Abbie finds Gate 16

When it was time to disembark, Abbie gave a last smile to Colin. He didn't say anything else, so she felt no obligation to sustain anything with him. Abbie's small suitcase would be waiting on the jet bridge. As she worked her way up the aisle toward the plane door, she saw Yvette standing by the exit, wishing the passengers well on their journeys. Abbie bit her lip, and felt the sense memory of Yvette's hands on her breasts and the warmth of her breath when she whispered "Gate 16" into her ear.

Abbie got to the exit, and glanced furtively at Yvette. Yvette was saying the flight attendant's farewell chant ("Bye, bye, goodbye, so long, bye-bye, bye now, ...") as the passengers filed out. Her smile broadened a bit when she saw Abbie. "Bye for now," she said.

Bye for now, thought Abbie. Not 'bye now,' but 'bye for now,' as if she's going to see me again. Abbie replayed it in her mind. Will I see her again? Abbie got off the plane, collected her suitcase, walked up the jet bridge, and emerged in the airport at Gate 2. She took in the surroundings, trying to get the lay of the land. To her left was one of the central hubs of the airport (from which should could head toward taxis or baggage claim or the food courts, ands o on), and to her right was one arm of the terminal containing Gates 1 through 20.

Gate 16, Yvette had said. What would I find at Gate 16? Abbie thought about her upcoming itinerary. She just had to check in at the hotel by mid-day, no particular urgency. Okay, why not? she thought to herself, and turned to the right.

She passed by all the even numbered gates on her right. Although the first few were busy with passengers and pilots and folks at work, she noticed that Gate 12 was empty. The sign was turned off, and there seemed to be no activity whatsoever. Gate 14 was the same -- and there was actually some scattered construction materials lying around, a ladder, a wagon with scraps of wood and metal in it, a small table with a few tools.

Abbie looked back behind her. There was enough bustle at the previous gates, no one really noticed that she was wandering into a part of the airport with no one else around. She got to Gate 16, and like the last two, it was empty and dark. There was construction going on, it looked like some repair work to the walls. She took a seat, and glanced around, curious what (if anything) might happen.