\u201cWe\u2019ll be alright, Mom,\u201d my 13-year-old stepdaughter Sarah said. \u201cHonestly, Mom, nothing\u2019s going to happen,\u201d my 10-year-old stepdaughter Laura echoed. But the worry on my wife Geri\u2019s face didn\u2019t go away as she stood near the gates at the Dulles International airport. She was sending the girls off on a flight to visit their father, who\u2019d recently moved to Denver. They would be flying as unaccompanied minors for the first time. Geri insisted on going with them as far as security would allow before turning the kids over to airline personnel. Now it was time to say goodbye, and she didn\u2019t want to let go.<\/p>\n
Geri had been worried about the flight for weeks. The two girls were sitting in a row of three seats. Who would sit next to them? Some creep? She had called the airline multiple times to make sure the girls would be looked after. She confirmed and reconfirmed and confirmed again that the girls\u2019 father would be there to meet them on the other side. But none of it gave her peace.<\/p>\n
I had reminded Geri it could be worse. My nephew, Nathaniel would be traveling by himself all the way to Japan for an English teaching program. He\u2019d be alone in a place where he didn\u2019t even speak the language. But he was older. An experienced traveler. For Geri, it was no comparison. The girls still needed someone with them. Someone we could trust.<\/p>\n
\u201cReally, it\u2019ll be okay,\u201d Laura reassured her mother. She looked towards the long line of people entering the boarding area. Just then, Laura did a double take. \u201cMom, look over there. Is that\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
In line, his head down, examining his ticket, was Nathaniel.<\/p>\n
\u201cNate!\u201d Geri called. He looked up, surprised. \u201cAunt Geri?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d Geri asked him, running up and giving him a hug.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy flight to Tokyo,\u201d he said. \u201cIt goes through Denver.\u201d<\/p>\n
Geri was thankful the girls wouldn\u2019t have to travel alone. Nathaniel was happy to see some friendly faces too. He kept an eye on the girls all through the flight. It was easy to do. His ticket was for the seat right next to them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cWe\u2019ll be alright, Mom,\u201d my 13-year-old stepdaughter Sarah said. \u201cHonestly, Mom, nothing\u2019s going to happen,\u201d my 10-year-old stepdaughter Laura echoed. But the worry on my wife Geri\u2019s face didn\u2019t go away as she stood near the gates at the Dulles International airport. She was sending the girls off on a flight to visit their father, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[184],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[1501],"class_list":["post-19343","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-children"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n