The Farewell

After dinner, Chris and John helped Kate carry her bags into Tony’s rental Chevy truck. They’d already taken photos together with Laura’s mobile phone, thanks to Wendy the unofficial photographer.

When it was time to head to the airport, Kate joined Tony in the back seat of the truck while Charles sat on the passenger side beside the driver. Her parents and Wendy followed them in their car, while Chris and his family returned to their home in Prime Valley.

“This feels surreal, doesn’t it?” Tony said conversationally.

“It does,” Kate agreed. She felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension about this next phase of her wild adventure.

“I know this might sound a bit strange, but I admire your bravery,” said Tony.

Kate chuckled softly and said, “I’m not sure bravery is the right word to describe what I’ve just done. I don’t quite have a word for it yet, but it surely isn’t bravery.”

Tony nodded slowly and smiled. And then he said, “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I sensed some kind of tension between you and your brother.”

Kate shrugged and said, “Normal sibling rivalry, I guess. Only ours is a little deeper than that.”

“Care to share?” Tony asked her cautiously.

“Sure, why not? We’re married now, aren’t we?” Kate answered lightly and Tony smiled.

“So, the thing is, Chris has always been the golden child,” Kate began. “He was the perfect kid who ate his vegetables and spoke politely to grownups, a straight-A student, the homecoming king, the captain of the school basketball team in high school and college, the valedictorian, the award-winning accountant, and one of the best financial auditors in Wyoming.

"And now, he’s married to his high school sweetheart, has a baby, and makes an honest living working in a bank as a regional branch manager. He is by all standards the model son anyone could ever dream of having.”

“What about you?” Tony asked her.

“Me? I’m a picky eater with a chip on my shoulder, I was just an average student in school who always got compared to my superstar big brother. I studied Marketing in college and worked in an advertising agency for two miserable years.

"When I couldn’t take it anymore, I quit and went to a culinary school in Sheridan where I earned the right to be called a party chef. My mother still hasn’t forgiven me for throwing my career away to be a baker, as she calls it.”

Tony chuckled and said, “I guess you’re the black sheep of the family then.”

“More or less,” Kate agreed. “Living in Chris’ shadow sort of made me work really hard to carve out my own identity. One perfect child is enough for the family, isn’t it?”

“Is that why you and your brother aren’t very close?” Tony asked her.

Kate scoffed and said, “Chris thinks he’s my third parent even though he’s only two years older than me. He expects me to run everything by him and seek his approval about everything even if Mom and Dad have already given me the green light. He gave me the most heat when I quit my corporate job to pursue my culinary passion.”

“Do you resent him for that?” Tony asked her gently.

“I don’t think so,” Kate said thoughtfully. “I just wish he’d crawl out my butt sometimes.”

Tony threw back his head and laughed, drawing Charles’ attention. Kate had never seen or heard him laugh out loud like this before and it made her smile.

“I love your sense of humor,” Tony declared as his laughter died down.

“What about you? Do you have any siblings?” Kate asked him.

“No,” Tony answered. “My parents told me that my siblings died before and after I was born. My mother suffered multiple miscarriages throughout her marriage. I was the only child that made it through.”

“Oh, my. That’s so sad,” Kate said sympathetically.

“Not anymore,” Tony said brightly. “I’m alive and thriving, and that makes her very happy.”

“Does she live with you in Chicago?” Kate asked.

“No. She lives in Brazil,” Tony answered. “She and my father came to the U.S. in the early 70s right after they got married. Once they retired from active work, they moved back to Brazil. My father died there 10 years ago.”

“Oh… so, you’re originally from Brazil?” Kate asked in awe.

“Yes, but I was born in Dallas, Texas,” Tony explained.

“Do you travel to Brazil very often?” Kate asked with childlike interest.

“Not as often as I’d like,” Tony admitted. “I’d be more than happy to take you there to meet my mother someday soon.”

Kate smiled and said, “That would be nice.”

“We’re here,” Charles announced sourly.

Kate looked out the window and saw that they had reached the airport. They got out of the truck and waited for the driver to offload their bags from the trunk.

Kate’s parents and Wendy got out of their car to bid her farewell. Wendy was the first to embrace her.

“This is it, babe,” she said softly. “Go out there and live the dream life for me and you.”

“Oh, Wendy. What am I doing?” Kate whispered.

“You’re doing what I would do if I were in your shoes,” said Wendy. “It’s a little late to start having second thoughts, don’t you think?”

Kate looked alarmed and Wendy laughed. “Relax, doofy. I’m just messing with you. But on a serious note, believe me when I tell you that you’ve done the right thing. Everything is going to be fine.”

“I hope so,” said Kate.

Wendy stepped aside to allow Kate’s parents to say their goodbyes.

“Well, I guess everything worked out fine, just as I knew it would,” Laura said proudly.

“Yep, your reputation as the prim and perfect First Lady is still intact now that your disgraceful daughter is out of the way,” Kate said sardonically.

Laura looked hurt. “Don’t blame me for your wrongdoing,” she chastised Kate. “We would not be here if you’d just listened to me and kept your legs closed like a good girl.”

“Alright, that’s enough, honey. Leave the girl alone,” John said and playfully elbowed his wife out of the way.

He embraced Kate and whispered in her ear, “Don’t pay any attention to what she said. We love you and I hope you’ll forgive us for sending you away like this. I’m truly sorry Kate.”

Kate’s heart broke, hearing her father apologize to her for something that wouldn’t have happened if she’d been more careful.

“Don’t be sorry, Daddy. It’s OK,” she whispered to her dad.

“We need to leave now,” Charles announced almost impatiently from where he stood beside Tony at the entrance of the airport terminal.

“Call us when you get there,” John said to Kate.

“I will,” she replied. She turned to her mom and said, “I’m sorry about what I said to you. I was out of pocket and I apologize for that.”

Laura smiled sadly as tears shone in her eyes. “I’m just trying to do the best I can under the circumstances. I wish you would understand that.”

“I do,” Kate assured her mother. She hugged Laura briefly before going to join Tony and Charles.

“Goodbye, Mr and Mrs Harrison. We’ll get in touch with you as soon as we touch down in Chicago,” Tony assured them.

Kate followed Tony and Charles into the terminal. Somehow, they’d managed to get a porter to load their bags on a trolley and follow them as they made their way through the terminal.