ smiled. “Look, it seems like we’re gonna be here for a while. Let’s grab a bite to eat and a cup of coffee. With any luck, we’ll get the next flight.”

  Travis nodded. “Okay; I guess that’s all we can do.”

  After walking up and down the terminal and weighing all of their options, Travis and Russ decided on a slice of pizza. They ate in silence, and then grabbed a cup of coffee before going back to wait for a flight out.

  ~*~*~*~

  Russ and Travis didn’t get the next flight. As their frustrations grew, their patience with the airline wore thin, and they again contemplated renting a car and hitting the road. However, when the attendant behind the counter called Travis’s name, hope sparked that they just might be able to get out of Chicago.

  “Sir, we were able to get you on the next flight, but there will not be room for your friend.” The man gestured over Travis’s shoulder toward Russ, and his heart sank. “Either you can take this seat, or we can bump you to a later flight with him.”

  “Take the flight, boy,” Russ groused. “Get yourself home.”

  “And what about you?” Travis muttered, looking at his father. “I can’t just leave you here in Chicago.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Russ insisted. “Besides, I’m sure this fella is working on getting me on the next flight.”

  “Dad,” Travis started, but then paused and shook his head. He looked back at the attendant. “Give my seat to someone else. I’m not leaving Chicago without my father.”

  “Travis, no!” Russ exclaimed, but his protests fell on deaf ears.

  “Okay, sir, the next flight out will be departing at ten-fifteen. I’ve got you on the standby list, but I can’t guarantee that you’ll get that flight, either,” the gentleman said.

  “I understand. Thank you.” Travis turned and headed back over to his seat, ignoring the huff Russ made when he sat down next to him.