SISTERS MEET

My phone rang and I rushed to answer it. I heard a voice on the other end, a female voice. She asked, "Is this June Howard?"

    I replied, "Speaking."

   She stated, "My name is Ann and I am your sister."

   I was in shock, I stood in silence while thinking Mom always told us she adopted out a little girl when I was two. I couldn't believe she was on the phone.

   I heard her saying, "Are you still there?"

   I said, "Yes I'm here." She then told me about her life and I told her about mine.    

   We talked for hours, and the conversation ended with Ann saying, "I want to meet you and I want you to meet the family that raised me. I have purchased you a plane ticket. My husband and I will meet up with you in Chicago. Then we will rent a car and drive to where I was raised in Wisconsin." She explained that all I had to do was print my boarding pass and be at the airport by 8 in the morning to catch my flight.

   I called my daughter Janet and told her what was going on. And asked her if

she could give me a ride to the airport. She said, she would. Next I got online and went to the airlines web site and printed my boarding pass. Then there I stood with the itinerary and boarding pass in my hand. I stood and stared at it while reality set in. How was I going to fly in a plane? I had never flown before. My nerves became unruly as I started pacing the floor. I told myself, "You can do this you are going to meet your sister." Then I heard a voice in my head saying, "Who are you kidding? You have never traveled anywhere on your own and all alone." My stress level was high, to say the least, as the next thing I remembered, my daughter was picking me up.

     I told my daughter, "I have been looking forward to this day for as long as I can remember so why am I so terrified?"

     Seeing my nerves my daughter talked to me about everything but the plane ride, on the way to the airport. I saw right away she was keeping my mind off the subject and for that I was thankful. It wasn't until we pulled up to the airport's loading and unloading area that my nerves kicked in again. I felt so sick my stomach was flip-flopping. I told my daughter, "Take me home, I can't do this."      

     she reminded me that I was going to go meet my sister and I needed to do this. She then gave me a hug and left me standing there on the curb with my luggage. I turned, took a deep breath and started to walk into the airport.

Once inside I saw long lines, but I got all checked in and made it through security,

with no problems. So here I was standing waiting for my plane. I started to hyperventilate. So I went to call someone to help calm my nerves. But instead I saw that I had a message so I called my voice mail and heard Ann's voice saying, "We have a problem. Please call as soon as you get this message."

      I dialed her number and she answered, "Hi June"

      I said, "Hi what's the problem?"

     She then told me, "We've missed our flight to Chicago."

      I replied with, "Oh no what am I supposed to do? They are calling me to board the plane."

     She told me to make my flight as they were on standby for the next flight out. I said ok, not letting her hear my nerves. I approached the lady taking the boarding passes; she took mine and smiled and told me to have a good flight. My nerves were so high I couldn't say a word. I felt like a robot walking, just following the line of people down the corridor into the plane. I picked a seat and stored my carry on bag, took my seat and immediately buckled my seat belt. I sat back in my seat and looked out the window my heart started pounding and I felt that I was going to be sick.  I heard the pilot talking but my head was pounding so hard I couldn't understand what he was saying. The plane started to back up, my hands clinched the seat and the plane was now moving forward at a fast rate of speed. I took a deep breath and looked out the window and saw how fast the plane was moving. Then I felt a force so strong that it pushed me back into my seat. As I kept watching out the window seeing the ground farther and farther away from me. My nerves turned into amazement instead. The next thing I heard was the pilot saying, "Welcome to Kansas." I felt the plane hit something and I became scared. Little did I know it was just the landing gear lowering. The plane then hit the ground smoothly and came to a rolling stop. Everyone started getting off the plane but I just sat there so glad to be back on the ground. 

  Once down the corridor and into the airport I found the gait I needed for my next flight onto Chicago. I turned on my cell phone and listened to my messages. My

Sister Ann was saying, "We are back at home and won't be able to get a flight for two days. So I am trying to get someone to pick you up at the airport in Chicago." I then returned her call and because I know how upset she was about missing her flight I didn't want her to know how scared I was of being all alone. So I put on a

brave front telling her I was on an adventure.

     I heard them calling my flight. So I got settled on the plane. I looked out the window and I saw men walking around under the plane. Then the pilot came on the intercom saying, "We seem to have some engine trouble but we will get you all where you need to be as soon as possible."  I just sat there worrying and wondering. We sat there for about an hour then the pilot said. "We had a gas leak that's all fixed and we are ready to get on our way." My heart sank, my head started spinning and before I knew it we were in the air. This flight seemed to take forever.

 Once on the ground in Chicago I relaxed because I knew I wouldn't have to fly

for at least a week. I went to luggage area and grabbed my luggage then realized, now what? So I called my sister.

     She said, "I am so sorry but I can't find anyone to pick you up tonight so we have rented you a room at the Marriott. When you get checked in call me back." I couldn't say a word.

I hear someone yelling, "June Howard, are you June Howard? I am here to take you to the motel." The man took my luggage and opened my door so I got into the car. I was beat physically and emotionally and just wanted to go home. But I went to the motel and got checked in and into my room I fell flat onto the bed and just started bawling.  When I calmed down I sat up and dialed my sister's number but I got no answer. So I left a message saying, "I will call you back after I get something to eat."

      I then went down stairs and ate at the motel restaurant. There were several families enjoying themselves laughing while eating their meals, but I was all alone. By the time I finished my dinner and got back to my room it was close to midnight. I still called my sister.

      She answered sounding very stressed and tired. She told me, "I can't find anyone to pick you up so we have decided to bring you to Vegas so we can all be together… Your plane leaves at 11am."

      I just stood there and listened and when she was done all I could say was, "OK. I'm really tired and I will call you in the morning." I hung up the phone and fell on the bed exhausted. I fell asleep and before I knew it, it was morning and I was getting ready to get on another flight. My nerves turned to excitement when I realized I was meeting my sister today. I just couldn't get on the plane fast enough.

     I called Ann and told her, "I'm so excited and can't believe we are finally going to meet." I could hear my sister crying. The flight seemed to take forever.

As I walked down the corridor my heart started pounding in my chest and there where so many people standing inside the airport. How would I pick her out?

But then our eyes met and I knew without a question it was she and she felt the same. We walked to each other with open arms and we hugged and cried. It was

like I had found a piece of me I never knew was missing…

  The End

(c) 2006 by Jewel Hughes