Petty Little Beatles

Act 1: Scene v

The feeling of excitement never deflated when Tom walked through the automatic sliding doors and over the threshold of the airport. His wife followed behind with little distance between the two. Tom was, yet again, fascinated that he was indeed taking this moment to finally meet the children he and Kay had chosen to adopt. His excitement overflowed to the point where he simply could not stop smiling. Kay noticed this, and she laughed, holding onto his shoulder to stop from falling for her laughter threatened to overtake her feet. Tom laughed with her, and more than a few people gave a look their way as they walked up to the line waiting at the desk.

"It feels nice to be a bit normal again, doesn't it?" Kay muttered.

Tom nodded. "As normal as two laughing loons in an airport can be."

Kay giggled. "That is true."

Tom put his arm around her, and he kept it there until he had to step behind her to get in line. It was nice, he had to admit, to be as normal as a famous musician could be. He kept his eyes to the floor, and he hoped that nobody would recognize him, though he wasn't sure how recognizable he was, exactly. Kay noticed this, and she reached back a hand to grasp his briefly.

"It's going to be fine, Tommy," she murmured.

Tom nodded. "I know, thank goodness I'm not Mick Jagger. I'd be run over with girls in a second."

Kay laughed a bit. She saw a few heads whip around to look at the phrase "Mick Jagger." It was amusing that someone could be so famous that their name was enough to amaze people.

She let her fingers rest between Tom's. "Yeah, I'm glad for that, but you're Stone-famous to me." She smiled at him.

Tom laughed. "Thanks, honey."

As she was standing in front of him, he could not see the smile but he heard her words, nevertheless. "You're welcome, babe."

The line moved forward, and it was not long until they had reached the desk. The man sitting behind it hardly waited a second to ask, "What can I help you with?"

Tom stepped up beside his wife, letting his fingers interlace hers, a small comfort he felt he needed. He said, "We're here to pick up the children from England."

The clerk raised his eyebrows. "What an amusing request," he muttered. He began to shuffle through the papers lying before him. "The agency sent a photograph..." The clerk held up a photograph of Tom and looked at it then looked at Tom. "That does look like you...Thomas Earl Petty?"

Tom nodded.

"And Kay Elizabeth Petty?" He held up a second photograph.

Kay nodded.

The clerk smiled. "Perfect. The children are waiting in the lobby, near the baggage area."

"Thank you," Kay told him, and she smiled, too. Her hand still held by her husband's, she walked out of the line and paused to look at a map.

"The baggage area is straight ahead." Tom pointed.

Kay nodded. "So it is." She continued walking beside Tom into the lobby. "Do you see them?" She tried to look through the many people in the room.