This work contains depictions of sexual acts.  If you are not above the age of 18, or 
viewing erotic fiction is not allowed in your area, please do not read any further.  All 
rights reserved by the author.  Consent is given for electronic or printed copies for 
personal use.  Archiving to free sites is permitted.

This is a flash piece.  It contains no sex but some emotional content is there.

THE AIRPORT

We were on our way to the airport.  I wasn't in any mood either for this.  In the back 
were the bags; in the back seat was our 2 children, a boy, man actually,of 19 and a young 
lady of 14.

Up front, I was behind the wheel, with my wife sitting in the passenger side.  There had 
been arguments for the week before.  I was against it, she had been all for it.  We had 
settled into an uncomfortable silence except for the occasional excited comment from her 
and my caustic remarks.

"But it is only for two weeks" she would say.

"The money isn't there" would be my retort.

"I don't care.  I need this trip.  And I always have wanted to go to Hawaii."

About then one of the kids would come in with a problem, and I would let it drop.  Now I 
was trying to maneuver the car through the rainy day traffic.  My mind was thinking 
about how we had been pursuing other interests of late and hadn't really spent any real 
time without the pressures of life.  Still this was not the way to be doing it.

Approaching the airport in the gloom of the dying day, I found a place not too far from 
the entrance.  Our son and I grabbed the bags and we all headed into the terminal.  We 
made it through the checkpoints and got to the counter.

With that taken care of, I stood and watched out the window as the large jets were 
maneuvered to the terminals.  And I was thinking about how those jets would be able to 
move its charges from one part of the world to another.  How some families would be 
reunited while others would be torn apart.

I was ready to turn around and leave right then.  Still angry, I walked across the corridor 
to the other side.

I heard my wife's voice angry but low.  "If you can't be civil for me at least do it for your 
children."

Yeah, always for the children.  My thoughts, and feelings always came in a distant third.  
I could not count the times I had put off something, given up something, put my own 
needs behind those of her and the children.

The flight was called and I looked over at the large winged menace that at the moment 
absolutely hated.  The long white cylinder dotted with little rectangles.  The airline's 
name and logo showing prominently on the side.

I moved over to where the doors for the ramp were.  The line was forming in front of the 
gate attendant as she checked the tickets of the passengers.  I decided it was time to do 
something for the kids, one more time.

Both of the children out of hearing range, I asked in a low voice, "Are you sure this is 
what you want?"

When she answered in the affirmative, I got our children's attention.  It was time. 

"Kids, give your mother a hug.  This will be the last time you will probably ever see her.  
She is heading to Hawaii by herself, as you know.  What you don't know is that her old 
lover is either on this plane, or waiting for her there.  The two weeks 'vacation' is really 
just a ruse. I honestly don't believe she will be back."

I turned so they could not see the tears welling up in my eyes, and walked to the terminal 
door.  I did it for the kids, because for once, they deserved the truth.

~~~FIN~~

