"I'll miss you GillyGirl" she says with the smallest tears streaming down from her baby blue eyes.
Gillian squats down and gives the biggest bear hug to her little sister. "I'll miss you too babe" Gillian says as warm tears fall from her face.
"Don't worry we will see you soon" their Dad tells Gillian, unfazed by both girls crying. He has already cried many times over sending Gillian back home on a plane. He thinks he has to stay strong now; for the younger one.
A bunch of girls rush through them making Gillian tip over and plop on the airport floor. "Sorry" one of the girls yell, as she continues with the stampede toward the escalator. They are all dressed very similar: Jean shorts, crop top and, some have flower crowns on; questionable attire for an airport if you ask me. Some are even running with signs in their hands. It always baffles Gillian when she sees people dressed nice at the airport. For her the best thing is to be comfortable on a long plain ride.
Gillian just laughs, "It's okay" she says still sitting on the floor. Grace cracks a smile through all those tears and then giggles. This turns into play time for Gillian, she straightens up her face. All serious like, she says "What are you laughing at?".
"Nothing" Grace says and continues laughs. Grace tips her head forward hoping her hair would cover that adorable little smile.
"It better be nothing" Gillian says and then grabs Grace, softly wrestling her to the ground in a big bear hug. Gillian's hair intertwines with Grace's as Gillian leans her head down to touch foreheads. "love you". Grace giggles and her squeeze in Gillian tightens
"Get off the ground, its dirty" they hear their father say but obviously ignoring him. "And people are staring". He is doing his best to hide his emotions.
"Love you too GillyGirl" grace whispers. Gillian rolls over onto her back having Grace lay on her stomach. "You should stay". Grace pleads as she moves to the sitting position on Gillian's stomach, as if to hold her down. Their father bends down and picks Grace up.
"We already went over this" there father says. Grace berries her head into his shoulder and mumbles, "she has school". Gillian stands up and lifts her backpack off the ground. Then she brushes the dirt off her homely looking, gray sweatpants and straightens her unbuttoned flannel.
They hear the girls that rushed by earlier all the way up stares, screaming. Well, it's more like shrieking. They all turn their heads up to the second floor just in time to see two other heads turn away from them fairly quick, as if they were trying to avoid being noticed "Justin Bieber better not be here" Gillian tells her father.
"You don't like Justin Bieber?" her father asks doubtfully.
"I just don't want to be the second hottest person on my flight" Gillian jokes, tugging on her flannel and gesturing at her clothing choice.
"Well, who could upstage you my darling" Her father jokes back "I mean your sweat pants are rolled up two different lengths on your legs. Vintage".
They all laugh and Grace finally looks happy enough to leave. When you leave you don't want to leave sad. "Okay one last big hug" Gillian says and slams into them. Her dad lets out a big huff and the cutest giggle escapes from grace. "got to go" Gillian says backing up from them and gestures to her plane tickets "the plane won't wait for little old me".
She heads for the escalator where she can still hear the faint cries of the overdressed girls. "One final wave to the fam" Gillian thinks then turns to wave and they are nowhere to be seen. It's okay. She's okay.
~
The last half hour has been a killer. The plane was supposed to depart 15 minutes ago and it hasn't even come in yet.
