Tada!

They picked up Theo last. He was laying in the front yard, and the sprinklers were spraying over his body. When Rita honked the horn, he slowly raised his head, and trudged inside to get his luggage. His bags were tiny in comparison with the girls' luggage. They looked at the small burgundy rolling suitcase in awe and disbelief.
"You can't really be taking that!" Peggie said slowly.
"Dude, that's the size of my carry-on!" Rita announced loudly.
"Dude, don't say dude anymore," Peggie said sourly. Theo held a small backpack aloft in the other hand.
"That's as small as my purse!" Nicole squeaked. They all started to laugh.
"I'm glad you're amused," Theo growled. "I'm tired, so could you please just let me in so I can sleep? What the heck are you listening to?" He got into the car and slammed it shut.
"Death and the Angels. I'm going to be playing electric guitar for them when we get back, so I want to study up on their style and all."
"This has a style?" Theo scoffed. "Do you have headphones?"
"Yes," Peggie said cautiously.
"I suggest you put them to use. Does anyone have anything that sounds less like a cat being skinned alive and put into a blender inside the Death Star while it's exploding?" There was silence in the car.
"Wow, Theo, that was pretty poetic, there. You're right up there with Robert Frost." Rita had to admit to herself that Theo's description was an acurrate one. That was pretty much how the so called band sounded. They were better live, Rita decided. She peeked back at Theo, who had already fallen asleep. She smiled upon him for a moment, until Peggie caught her eye. She was sullen, and her high cheekbones seemed to be jutting out more than usual. She's clenching her jaw, Rita thought. I think she really likes that band! Nicole had taken the opportunity to put Enya back in. She handed the CD back to Peggie, who reached forward without a word and slid it into her CD player. Nicole bobbed her head a little, and closed her eyes. All was silent, but for the vocals in the song singing.
Sail away, sail away, sail away.
Rita let one tear drip down her nose as she thought of her parents, home alone with each other. They were all so isolated, and their daughter was sailing away without them.She didn't know that Theo was watching, and saw that single tear drop fall onto the steering wheel, and disappear into the leather. The airport was just far enough away that everyone in the car was drowsy but unrested upon arrival. Nicole expressed the hope that the airplane seats were as comfy as Rita's car seats. Peggie scoffed."In case you forgot, Mrs. Frugal over here decided that in order to conserve our money we should fly third class. We'd better get movies." Peggie was always grumpy when she was tired, and since the others hadn't fallen asleep in front of their doors the night before, they probably hadn't gotten a very good sleep. Except for Nicole, who seemed in good spirits, everyone was grumpy. Rita was missing her parents and her home already, Peggie was always grumpy, and who knew what was bugging Theo. Probably someone had asked him why he wasn't on the Cosby Show anymore. As if that were even original.The inside of the airport was white. Even though it was bright outside, the quartet had to blink upon entrance. Busy people rushed by them at high speeds, guards checked women's purses for bombs, buisnessmen and -women talked speedily on cell phones, children ran into the arms of parents, and they just stood. Rita felt her eyes glaze over as the excess of sounds and sights caused a sensory overload. Peggie was the first of all of them to recover. She pulled on Rita's arm.
"Come on, we're going to be late." She pointed at the line of people waiting to get their baggage checked. Rita followed, Theo close behind.
The once boxed in by the silver posts and red ribbons, Rita relaxed. She talked to her friends a little, and occasionally they would say something back, but mostly they just stood there. After about ten minutes in line, and they were headed towards the front, Rita looked around. Then looked again. "Where's Nicole?" she asked, whipping her head from side to side in earnest now.
"I dunno. Does it matter?" Theo said groggily. Rita elbowed him.
"Um, yeah, considering we're all traveling together, remember? We should probably stick together, don't you think?" She held her hands palms upwards, and sighed when she recieved no reply. "Watch my stuff, then, and save m place while I go look for Nicole." Peggie studied the ad that changed from Nokia to Kodak every few minutes. Theo couldn't take his eyes off the white tiled floor. "What a jolly bunch," she muttered as she dashed off in search of her wayward comrade. "If they're this bad now, I can't wait to see how they react to actual jet lag."
She thought about calling Nicole's name, but upon scanning the area she decided Nicole wouldn't be able to hear anything in the face of this dreadful din. She resolutely searched the crowd for the elf-like face of Nicole, but to no avail. She kept one eye on the now, of all times, quickly progressing line. Finally she caught a glimpse of a silk green scarf wafting around the next corner. She snatched a hold, and followed it to it's owner, Nicole. Using the scarf as a leash and not waiting for any explanations, Rita ran back into line just as it was her turn. Peggie and Theo the zombies had not kept watch over her luggage, but as she was there now, no harm was done. Rita glared after the two yawning youths, then smiled at the middle aged woman running the luggage check desk. Her blue nametag read "Hello, I'm Marge, how may I help you?"
"Hi, Marge," Rita said sunnily. Marge couldn't help but smile back. Rita was just that way.
"Hello, ma'am. Could I see your ticket please?" Marge smiled uncertainly. She didn't look like she smiled much. Rita nodded happily, as if there were nothing she would rather do. With any other person this would have seemed fake, but Rita actually meant it. "I'll also need your passport. Are you going to visit family?" Marge's voice sounded cracked and hoarse. She coughed. Smoker's cough, Rita thought, noticing the cigarette stains on the woman's fingers.
"No," Rita replied, still smiling. "I'm just going on a trip with some friends. We just graduated, you know, and thought this would be a good way to celebrate."
"Well, have a good time, sweetie. Next, please." She handed Rita her ticket and passport back, and gestured for Nicole to step up. Nicole smiled shyly, and mentioned that she was with Rita. That was all Rita heard before moving on the the next station, where her suitcase wold be x-rayed and loaded onto the plane. She'd felt a little twinge of something like guilt when Marge had called her sweetie. Eloise called her sweetie. So did Edward. She shook her head swiftly to shake out any unwelcome thoughts of home, and tried to make her gait more determined and less timid. She pretended that this was just another day, and that she traveled all the time. She almost believed herself by the time her luggage was out of her hand. Nicole caught up with her at the seats in the waiting area. Theo was laying across three chairs, and Peggie sat on the ground listening to Death and the Angels again.
"Why were you walking so fast? I wanted to tell you about that lady." Nicole took a breath.
"You mean Marge?" Rita looked at Nicole curiously. "What about her?"
"She was absolutely glowing when you walked away. She really seemed to like you. How do you do it?"
Rita laughed, but Nicole was serious. "What do you mean? All I do is talk to people. Anyone can do it."
Nicole shook her head, but Rita wasn't paying attention. Nicole was odd, anyway. Who cared what she said? Rita turned her gaze on Theo, and started to daydream-
"All passengers from section one boarding flight five eighty two to Italy, please board now, along with all children and handicapped." A few minutes later, section two was called. They were section three. Rita kicked Peggie, who glared, and put her hand on the side of Theo's chest to wake him. As soon as she touched him, his eyes flew open and peered into hers with a mixture of mischief and something else. She pulled away from him in a hurry, and said quickly "We're about to-" Again she was interrupted.
"All passengers in section three boarding flight five eighty two to Italy, please board now. All passengers in section three boarding flight five eighty two to Italy, please board now. Thank you, and have a nice day." Theo funbled for his ticket, and Rita raced after Peggie, who was already in line and about to hand her ticket and passport over to the ticketman standing outside the terminal. They were separated by five people. Rita watched as Peggie tossed her hair, took her ticket stub and passport, then hitch her backpack up on her shoulders. The balding man behind her gave the ticketman his ticket, and so did the hippie looking woman who carried a guitar case. The ticketman was forced to tell her that it was too big, but she insisted so strenuously, he let her go with a furtive glance to the guards, who didn't seem to notice. Rita hoped that she wouldn't have to sit next to that woman.
It was soon Rita's turn. She flashed a smile at the man, and he tore her ticket without comment. She breezed by him, and was soon entering the cramped interior of the plane. she thought with a shiver as she left the bridge that this was the last time for a while she would be touching American soil. She felt goosebumps raise. She was actually going! This was the only thought able so survive her other mixed up feelings. All her life she'd wanted adventure, and now, here she was, practically knocking on it's door. She pushed through people of all ages and colors. Some people were clearly Italian, and were on their way back home after a hopefully fun-filled vacation to America. Rita thought it was ironic that the plane carrying them home was the same one carrying her away from home. This thought didn't last very long in her mind. It clawed its way to the surface, only to take a breath and flounder back under again, under the pressing flow of I'm actually going! I'm finally going! I'm actually finally going! When she saw her seat (it was a window seat) she couldn't resist lettng out a little whoop of joy. The mother, holding the hands of two small children, smiled a little at the blonde's excitement. She sat down in the next isle.
"Is this your first plane trip?" she asked Rita when she had settled her bleary-eyed children into their seats.
"Yeah," Rita said sheepishly. "Does it show?"
"Only a little," the woman laughed. "I remember my first plane ride. I was so scared, I jumped at every jolt. I'm more used to it now. I'm a stewardess. Not now, of course. I'm going home. We moved to Italy two years ago, my husband and I, and we love it. I hope you enjoy your stay as much as we have. I'm Martha, by the way." She leaned across the isle to shake hands. No one was passing through, so they didn't hinder anyone's voyage to the back of the plane.
"I'm Rita. I just graduated from high school, and decided todo something before I got locked into college. My friends and I just decided to leave a few days ago. I hope everything goes all right for us. How old are your children?" Rita looked fondly at the sleeping kids, one of which had the pattern from his blanket impressed upon his face. "I don't have any siblings, so I love to hear about kids."
"That's Joe," Martha said, pointing to the pale blond boy with the marks from the blanket, "He's three. June is six." She patted the head of her daughter, who's hair was as blonde as her brother's. They were both very fair-skinned, as was their mother. Martha's jet black hair was in sharp contrast to their blond, though. "They're used to flying, so they won't put up a fuss, or anything."
Rita smiled at Joe and June. "I wasn't worried. They look like little angels."
Peggie came up the aisle looking decidedly upset. She sat heavily in the seat behind Rita, and huffed. "I accidentally sat in the wrong seat. You'd think that the guy would be okay with it, and just let me leave, but no, he has to go on and on about the carelesness of youth these days, and how spoiled I am. I finally told him that he didn't even know me, so leave me alone. That shut him up." She looked really ferocious, and Martha started to turn away, but Rita said, "Martha, this is my friend Peggie. Peggie, this is Martha and her two children, Joe and June." She gestured toward first the boy, then the girl, and Peggie tried to smile politely before turning her headphones back on.
"Sorry, she's a little grumpy. I don't think she's gotten very much sleep lately. She's a little bearish anyway." Rita rolled her eyes grandly. "Anyway, I don't want to bore you, so I'll just wish you a safe and happy journey." Martha nodded, and reached into a bag. She pulled out a paperback novel, and was dead to the world in a few minutes.