Daniel and Marian waited for their flight as if willing the clock to move faster.
Every minute felt like an hour.
They kept checking the time, checking their phones, checking the gate display—as if something might magically change. As soon as the airline opened check-in for their flight, they were the first in line. They moved through the process with mechanical focus—IDs out, bags weighed, boarding passes printed.
Security felt endless.
Shoes off. Laptops out. Bags scanned.
They shifted from foot to foot, barely containing their urgency. When they were finally cleared, they didn’t walk—they almost ran toward their boarding gate.
Even though they knew they were early.
Even though they knew there was no risk of missing the plane.
They were the first ones there.
Daniel kept refreshi
