Boarding Call

The group took their time enjoying their breakfast. They had a couple hours to kill, afterall. Jess's dad was happy he'd been able to get some coffee into his system. Duo was, too, for that matter. Jess was glad Duo had gotten some coffee since it meant he'd be a lot less cranky.

They headed back to wait for Marta. Jess got her boarding pass and met up with Marta on line at the counter.

Duo looked at his watch.

"How much longer?" Mia asked him.

"About an hour or so... provided there's no more delays," he grumped. Mia nodded.

"At least we're getting there," Sage said. "Jess was pretty upset with everything that happened this morning. The confusion on the phone with Marta was crazy."

"What were they working out?" Rowen asked.

"I'm not exactly sure, but it sounded more like an argument than a discussion." Quatre nodded, agreeing with Sage's take on the matter.

"Jess said there's two changeovers now," Mia said. "We're stopping in Cleveland, and then Memphis. We have about an hour in each place." Duo sighed, leaning back in the chair. Jess and Marta came over and sat down. The gate attendant circulated through the passengers.

"That's too big for the plane," she told Jess. "You'll have to check it."

"Check it? But the girl at the counter said it was fine."

"These are smaller planes. You'll check it here, and then get it back right at the jetway in Cleveland."

"Umm... okay... but can I take my laptop out?" The attendant nodded and Jess took the tag to attach it to her suitcase. As the attendant walked away, Jess opened her bag to get her laptop. "At least I won't be losing it if I get it back right at the jetway. The last thing I need is to lose my bag... I don't want to have to go shopping for a new suit when we get to Kansas City." The gate attendant came back around again and looked at Duo's crutches. Duo looked back up at her.

"Lemme guess... no room..." he said. She frowned a bit.

"Don't worry, we'll get it worked out," she said then. "I'll come back in a bit." He nodded and she continued her way through the waiting area. Duo sighed.

"This sucks."

"I want to know just how small this plane," Marta said, her Polish accent tainting her English. "My bag is not too big."

"Yeah, it kinda baffles me, too," Jess said.

"I don't like small planes," Marta said. "I don't like flying, either." Jess just chuckled.

"We'll be okay," she said. "Don't worry about it." The attendant came back.

"The aisle is really narrow," she told Duo. "We'll board you first, and the flight attendant can assist you with getting on the plane, okay? You can work out disembarking when you arrive in Cleveland." Duo sighed, but nodded.

"Okay," he said. "Thanks..."