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"What?"
"John Coleman. He showed us his airline itinerary, and he's going to be in Memphis for the next four days. His trip is a week-long, apparently. Jacob said there's really nothing we can do since he's being compliant and there was no former legal action taken against him."
"Yeah, I'm… I…"
"So, I was thinking you should just go."
"Go where?" I asked, feeling genuinely confused in that moment.
"To California with my son. To Owen. He wanted you to leave with him in the first place, and I don't think I should keep you here anymore. I'm not scared of that guy, but I don't want to chance you running into him. I think you should just get out of Memphis for now."
Chapter 20
Delta offered two non-stop flights from Memphis to LAX that very same day.
One departed at twenty minutes before noon, and the other was at eight o'clock that evening. I didn't think I had time to make it there for the morning flight, but I gave it a shot. I left the clinic and went straight to the airport.
Charlie had it set up for one of the techs to drive me, and Shep insisted that he ride along. Charlie gave me a thousand dollars in cash from a drawer in his office before I left. I didn't want to take it, but he insisted, making me tuck it away in my wallet. I also had a credit card.
I left work and headed straight for the airport. If I missed this flight, I would get on the next one, later tonight, but I went to the airport without packing in case. I ran, and I made it there in time to buy a ticket for the early flight, barely.
The flight would arrive at LAX just after 2pm.
I bought a ticket and jogged to my gate. I had a small purse with me that I always carried. In it were my wallet with my ID, my credit card, and cash that Charlie had given me. And otherwise, I had nothing. I felt empty and naked.
I prayed for strength, and I thought about drawing confidence from God rather than myself. I wasn't sure of the verse, but somewhere in the Bible I was pretty sure it said that His strength was made perfect in my weakness. So even thoughI felt unprepared and maybe a little weak, I knew I could rely on strength that wasn't my own. I knew I could keep going. Deep down, I knew that everything was going to be fine.
I glanced at the airport windows as I approached the gate. They were partially reflective, and I could see myself. I was wearing a pair of dark grey scrubs because that was our uniform at the clinic. My hair was half-up in two small buns on the top of my head with the rest of it hanging in loose curls on my shoulders.
I arrived at the gate and the attendant told me that the flight had already boarded and that I should go ahead and make my way onto the plane since they were waiting for me. It was all so rushed and spur of the moment that I didn't have time to let Owen know what was going on.
Then suddenly, I was on an airplane to Los Angeles, and no one in California knew I was coming. I was at a loss for words when I finally sat in my seat and composed a text to Owen.
Me:
Hey. John came to Memphis. Everything's fine. I'm not scared or anything. He'll be here for a week and so your dad put me on a one-way flight to come see you in California until he's gone. I am on a plane now. I have the address to the house you're renting, so I'll get there, and then we can talk about where I'll stay moving forward.
I didn't hear back from Owen in the minutes while the plane was still on the runway. It was still early in California, and I knew he was on set working.
We spent over four hours in the air, and by the time I landed and turned on my telephone, I had two text messages from him.
Owen:
I talked to Dad. Thank you for coming. I would have felt helpless if you had stayed over there. I love you. So glad you're on your way. I can't wait for you to get here. See you in a little while.
Then I scrolled to the second message.
Owen:
Dad sent me a link to your flight, and I've been keeping an eye on it. I'm done for the day at work, so I'm coming to the airport to get you. We'll pick you up outside.
Just as I was reading it, a third message came in.
Owen:
We're in traffic. So frustrating. The GPS says twenty minutes. Just wait for us at the pick-up area. I'll text when we're pulling up.
Me:
