'Oh, me, too, Studly.'
'Ben, too.'
She glanced at me and smiled. 'Please let's not talk about the leaving. We still have time.'
I kissed her hand.
We turned into airport parking and went into the terminal, still holding hands, walking as close as two people can walk, as if the most important thing in the world was to occupy the same space and share the same moment. We checked the flight information. I said, 'The plane's here.'
We walked to the concourse, and I didn't like it much. In a few days we'd make this drive and walk again, only then I would be leaving. I tried not to think about it.
We met Jodi Taylor as she came off the plane. She was wearing jeans and a satin vest over a red top, and she was clearly Jodi Taylor. Not hiding now. The pilot was falling all over himself to walk with her, and a guy in a charcoal suit was trying to cut in on the pilot. She looked nervous.
I said, 'Pardon us, gentlemen,' and led her away from them.
Lucy said, 'How're you doing?'
Jodi nodded. 'I'm okay.' She didn't look okay. She looked the way you might look if you'd spent the past couple of days with an upset stomach.
A little girl in a Brownie uniform approached. She was holding what looked like a napkin and a ballpoint pen. Her mother had encouraged her. The little girl said, 'Miss Taylor, may I have your autograph?'
'Sure, honey.' Jodi signed the napkin and tried to smile, but the smile looked weak. Nervous, all right.
When the little girl was gone, I took Jodi's hand. 'You sure you want this?'
'Yes,' she said. 'Yes, I'm sure.'
'What about Sid and Beldon?'
Jodi's face grew hard. 'I know what I want.'
Lucy took Jodi's other hand, and we walked out of the airport.
We brought Jodi to pick up Edith, and then the four of us went to visit Chantel Michot. I had called in advance and Chantel was waiting. There was a lot they wanted to talk about.
