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This an ongoing story that I’m posting over the next few hours. I’m not sure how I’m going to end this, any suggestions? I’m writing this on the fly, so this story is rough, really rough, but I thrive on this impromptu stuff so … there you go. 🙂 Just two more installments to go! Thanks for reading!
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All three women stood, bumped into each other and mumbled apologizes all at the same time. Now that the time had come to greet the men, they weren’t sure what to do with themselves.
“Does anyone else get the feeling we’re in a Three Stooges movie?” Margie asked and all of them stopped what they were doing and laughed. “What did Carter say, Alecia?”
“Only that they had just landed and were waiting for their gate to open so they could taxi in.”
“Ah, so it could be another half hour before we see them,” Jessie said. “I’m going to, uh, head to the ladies room. I’ll be right back.”
Alecia and Margie chuckled as she virtually sprinted down the hallway. “Do you think they’ll make it?” Alecia asked gesturing after Jessie.
“Boy, I don’t know. If that is what Pierce wants, that’s what I want, too.”
Alecia pulled out a baby brush and gently ran it through Lisa’s thick hair. The baby was now well rested and her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Well, aren’t you a pretty girl,” she crooned to her daughter. Lisa blew a spit bubble and gurgled quietly. “I should probably go change her. I don’t want my pretty little girl to smell bad when daddy meets her!” She ran her fingers up the child’s belly, prompting a squeal of delight.
“Would you like me to change her so that you can freshen up?” Margie asked.
“Oh, would you mind?”
“Are you kidding me? Any excuse to hold my granddaughter and I’m all over it.”
Alecia laughed. She handed Lisa to her grandmother and dumping the diaper bag into the seat of the stroller, they headed toward the restroom.
The airport was buzzing with activity. Long lines of people were wrapped around the ticket counters, nearly every seat in the lobby was occupied and there was a large crowd gathered near the security checkpoint.
“Wow. I wonder if all of those people are waiting for our plane?” Alecia asked as they entered the ladies’ room.
“I wouldn’t doubt it. I think Carter said something about his whole platoon being sent home the last time he emailed me,” Margie answered.
Alecia maneuvered the stroller around the other women in the restroom while Margie carried Lisa over to the changing platform. She had Lisa’s little skirt panties unsnapped and her diaper tabs loose by the time Alecia reached her.
“Wow, you’re fast.”
“Plenty of practice, my dear.”
Alecia handed her a fresh diaper, some ointment and powder before reaching in for her own makeup bag and brush. She joined Jessie at the mirror.
“God Alecia, I’m so nervous I could throw up,” she said while carefully applying a fresh coat of lipstick.
Alecia reached up and ran the brush through her long black hair. “What are you going to do?”
Jessie didn’t pretend not to understand what she was talking about. She checked on Margie in the mirror and lowered her voice. “Nothing.”
“But I thought you said …”
“I did, and I still feel that way. But something that Margie said … well, it gives me hope.”
“What did she say?”
“That Pierce still has feelings for me, that even though she didn’t like me personally, her son still loved me and she wanted him to be happy.”
“I’ve been telling you that for months.” Alecia snorted. She reached in to remove her powder. Dabbing a bit on her nose and cheeks, she carefully rubbed it in.
“Yeah, but it somehow feels … more honest coming from her.”
“If you two get back together again, you have to make me a promise.”
Jessie shot her a dubious look before nodding once. “I can try.”
“Get along with her, Jessie. She’s really not as bad as you think she is. I don’t know what I would have done without her.”
“Alright, ladies. She’s changed, powdered and smells good enough to eat,” Margie said as she playfully nommed on the baby’s hand to prove her point. Lisa squealed and giggled in response.
Alecia finished her grooming and threw her items back into the bag. She took Lisa out of Margie’s hands so she could have a turn.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Alecia sighed. “I’ve been dreaming of seeing Carter again for so long … this still feels like a dream.” She lifted Lisa up so they were face-to-face. “You be a good girl for mommy, okay? No spitting or screaming. We want daddy to like you.”
Margie chuckled as she replaced her own lipstick. “Don’t worry, Alecia. That little girl could throw a full-fledged temper tantrum and Carter wouldn’t care. He’s always been so good with children.”
“Well,” Jessie said with a sigh while she ran her hands nervously down her blouse to smooth out any wrinkles. “Shall we join that crowd of people out there?”
The women exited the restroom and slowly weaved their way toward the security checkpoint.
They heard snippets of excited conversation as they positioned themselves.
“Can you believe this?”
“Are you sure I look all right?”
“Oh sweet Jesus, I’m so excited I’m going to pee myself!”
The women all looked at each other after hearing this last bit and burst out laughing.
“I feel the same way!” Alecia answered back with a wide grin.
A gentleman, closer to the front of the crowd, pointed in excitement. “They’re coming!”
All three women stood up on tip-toe in an effort to get a better look. It was hard not to get caught up in the mood and their cheeks flushed with excitement. Suddenly, a sea of moving bodies, most of them wearing camouflage, could be seen in the distance.
Alecia, the tallest of the three women, gasped. “Oh God, I think I see them!”
Write From Karen 