Airport

As usual, Salt Lake City International is busy. The airport feels alive with hundreds of groans, sighs, and goodbyes, and I do the latter. Aiden, my favorite person in the entire world, makes sure that my day will run as smoothly as possible. He won’t be able to go with me past the ticket counter, so he delivers me into the capable hands of a skycap named Melissa. I have a few moments of frustration because Melissa insists that I sit in a wheelchair. Part of me wants to protest. There is nothing wrong with my legs. I may need extra help, but I’m not handicapped. 

Melissa speaks to Aiden in a sugary-sweet, sing-song voice. She asks all sorts of questions. “What is our name?”

Aiden answers, “Erika Ward.”

“And where are we going?”

“Eight am to Dallas.”

She inexplicably lowers her voice to a harsh whisper that is no quieter than her regular speaking voice, “Are we going to need any help going to the potty?”

At this point, Aiden must notice the scowl on my face and tells Melissa, “I think Erika can manage the bathroom herself. You know, you could just ask her these questions. She’s really good at talking.”

His words sound polite, but I can feel the smile behind them.

Melissa pats me on the shoulder and says, “Well of course she can.”

Aiden presses my white-tipped cane into my hand and leans in to kiss me on the cheek. “I’m gonna miss you, Reika. Text me when you get to Dallas so that I know you are safe.”

I squeeze him goodbye and resign myself to the tender mercies of Melissa. 

Even though I get to the airport early, time seems to fly by. Despite my first worries about Melissa’s abilities, she wheels me through the airport with a complete lack of fuss and bother. She even manages to help me get my favorite coffee drink on the way. She carefully deposits me at my gate letting Darla, the gate attendant, know that I am going to need extra help getting on the flight. Darla is much cooler and more laid back than Melissa. She tells me that she will let me board early and that one of the flight attendants will help me to my seat. I barely have time to finish my coffee before it’s my turn to board the plane.