Prologue (Part 2): Goodbyes Are Never Easy
Hello. Well, here's the next and final part of the prologue. I didn't mean to spit it up, but I was so excited to get it out there I guess. Anyway, enough rambling. Read and review if you want.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for Iris and her family.
"Honey, hurry up, let's go!"
My mom was walking up ahead, frantically trying to find the security gate. If people stopped to stair at her half-shaved blonde-streaked hair, she certainly didn't notice or just ignored it.
"She knows the plane doesn't start boarding for another three hours, right?" I asked, turning to my too-tall dad as he struggled to contain one of the twins in his arms.
"Well, yeah, but I'm sure she just doesn't want you to get stuck in any lines or crowds…" he trailed off.
We both looked around at the nearly empty airport, and I quirked my eyebrow at him when our eyes met again.
"Oh, hush," he muttered as he ushered me in her direction.
We finally caught up with my mom five minutes later when we found her standing anxiously in front of the security line I was supposed to get in. My dad trailed in behind me, now wrestling both twins back into their stroller, with my moody thirteen year old sister following him and making no move to help.
I was just placing my bag down, preparing to say my goodbyes when I was tackled by thin and surprisingly strong arms. Struggling to maneuver my head up, I was struck the smell of my mom's easily recognizable perfume. I could feel her tears falling on my shoulder and I struggled to keep the tears at bay myself.
"I'm going to miss you so much, mom," I sniffled. I really hope I remembered to pack tissues in my carry on.
"I'm going to miss you too, Iris. You're dad would be so proud of you," she sobbed in my shoulder (Ew, mom, come on, I just cleaned my jacket.)
A couple more sobs, then she straightened up and wiped her eyes. Eyes I inherited from her, despite how much she wishes they were the same brown as my dad's.
Turning from her I faced my dad, or step-dad I guess. My biological dad died in his sleep when I was six. As much as I loved him, I'd grown to love my step-dad just about as much when he came into our lives six years ago. He'd proven to be strong, like what dads are supposed to be, and so much more beyond that. He was the one giving me advice, picking me up when I needed it, and teasing me when we both knew I was being stupid or was in over my head. To top it all off, he kept my mom grounded and I couldn't be happier for them both.
Looking at his six foot four frame towering over me and his premature grey hair, I had to restrain myself from bowling him over with a hug.
"Wha-…hey now, little bean. It'll be okay. Its only a few months, and then you'll be back here babysitting in no time."
Repressing a sob/laugh at his teasing tone, I knew he was sad to see me go, too. But not one to refrain from sassing back someone I know too well, I replied, "You wish. By the time I get back, I'll be so smart, you might actually have to start paying me to babysit."
He snorted at my lame tear-filled comeback and hugged me once more before forcing me onto my thirteen year sister, Carrie. She was busy checking out the cute guy a feet away and therefore didn't see me tripping into her. We would've landed on the floor in an array of limbs and quickly-stifled curse words if it wasn't for my dad steadying us.
Carrie glared at me before glancing down at her feet. Puzzled as to why she wasn't chewing me out for "embarrassing her in public", I stood there until I heard a sniffle. Startled, I realized she was actually crying in public and it was about me.
I quickly hugged her and whispered in her ear, "Hey, Car, it's fine. I'll only be gone for a little while. I'll be back before you know it to torment and embarrass you."
She giggled then wiped her eyes. "You okay?" I asked, genuinely concerned.
Naturally, she rolled her eyes. "Of course, I'm fine, you dolt. Now, hurry up and say goodbye to the twins so we can leave. I can't be seen publicly associating with you too much," she said, the last part with a wry grin that too quickly disappeared.
I grinned back then crouched in front of the stroller for the hardest parts of my goodbyes. The twins, Kea and Kawai, stared back at me, not sure what was happening. I always thought it odd that they seemed to be polar opposites in everything. They were fraternal twin, which one could tell easily enough with Kea's red curly hair, chocolate brown eyes, and small build compared to Kawai's dark brown, straight hair, blue eyes, and stockier build. Even their personalities seemed to contrast one another. Kawai was the quiet, gentle giant, but he had a temper if well provoked. Kea, on the other hand, seemed to constantly be talking and running around with endless energy, but strangely enough, she never seemed to get truly mad, only bossy and slightly violent. It made me love them both all the more.
"Iris, where you going? Do you have to go bye-bye?" Kea asked in her small voice. "Bye-bye?" Kawai echoed.
"Yeah, I have to go now. But I will be back before you know it, and then we can all play together again, okay?"
I was trying to even harder not to cry when they both just nodded, not exactly understanding. But, then again, how could they? So, I smiled, albeit a little shakily, and gave them hugs.
With that over, I grabbed my carry-on and Danica's carrier and smiled at my small mismatch family, only looking slightly out of place in the grimy airport. Finally, I said my 'I love yous' and got in line for security, waving and smiling until they couldn't see me anymore.
Sighing and still fighting off tears, I trudged onwards to find the gate number that corresponded to the little paper ticket in my hand and to my new life.
But I couldn't help but worry over my siblings. I mean, would they even remember me when I came back from my first year of college? What if…
Smack.
So lost in my thoughts, I apparently wasn't watching where I was going, which is a very dangerous thing for someone as klutzy and accident-prone as I was.
Dazed, I first noticed my bag and all my things lying scattered around me, with Danica meowing in her carrier a few feet away.
Then, I saw the old man I had so graciously knocked down, frantically trying to help me clean up my stuff. Seriously? I had to knock down the probably the only old man in this entire, tiny airport.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry…shit…I can't believe I….I'm so sorry. Here let me…" The words poured out of my mouth with no filter as I clamored to help the poor guy off his feet.
"It's no worry at all, dear," he rasped in a slightly familiar voice. Quickly, I shoved my art book back in my bag, then stood up with him.
He wore wearing a dark grey jacket over a grey shirt and jeans that had definitely seen better days. On top of his very grey hair (Is there anything that isn't grey on him?), he wore a fedora that covered most of his face, besides his slightly unruly beard, in almost complete shadows. Wait a moment…how is that even possible? He's wearing a fedora for crying out loud, not a damn sun visor.
"Hurry on now, my dear child. Wouldn't want to miss a new adventure, now would we?"
Flabbergasted, I sputtered out, "I-I guess so, sir. Well, um, sorry…again…and thank you? Um, okay, right…plane. Bye!"
And with that strange encounter playing on my mind, I rushed off to find my plane once again.
A/N: Also, sorry, but Aragorn will be coming up within the next chapter. :)