Unexpected Change Through Delay

Nettie woke with a jolt. It was now twenty two hours in this small airport. Slowly she started to reminisce on the last few days. She had flown from Arizona to Florida for a funeral of a dear high school friend. The plan was to go on to Colorado before returning home to see her sister but the plane was diverted to New Mexico due to a technical malfunction, which left her on standby to Colorado unless she wanted to just fly home with a sooner flight.

Let's see we decided it had been forty seven years since we all had seen each other. Was it really that long? How life has it's quirks. The last time we all saw each other was at another dear friends funeral. JoAnn died two weeks after graduation from High school. That was the last they were together. Then came faraway colleges, military enlistment, work and families.

Nettie decided to take a walk and stretch her legs. Do a little people watching, one of her small enjoyments.

Sylvia stood with her arms tightly folded across her chest. The conversation going on in her head was becoming heated as she became aware of herself. Fearing she may have mumble words out loud. She slowly looked around to see if any or all eyes where upon her. After a quick scan, her thoughts were a bit more within reason. It started to play out what lay before her. 

Here I go again, she thought. Is it that complicated? Can I ever win with these people? How hard is it to follow through! I don't believe they could blow their own noses if I didn't hold their hands up to their faces.

Immediately Sylvia fumble around in her backpack for her phone. Disgusted in herself for not putting her phone in its usual place. She thinks, short of unloading her pack in the middle of the airport, to find the dad blasted thing, it seemed, to have found the path of least resistance, to the far crevices of the bag. 

A moment later, phone in hand, she pushes redial knowing full well the top number would have been the office.  Mother what are you doing at my office? She says in such shock and dismay that surely now those around her are alerted to her agitation. Your at home? Then how did I call you? Oh yes I remember now you did call me last. No I am still waiting to board. Yes I love you and will call you as soon as I get there, she said as she hung up to place the right call this time.

Scrolling down she got the office number and pushed send. It rang twice then went to the recording to leave a message. Frustration crossed her face while her brain clicked off another topic that needs to be said once she gets Amy within her reaches. 

Amy her new assistant, is a young intelligent girl around 22, tall and slender. What Sylvia's family called "a tall drink of water". Sylvia liked to add "soda water" because Amy has such a happy bubbly personality. 

Sylvia hangs up once again to call Amy's cell phone. One ring and Sylvia hears a soft but happy voice say, It's a cinch, how can I help you? 

Sylvia started "It's A Cinch" about 15 years ago. What started out as a hobby of making cinches for friends has evolved into a full time business. Catering to elite group of horse enthusiast and high rolling rodeo stars. 

This is Sylvia, where are you? In almost a ferrel cat hiss. 

Coming in behind you, I can see you now. Amy answers.

Sylvia hangs up and once again drops her phone in her bag.

What in the world were you thinking, did I not make you a list? A very detailed list! In a voice much too loud for two people standing nose to nose. But at this moment who cares if the whole worlds hears this Sylvia thought.

Yes ma'am. Amy said with a firm but slight quiver in her voice. Amy had been warned of the temper or almost disregard her new employer had for people. Amy had such a love for the clients and the merchandise that she felt it could out weigh the bad. Plus she was going to stay on her toes and prove herself.

Then where are the cinches? I was expecting to unload them before the metal detector. Sylvia said in such a low growl that anyone who had been attracted to the interaction would now have to be straining to hear.

Amy with all she could muster, said in an even voice, I asked you in a memo last Tuesday if I could send them on ahead with George as he was going early with our other products for the booth. You had okayed it.

Sylvia feeling sheepish but with the need to what she feels "stay on top", said in a bark with less of a growl. Good. George is trustworthy.

Amy smiled and said. But I did notice your wallet on the counter and thought I had better hurry it down to you. Have a safe flight, and while I am here is there anything you need from me to help you out further?

With a half smile Sylvia answered, not at this time thank you.

Amy waved and turned. With a smile on her face she now knew it was all bark and no bite. 

Over the intercom it was announced flight 207 for Colorado was now boarding at gate 3. Silvia grabbed her backpack and her small duffle bag and briskly walked toward the gate. 

The line was forming as she reached it. She stepped in behind a young man with dreadlocks. She smiled and thought to herself that he most likely was headed there for the "greener pastures". Her way of acknowledging the "weed laws", the legalization of marijuana.

Behind her is an older woman. Medium height with a motherly build. One that has a bit of a leather look to her like she must be outside a lot. Probably gardening. If she had finer clothes, Sylvia would of joked to herself of the many options of what she could of been growing.

Sylvia was hoping to be more to the front of the line so she could get a window seat in front of the wings. It just seems quieter there. With this being just a small plane there is no assigned seating. If it wasn't for the mix up on the cinches she would of been more on her game. 

Sylvia has her first sign of luck. She sees a seat just where she prefers. She hurries toward it. Stows her duffle bag in a bin above her and takes a seat. Stuffs her backpack under her seat of which she had just previously grabbed her reading book.

Excuse me. Um, excuse me. Is this seat taken?

Sylvia looks beyond her book to see the woman that was behind her in line. No ma'am. It is empty. She says in her sweetest please don't sit by me voice.

Good. Answers the woman as she slides in next to her. 

The book or what Sylvia calls her "wall" when in public was already up in place when she hears the woman next to her say. Hello my name is Nettie. She puts forth her hand. Sylvia gives it a small shake and says I'm Sylvia. As she put the wall back up.

Nettie turns her body to face Sylvia and she says, please excuse my rumpled look. I have been on standby for almost a day. I was just told there was room on this flight. I am going to see my sister for a few days. Was that beautiful young lady your daughter? 

The last thing Sylvia wants to do is visit let alone discuss an employee. As she gathered her thoughts, hoping to give a brief answer, along with the atmosphere of I don't visit I read. She answers in a short and calm voice. No an employee. 

Nettie smiles and lays her head back against the seat. She has a lot of your features. I thought for sure she was yours. Do you have children?

Sylvia now lays the book in her lap but not before she closed it in a way that if books could shout it would of said "don't make come over there and answer this!"

Sylvia dons a smile of sort, prepare in as few words as possible to answer this question in a way that this chit chat may stop. 

Yes two daughters. One is twenty seven and the other is twenty five. They are married. I am a grand mother. They live in Colorado and I in New Mexico. I haven't seen them in years. We all have very busy lives.

Nettie pulled forward in her seat. Laid a hand on Sylvia's hands, which were on her book, and said. Bless you dear. I could see in the airport you are a very busy person. But too busy for your own? 

Sylvia wanted to get up and move before she started on her "Mind your own business" tirade. She had performed it so often to others that she now with great pride had almost perfected it. As she opened her mouth to let the words flow with finesse, Nettie squeezed her hands and said Love is a wonderful thing, it runs so deep within us that sometimes we can't find it hidden in our deepest recesses. But it is there. All we do is have to do is awaken it. It is funny how we build a hard outer shell to save our soft underbelly. The harder the shell the softer we are. 

Sylvia sat in pure silence. These words. These exact words were spoken to her years back as she sat next to her dying Nana. How could this total stranger know? She felt years of hardness melting away. Her soul felt as though a key had been found and inserted into her heart, turned and released memories that that flowed across her mind like a beautiful comet with a long tail made of love. 

They spoke no more. Both lost in deep thought.

After the plane touched down. Sylvia reached for her backpack and stood to retrieve her duffle bag. Her heart still heavy with the thoughts of her Nana and where she had let her life go. The walls she built. She reached out, touched Nettie's arm and said, Nettie, thanks. All the while thinking of how a old woman on standby opened her eyes.

Sylvia fumbled around in her bag and placed a call that was very unplanned. 

Carly this is your mom I just flew into Pueblo, you and your sister want to meet for dinner?