Page 51 of Forged Forever

Since check-in is anywhere from two hours to a half hour before flights, Alex and Seb decide to hang around between TSA and the check-in counters.

Dahlia returns with passes for us to get to the gate without a ticket. Dad gives her his phone number so they can update each other, and then we leave through the same door. After hugs from Alex and Seb, Dahlia walks us through security and then leaves us to get back to the monitors.

We make the trek to Concourse C and walk down to Gate 13 to have a look around. There are people milling about waiting for flights, but no sign of Jake yet. Dad insists we grab some food, so I agree to a restaurant near the centre of the concourse with a clear view of people walking by.

We sit at a booth against the glass wall separating us from the main walkway. I have a view of people walking up the concourse, while Will, sitting across from us, is looking towards the gate.

I order a sandwich and fries, and while we wait for our food, I obsessively people watch. Seb calls, so I place the phone against my ear so I can keep scanning the crowd. He and Alex are eating subs, and the airline counter is closed at the moment, so they are sitting on a bench near TSA.

I let him go when our food arrives, and I nibble, more than eat, my lunch. It looks delicious, but it has no taste at all. Dad tries to get me to eat more, but I have no appetite with my nerves all jumbled up.

Dad suggests that when we see them, to let Dahlia know and follow them, only stopping them if they try to board the plane. I know it would be better to allow the professionals to handle it, so I reluctantly agree.

With nothing else to do, we walk around for a while and then take seats along the concourse. Will sits closer to the entrance while Dad and I take seats near Gate 9. We have a good view, and Dad bought us baseball caps to partially hide our faces.

Time seems to drag on forever as we wait. I get texts from Alex, Seb, E, and Bay, and I update Holly with the general facts and that we probably won’t be in school tomorrow, before texting my track coach. Dad calls the school for me as well.

As 5pm arrives, we still have no sightings of them from Seb and Alex. They split up when the check in counter opened, but Alex says they must have checked in online. Seb hasn’t seen them go through TSA yet either.

My knee is jiggling, and I have to keep wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans as we wait. Dad is as cool as a cucumber, but he’s been diligent in watching the crowds.

Finally, at 5:15pm, Dad taps my arm and nods towards the main pathway. At first, I don’t see anyone, but a man steps aside and I see Erin walking by. “That’s her,” I whisper to Dad.

He nods and sends a text to Dahlia, showing it to me. She’s going to wait a little longer to watch for Jake but will come by with another officer just before boarding starts if they haven’t located him. Good.

I turn in my seat with my cap lowered to watch Erin. She has a rolling carry-on and is dressed similarly to how I saw her at the condo. She stops at gate 13 and takes a seat facing us, so I turn back around. Hopefully, she doesn’t notice us. Most of my hair is up under my cap, which should help.

We get a text from Will that he spotted Jake, so Dad texts Dahlia again. “Stay here, darling. Security is on its way. We’ll move in behind them once they pass us.”

“I won’t stand by if Jake looks upset, Dad. He doesn’t want to see his mom.”

“Okay, we’ll see what happens.”

I try not to be too obvious as I watch the people walking by. I can feel my heartbeat whooshing in my ears as my gaze flicks from one person to the next. When I catch sight of a wheelchair, I squeeze Dad’s arm enough to bruise. “Breathe, darling,” he reminds me.

My entire body tenses as I glimpse Jake. Colette is pushing his wheelchair as Joseph walks beside him carrying a duffel bag slung across his body. None of them are talking, but they seem relaxed compared to Jake, who looks like stone. He’s furious.

He doesn’t see us as they pass. I immediately stand the second they go by, and Dad does the same. I turn to watch them as Will joins us. We stay between the seats as we make our way to Gate 13. There must be another flight soon at Gate 11 since there’s a decent crowd there, making it easy to blend in. We stop by a cluster of people standing around about 15 feet from them.

Jake, Colette, and Joseph are facing away from us now. Erin stands when she sees her kids, a megawatt smile breaking out on her face. She gives Colette and Joseph hugs, even though Colette hasn’t let go of the wheelchair. When she tries to hug Jake, he puts his hand up and leans away, which causes Erin’s brows to draw down and a tight frown to form on her face.

“Dad…” I urge, tugging on his arm.

“Okay, darling, let’s go in.”

We quickly step forward, and I get there first, body checking Colette from behind, causing her to let go of the wheelchair. I grab the handles as I hear her yelp and push it forward, away from them as Will and Dad step in behind me. “Jake.” I turn the wheelchair around so he’s facing me, tears welling in my eyes.

Shocked eyes meet mine as his body slumps down. “Sum, flying makes me a better care provider.” I wrap him in an awkward hug as my tears fall, landing on him.

“I cannot deactivate until you are satisfied with your care,” I whisper in his ear, but the voices behind us are getting loud, so I pull back and smile at him before turning around.

Dad has Erin restrained, her arms behind her back, while Will has a hold of the other two, and I see Dahlia approaching at a jog with another officer. Erin’s face resembles a bad sunburn as she struggles against Dad’s hold while Colette is cursing up a storm. A few people nearby don’t seem to know whether to step in or stay away, and there are a few phones out recording what’s happening.

Jake grabs my hand as Dahlia arrives, immediately cuffing Erin while the other officer does the same to Colette and Joseph. Once they’re secure, Dahlia asks us to follow her, asking Dad to keep a hold of Erin.

Will quickly checks on Jake and then gets behind to push the wheelchair as I keep a hold of Jake’s hand. I pull out my phone with the other hand and text Alex and Seb that we have him and to tell everyone. I look down at Jake once I put it back in my pocket, and he gives me a closed lip smile and a nod.

Everyone is surprisingly quiet as we make the trek back to the security office. We take a different route through quiet hallways to avoid the crowds. Dahlia drops Erin, Colette, and Joseph in a small room, locks it, and leaves the second officer in front. Then she leads us to another similar room. Will pulls a chair out of the way so Jake can wheel up to the table beside me. Dad takes the seat on my other side, while Will sits beside Jake. “Jake, do you require medical attention?” Dahlia asks.