Chapter 4

After getting their suitcases from the lockers, the quartet of females walked out of the convention center and looked up. A mix of sleet and snow was falling. “What happened to the cold air isn’t going to get here in time for any major accumulations?” Sierra asked.

“Yikes,” Mandy said. “This might cause some problems for us at the airport.”

“Mm, it might,” Cindy said.

“See, Mom, I told you we should have just stayed another day,” Sierra said. “Now we might die in a plane crash if the wings ice over.”

Mandy and Cindy shook their heads and said, “Oh, the drama.”

“It could happen,” Sierra said.

“It could,” Tori added.

“Sierra, I told you, our hotel is full. We couldn’t keep our room,” Cindy said.

“I hope our Lyft driver has good tires,” Mandy said.

“Why don’t we just go back inside and see if the Red Lion has a room?” Sierra asked.

“Listen,” Cindy said, “I know you don’t want all this fun to end, but they don’t. They didn’t have any rooms before we got here, and they don’t have any now. I already checked.”

“You did?” Sierra said.

“Yes, I did.”

In the third row of the SUV, Sierra and Tori chatted nonstop. Cindy and Mandy were in the middle row, mostly silent. The road conditions were treacherous, and the icy mix that had been pelting the windows was now a sheet of white. The man driving suggested they start calling around for rooms because he thought their flights would be canceled. The airline’s app said there were delays, but no cancellations, so they continued on.

When they reached the airport, as soon as Cindy saw the flight board, she regretted not listening to the Lyft driver. The storm that was supposed to be rain until late that night had been met by an Arctic front, and the rain that had been falling froze on everything and was now steady, wind-driven snow. Flights that hadn’t been canceled were behind schedule because connection airports were closing like dominoes falling across the Midwest.

The counter agent did his best to seem composed, but it was apparent that he was frazzled after a day of being yelled at by irate would-be travelers. Mandy said, “They’re so rude. Like you made it snow. I feel bad for you.”

“Thank you,” Mr. Hosener said. “I appreciate your patience more than you know. Your plane hasn’t arrived yet. It hasn’t been canceled yet, but to be honest with you, I expect it will be. I heard the runway crew over the radio, and they are having a hard time keeping up.”

“What should we do?” Cindy asked.

“Let me make a call,” he said. “I’ll see if we can find you a room for the night.”

“Two rooms,” Cindy said and pointed at Sierra and Tori.

“Okay, go have a seat, and I’ll see what I can do.”

While they waited, the girls scouted around for food. Cindy and Mandy scanned the boarding area for seats, but it was standing room only. “Mandy, I’m happy we met,” Cindy said. “I’ve been isolated since the separation, probably a bit overwhelmed and maybe depressed too. You helped me so much. I had fun ... really. Thank you.”

“Shoot, it was a blast,” Mandy said. “I, um, we had a great time, too. Tori and Sierra hit it off, and I enjoyed your company very much. It was great. Let’s not wait until next year to talk. We should keep in touch.”

“We will,” Cindy said, but she knew distance and life could foil even the best intentions.

An hour later, a nearby hotel’s transport van dropped them off. “It’s not the Embassy Suites, but it’s better than sleeping on the floor at the airport,” Cindy said. “I don’t think Mr. Hosener would have tried to find us a place if you hadn’t been so sweet to him. Your smile is priceless.”

Mandy poked her fingers in her dimples and grinned. “Thank you.”

Tori and Sierra opened the first set of double doors for their mothers. They went through, and Cindy slipped on the wet linoleum in the foyer. Mandy grabbed her and kept her from falling. The Latino woman was much stronger than she looked. “Thank you. I almost busted my ass,” Cindy said.

“Way to go, Mom,” Sierra said.

“Watch it,” Cindy said with a smirk.

A gaudy faux candelabra brightened the lobby with a dozen candle-shaped lights. The manager looked up from his computer screen and said, “I’m sorry, but the only two rooms available only have a single bed. But they are adjoining rooms.”

“That’s fine,” Mandy said.