The Big One

Chapter 19- Fly Boys

"This is my passport, and the other one is for my husband," Anderson said when he handed the security agent our documents.

I snapped my head up at that. I was not his husband. 

I was standing quietly behind him as he navigated us through the airport. Kellan had dropped us off in his massive SUV. We had two giant suitcases that Anderson had tipped an airline employee to unload for us. The employee took our bags and tagged them before carrying them away. We hugged Kellan goodbye, and went to the security line.

It was weird being in this position with Anderson. Outside of the house, he is the commander and I just follow him quietly. He knows how things work and how to get things done.

At home, he is this softer guy who always tries to make me happy and lets me decide things. Out in the real world, he is very much the dad and calls the shots. It felt weirdly comforting.

The security guy took a quick look at me and waved us through. We went through the scanners next. Anderson had his work bag. I had my backpack with some travel supplies, snacks, and an iPad he'd set up with games for me. I hadn't been on an airplane since I was a little kid, and I kind of felt like that same little kid right now.

We made it through security and headed towards the terminal to a lounge for China Airlines.

"Ah hah! We're going to China!" I pointed at the sign as we walked. I'd figured out his mystery surprise for my birthday trip.

"That's just the first stop. Your surprise is a little too remote to get a direct flight," he assured as I opened the door for him.

From the moment I opened the door, everything switched over to Chinese. He checked in with the attendant who led us to a small sitting area near the windows overlooking the runway. He ordered things for us from the attendant, and then settled in to check his work.

"We have about 45 minutes until we board. I don't like to get on the plane and just sit there. There's a restroom over there. We'll eat a little something before the flight." He got into his work immediately. I sat in the other chair and started looking at stuff on my phone.

"So I'm your husband now?" I laughed.

"Oh! No, it's just that in international travel it's good to get in that habit so we don't get separated. In liberal countries I'll be your husband, in others I'll be your guardian. It just makes things easier. That way they know we shouldn't be split up. I don't want to get split from you." He reaches over and rubs my thigh.

We shared a plate of fruit. Anderson got a cocktail, and I sipped at a bottle of water. The lounge only had a few passengers for the late evening flight. There was a family, and then a few guys who looked like they were on business trips. Everyone was glued to their devices as an attendant moved between tables to check on everyone.

When it was time for the flight, the attendant helped us and the other passengers on our flight line up at a side door. He put me and Anderson in the front of the line. He led us down a corridor and right to the gate. He scanned us in and took us onto the flight.

The airplane was two levels, and most people were already buckled into their seats ready to go. I was met with stares of annoyance from the other passengers. They looked as if we were coming at the last minute and holding things up. The attendant paid them no attention and walked us through the cabin to the stairs near the back.

We went up and through a small lounge with a bar then down a hallway lined with open pods. Each pod had names printed on the side in Chinese and English. At the end of the corridor, the front of the plane, there were four enclosed pods. We were in the one where the sign on the door read, "A. Yang Family."