My nerves are going haywire, and ever since our plane took off from JFK, I’ve been a jittery mess. By the time we touched down in Atlanta, I would have been a certifiable mess had it not been for Alli, Kirby’s daughter. Her excitement has been a blessing of distraction. Keeping me company during our short flight, we gossiped and talked every minute that the plane was in the air. Watching her enthusiasm over this ‘vacation’ has worked to ease some of my nerves, but not all of them. At this rate, by the time we land and make it to our temporary housing courtesy of Masters Entertainment, I’ll have no nails left on any of my fingers.
Following Kirby’s lead, I went with jeans and a simple tee shirt with a light jacket. Both of us being born and raised in New York, we weren’t sure what to expect from early fall in Georgia. From what we could tell, weather there was in the low seventies, but from what Kirby’s husband said, add the humidity and you never know what you’ll get. The weather in the South is a crapshoot.
I had never been to the airport here in Atlanta. From the second we debarked the plane, it’s been insanity. Their transit system used to travel from point A to B within their massive airport was a rush of tired bodies. And the escalators toward the baggage claim seem to be sending us to the heavens. Add that to the feeling of hundreds of people pushing their way out of the airport and I couldn’t help but feel a little out of place. I’m used to crowds—we’re no stranger to them in New York City—but here, with all of us being carted up to the mysterious top level of these never-ending stairs to heaven, it’s taken to a whole new level. I’m pretty sure the older businessman behind me just sniffed my hair, and Alli’s Barbie backpack is digging uncomfortably into my stomach.
I hate escalators. I swear they’re just a step above some sort of barbaric torture device.
What a great way to start this little adventure.
“This way, Will,” Kirby tells me loud enough to be heard over the people swarming around us like bees.
I follow the finger she’s pointing toward the long line of people waiting behind some weird barricade and see the group of bad suit wearing men holding iPads with names displayed on their screens.
“There, on the end,” I hear Alli’s melodious voice exclaim, pointing just like her mother.
How they can see around all these bodies is beyond me. I can’t even say it’s because Kirby is a few inches taller than my five-foot-seven. If Alli can see whatever it is? then I’m just lacking brain function today.
We walk around a few hugging couples and groups of families welcoming home their loved ones. I feel a twinge in my chest knowing I won’t ever have something like that, but really, if having the two most negative people out of my life means I won’t have a crying family to welcome me home, then I consider that a win on my end.
I almost run Kirby over when she abruptly stops walking. I look up and catch her smile at the tall man before her. He’s like a human wall of muscle and intimidation. But, if judging by his all-black clothing, he and I could be good friends.
The man before us, despite being indoors, has dark glasses shielding his eyes.
“Are you from the Men in Black?” Alli asks in awe, her tiny body almost tipping over to look up at this giant man.
His head dips down and a ghost of a smile tickles his lips before he shakes his head. “Nope.”
“You should be. You’re huge! I bet you could kick some serious alien butt.”
“Alli, language,” Kirby scolds.
“Seriously, Mom? I said butt not a-s-s.”
Even with all my nerves, Alli’s sass brings a bubble of laughter up and through my lips, followed by one loud snort. And, as simple as that, all eyes in our little group are on me.
Giant Man in Black looks over briefly and smirks before addressing Kirby. “Mrs. Evans … and family,” he nods toward Rob and Alli before looking back at me, “Ms. Tate, if you’ll follow me. Name’s Cam and we’re to meet Sam back at the house.”
“Right-o, hulk … lead the way,” Kirby jokes.
His lips stay curled in a barely-there smile while we walk through the baggage claim area and make our way to the carousel that holds our flight’s luggage. It doesn’t take long before we have two carts full of bags. Because Rob and Alli are staying for the week, we have a considerable amount of luggage.
“Could you have packed any more, Kirb?” I joke, heaving her fifth suitcase up and onto the cart.
“Hey, you could have waited for hulk to lift that one. I think that’s all shoes.”
“One suitcase, Kirb. That’s all I have with me. All I need. How the heck do you really think you’re going to need eight of these suckers when you’ll be flying back and forth from here to New York? You can just get new stuff when you go home.” I pull my hair tie out and readjust what was a sleek ponytail into a knot on the top of my head. “I’m sweating,” I complain. “I bet I smell. Oh, crap. We’re going to the house first, right?”
“Yes, Ms. Tate. The house is where we’re headed next.”
“Okay, good. I can shower. Then what, Kirby?”
“Calm down, babe.” She laughs. “From what Sam said in our correspondence over the week, today is our day to get settled, but he would be by at some point to make formal introductions.”
“To whom?” I ask stupidly knowing darn well what the answer will be.
Kirby annoyingly just shrugs her shoulders and with a smirk, pulls her sunglasses from her large purse before turning and following Cam’s lead.