Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 This work contains depictions of sexual acts.  If you are not above the age
of 18, or viewing erotic fiction is not allowed in your area, please do not
read any further.  All rights reserved by the author.  Consent is given for
electronic or printed copies for personal use.  Archiving to free sites is
permitted.

   This is a flash piece.  It contains no sex but some emotional content is
there.

   THE AIRPORT

   We were on our way to the airport.  I wasn't in any mood either for
this. In the back were the bags; in the back seat was our 2 children, a
boy, man actually,of 19 and a young lady of 14.

   Up front, I was behind the wheel, with my wife sitting in the passenger
side.  There had been arguments for the week before.  I was against it, she
had been all for it.  We had settled into an uncomfortable silence except
for the occasional excited comment from her and my caustic remarks.

   "But it is only for two weeks" she would say.

   "The money isn't there" would be my retort.

   "I don't care.  I need this trip.  And I always have wanted to go to
Hawaii."

   About then one of the kids would come in with a problem, and I would let
it drop.  Now I was trying to maneuver the car through the rainy day
traffic.  My mind was thinking about how we had been pursuing other
interests of late and hadn't really spent any real time without the
pressures of life.  Still this was not the way to be doing it.

   Approaching the airport in the gloom of the dying day, I found a place
not too far from the entrance.  Our son and I grabbed the bags and we all
headed into the terminal.  We made it through the checkpoints and got to
the counter.

   With that taken care of, I stood and watched out the window as the large
jets were maneuvered to the terminals.  And I was thinking about how those
jets would be able to move its charges from one part of the world to
another.  How some families would be reunited while others would be torn
apart.

   I was ready to turn around and leave right then.  Still angry, I walked
across the corridor to the other side.

   I heard my wife's voice angry but low.  "If you can't be civil for me at
least do it for your children."

   Yeah, always for the children.  My thoughts, and feelings always came in
a distant third.  I could not count the times I had put off something,
given up something, put my own needs behind those of her and the children.

   The flight was called and I looked over at the large winged menace that
at the moment absolutely hated.  The long white cylinder dotted with little
rectangles.  The airline's name and logo showing prominently on the side.

   I moved over to where the doors for the ramp were.  The line was forming
in front of the gate attendant as she checked the tickets of the
passengers. I decided it was time to do something for the kids, one more
time.

   Both of the children out of hearing range, I asked in a low voice, "Are
you sure this is what you want?"

   When she answered in the affirmative, I got our children's attention. 
It was time.

   "Kids, give your mother a hug.  This will be the last time you will
probably ever see her.  She is heading to Hawaii by herself, as you know.
What you don't know is that her old lover is either on this plane, or
waiting for her there.  The two weeks 'vacation' is really just a ruse.  I
honestly don't believe she will be back."

   I turned so they could not see the tears welling up in my eyes, and
walked to the terminal door.  I did it for the kids, because for once, they
deserved the truth.

   ~~~FIN~~