The Journey Collection (14 page)

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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.

“You should have taken the flight, boy. You could have been that much closer to Penelope and Max, but now you’re stuck here for God knows how long!”

Travis waited until Russ had vented before he turned to him. “I won’t leave you here, Dad. Just accept it.”

Russ huffed and folded his arms in front of him. “You’re a stubborn ass.”

“Yeah, I am,” Travis admitted. “But Mom would kick my ass for leaving you here alone, and so would Penelope and Max. Thanks, but I’d rather not face their wrath when we get home. Besides, you wouldn’t have left me alone.”

“Sure, I would.”

But Travis knew his father was lying. When he lifted an eyebrow in question, Russ sighed.

“Fine, I wouldn’t have. You win, okay? Just wanted you to get back home.”

“I do, too, Dad, but not like this,” Travis said. “They’ll get us on the next flight or the first one in the morning, but one way or another, we’ll get there.”

As the flight began boarding, Travis found himself getting restless again. Standing up, he told Russ that he’d be right back and went for a walk. His shoulder was starting to ache, and his legs felt tight, though the real problem was the yearning in his chest. If he closed his eyes, he could smell Penelope’s perfume, feel her hands ghosting over his skin, and imagine what it’d be like to make love to her again. A shudder ran through him just at the thought of being with her once more.

Stopping at the end of the terminal, Travis placed one hand on the cold glass of the window and brought the other up to his mouth, trying to muffle the whimper that trailed to the tip of his tongue. When someone gripped his shoulder, Travis looked up and saw Russ’s reflection in the glass.

“How’d I manage to go ten years without them, when now two weeks is killing me?” Travis asked.

“I don’t know,” Russ replied. “I ask myself that every day. I still reach for your momma every morning. When my hand brushes across the cold sheet, it hits me all over again that she’s gone. Sometimes, I can pretend she’s in the shower or downstairs making breakfast, but that lasts for just a few seconds, if I’m lucky. Day after day, month after month, year after year, and I still can’t believe that she’s gone.”

“The minute she saw Penelope with Max, she would have driven down to UT and kicked my ass for leaving,” Travis groused. “She wouldn’t have cared if I didn’t know; she still would have given me hell.”

“Yeah she would have.” Russ smiled. “And maybe I should have, too, but I didn’t know how to talk to you then, boy. You weren’t the same man that you are now.”

“I wouldn’t have listened,” Travis admitted. “I wouldn’t have abandoned her and Max, but I wouldn’t have been the father that he needed. Football would have come first, and in the end, I think I would have resented them both for distracting me from the game. Does that make me sound like a prick?”

“Yes, but it also makes you honest.”

Sighing, Travis straightened up and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I love them so much, but what if I get bored living in Clarendon with nothing to do?”

“You can always work out on the ranch with me,” Russ offered, laughing when Travis cringed. “Yeah, didn’t think so. You’ll find something to keep you busy. You do have a college degree, you know.”

“Yeah, in general studies,” Travis scoffed. “Not something that is going to land me a good job.”

“Then go back to school, and get a degree in something that will make you happy. Learn to paint, or write a novel,” Russ suggested. Smirking, he added, “You’re never too cool for school.”

“Oh, God, I can’t believe you went there,” Travis groaned. “Seriously?”

Russ grinned. “Yep.”

“You’re a strange man, Dad,” Travis muttered.

“Yeah, I am,” Russ admitted without shame. “Your momma loved me for it, though.”

“That she did.”

They walked back down to their gate to wait for their flight. As the departure time drew closer, the crowd thickened, and the collective patience that had already been wearing thin had now dissipated altogether. People wanted to leave on the next flight out, and the airline was making it quite difficult to do so. When the ten-fifteen flight started boarding, Travis had all but given up hope that he and Russ would be called to board.

Just when he was about to give up, the attendant behind the counter yelled, “Travis McCoy and Russ McCoy.”

Scrambling to their feet, Travis and Russ grabbed their bags and maneuvered through the crowd to reach the gate. The attendant smiled and handed them their new boarding passes. “Enjoy your flight, and thank you for your understanding.”

“Yeah, yeah; whatever,” Travis muttered as he walked away.

A few minutes later, they were seated. Once again, they were on opposite ends of the plane, but while they rolled away from the gate, all Travis cared about was being one step closer to home.

***

Chapter Eight

Home Sweet Home

Travis and Russ stumbled off the plane in Dallas just after midnight with the understanding that they’d be spending the night there rather than connecting to another flight and heading to Amarillo. While neither man was happy with the situation, there wasn’t much they could do about it. The airline booked them on the first available flight in the morning and gave them a couple of vouchers for the airport hotel, but that hadn’t helped them get out of Dallas and back home where they belonged. Luckily, their luggage had shown up hours beforehand and was still sitting on the turnstile. At least they had clean clothes.

At six the next morning, they arrived at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and checked in for their flight. It was scheduled to leave just after eight, so with any luck, they’d be in Amarillo by nine-thirty and back in Clarendon by eleven.

Of course, luck still wasn’t on their side, and once again, they found themselves facing a three-hour delay.

“I’m starting to think that God doesn’t want me to get back home,” Travis groused, falling into his seat. He hadn’t slept very well and was feeling cranky. “I mean, hell, you’d think they’d be able to at least get the first flight out on time!”

“You’d think,” Russ agreed, stretching his feet out in front of him.

Travis leaned his head back against the wall and sighed.

“The Broncos won their first district game last night,” Russ said, and Travis laughed at the randomness of his comment. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, I just wasn’t expecting you to say that,” he snickered, allowing his head to loll to the side and opening his eyes. “How do you know that, anyway?”

His father shrugged his shoulders and gestured to his cellphone. “Saw it on Facebook.”

“You’re on Facebook?” Travis blurted. “When the hell did that happen?”

“I don’t know,” Russ grumbled. “A year ago. The school has a page, and they post the scores of the game. I checked it last night and saw that they won forty-four to fourteen.”

“That’s great,” Travis said, nodding. “But let’s get back to you being on Facebook. You used to swear that computers were overrated and a waste of time and money. The fact that you have a cellphone is a miracle in itself, but Facebook? I never would have taken you for the social media type.”

A bright pink crept over Russ’s cheeks. “Nadine made me do it.”

“Nadine, huh?” Travis wondered. “What is going on between you and Nadine, Dad?”

“Nothing,” he mumbled, but Travis didn’t believe him. “Stop staring at me, boy!”

“Tell me,” Travis demanded.

Russ huffed. “There’s nothing to tell. I’ve done some work out at her place, and she’s made me dinner a couple of times. She’s a friend. It’s nice to have someone to talk to.”

“Just a friend?” Travis asked. “Because it seems to me that when you think about her, you smile. Do you want more than just friendship from Nadine, Dad?”

Russ sighed and looked over at him. “It wouldn’t matter if I did. Her husband just passed last year, and she’s not ready to date or whatever it’s called at our age. Right now, she needs a friend, and I will be just that for her.”

“Okay, fair enough, but don’t wait too long, Dad.” Travis slapped Russ on the shoulder. “A woman like Nadine won’t stay on the market for long.”

“No, I know she won’t,” Russ grumbled, “but I won’t force myself on her, either.”

“And you shouldn’t, but are you sure that you’re not using your own fear of moving on as an excuse not to take a chance?”

Sighing, Russ’s eyes closed. “Seventeen years is a long time, Travis. I wouldn’t even know how to date.”

“The first step is asking her. Then from there, you just take it one date at a time. Invite her to dinner one night, rent a movie, and make sure you get her flowers. Woo her, Dad.”

“And if she says no?” Russ asked.

“Then she says no — but you’re not going to know until you ask.”

“Flight 3483 to Amarillo is now boarding group one.”

At the sound of the boarding announcement, Travis pulled out his ticket, finding that he and Russ were in group three. Standing up, they grabbed their bags and joined the small queue that had gathered at the gate. Once everyone in group one had boarded the plane, an airline employee called for group two. A rush of passengers pushed past Travis and Russ to move to the gate. Travis thought he was going to have to throw down with a large, muscular guy when he hip-checked Russ, almost knocking him to the ground.

“Hey, watch it,” he snarled, causing the man to stop and look back over his shoulder.

He had a glare on his face, but it faded and was replaced by a smile — an eerie, awkward smile. “Sorry, man, I wasn’t paying attention,” he said, rushing over and offering Travis his hand. “I’ve been a huge fan of yours for years. I was there last year when you beat Chicago.”

“Oh, yeah, thanks,” Travis mumbled, feeling very uncomfortable with the way people were staring at him.

“Can’t believe you’re quitting, though,” the guy added. Bringing his hand up, he clapped Travis on his shoulder. “Guess you just couldn’t get over that last hit, huh?”

“Yeah, guess so,” Travis gritted out, trying to stifle a wince. His shoulder was already sore from spending the night in a cheap hotel bed. Now that the muscle-head in front of him had hit it, the dull ache had turned into a sharp throb. “You’d better go so they can get to the next group,” Travis hinted, waving his ticket in the air.

“Oh, sure. Sorry.” The guy handed the attendant his ticket before turning back to Travis and waving.

“That was weird,” Russ muttered under his breath.

“Yeah, welcome to my world,” Travis retorted, rolling his shoulder back and forth while the attendant called for group three. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

“Sounds good to me,” Russ countered.

Travis and Russ handed the attendant their boarding passes before walking through the tunnel and onto the small jet plane. They were together this time, Russ next to the window and Travis in the aisle seat. Ten minutes later, the plane rolled away from the gate and out to the runway.

At long last, Travis was on his way home.

~*~*~*~

Just after the noon hour, the plane touched down at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, and Travis let out a relieved sigh. It’d taken him sixteen-and-a-half days to get back to Texas, and in just over an hour, he hoped to be back in Clarendon with Penelope in his arms. Travis and Russ were two of the first passengers off the plane, and they hurried through the terminal. Taking the stairs rather than the escalator, they stopped down at the baggage claim to wait for their luggage.

“Why don’t I pull my truck up while you wait for our stuff?” Russ suggested.

“Sure, whatever,” Travis mumbled. He was only vaguely aware of his father turning and walking away from him. Glaring at the turnstile, Travis huffed. “Come on already!”

“You must be in a hurry.” Looking to his left, Travis saw a young woman with bright-blue hair and matching eyes standing next to him. “But yelling isn’t going to get them to move any faster.”

“No, I suppose not,” Travis chuckled. “Been a long couple of days.”

“So it seems,” she snickered. A moment later the belts started turning. “Oh, look, it’s moving!”

“Finally,” Travis sighed.

The luggage began pushing through the rubber flaps at the head of the turnstile. Travis waited for his midnight-blue bag with its lime-green nametag on the handle and Russ’s brick-red suitcase with the purple tag. Penelope had been insistent that Travis add the tag, saying, “This way nobody will take yours by mistake. You might end up with a bag of ladies’ panties.”

At the time, Travis had laughed, thinking she was just overreacting, but seeing as there had been no less than half a dozen suitcases that looked just like his, he was now glad that he’d followed her advice.

“Oh, that one’s mine,” the girl said, motioning to a hot-pink suitcase.

Travis pulled it off the belt and placed it in front of her.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied.

The girl smiled and stepped over to him, placing her hand on his chest. “How about if you and I find a nice, quiet corner somewhere and get to know each other better?”

Travis gasped at her forwardness and brushed her hand off of his chest. “No, thanks.”

“Oh, come on, McCoy,” she cooed, taking another step toward him. “I know how you football players are. You’re all about the quickies, but I can assure you that I will rock your world.”

Travis cringed and pushed her away from him. “I said no. I don’t know which other players you’ve had contact with, but I can assure you that I am nothing like them. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to get out of here.”

“Your loss,” she said, before grabbing her bag and leaving.

Closing his eyes, Travis dragged his hand over his face and through his hair. Whatever had made her think that he’d just take her in some corner and have his wicked way with her was beyond him, but now more than ever, he was ready to go home. He grabbed the suitcases and walked out of the airport, finding Russ parked across the road. He heaved the bags up into the bed of the truck and turned to his father.

“Let’s go,” he muttered.

“Everything okay?” Russ asked.

“Yeah, just anxious to get home,” Travis mumbled.

“Alright,” Russ said, slapping his hands together.

They climbed in and headed away from the airport after paying for two weeks’ worth of parking. Soon, they were on the highway that would take them back to Clarendon.

~*~*~*~

An hour later, Russ pulled up in front of Penelope’s house. Travis had just managed to open the passenger door when Penelope rushed out with Max on her heels. Travis met her halfway, scooping her into his arms and burying his face in the crook of her neck.

“You’re finally here,” she cried. “I was starting to think that you were never going to make it back.”

“Me, too, baby,” Travis whispered before tangling his fingers in her long, silky, blond hair. Tilting her head back, he crushed his lips against hers in a searing kiss. Breaking away, he gasped for air. “I’ve wanted to do that every day for two weeks.”

“Funny, because I’ve wanted you to do that every day for two weeks,” Penelope giggled. Looking over his shoulder, she stepped back and blushed. “Hello, Russ.”

“Penelope,” Russ snickered.

Travis turned to face him and Max, who was standing next to his grandfather. Falling to his knees, Travis opened his arms to his son. The boy whimpered and launched himself into his embrace. Just like with Penelope, Travis cried when he felt Max nestled against him. Holding on to him, Travis stood up and turned to Penelope, finding her watching them with tears streaming down her face.

“He refused to go to school,” she explained. “He was afraid that he’d miss you, even though I told him that you’d be here when school was over.”

“I’m glad you didn’t make him go,” Travis admitted. “I would have hated to miss this moment with him.”

“Me, too,” she wept.

Hoisting Max up, Travis wrapped his arm around Penelope, holding her tight. Shifting his eyes to Russ, he asked, “Mind dropping my suitcase on the porch? Kind of have my arms full.”

Russ laughed before he turned and pulled the midnight-blue luggage out. “Nope, not one bit. What you’ve got there is way more important than this stuff.”

Pressing his lips against the side of Max’s head and then Penelope’s, Travis said, “Truer words have never been spoken.”

Russ left after he placed Travis’s bag on the porch. Somehow, Travis managed to open the screen door and shuffle in with Penelope and Max without letting go of either of them. Releasing a happy breath, he smiled. He was home at last.

***