Don't Look Back

Julie and I are sticking around until the first of August in order to teach summer school. But on July 9, we put the girls on a plane for Chicago so they could re-connect with friends and start to get acclimated to life back in The States. Since they were traveling as unaccompanied minors, we had to pay Continental a little extra so they would have and escort at either end of their journey.

Continental's Hong Kong escort met us at the ticket counter and we walked together to security. Julie and I with no boarding passes, were not allowed any further. Annika, Elise and the escort were fast-tracked through security. We could just see their heads through the crowds. They had to stop on the far side of securty as the escort took care of some business in a side office. Just before they sat down to wait, both girls turned to give us a little wave and thumbs up. We could just barely catch glimpses of them as they sat on the chairs outside the office.

The escort emerged and the girls were moving again pulling their rolling carry-on suitcases behind them.

Julie whispered under her breath “Turn around, turn around. One more time . . . ”

I whispered under my breath “Don’t turn around, keep walking. You’re fine . . . ”

The girls disappeared around the corner without looking back.

“Awe, they didn’t turn around.”

“Yes! Well done girls.”

I took Julie’s hand as we went to go get some coffee and wait until their flight was in the air.