Traversing the airport, not hard, getting to their seats, not difficult, and preparing yourself to sit in most likely awkward silence or conversation for 6 and a half hours, nerve-wracking. At first she tried to close her eyes and fall asleep, but she wasn't tired so that plan failed. Then she tried looking out the window to try and daydream, that lasted until the middle of the flight when her imagination stopped working and the clouds stopped looking interesting. So now she was trying not to look like a weirdo who kept glancing at people as they walked down the aisle.
"Etes-vous excité?" She turned to see her father looking at her curiously before he repeated himself in English. "Are you excited?"
"Kind of" she replied after some hesitation, it was still weird talking to him, what was she supposed to say? That, no, she wasn't excited to go home with her dad or was she supposed to enthusiastically say that she was excited to go home with a dad she barely knew? She was scared and confused and she felt, well, she felt like she was just given away. Her so called parents didn't even seem reluctant to give her to him, they acted like they were in a play and the final act had just come to a close. Giving her back to her father was like an exaggerated bow to the audience, it was like they were saying "Did you enjoy the show that we put on for your enjoyment?" What was she to them? What is she to her father? Who is she now if not Laney Hindle?
"I...I know this must be hard for you, petit," she looked at her hands, "but, I want you to know that I do care about you and that's why I came to get you."
"Then why was I with them and not you?" she fiddles with her seatbelt nervously.
"Because, mon Coeur, you weren't ready" he pauses, "…I wasn't ready" She looks at him "At the time, I didn't know you existed and then your mother passed away and I…I was scared of failing you, Cherie" she turns towards him, "I want to make that right, so just give me a chance, se il vous plait?" he whispers the last part in French, but she has an idea of what it means. He doesn't know it but when he turns away, she looks out the window as they start to descend and she smiles, she thinks she's ready to give this a chance.