Page 47 of Second Down Scrooge

I pass Mia back to Kelly, and I lean down to give her a kiss. She sort of backs away, and I tell myself it’s because she’s rushing to leave. It’s not because she doesn’t believe me.

But I can tell myself that all I want. I’m not sure I believe it.

I want to tell her I love her, but she doesn't appear to be in a spot where she wants to hear those words right now.

“You got this, Kaplan.”

She gives me a tight smile. “So do you.”

And then she turns with her suitcase and the baby and heads into the airport, leaving me at the drop off area with my heart in my hand.

Chapter 23: Kelly Kaplan

Nothing Works

Three Days Until Christmas

I tap my toe impatiently as I stand in the line to go through TSA.

I should have taken Ava's advice about the pre-check approval, but I didn't, and now I'm stuck in this long line waiting forever like everybody else.

I desperately have to pee after chugging down that bottle of water on the way here, and all I can think about is the fact that we’re going to miss our flight.

And it's not justmissingthe flight but thefearI have of flying attacking me right now.

I have always had this issue. It's nothing new, but it still comes out of left field every time, and I really hate it.

Wefinallymake it through security, and Austin was right when he said we had plenty of time. I should have believed him, but I still run for the gate to make sure the flight isn't boarding, only to discover we have an hour to kill. We go to the bathroom and alleviate at least that need.

And that brings in my next issue, which is attempting to use the bathroom with a nearly one-year-old child. This is another one of those joys of motherhood that nobody talks about. And my mom tells me it's about to get even worse once we get to the potty-training phase because apparently kids really enjoy a tour of every public restroom we should ever happen to encounter.

I’m really looking forward to that stage…in no way whatsoever.

Eventually we board the plane. We make it to the aisle seat in case I need to get out of the row to walk and bounce during the flight, but my little girl? She’s an angel. I have nothing to worry about.

The little pigtails I made by gathering her sweet little locks of thin baby hair are tickling my chin as I get us buckled in, and I’m sweating from heaving this twenty-pounder through the airport along with the diaper bag packed with snacks and treats and entertainment for my little one.

An older couple boards and nods toward the window and middle seat beside me, so I get out with Mia and offer a smile. “I’ll do my best to keep her quiet,” I say lightly, and the older gentleman gives me a little bit of a grimace. These don’t seem like kid people, and that doesn’t exactly help my anxiety.

A man in a business suit takes the seat in front of us, and he doesn’t make eye contact with me, but I can see the irritation on his face as he slides into his seat.

Are people really this rude, or am I just riding the high of flight anxiety? It has to just be me.

The flight is a little under four hours, and the flight attendant closes the front door and lets us know we're cleared for takeoff.

That's the moment sweet baby Mia decides she doesn't want to be on this airplane.

It’s a scream that Austin can probably hear from his house miles away, and I turn her in my arms and pat her back, but she starts to kickmeand scream even louder.

I quickly turn her back around so I don’t leave this flight with a broken rib, and I do everything in my power to keep her quiet as the flight attendant starts her safety speech, but it’s useless. Mia kicks her feet against the seat in front of us, and I probably should have just sprung for a seat for her where she could fall asleep beside me and her feet would've been far enough awayfrom the seat in front of her to prevent her from kicking it. But I didn’t.

The guy in front of me turns around with a glare.

“Sorry,” I say, and I feel like I could cry.

And then the man next to me shushes her.

Heshushesher!

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