Leslie's Trip

Leslie was terrified to fly. Petrified actually. The minutes to when her flight boarded ticked by on the big red clock that hung on the wall. What if it crashes? That thought just made her more nervous, it was like her mind was trying to psych her out of the flight even more. It won’t, answered a voice in her head that sounded suspiciously like her more level-headed older sister, Mary. But it has the power to, I argued back. It has the possibility to and that is what’s scary.

                Just relax Les, it’ll be fine, Mary tried to convince me. I could almost hear an eye roll in her voice. I’ve heard that it is normal to be constantly reminded of your sibling when they pass, but I don’t know if arguing with said sibling in my mind is healthy. Mary passing way nearly broke me. She was the protector, she was our adviser and she always made us feel loved and safe-no matter what. My other sibling, my brother, Eddie, took the news as hard as I did but I could see he was trying to stay strong for me. I’m the youngest. Even three years later, we still get together to celebrate Mary’s life. I decided this year, after Mary’s anniversary, I’d finally take that trip abroad that I had been saving up for five years.  Hence the reason why I’m sitting here, freaking myself out. Ahem. Except for Mary that is. Just breathe Les, In. Out. In. Out.

                “Flight number 2493 leaving for London Heathrow, now boarding at gate 22,” rang out through the terminal speakers. Lots of passengers around me started to gather their things and stand up, but I kept sitting in my chair, on the brink of hyperventilation. Why am I doing this? Mary was supposed to be traveling with me. I shouldn’t be going by myself! Panic started creeping it’s way through my body. Leslie! Stop this. I’ve told you over and over, you deserve to go on this trip. I want you to. And you’re never alone, I’m always here for you. Relief flooded through my body as quickly as the panic had but it calmed me down.

                “Hey, are you okay?” I looked up into the eyes of a young, tall, shaggy haired teenager. I’d guess he was no older than 16, but he was already taller than I was.

                “Yeah, I’m just a nervous flyer,” I replied.

                “I’ve been there, trust me.” He says as he flops down into the hard plastic like chair next to me and dropping his huge backpack in front of him. “But I kind of grew up on these long flights. My brother and I were army brats, moving and flying all the time. Now, my brother and I travel all the time because we have the bug.”

                “The bug?” I ask him.

                “Yeah, the travel bug. It comes out of nowhere and bites you. Once you get it, you can’t really get rid of it,” this guy smirks at me, quite proud of himself obviously.

                That catching of the bug seems unlikely for me with the panic attack that I think I’m having right now.

                “At least that’s what my brother always says,” he adds. “My name is Adam.” He offers me his hand to shake.

                “Leslie.” I answer and shake his hand quickly.

                “Leslie, nice to meet you. Where are you headed after London?” Adam asks, but I don’t get the chance to answer him because a frantic looking man comes up towards us.

                “Adam! What the hell man! I turned around and you were gone! I told you to stay there and surprise, surprise, you left!” He whisper yells towards Adam, but I can tell by looking into his brilliant green eyes that he is relieved to have his brother within his sights. So this must be Adam’s brother.

                “Owen, chill out man. I’m 16 years old, I knew the gate number and that the plane was boarding. I’m not four years old. You can let me explore a little.” Adam tells his brother respectfully.

                “Adam…” Owen runs his hand through his short, brown hair. “Just stick with me, okay? It makes me feel better when I know you’re safe.”

                Doesn’t that sound familiar? I can hear the smirk in Mary’s voice. I sit back, watching the two brothers. I remember Mary freaking out like that once when we were at a gas station out of town and I left her inside while I went to go sit in the sun next to the building. I didn’t think to tell her I was leaving, I just figured she would call me when she was done. “You scared me to death! What if I would’ve lost you? I thought something bad had happened to you! Don’t do that to me again!” She had yelled at me while capturing me in a bear hug.

                “Leslie?” Adam pulls me out of my memory. I smile slightly.

                “I’m sorry,  what?”

                “I was just introducing you to my overprotective, older brother, Owen, who can’t seem to remember that I’ve grown up.” Adam says with a smile, lightly punching his brother in the shoulder.

                “You’re my baby brother! It’s my job to take care of you.” Owen replied quickly and exasperatedly, then turned his attention to me. “I’m so sorry you had to see my little outburst. Owen McDowell.” Owen sticks his hand out, smiling.

                “Leslie Parker.” I reply, shaking his hand the way I had his brother.

                “Leslie here was looking like she wasn’t feeling so good, so I sat with her and tried to talk to her a little bit. Are you feeling any better?” Adam explains. What a nice guy. But damn, Les, look at his brother. He can’t be any younger than you. Yum. Mary putting in her two cents as always.

                “Yes, thank you. I’m a nervous flyer,” I say to Owen softly. I didn’t mean for it to sound like I was ashamed, but even to my own ears it sounded that way. Owen just looked at me and I could see him trying to figure out something, then something clicked. What it was, I’m not sure, but his mood quickly changed to determined.

                “Hey, don’t worry about it. First overnight flight?” Owen asked as he took a seat beside me.

                I nodded, “Yes. I was supposed to be here with my sister…but she…couldn’t make it.” I explain to these strangers that are showing me this kindness.

                “Older or younger?” Owen asks me.

A gentleman never asks a lady’s age! Mary exclaims in my head, sounding rather cross. I chuckle under my breath and tell Owen that I’m the youngest of three and that Mary was the oldest.

                “So Adam, I feel your pain. My sister used to have to keep me in her eye line or she’d freak out. She kept doing that , even though I’m an adult, up until…” I trail off. Owen was staring at me and I must have given it away. Just thinking about how much Mary would have wanted to be here, be a part of this conversation, even to make fun of me that time I fell into a pothole because I had walked away from her after she told me not to, brings tears to my eyes. I told you not to walk that way! But you never listen to your dear, old, sis do you? Mary pipes up.

                “So how long are you in London?” Owen asks quickly, sensing that I don’t want to talk about my sister. I give him a look that hopeful tells him I’m grateful.

                “A week. Then I’m off to Dublin for a few days.” I tell him.