Getting Home (LA Story #3)

The shuttle dropped me off at the Delta terminal, and I breathed a big sigh of relief. I was almost home. Almost. I just had to make it through LAX.

I was tired and somewhat confused, so I decided to use the sky cap. I walked to the desk which read, "Delta Song." I was definitely not on a "Delta Song" flight, but I decided to try it anyway. A man with a badge and hat came around to me and asked, "What can I do for you?"

"I'm not on a 'Delta Song' flight, but can I still use this station?" I inquired, feeling tired.

"What do you mean you're not on a 'Delta Song' flight?" he inquired back, tipping his head to one side and looking at me as if I were an idiot.

"Um, I'm not on a 'Delta Song' flight but I'm . . ."

He cut me off, "What's your song? What's your song?"

I looked at him all confused. I was trying to hold myself together. "Um, I don't know . . ."

"You don't know what airline you're on?" he scoffed, looking at me.

"I'm on Delta," I choked, my voice laden with tears. The accumulation of lack of sleep, Bob and Ange, and my insecurity had all taken their toll. I was about to cry.

The man softened. I then knew he had been joking with me the whole time, but I couldn't detect it. "It's alright, sweetheart, it's alright. I'll take care of you." He did take care of everything, and even took me to the first of the line to get my bag x-rayed. "You'll be alright, sweetheart. There you go. Have a nice day."

I walked through security and to my gate. I didn't have a seat assignment, so I went to the desk to check in. "Come back in a few minutes," the lady at the desk responded, not even looking at me.

What did that mean? Panic raced through my irrational head. Did I not have a seat? Frantically I called home. As soon as I heard my father's voice, I fell apart. There I was, standing in the middle of LAX sobbing. I couldn't stop. My father tried to talk to me, tried to tell me not to cry, but I couldn't control my emotions. He finally talked some sense of logic into my head, and I walked into the bathroom and calmed down. I walked back to the desk, got my seat assignment (I think the desk lady took pity on me), and I boarded the plane.

The plane finally landed in SLC, and I raced to get my baggage and to see my dad. I felt a giant burden lifted from my shoulders as I collapsed in the car and let him take care of everything else.