Surprise Visit

 “It’s funny,” she said, “You’ll have something to write about in your scribbles.”

I couldn’t see the humor at the time, but here I am writing about Kelly’s visit.  She was right.

I’ve been telling people that Kelly came as a surprise visit.  It was a surprise for me though we had planned it out before Christmas.  I’ve restarted my bullet journaling for the New Year but didn’t have anything going to write it in back then.  My 2021 calendar didn’t arrive until January 9, so there wasn’t anything written there either.

Mike and I woke up early Sunday morning to hold a sunrise readers service for the family before he piled in my car with Sophia, Basil, Jonah, Xenia, and Justin on a quest to find snow in western Texas.  While they were gathering up their gloves and hats, I filled my car up with gas and picked up bagels for the kids and coffee for Mike and Sophia.  After they took off, I went to church at St. Barbara’s by myself, filled Sophia’s car up with gas, and then headed over to my friend Magdalena’s house with some Tex-Mex take-out for our Hallmark afternoon get-together.  The heroine had just met the man she was destined to marry, after baking a pan of cookies, when Kelly texted me.

“Smiling face don’t forget to pick me up Smiling face.”

I could have said anything, but Kelly brings out the honesty in me.

I texted back, “I totally forgot about you!” and “I’ll be there!!!!”

When Mike asked me if I wanted to join them, I thought it was a dread of being cold and miserable in the snow managing the children that made me say no.  Sophia volunteered to wrangle her siblings and be the alternate driver.  Sometimes she’s much more patient than me, and there was a chance that she’d have a lot of fun with her siblings too.  Perhaps Kelly was in my subconscious thoughts, and somehow, I knew that being three to four hours away from the airport that day was a bad idea.

I hadn’t slept well the night before and had gotten out of bed early.  After the movie was over and the heroine went back to the cute historic inn owned by the right man to marry and they kissed, I drove to Joshua’s family’s house, where Esther and Joshua were playing games with his family, and traded Sophia’s sedan with the minivan which is more my comfort level for driving to Dallas.  Then I came home and fell into a deep sleep.  The forty-minute alarm woke me up.  I stumbled out of bed and sleep-walked while pushing yet another load of laundry through.

Kelly texted again when I was sitting in the driveway.

“I’m on the plane waiting for takeoff smiling face.”

I text rambled, “I’m in the driveway about to head to the airport via Starbucks.  I’ll be early so maybe I can nap.  Oh, and gas.  I must get gas.  I’m driving a dark grey minivan.”

I arrived at the Love Field Airport, my favorite airport, an hour before the flight was due.  I listened to a special episode from DUST the people who did the CHRYSALIS podcast that Basil and I binged listened to on our way to and from Mom’s grave the week before.  It’s the best action/story podcast I’ve heard in forever.  Then I played a bubble game on my phone and scrolled through Facebook.  The only thing I didn’t do was look up Kelly’s flight and see the progress, which would have saved us half the confusion of the day.

She texted me when she arrived.  I texted back and left the cell phone waiting area to get to the terminal.  It was crowded as usual, and I fought to get a place on the curb. 

Kelly texted, “Omygish it’s so nice outside!!!  I’m in a red jacket next to a bench and crosswalk.”

I called her and begged her to walk down my way.  There were so many cars up ahead.

She tried to convince me that there weren’t any cars by her and if I would just drive forward there would be room for me.

We hung up.  She walked.  I waited.  We had the same conversation again.  Repeat.

Then she said, “Are you sure you are at the right level?”

“There’s only one level.  There’s only one terminal.  Wait…what airport are you at?”

Yep.  I had gone to the entirely wrong airport.  I felt horrible.  What a lame friend to forget she was arriving and then make her walk around and be at the entirely wrong airport.

That’s when she told me I’d find it all funny someday.

I still wasn’t seeing the humor when she came in the door and the kitchen was in shambles and there wasn’t a place for her to put her suitcases because Sophia hadn’t been given notice to vacate the guest room.

“Let’s get out of here.” I said and drove us to Tricky Fish for some dinner.  We walked into the restaurant when it occurred to me that I didn’t have my wallet which was in my purse, hanging by the garage door.  The door we hadn’t gone through since we were in the minivan and not in my car.  That’s when I laughed.

“I’m so sorry.  I can’t do anything right by you today.” I said.

“Don’t worry about it!  I’ll pay for dinner.”

Kelly got to be the great friend who forgives all and makes everything better.

The family got home about the same time we did, and Sophia had her stuff moved out in a few minutes and changed the sheets.

Kelly stayed for only three days, but it was plenty of time to eat good food, drive out to the monastery to see Mom’s grave, binge watch “The Queen’s Gambit” with Sophia, and have several heart-to-hearts.  We aren’t good long-distance friends, but we can pack a year’s worth of laughter and tears into seventy-two hours.  She left me filled up on fellowship and five pounds heavier on chocolate.  It was a wonderful visit.  I can’t wait to see her again.  She can surprise me anytime.