Chapter 19 - The Airport.Cole drove Maggie to the airport.
Ben came too.
Six months earlier, Cole would have avoided bringing him.
He would have believed protecting Ben meant avoiding the goodbye.
Now he knew better.
Maggie had two suitcases.
Ben stared at them suspiciously.
“Those are big.”
“I have a lot of shoes.”
“Why?”
Maggie looked at Cole.
“Excellent question.”
At the terminal, Ben became quiet.
Announcements echoed.
Travelers rolled luggage past them.
Cole felt old memories return.
Airports had once been where he felt most powerful.
Every departure meant another contract.
Another problem to solve.
Another place where people needed him.
Now he saw the building through Ben's eyes.
People hugging.
People separating.
Doors closing.
Maggie crouched.
“Okay.”
Ben immediately wrapped his arms around her.
She held him.
No jokes.
No fake mustache.
No distraction.
Just goodbye.
Ben whispered.
“Thanksgiving.”
“Yes.”
“You promised.”
“Yes.”
“You wrote it.”
“Yes.”
“Dad has the board.”
Maggie looked at Cole.
“I know.”
Ben released her.
Then hugged her again.
Maggie laughed through tears.
Cole looked away.
When she finally stood, she faced him.
“Well.”
“Well.”
“Keep the schedule.”
“I will.”
“Don't let him eat cereal for dinner three nights in a row.”
“No promises.”
“Cole.”
“Fine.”
“One night.”
She smiled.
Then her expression softened.
“Natalie would be proud of you.”
Cole's eyes lowered.
“I don't know.”
“I do.”
He looked at her.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For staying.”
Maggie shook her head.
“Thank me by not needing me to.”
Cole smiled.
“That sounded very much like something Natalie would say.”
“I learned from the best.”
They hugged.
Ben made a disgusted face.
“Too long.”
Maggie laughed.
Then she walked toward security.
Ben watched.
Cole did not rush him.
Maggie turned once and waved.
Ben waved back.
Then she disappeared around the corner.
Ben's hand immediately found Cole's.
“She disappeared.”
Cole crouched.
“She went around the corner.”
“Same thing.”
“Feels the same for a second.”
Ben looked up.
“But we know where she's going.”
“Boston.”
“And when she's coming.”
“Thanksgiving.”
“And we can call.”
Ben nodded.
Cole smiled.
“That's the difference.”
They walked toward the parking garage.
Halfway there, Ben stopped.
“Daddy?”
“Yeah?”
“You used to go here a lot.”
“I did.”
“Did Mommy come?”
“Sometimes.”
“Did I?”
“When you were little.”
“I am little.”
Cole smiled.
“Smaller.”
Ben considered that.
“Did you like leaving?”
Cole thought.
“Sometimes.”
Ben looked surprised.
“Why?”
“Because work made me feel important.”
“Am I important?”
Cole stopped walking.
He crouched until they were eye level.
“You are more important than anything I ever got on a plane for.”
Ben absorbed the sentence.
“Even fourteen million?”
Cole stared.
“Who told you that number?”
“Grandma.”
Cole sighed.
“Especially fourteen million.”
Ben smiled.
They drove home.
The house felt different without Maggie.
Too quiet.
At dinner, Cole burned grilled cheese.
Ben complained.
At bath time, Cole used too much bubble soap.
The bathroom nearly overflowed.
At bedtime, Cole could not find the blue pajamas.
They were in the dryer.
Ben wore green ones instead.
Nothing went smoothly.
But Cole was there.
Ben climbed into bed.
Not the crib.
The crib had been removed the previous week.
His first real bed sat against the wall.
Cole tucked in the blanket.
Ben looked around.
“It's quiet.”
“I know.”
“I miss Maggie.”
“Me too.”
“Can we call?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Because schedule?”
“Because it's late in Boston.”
Ben nodded.
Cole stood.
“Good night.”
Ben immediately spoke.
“Dad?”
Cole stopped at the door.
“Yeah?”
“Where are you tomorrow?”
Cole smiled.
“Breakfast here.”
“Office until four.”
“Home for dinner.”
Ben looked relieved.
“And if something breaks?”
“Miguel.”
Ben laughed.
Cole switched off the main light.
The night-light remained.
He stepped into the hallway.
For a few seconds, he waited.
Nothing.
No crying.
No calling.
He walked toward his room.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
Cole almost ignored it.
Then answered.
“Hello?”
A man's voice spoke.
“Mr. Mercer?”
“Yes.”
“This is Dr. Patel from St. Matthew's.”
Cole stopped walking.
His pulse changed.
“We have Ruth Hammond here.”
Cole's blood went cold.
“What happened?”
“She's conscious.”
“But she listed you as an emergency contact.”
May you like
Cole looked toward Ben's room.
After months of teaching his son that leaving did not mean disappearing, Cole suddenly faced the hardest version of that lesson yet.
