Finding Andrew

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

          “Elizabeth!” mom called from down stairs. I mumble something incoherent and drag myself down stairs. “Yes mother dearest,” lathering my voice with a thick sarcastic tone. “Can you have Elise and Emma pack? They refuse to let me help because,” she does air quotes, “They’re too big.” “Yeah, I’ll go make a list of what I need and I’ll tell Emma to write out a list for her and Elise,” I trudge back up the steps and knock on Emma and Elise’s door. Elise yells, “Go away Mommy! We don’t need help.” I push the door open, “It’s not Mommy. I need help. Emma, do you think you could write two lists, one of what you want to bring on the trip, and one of what Elise wants to bring?” She nods. “I can’t wait to go swimming!” Emma says, and runs down the stairs to the kitchen where we keep the paper and pencils. I leave them with that and walk to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready to go. I get dressed quickly in pink yoga pants and an oversized black sweatshirt. I brush my teeth and call Emma and Elise to do the same, so I can pack up our bathroom. While they take turns brushing their teeth, I pull their hair into pony tails, because our flight takes off at nine tonight. I do the same to my hair, but add moose and hairspray so it stays in place.

I pack all three toothbrushes and enough hairspray, moose, and gel to last 3 months. I throw in my makeup, and my curler and straightener. I also grab all of our bathing suits from the bath tub and throw them in there too. I walk to my room and throw in another one of my bathing suits. I toss in my toothpaste and the children’s toothpaste as well. I put that bag by the front door. In my room I put 10 assorted color camis, seven or eight fashion tank tops, eleven pairs of shorts, a black dress, five or six short sleeved shirts, two sweaters, and a ton of pajama bottoms in my suitcase. I close up that suitcase and place it by the door. I grab the shoe suitcase and walk back up to my room. I throw in black high heels, a ton of flip flops, six sandals, and a pair of running shoes. I put it back by the door and grab my oversized purse. I put in all my necklaces, bows, earrings, nail polish, and flip flops. I grab my blanket and stuffed zebra and throw them down the stairs, my purse safely sits in my room, and I decide to throw in my smaller purse as well.  

          Back in Elise and Emma’s room, I pack ten t-shirts each, seven shorts each, six skirts each, all their tank tops, all their sandals, a pair of gym shoes each, and five pairs of socks. I hand them each their pillows and security blankets and have them sit on their beds. “Okay girls, we’re depending on you to stay with us at all, and I mean all times. Elise, you’re with me, no matter what. Emma, you’re with Daddy, okay? Always, always have these two things in your hands. Got it?” I say. They both nod. I bring Emma’s stuffed hippo and Elise’s stuffed giraffe down stairs with their suit cases. So all- in- all, we have my suit case, Mom’s suitcase, Emma and Elise’s suitcase, Dad and Ethan’s suitcase, the shoe suit case, our bathroom stuff, me and Mom’s purses, Emma and Elise’s blankets and pillows, and Ethan’s baby carrier and diaper bag. That ends up being five checked bags, and all of our carry on’s. Dad will take Ethan’s diaper bag, Mom and I have our purses, and Emma and Elise have their sleeping things. “Mom?” I call, “Want me to get Ethan up and ready?” She comes down the stairs, her hair soaking wet. “Please? I totally forgot. The airport is what, an hour away? Two? And we have to be there at least two hours early… Elizabeth! We have to leave at five, it’s already noon!” her face looks tense. “Mom, look, calm down. I’ll feed the girls and wake up Dad and Ethan. We’re all packed, okay? Take a breather, I decided you would be in charge of Ethan, Dad Emma, and me Elise, is that okay?” I say, she nods and I walk up the stairs. “Hey girls, what do you want for lunch?” I ask. “Mac and cheese?!” Emma says. “No! Grilled cheese!” Elise says. “What about both?” I say. “Yeah!” they say together, and rush down the stairs. I walk to Ethan’s room and pick him up, “Is the baby hungry?” He rubs his eyes and smiles when he recognizes me. I bounce him on my hip and walk into Mom and Dad’s room. “Dad, come on. We got to get ready,” I shake him. He sits up smiles, “Elizabeth, you’re so responsible. Thanks for helping out so much with this.” “I don’t mind, I’m going to feed the girls, can you pack the car?” He nods and gets out of bed. I walk down stairs with Ethan and put him in his high chair.

          After I make four grilled cheeses and two pots of macaroni and cheese, and poured two large handfuls of goldfish for Ethan, it’s already two in the afternoon. All the suit cases are in the car and Elise’s and Emma’s booster seats are covered by blankets and stuffed animals and pillows. My seat, way in the back of the SUV is half covered by luggage. I hope Grandma and Granddad’s house has enough room for all of this stuff.

          We ended up leaving on time. I’m in charge of boarding passes. Mom will have her hands full with Ethan, so Dad is taking his suitcase, and Emma and Elise’s. I have my suit case, my purse, and our shoe suitcase. Emma’s taking Mom’s suitcase and purse. Mom has Ethan and his stuff. Elise is in charge of blankets, pillows and stuffed animals are resting on top of miscellaneous suitcases.

          Security was a breeze, and now we’re sitting, waiting for our plane in the boarding area. Mom has her and Ethan’s, I have mine and Elise’s, and Dad has his and Emma’s. Everyone’s tired from a long trip, and I keep double checking to make sure I have my phone and everyone’s chargers. Finally, the plane comes in. “How much longer?” Elise whines. “Ten minutes,” I say, bouncing her on my lap. Thankfully, no many people are in the boarding area, and we’re in the A boarding group. “Now boarding, A-group, numbers 1-50,” a robotic voice says. We all stand and take our place in line. Mom and Ethan go first, Dad and Emma next, and me and Elise last. We all sit particularly close, all on one side, and in a line going backwards.  Elise fell asleep almost as soon as the plane took off. Ethan was asleep before we went through security, and Emma was too anxious to even shut her eyes long enough for her to blink. Everyone always says Emma’s going to get grey hair by the time she’s 20 because she stresses about everything.

          I turn off my phone and try to fall asleep for the two hour long plane ride, but I can’t. The plane’s uncomfortable and Emma’s basically panting behind me. “Emma!” I say, turning around, I notice her face is red. “Emma, do you need your inhaler?” Emma nods, “It’s being so high up. I would have asked but I thought you and Daddy were sleeping.” “This is important, you can always make me up,” I say, fishing for her inhaler in my purse. I pull it out and hand it to her. She takes two quick puffs, and hands it back, “Thank you.” I nod and turn back around. One hour down, one to go.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” a flight attendant says over the loud speaker, “The weather in Tampa, Florida is wonderful this evening; clear skies and just over 75 degrees! Please fasten your seatbelts and collect your belongings, we will be landing shortly.” I arouse Elise and Emma wakes up Dad, who turns around the wake up Mom. “Elizabeth,” Elise says, rubbing her eyes, “How far away is the drive to Grandma and Granddad’s house?” “I don’t know,” I admit. How far away is Brooksville from Tampa? Would Mom know? I decide to ask her when we’re waiting in the ‘arriving’ area. I wonder what Granddad and Grandma will be like. I have to focus, I can wonder later.

          The plane lands and we’re the last people to get off. We all make the trek to the baggage claim and Mom calls Grandma. She walks off to talk in private. We get all of our bags easily. We walk towards the ‘arrivals’ area, and wait for Granddad. “I can’t wait for you guys to meet my parents. Well the kids, Phil you’ve already meant them,” she says, almost giddy. I can’t remember when my mom started calling Dad ‘Phil’. Maybe when Emma started kindergarten, she used to always call him Dad around us. “Well Elise can’t wait to just sleep, probably you too Emma,” I point out. I can’t either, but I won’t admit that. We only have to wait about ten minutes before a large truck pulls up, with only a shadowy figure in the driver’s seat to satisfy our curiosity