Chapter 10 - The Christmas Flight
Exactly one year after the flight that changed my life, snow was once again falling heavily over Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Terminal B was bustling with holiday travelers, families carrying presents, children laughing, and Christmas carols playing softly over the loudspeaker system.
I walked down the concourse toward gate twenty-eight, wearing a comfortable wool overcoat, holding five-year-old Luke by his right hand, while Violet rode comfortably on my shoulders, holding her gray stuffed elephant—which now wore a tiny silver bow tie.
Beside me walked Cassandra, her hand tucked securely into my arm, her diamond-and-emerald wedding band catching the warm terminal lights. She was six months pregnant with our third child—a little boy we had already decided to name Samuel, after my father.
We reached the gate for our flight to Denver, where my mother, Cassandra's family, and our closest friends were waiting to celebrate Christmas together at our Boulder estate.
The gate agent called for priority boarding.
"First class and passengers with small children may now board," the agent announced.
I looked at Cassandra with a warm, mischievous smile.
"First class?" I asked teasingly, pointing to the priority lane.
Cassandra laughed, shaking her head as she took Luke's other hand.
"Not a chance, Prescott," she smiled, pointing toward the main economy line stretching down the concourse. "Row twenty-eight, seats A, B, C, and D. That's our row."
As we walked down the jet bridge together, the cold winter wind whistled softly against the exterior of the aircraft.
We stepped onto the plane. The flight attendant standing at the door looked at us with a bright, welcoming smile.
"Merry Christmas!" she cheered. "Welcome aboard!"
"Merry Christmas," I replied, stepping down the narrow center aisle of the aircraft, holding my daughter's hand on my shoulder while my son marched proudly ahead of us, holding his mother's hand.
We reached row twenty-eight.
I helped Cassandra into her window seat, carefully stowed our bags in the overhead bin, and lifted Luke into the seat beside his mother. Then I sat down in the aisle seat, pulling Violet onto my lap as she snuggled against my chest.
Luke pulled a new pack of crayons from his small backpack and held up a bright red one, showing it to me with his signature dimpled smile.
"Look, Daddy," Luke giggled, holding the crayon tight. "I got it."
I leaned down, pressing a soft kiss onto his forehead, then looked across at Cassandra, whose hand reached over the armrest to fold securely into mine.
May you like
"You got it, buddy," I whispered, looking around at my wife, my daughter, and my son as the plane's engines hummed to life, preparing to take us home. "We all did."
And as the aircraft lifted smoothly into the dark, snow-filled sky, carrying us toward a future built on love, truth, and grace, I closed my eyes and let out a deep, peaceful breath—knowing that I was finally, forever, exactly where I belonged.
