He can’t be sending me back to Parkville. Then I wouldn’t need my passport. And wherever we’re going, it can’t be for more than one night. Tomorrow is the day that I leave. Deanna said she’d be here to pick me up at noon. David was there. He’s well aware of the deadline. Still, if he’s asking about my passport, it must be somewhere international? Maybe he’s taking me back to Niagara Falls, since I told him that story. He said he’d never been himself. That must be it.
I don’t want to get one of the nice new dresses David bought for me all dirty and rumpled traveling, so I throw on the flower-print dress I was wearing on that first night David and I met. The “Laura Ingalls” dress. It’s been washed. David insisted on having it sent down to housekeeping for cleaning, even though I told him it wasn’t necessary. But now I’m glad to have it. I wouldn’t want to run through the Las Vegas airport in one of the skimpy outfits I’ve gotten since I arrived.
“Miss Madison?” A male voice is calling from downstairs. Shoot.
“Coming!” I run into the bathroom and with a sweeping motion, shove the makeup products and other goods on the counter into the travel bag. Then I throw on my old sandals—the ones I had when I got here—and trot downstairs.
“Ready to go?” Mike is standing by the elevator door, smiling. I return his grin. I’ve gotten used to Mike’s calm and steady presence in the last week. Ben still scares me a bit but Mike truly seems to be a gentle giant. He puts his hand out to take my bag. “I’ll take that.”
“Yup!” I follow him into the elevator. “Do you know where we’re going?”
“Can’t say.” His face is impassive but the corner of his lip twitches ever so slightly, as if he were hiding a smile. His eyes are twinkling.
“Mike, you do know!” I can feel myself getting excited and I’m dying to know more.
“That doesn’t mean I can tell you,” he replies with a wink as he ushers me out the elevator door.
“Fine, I guess I’ll have to wait and see.” I scurry alongside Mike as he leads us through the casino. Just like yesterday, a black escalade is waiting for me out front. Today, though, a driver in a black cap and dark aviator shades is at the wheel. He steps out as he sees us approaching and holds the door open for me. Mike gives me a last wave once I’m settled in the seat. “Have a good trip, Miss Madison.” He says with a smile, and then steps back to see us off.
The drive to the airport is sure to be a fast one, with the major international hub located just five miles south of the Vegas strip. The driver remains mute on the way over and, feeling shy, I don't try to engage him in conversation. If trusty Mike wasn't going to tell me where I was headed, I doubt this stranger will.
I watch out the window as the casinos zip by, one massive multicolored building after the next. Eventually, the buildings disappear and it's just desert on either side, leading us to the open space surrounding the airport. I turn to catch sight of the famous “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign as we pass it.
Soon after, we're pulling up to the airport. I can see the national and international departure terminals and hold my breath as we creep towards them. We pass the national departures terminal and I exhale. Okay, so I was right. It's an international trip. Niagara, here I come. I prepare to climb out as we pull up to the doors marked international departures but then stop in confusion as the driver keeps going.
I try to catch the driver’s eye in the rearview mirror but with his sunglasses on, it’s impossible. Where is he taking me? My heart thuds loudly in my chest. Should I be worried? He proceeds to drive the car a bit past the main airport building. A long, high chain link fence separates the narrow road we’re on from the airplane runways on the other side. I catch sight of a large plane, just preparing to take off. Is he going to drive us right onto the runway? This anxiety isn’t doing anything good for me, so I resolve to just enjoy the ride and take a few deep, calming breaths.