Once in a Lifetime

Chapter Three

T

he exuberant day finally arrived when Aunt Hazel, her two daughters, and seven of her nieces would be flying to the country of Ireland. There was much laughter being heard from all the girls, who were traveling to Ireland with their Aunt Hazel. They would barely sit still thinking about the new adventure they were about to embark on. They made it to the airport in Atlanta with no problems. Aunt Hazel was still a little nervous about flying on such a big aircraft, but the others hugged her and said they would be right beside her and would help her to get over fear of flying.

When they called their group to board, they walked slowly down the ramp to board the plane. After finding their seats, they patiently waited until all the passengers were on the plane. The pilot came on the speaker saying they were ready for take-off in ten minutes. The girls glanced at their aunt to see if she was okay. She was fine except for the unusual expression on her confused face.

Lila and Freya were sitting on each side of Aunt Hazel to make sure she was okay. They thought she was okay until the plane began backing away from the terminal. They noticed Aung Hazel had a tight grip on the armrests making every knuckle in her hands a bright white.

Gin and Tam sat talking silently to each other while the others talked. They didn’t want their mom to be scared during her first flight. They knew she might just like it when they began flying.

Gin, you are a nurse. Is there something we can give her to calm her nerves?” Tam asked. They were concerned but thought everything would be okay.

“You know her. She wouldn’t take it if we told her to, plus it may give her some side effects because of her other medications,” Gin smiled.

“I didn’t think of that,” Tam said with a chuckle. “I think she will be okay after she is on the plane for a while. I’m sure Freya will talk to her a great deal, and that will get her mind off being so far up in the air. She’s not by a window, but in the middle of Freya and Lila. She knew they would take care of her.

“You’re right,” Gin laughed as she gazed at her sweet mom. “We will just have to play it by ear and see what happens.”

“Don’t worry, Miss Hazel, I will sit beside you,” Freya said with a mammoth smile. She would do anything for her aunt. Aunt Hazel knew she would be in good hands, so she would try her best to calm and talk to her nieces.

“It’s okay mama. We will all be on the plane with you, too. It’s not bad. You won’t even know you are in the air.” Tam and Gin thought that might ease her mind somewhat, and it did.

Carbo looked at her Aunt Hazel to see if she could cheer her up with a story, “I tried to get mama to come with us, but she didn’t want to spend that much money, plus she said if Jesus wanted her to fly, he would have given her wings.”

The laughter and stories made Aunt Hazel calm about getting on something that big to take her up in the sky. The others thought Aunt Hazel would be fine after the takeoff. They figured if they talk to her a lot, it might ease her mind.

They all heard the pilot when he picked up the microphone to say they would be taking leaving in ten minutes.

Aunt Hazel noticed Lila put her hand over hers making their aunt feel much better. Lila and Freya both began talking to her so she would get her mind off the plane ride.

The flight attendant came to the seats giving out a meal and a drink. Aunt Hazel heard the attendant ask Freya if she wanted the chicken or taco salad. Freya told her she would take the chicken and a Coke Zero. Lila got the taco salad and a Diet Coke. Aunt Hazel was next. She smiled and said she would have the chicken and iced tea. Being a Southern lady, she thought everyone had iced tea, but that was not to be.

“We don’t have iced tea, ma’am, but I could give you a Long Island iced tea,” explained the flight attendant with a silly smile filled with pearly white teeth. Aunt Hazel smiled at the attendant as she gazed at her pretty teeth.

“That’s okay,” Aunt Hazel had no clue what she just ordered.

Freya looked at her aunt and told her that drink had strong spirits in it. Freya thought Aunt Hazel was going to have a heart attack.

“Oh my, oh no. Thank you, Freya. I am so glad you corrected me. I would have been devastated if she brought that Devil drink to me. I can’t believe that. I will be more careful from now on.”

Gin leaned over the seat behind her mama and said, “Mama, don’t worry about it. We are all going to take care of you.” Gin began chuckling and couldn’t seem to stop.

Aunt Hazel amazed them all and brought smiles on all the nieces. They put their hands over their mouth, so they didn’t want any giggles to be heard. They would not hurt her feelings at all.

“Does not having iced tea mean there are not really fairies and Leprechauns still in Ireland?”

The flight attendant had a sweet smile and told Aunt Hazel, “Ma’am, almost everything could be possible.”

The answer made Aunt Hazel happy, so she proceeded putting her head on the tiny pillow and fell fast asleep. Everyone relaxed when she was getting some nice rest before they did all the walking.

“Wow! Who would think she didn’t need a med to make her sleep,” laughed Tam who couldn’t believe this flight could be so entertaining?