Still the One

Chapter 34 - Spontaneous Combustion

"Tickets and passports please."

I waited for the inevitable confrontation at the check-in counter, watching smugly as Jake handed over...two tickets and two passports...

Wait, what? Two? But...

In shock, I grabbed hold of the ledge and stared at the documents, grim realisation sending deep shudders through me. Firstly, that if Jake had a ticket in my name then this had all been planned some time ago; and secondly, the pages of the passport purportedly mine showed no visas or stamps from previous journeys, so it couldn't be the genuine thing. 'I know a guy'; Jake's words of earlier began to make sense and I wondered if the person who'd made it was who he had been talking to in the loos. They'd spoken in low voices and I hadn't been able to overhear, despite trying.

I spent a minute or so wondering how the hell someone could knock up a fake passport in such a short period of time, plus how Jake was suddenly in touch with people who made fake passports, before pushing those questions to the back of my mind. More important than that, I was now becoming fairly alarmed. I'd banked on being unable to fly because I had no passport but with that problem circumvented, I now needed another way to prevent me having to get on that plane.

I had quite a number of options, I knew that – if I was prepared for this to turn into a public spectacle, which I wasn't. Not if I could help it.

Think, Cara, think!

"Thank you." While I'd been daydreaming, our check-in procedure had been completed. Dammit!

"Come on." I was getting rather peeved at Jake grabbing my arm and dragging me around and for a minute considered emulating my daughter and throwing an epic tantrum in the middle of the busy concourse. Remembering Lizzie's meltdown made me smile, then suddenly I was fighting back tears, wanting nothing more than to be home with my family.

"Got any aerosols or sharp things in your handbag?" Jake asked as he hauled me towards the security scan area. Without waiting for an answer, he took my bag and looked for himself, a faint smile on his face. His disposition had become a lot sunnier since our little sojourn in the Men's room and when I looked at him closer, I noticed he was looking less haggard too. I was afraid I knew why that was. "Okay, you're good to go," he pronounced as he returned my bag.

At security there was the inevitable queue, for which I was grateful as my heart had started pounding nineteen to the dozen. The closer we got to an actual airplane, the more anxious I was becoming. How the hell do I get out of this without dragging Ben's name through the tabloids?

I watched as the four people in front of me went through the 3D body scanner and stumbled through when my turn came. Then I watched the screen as the assorted handbags, packs, briefcases and electronic stuff went through X-ray and another memory was triggered of Alex asking Ben what it looked for, the last time we'd gone overseas as a family. Once more I was fighting back tears.

"Just step over here please madam, if you wouldn't mind." Great, I'd been picked for the random explosives test. When asked if I'd done the process before, I answered yes, putting my arms out as the ion scan reader brushed lightly over my clothing, still thinking about Alex and...

HOLY SHIT!

I gasped, then tried to stifle it - and my excitement - but the blood was coursing through my veins at ninety miles an hour and I felt almost lightheaded. The woman running the test looked at me oddly and I caught her eye before I lost my nerve.

Do it, Cara.

"Do you see that man over there in the green hoodie?" I said to her quietly, hoping she wouldn't be too obvious when she looked.