“Secret missions are fun.”
I should have remembered those words later.
Secrets are fun only when everybody gets to laugh at the end.
After security, we waited until boarding had nearly finished before approaching the gate.
I kept expecting Darius to appear.
He didn’t.
We boarded successfully and slipped into row 31.
Caleb took the window seat.
He immediately pressed both hands against the glass.
“Can Dad see us from the cockpit?”
“No.”
“What if he looks backward?”
“Planes don’t work like cars.”
“What if there’s a mirror?”
“There isn’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Because if pilots needed rearview mirrors, air travel would be much more concerning.”
He considered that.
Then he accepted it.
Passengers continued boarding.
A flight attendant stopped near us.
Caleb looked at her.
Then at me.
Then back at her.
I knew exactly what he wanted to say.
I narrowed my eyes.
He slowly pretended to zip his lips shut.
