Page 168 of Camp Bliss
When the gate agent gives me the good news, I actually laugh.
“Josh is getting bed bugs tonight!” I cheer.
She hands over my newly minted boarding pass with a worried look. “W-We’ll begin boarding in about twenty minutes.”
“Damn right, we will!”
Still cackling, I grab an empty seat by the gate, text Greta with one hand and polish off my sub with the other.
Me: Getting on a flight home in 20 minutes. I’ll see you at 9:41.
Her response is almost immediate.
Greta: Thank God. I’m losing my mind.
I frown and tap her name before hittingCall.
Midway through the first ringtone, her voicemail picks up, telling me she declined. I send another text.
Me: You okay?
Her response takes longer than I’d like, but when I read the message, I get it.
Greta: Can’t talk. Hap Hour. CBS guests are THE WORST!!!
I wrinkle my nose.
Me: Ugh. Sorry. I’ll be there soon. You can have the whole day off tomorrow.
She sends me back a heart eyes emoji, and when I board with Group 7, I’m grinning like a fiend.
When I take my seat, Greta sends me a picture of her four-person tent. It’s set up all the way in the ropes course clearing with the rain fly secured.
Greta: For what it’s worth.????????
The thunderstorm emoji has me checking my weather app again.
And crap.
The radar projection now has the line hitting Lafayette, oh, right when we’re supposed to land. I say a silent prayer that we can take off a few minutes early and the Delta pilots have some tricks up their sleeve to get us on the ground before the storm arrives.
When the announcement comes over the air that the cabin doors are shut, blah, blah, blah, I send Greta a quick text.
Me: Taking off now. Stay put. I’ll get an Uber. Don’t drive in the ?? ??
I switch my phone to airplane mode before anyone can curse me out, and I wait for us to take off.
And wait.
And wait.
Our departure time comes and goes.
Crap.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Capt. Amy Wilson. Sorry for the delay. Air traffic control has got their eyes on that weather system that’s cutting through the south,aaaaaandit looks like we need to stay put for a few minutes.”
A collective groan hums through the cabin.
