Logan Airport
Sitting in the airport gate, Meredith’s whole body chilled at the strange ending to Grandma Lucy’s prayer. Let this cup of trouble pass or we will all be lost. What was that supposed to mean? Had God told Grandma Lucy about Meredith and her meeting with the board of directors? Had yesterday’s board meeting been this so-called cup of trouble?
And what about the last part? All will be lost? Where was the hope, the conviction that had resounded so majestically in Grandma Lucy’s words just moments earlier?
Meredith’s phone rang. At first she wasn’t going to answer, but the bizarre, piercing look Grandma Lucy gave made her uncomfortable. Meredith stood up, thankful for a reason to excuse herself. What had started as a monumental spiritual revelation had just as quickly and inexplicably morphed into one of her most awkward airport encounters to date.
She glanced at the caller ID then wheeled her carry-on a few steps away to she could have a little privacy to talk. “Hi, Connor.” Ordinarily Meredith would have wondered why he was calling her so shortly after they had just spoken, but after her encounter with Grandma Lucy, she doubted much more could surprise her today.
“Hey.” His voice sounded unsure. Uncertain. So different than the power, the divine confidence that infused Grandma Lucy’s words a few minutes earlier. Meredith glanced back at the old woman, who was bent over in her chair now as if in silent, tormented prayer.
She looked away. No reason to focus on Grandma Lucy right now. She didn’t know why Connor was calling her but figured whatever it was deserved her attention more than an eccentric old woman waiting at an airport gate.
Connor cleared his throat. “So, I wanted to talk to you about something …”
Meredith had figured as much when she saw his name land on her caller ID and waited for something else. But what?
A slight cough. What was Connor trying to say? “Listen,” he finally managed to get out, “I don’t know if you’ve been paying much attention to the weather. I know you’ve had other things on your mind.” His voice trailed off. Awkward. Embarrassed.
Meredith continued to wait.
“And maybe I’m the last person you want to hear this from …”
Oh, great. Meredith gripped her cell. Was this the part where he confessed that he was the tie-breaking vote that got her fired? Was he calling to ask her forgiveness? To absolve his guilt?
“I’m really not sure you should be flying today. The Grand Rapid airport’s closed …”
“I’ve rerouted to Detroit,” she interrupted. Meredith had no idea why Connor was so concerned about the weather in the Midwest right now, but at least she didn’t have to talk about that final meeting with the Living Grace directors. “We’ll be boarding in just a few minutes,” she told him, glancing at the time on her screen. “It’s fine.”
“How are you getting from Detroit back home?” he asked. “The roads are all shutting down. It’s a mess out there.”
Meredith rolled her eyes. Had it been so long since Connor moved East that he forgot how efficient Michiganders were at weathering a storm?
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Should she be touched that he was concerned for her or annoyed that even now a member of the board of directors was trying to give her orders? Telling her what to do? Meredith hadn’t realized until now how many years she’d spent afraid to make any major decision. She’d gotten into the habit of calculating each step with how much mental energy it would take to get the directors to agree. How many ideas had she conceived in prayer times that she immediately discarded because she knew the board would never approve?
She was free from all that now. Connor and the others made that very clear at yesterday’s meeting. She didn’t have to submit to them anymore. Didn’t have to weigh every decision she made against the group’s opinion.
The gate attendant made an announcement.
“Listen,” Meredith said, ready to wrap up this call, “I’ve got to go. We’re just about ready to board.”
“I still don’t think you should get on that flight. It doesn’t seem safe…”
Another announcement. Couldn’t Connor hear that on his end of the line? “They’re calling us now,” Meredith told him. “Thanks for checking in, but I’ve got to go.”
“Meredith, wait …”
She ended the call but continued to stare at Connor’s name on her screen. What had that been all about?
“Flight 219 to Detroit, now boarding.”
Meredith took in a deep breath. Finally decided that Connor’s concern for her safety was probably remnant guilt for what happened at the Living Grace board meeting yesterday. It was kind of him to be concerned, but a classic case of too little too late.
Meredith gripped the handle of her carry-on.
She had a plane to catch.