"Home is Where…"
Part I : Please Note the Nearest Exit
Author's note: I'm not sure where I'm going… "The Chicago Way" inspired me to pick up the Luby story, ignoring the ambulance (popular, unspoiled opinion, including my own, says Abby cleared it before it exploded) and move them on to a new life.
If Abby hated flying some 5,000 miles to Dubrovnik alone to tell Luka in person about her one night stand with Kevin Moretti, she hated trying to fly 800 miles with a cranky, air-wary two-year-old even more. You'd never know Joe had already flown twice across the Atlantic… he was crying for half of the trip through the airport to the flight gate… now he was quiet only because he was too tired to keep crying.
Checking everything except a large tote bag with diapers, a sippy cup, a couple of juice boxes, a package of animal crackers, and a couple of bottled waters for herself, she handed her bording pass to the woman at the counter. "I need to switch seats.." She explained to a no-nonsense middle-aged woman with a short mop of grey curls and glasses that made her look like an old British nanny. "See they gave my husband seat 10-F and me 28-B and…" "No openings." The woman interrupted. Abby raised a brow as she continued. "No openings. Once the seats are claimed if there's a spot or someone is willing to switch, you can move."
Abby sighed and scooped Joe into one arm and slipped the heavier-than-she-remembered tote over her other arm and moved to sit in the waiting area. Looking around for Luka… where was he? She was going to kill him if he was off in some airplane shop looking at Chicago souvenir trinkets… leaving her to deal with Joe and that mean flight check-in lady. "Where's daddy?" She asked Joe idly, but the boy was half-asleep already, fuzzy head against her shoulder and trying to tune out the hustle and bustle all around them.
There was Luka… looking oddly confused as he tried to shift his way through a growing crowd of impatient people.. Abby found herself wondering who was going away, who was going home, who was on business… vacations… "Over here…" She called to him, and reached up to wave some, until he turned and acknowledged her and started making his way toward them.
"They wouldn't move my seat…" Abby stated as Luka sat down next to her and Joe. "It's okay. I'm sure one of us will be able to move…" Luka turned his attention to Joe. "Look what I have…" He said to get the boy's attention, and handed him the toy airplane he loved so much. "Airplane. Avion. Remember this?" Joe took it and idly moved it around in his hands sleepily as Abby remembered the first time she watched this scene between her husband and son.. right before Luka left for Croatia with Joe… right before she told him of her drinking problem.
Glancing up at the gate display sign, Luka smiled. "Flight's on time… we should be able to board any minute now." Abby nodded as Luka lifted Joe from her… the boy was waking up again in the busily crowded environment. "Are you ready to fly? Hmm?" Luka tickled Joe and pointed out the window where the airplane was waiting. "Joe…" He stood and walked closer to a side window. Joe looked outside at the massive plane, and considered crying before he thought it over and decided it was wonderful. "Mama… Mama look!" Joe pointed out the window, and Abby looked up, nodding. "Yeah baby look at that plane… wow." Abby replied to acknowledge her son's fascination. The wonder a two-year-old held for absolutely everything… it still stunned her… she hoped it would continue to catch her off guard and fill her with wonder too all the time that Joe was at this amazing age.
The voice of the unpleasant older woman came over the speakers to announce that the back rows of the plane were boarding. Abby watched Luka take Joe and leave. She waited until the middle rows were called and boarded the plane…