Loveday Writing

The brief of the AWC Furious Fiction – December 2023 short story competition was as follows:

• Your story must take place at either an AIRPORT or TRAIN STATION.
• Your story must feature an awkward hug.
• Your story must include the words EIGHTEEN, EGG, and ELEPHANT.

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Arrivals & Departures

I’ve never liked airports.

It’s mainly because I’m always saying goodbye to someone in them, whether it’s my cousins as their holiday and the fun we’ve had together has ended, my husband when he’s gone on business trips and left me alone and me to him when I had to fly across the country for my mother’s funeral, or my daughter, Courtney, when she left the country at eighteen to take a gap year and never came back.

I really hated airports that day.

When the final call echoed around us, I tearfully gave her as tight a hug as I could. She used to squeeze me so tightly when she was little, but all she could give me before she boarded was a couple of unenthusiastic light taps on the back followed by the words “mum, I’ve gotta go now.” She barely turned her head back as she waved goodbye. Gone was the sweet, huggable baby and what was leaving was a grown young woman, making her in the way world, indifferent to my tears. I haven’t been back to an airport since.

Until now…

I sat myself down once I heard the announcement echo that the flight was going to be delayed for half-an-hour. I’ve waited this long, what’s another 30 minutes? I watched as everyone else around me saw their loved ones arrive, jumped up and down with joy, and embraced them. Their loved ones don’t know how lucky they are to receive such a warm embrace.

“Nanna! It’s Nanna!”

I’d heard that voice before, but only from a phone and laptop speakers and in my dreams, it was the sound of an angel.

“Nanna! We’re here!”

My little angel, Isabel, four-years-old, tight blonde curls tied up, wearing purple shorts and a yellow shirt, with her little arms out, a stuffed toy elephant in her left hand and an Easter Egg in the other. Her little legs ran as fast as they could, bringing her towards me. When she gets to me, she hugs me as tightly as she can, even though her arms can’t totally reach yet.

“Hi Mum, she really couldn’t wait to meet you.” Courtney said, almost apologetically, with a tired smile on her face, and hugging me as tightly as she used to, my little girls were finally home.