The Departure

“I’ll be leaving for the airport soon.”
“Ok. I’ll see you when you’re back.”
“Keith, should I reschedule my flight? At least it’s two days before the time. Are you sure you don’t want to come? I can…”
“No. Don’t worry. You can go. I‘ll just finish all I need to do.”
“But, she’s your daughter as well as mine. Don’t you think she deserves both of us there with her?”
“Look Sarah. I definitely know she’s my daughter, you don’t have to tell me that. I’m at a tight corner. I’m deeply engaged. Bad timing. I won’t be able to make it down.”
“So what do I tell her? So what do I say?”
“Just tell her I’ll chat her up. And please send my love to her. Well, we’ll definitely see her when she’s back.”
“Oh! Keith, please why are you doing this to yourself? Collins is likewise my son but we need to…”
“Please can we talk about that later. Bye.”
Sarah stands still and speechless for a while. She then pulls her luggage and heads for the airport.
“Oops! Sorry.”
“No problem.”

The man assists her to put her luggage in the overhead bin.

“Thank you so much.”
“No problem ma’am. It’s a pleasure.”
She takes her seat beside him.
“Ma’am you look anxious. Is this your first time? Spain is a nice place.”
“No. Not all. This is my second. The first time we were three on board. But, but one of us is gone. He’s taken a flight away.”
“Oh! Ma’am. So sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you.”

Collins had a fatal accident. He was about negotiating a bend when he collided with an oncoming vehicle. The driver was drunk and hallucinating. He was running away from the police.
If she had known. If she had had the premonition, she wouldn’t have allowed him go to the party. He had been on her neck. He said it was his first school party. Now Keith is finding it hard to come to terms with his death. All these she pondered.