I slid my faded canvas bag off my shoulder and set it on the gray carpet next to gate fourteen at Reagan National Airport.

A family of four rushed past us pulling matching black suitcases.

The wheels clicked loudly over the metal floor grates.

The terminal smelled of jet fuel and warm cinnamon roasted nuts from the vendor cart by the escalator.

I pulled two crisp white ticket receipts for one hundred and eighty dollars each out of my pocket.

The printed ink showed a direct flight to Denver International Airport.

Two A and two B.

Boarding at one-fifteen in the afternoon.

Gate fourteen.

Sophie sat in the vinyl chair next to me with Oliver, her stuffed rabbit, tucked securely under her left arm.

She reached down to check the Velcro straps on her sparkly sneakers and traced her index finger over the purple painted heart on the right toe.

“Aunt Laura promised we can make chocolate chip pancakes tomorrow,” Sophie said.

Her words came out in a breathless rush.

She swung her feet back and forth above the carpet, gently kicking her heels against the metal chair legs.

“We have a whole week to make pancakes,” I said.

“I want to draw the horses behind Aunt Laura’s fence.

I packed my new coloring books in my yellow backpack.

The one with the farm animals.”