Chapter 140: Uplifting Note

The JFK’s airport waiting area was as bustling as one would expect it to be.

The constant shuffle of passengers...

The occasional rumbling of wheeled suitcases against the tiled floors...

The seemingly endless stream of announcements cascading through the speakers...

All of it contributed to the familiar airport atmosphere.

Naturally, Aiden, Clarissa and the rest of the gang were amongst those seated in wait for their flight to LA to be called up over the speakers.

At the same time, they all sat within the line of sight of one another, their parents and guardians seated next to them as they all individually and respectively engaged with them.

Theo was currently petting his younger siblings on the head as they sat next to him--a girl and a boy, both of whom were twins and looked to be in perhaps their fourth grade of elementary school.

They also seemed to have cried their eyes out upon realizing their big brother would be gone for quite a while.

Emily--his mother--sat next to them with a warm smile, though the redness and puffiness of her eyes was enough evidence that she’d done her fair share of crying as well.

Casper sat next to Daisy, the lady leaning her head against his shoulders as they made small talk.

Though his girlfriend wasn’t going to Pacific Heights, she’d come to see him off nonetheless.

Larry was in a discussion with his mother, both of whom were gesturing animatedly as their father simply listened in, a light smile on his features.

One would think Benjamin lived in an extended family--what with how almost every uncle and aunt he’d ever mentioned were equally around to see him off with their own kids alongside his own family.

From time to time, they were also pulling on his cheeks like he was their personal teddy bear, the youth clearly drowning in familial love.

Clyde’s parents were the most reserved of the bunch, the bespectacled family of three interacting like they were on some detective work at the airport.

Not that it stopped the occasional smugness from reaching their eyes and touching their lips as they bounced off one another. Clearly, Clyde’s sassiness ran in the family.

As for Clarissa, well she was currently cooing at her little brother whose head kept bobbing around in curiosity as they sat next to her parents whom were having a conversation of their own.

Clearly, this wasn’t their first rodeo at the airport, and neither was the experience of having their daughter travelling out of New York novel, especially given the career path she’d chosen.

Perhaps the only difference this time, was that her stay would be extended. But then again, Clarissa had a whole lot of wealthy family members sprinkled around the world.

LA happened to be one of them, so she was clearly in safe hands.

Having already interacted with one another upon arrival moments earlier though, each youth figured they’d spend the last few minutes they had interacting with their loved ones before their flight was announced.

Interspersed amongst them were other passengers waiting to board the plane as well.

Some were busy scrolling through their phones, others were engaged in casual conversations, whilst a few simply sat back and took in the surroundings.

"Hey, Pops?" Aiden casually called out to his father as they observed the hustle and bustle of people moving around.

"Yeah, Champ?" Richard replied without turning his head around.

"Are you tearing up?" the coal-haired youth asked, angling his head slightly, a hint of amusement creeping into his tone.

"Nah. Just got some dust in my eye, is all." his old man casually defended, refusing to so much as glance in his direction.

"Right, right," Aiden bobbed his head softly in mock understanding then threw in;

"Must be some pretty stubborn dust, then."

"Watch it, smartass." Richard jokingly chastised him and the youth couldn’t help but let out an amused chuckle.

It was also in that moment his Pops happened to look over, only to see that his son’s eyes were misty as well.

So, he decided to return the favor, his tone insinuative and his brows arching smugly;

"Dust, eh?"

"Very stubborn dust. Don’t forget that." Aiden corrected with a raised finger, one that prompted he and the old man to share a soft, genuine laugh.

"I doubt it’ll take long before you see me again though," the youth tilted his head slightly.

"I mean, your pockets are gonna be pretty full before the year’s end, so..." Aiden’s voice trailed off as he added with a light shrug of his shoulders.

At the rate Death Wish was growing, and the rate SlurpPAK was expanding their distribution service, it really was a no-brainer that he would soon be in the greens, hence his almost cocksure statement.

"That so? And that’s accounting for any unplanned wrenches?" Richard remarked rhetorically, his tone intrigued.

"You wouldn’t want me to raise a red flag by saying otherwise, now would you, Pops?" the youth angled his gaze towards the man with a light smirk.

"Well, you did piss off my old man, so..." Casper whom had remained largely quiet as he sat on Richard’s other side casually pitched in with a gesture of his shoulders.

"See. He gets it." the middle-aged father pointed at his son’s blonde-haired friend, his tone supportive.

"Eh. Minor complication." Aiden waved off their worries with a brief shooing motion of his palm.

At that exact moment,

[Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We are now ready to begin boarding American Airlines Flight 1234, service to Los Angeles International Airport...

Passengers seated in Groups 1 and 2, as well as those requiring special assistance, are invited to proceed to Gate 42 at this time...

Please have your boarding passes and identification ready for inspection. We kindly ask that all remaining passengers stay seated until...]

"Well, that’s our cue." Aiden slowly rose to his feet, as did his Pops, Clarissa and her parents, and the rest of the gang alongside their guardians.

Quickly, they all began pulling their luggage and slinging their travel bags over their shoulders, each of them making their way over to the gate.

As Aiden trailed behind the rest of his buddies and girlfriend, Richard then remarked, hands tucked into his pockets;

"Ah, airports. The only place where you can be grounded and still be miles above everyone else."

"Pops, c’mon!" Aiden suddenly whipped his head around, an unexpected laugh escaping him.

"What? I thought it would be pretty fly to send you off on an uplifting note?" Richard doubled down.

Aiden leaned his head back this time, his tongue rolling around the insides of his mouth and his stare carrying the weight of a long-suffering sigh mixed with clear amusement as he asked;

"How long you been cooking that one up?"

"This morning actually. It’s pretty good, right?" Richard smugly owned up, his smile reflecting the almost childish sense of pride swelling in his chest.

"Eh... I give it a six out of ten." Aiden gestured with a vague, finnicky gesture of his palm, his eyes squinty and judgmental.

"That’s bollocks and you know it." Richard defended with both arms crossed over his chest.

"Sure, sure," Aiden sarcastically remarked with a roll of his eyes.

"I’d better get a move on before that joke becomes the only thing taking off today." he casually threw in without batting an eye...

...one that had Richard’s eyes widen in clear delight as he let out a hearty laugh whilst remarking;

"See! You’re learning from the best! Haha!"

Granted several individuals were now sparing them weird glances, father and son found themselves sharing one last laugh without the slightest care in the world for where they were.

As for Clarissa and the rest of the gang, they simply looked on in clear amusement tinged with mild curiosity, as did their parents.

Following that, both parties went in for a warm hug, Aiden whispering into his Pop’s ears;

"I’ll make you proud."

"I know you will," Richard patted him briefly on the back in assurance, then added;

"But, always remember to make yourself proud first and foremost, Aiden. Never forget that."

"I won’t," the youth promised, then added, his voice sincere;

"Thanks, Dad."

"Don’t mention it." Richard replied as they disentangled from the hug, a clear mistiness on their eyelids.

Lest he missed his flight, Aiden promptly resumed walking, his back facing his old man as he waved a hand;

"Oh, and don’t forget, Pops! Convenience store near Penn Station. Tell Rachel I wish her safe delivery!"

"Roger that, Champ!" Richard ticked a hand off his head as he watched his son vanish into the sea of crowds.

Wiping the tears that were threatening to fall from his eyes, the middle-aged man slowly turned around and proceeded to head out himself, as did the others whom had come to see their kids off.

Slipping into his vehicle a few minutes later, the man briefly looked to the glove compartment and opened it up.

In it, was an envelope addressed to the woman Aiden had reminded him about.

Glad to see that it was still safely tucked in, Richard looked to the airport terminal one more time with a warm smile, a fuzziness to his chest and his thoughts much the same;

’You’ve already made me proud, Champ. Several times over.’

Igniting the engine of his vehicle, the man smoothly pulled out of his parking spot and began his drive down to Penn Station to deliver his son’s parcel to the woman in question.

Meanwhile, Aiden had already boarded the plane, the youth shuffling in alongside his girlfriend and the rest of his buddies.

Then, after all the usual protocols were followed and everyone had properly settled in, their long six-hour flight to LA began.