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Chapter One A stewardess called our flight and we both got reluctantly to our feet. Was it too late to suggest we turn tail and run home? I wondered. It probably was. I didn't think the people in Chicago were going to take pity on us and let us go home. Our tickets were heading for Los Angeles and there was no way we could change that now. So we joined the queue and began following the herds down into the 'plane. At the doorway, a stewardess stopped me, grabbed for my passport and ticket without asking and looked me up and down, as if she thought I was trying to travel on a fake ID. I smiled, she did not. Chewing gum really loudly into my face she shouted something at the girl behind her. I didn't realise it at the time but she was shouting out my passenger number. Her friend, just as unfriendly, barked back my name. The gum-chewing girl looked me up and down and then pushed my passport and ticket back into my hand. No word that she was finished with me, she grabbed for Lucy's ticket and I was ushered forward. This time I did wait for Lucy. Now I knew she was as afraid as I was it seemed cruel to leave her behind. And this time, no gun-toting security guard told me to move along.
Lucy and I descended into the 'plane together and took our seats in the centre aisle. It was going to take another five hours to get to Los Angeles. I wished the 'plane would be grounded. I wished for bombs to fall from the sky and stop us from going anywhere but home. Instead the engines roared to life and Lucy took my hand in hers. We were heading West whether we liked it or not.
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