“Good idea. I’ll pack a bag and meet you at your place in an hour?”
“Perfect. See you soon.”
Laura hung up and rushed to her bedroom, pulling out a suitcase and tossing in clothes suitable for a funeral and a few days in Phoenix. She was zipping up the bag when she heard a knock at the door.
“Coming” she called, wheeling the suitcase behind hier.
Jen stood in the hallway, her own bag at her feet. “Ready to go?”
Laura nodded, grabbing her purse. “Let’s hit the road.”
The sisters made their way to the airport, chatting about their great aunt and sharing memories from childhood visits to Phoenix. As they entered the terminal, Laura’s eyes widened at the sea of people ahead of them
“What’s going on? Jen asked, craning her neck to see the end of the security line.
Laura shook her head. “No idea, but we better get in line if we want to make our flight.
They joined the queue, inching forward at a snail’s pace. After twenty minutes of barely moving, they overheard a TSA agent explaining the situation to another frustrated traveler.
“One of our scanners is down,” the agent was saying, “We’re working as fast as we can, but it’s causing major delays.”
Jen checked her watch. “We might still make it if we hurry once we’re through
Finally, after what felt like hours, they cleared security and rushed towards their gate. As they neared it, an announcement crackled.
over the PA system.
“Attention passengers: Flight 372 to Phoenix has been moved to Gate C12.”
Laura and Jen exchanged panicked looks, “C12” Laura repeated. “Isn’t that on the other side of the airport?
“Come on!” Jen grabbed her sister’s hand, and they took off running.
They weaved through crowds, dodged slow–moving travelers, and nearly knocked over a janitor’s cart in their haste. Out of breath and
CHUITER THATYONE ==
red–faced, they finally reached Gate C12, only to see their plane slowly backing away from the jet bridge.
“No, no, no!” Laura cried, waving her arms frantically at the oblivious pilot
Jen slumped against the wall. “We missed it.”
Dejected, they approached the airline counter. The agent behind it gave them a sympathetic smile. “Can I help you?TM
“We just missed our flight to Phoenix,” Laura explained. “Is there another one we can get on today?”
The agent’s fingers flew over her keyboard. After a moment, she shook her head. “I’m so sorry, but we’re completely booked for the next two days. There’s been a sudden influx of travelers due to a big tech conference in Phoenix.”
Laura and Jen looked at each other in dismay. “Two days?” Jen repeated. “But we need to get there for a funeral this weekend.”
“I understand, and I truly wish I could help,” the agent said. “I can put you on a waiting list, but I can’t make any promises.”
Laura ran a hand through her hair, thinking. Suddenly, she turned to her sister. “What if we drive?”
Jen’s eyebrows shot up. “Drive? To Phoenix? That’s got to be, what, over 2,000 miles?”
“2,400, give or take,” Laura said. “But if we take turns driving, we could make it in time for the funeral”
Jen considered for a moment, then nodded. “You’re right. It’s crazy,
but it’s our best option.”
They thanked the agent and made their way out of the airport, their roller bags clattering behind them.
“We’ll need to stop by m
my place to get my car and repack,” Laura said as they hailed a taxi.
Jen nodded. “And we should stock up on snacks and stuff for the road.”
2.3
Back at Laura’s apartment, they quickly repacked their bags, swapping out some of their nicer clothes for more comfortable options suitable for a long drive. Laure dug out an old atlas from her bookshelf, just in case they lost cell service along the way.
“Ready for an adventure?” Laura asked as they loaded up her car.
Jen grinned. “Let’s hit the road, sis.”
As they pulled out of the parking lot, Jen connected her phone to the car’s Bluetooth. “I made us a playlist for the trip,” she said, scrolling through her music library
Suddenly, the opening chords of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” blasted through the speakers. Laura laughed, turning up the volume.
“Oh my god, I haven’t heard this song in years!” she exclaimed.
“Remember when we used to dance to this in our room?” Jen asked, already bobbing her head to the beat
“How could I forget? Mom would always yell at us to turn it down.”
As they hit the highway, the sisters belted out the lyrics at the top of their lungs, not caring about the strange looks they got from other
drivers.
