Airport
At this early hour, the airport is as serene as it ever is. The people move with ease, quiet rivers of humanity freshly roused from their slumber. The floors are clean and white, reflecting the early rays and the artificial light. Their parents had booked a really… really early flight. The sun barely had time to rise when they arrived at the airport, with Tsireya slugging around and nodding her head off, leaning on every wall or shoulder she stood by—sometimes even standing in place, as she started to flutter her eyes closed. She wore the same clothes she woke up in this morning when their mother got everyone up like a swarm of ilu, wearing sweatpants that were twice her size, mostly likely Ao'nung's, a hoodie jacket that had their swimmeets logo on it, and fuzzy socks that poked out of her slippers. Tsireya doesn't like wearing socks to bed, so she most likely put them on to keep her toes from falling off in the cold airport.
Manaia was bouncing around on his heels, sometimes bothering his father or older brother to carry him when his feet finally got tired. The island's airport was much smaller than most, about the size of a school with a short runway. It was on the other side of the island, so the drive was long, which is why they woke up so early to get here on time—just 3 hours until their plane is scheduled to take off. The younger Metkayina slept the entire five-hour ride here, so trying to keep him quiet and calm in the small waiting area was like trying to ride a wave when it was windy out. Ronal, their mother, was constantly checking the boarding time. Sometimes she snapped her fingers to get her younger son to calm down, but whenever she left with Tsireya to go to the bathroom or get something from the vending machine, he went right back to bubbling around like a shaken soda. Tonowari didn't mind much as long as he wasn't running around or raising his voice, saying that he'll sleep the whole flight, but Manaia's hyperactive behavior only made Ao'nung more anxious as he watched the smaller planes land and take off.
The first plane they boarded was a seaplane, which would take them to another island with a bigger airport, where they would then take a larger plane to their final destination. Ao'nung shared a seat with Tsireya, with his sister sitting by the aisle and him by the window—she always got sick on airplanes. Yesterday, the sea was laid flat just like his emotions, as if one were a reflection of the other. Today was the same, yet the waves were choppy; the surface, like a mirror, turned half liquid, breaking and flowing all at once. Ao'nung looked out the window, lost in thought, watching as the waves crashed into the shore. The feeling of leaving home was very bittersweet.
As soon as they landed at the other airport, it was time for them to board another plane. The airplane rode through the sky as if it were on sleek and perfect tracks. Tsireya had her head resting on Ao'nung's shoulder, her eyes closed in peaceful slumber. She had fallen asleep just after they had taken off, like she always did to ease her air sickness. Manaia, just as their father said, had fallen asleep as well, curled up in his seat after an hour in the air. Ao'nung couldn't fall asleep, despite the gentle hum of the engines and the rhythmic sway of the cabin. He envied their ability to fall asleep so easily, only being able to keep his eyes closed for a few minutes before eventually opening them again. Sitting in an airplane for hours is much like sitting in a movie theater, and thus the food becomes appealing.
Say what you want about airplane food, but he looks forward to it. In those hours that pass, sitting, sitting, sitting—even if there are movies or music—he looks forward to eating those dry, flavorless crackers. The thought of it is so stupid it makes him smirk; it's as if someone took a school lunch, shrank it, and added a few plastic cups of whatever was at hand. Plus, he gets super hungry when traveling by air; he's not sure why, but he just does. He could snack on those bits of sand and bitter peanuts the entire flight.
After more long hours of shuffling in his seat, going to the bathroom just to stretch his legs, and the quiet bickering he had with Tsireya when she found out he ate her gingerbread cookies they got when they boarded, the flight attendant finally announced that they would be landing soon. Ao'nung quickly opened his window, ignoring the hisses of his sister, who said it was too bright, and watched as the verdant canopy of green that dappled the ground came into view. A woven tapestry of buildings and forests, the greys of concrete and browns of soil interspersed with the vibrant greens of trees and shrubs as the plane descended towards the airport. The airplane lands on the runway with a gentle bump, its wheels kissing the earth with a small and satisfied bounce.
That's when the pang of homesickness hit him. They were miles away from the sea, and as they scrambled out of the plane and took in the warm air, Ao'nung couldn't smell the salty tang of the ocean air that he was so used to. He knows being homesick passes with time, and that one does eventually move on. Yet he can't help but feel a kind of grief. What you love about your home is far away, and as time passes, it changes. If you return, well, people and places move on because that is the way things are. Life moves onward into the new. So as your old life passes away, you are reincarnated into the new, to grow, to change, and hopefully to thrive, for you must realize that it isn't simply the ones you left behind that will personally evolve—you will too.
Tsireya seemed to feel the opposite of her brother, bouncing with every step as she hurried up the tunneling ramp. Maybe homesickness will hit her soon, but in that moment, she was more excited to see the family they were meeting up with. She knew her aunt Nìwa'eng and her husband Peylo would be there, but she wasn't thinking about them—maybe a little—and was more set on seeing her cousins, whom they hadn't seen in years. The last time they saw them was during summer break, 11 years ago. Tsireya was 8, Ao'nung and her cousin Syura were both 11, and the twins were only 4. Aokuna, her older cousin, was at summer camp. They've spent all summer together, learning how to surf, burying a sunbathing Tonowari in the sand, and so much more that are now vivid memories. They promised to keep in touch, but life got in the way, and they drifted apart until now.
Just as expected, Nìwa'eng stood at the front of the gate, waiting for them. Her style hadn't changed since the last time they saw each other; she was wearing a colorful sundress and a wide-brimmed hat, her hair spilling down in waves of golden brown. She was still as welcoming and warm as ever, greeting them with open arms and a big smile, as if no time had passed at all. Her husband, Peylo, embraced Tonowari with a firm hug and a pat on the back, while Nìwa'eng hugged Ronal tightly, tears streaming down their faces as they laughed.
“Ronal, mi mana. (my sister)" The older woman hummed as they swayed, rubbing her back before pulling away, still grasping each other's arms. “How is everything?"
After some catching up, Nìwa'eng lifted Manaia into her arms, calling him her gordito (chubby) as she poked at his cheeks, kissing all over his face. The younger Metkayina had only spoken to his aunt over the phone, but he seemed just as thrilled to see her because of all the attention he was getting. After setting him down, Tsireya was the next one to jump into her arms, squealing as she wrapped her legs around her aunt's waist. The two almost went stumbling backwards before Nìwa'eng started twirling them around, laughing, “Mi sirenita!” (my mermaid) as the Metkayina continued to giggle and cling onto her tightly.
Tsireya was her only niece, so, by Eywa's will, it was Nìwa'eng's soul duty to spoil the girl rotten. She never missed a birthday, always calling to sing and make sure she got the gifts she would send. For Tsireya's 14th birthday, she got the girl her own surf board, so she didn't have to borrow from her dad anymore. And for her 16th, she got her a jet ski. But it wasn't just the gifts that made their bond so special. Every time Tsireya was in a situation where she couldn't rely on her mother for help, she would call her aunt, who didn't let the phone ring a third time before answering. Wither it be for relationships, school, or what she should wear, Nìwa'eng was always there to offer support and keep her niece's secrets.
While those two were making a scene in the middle of the airport, Peylo greeted Ronal with a kiss on the head before asking how their flight was. Manaia went back to bouncing around after his aunt riled him up, with Tonowari holding onto the boy's shirt collar so he didn't take off running. After Tsireya finally let go of her aunt, the older woman went over to Ao'nung, who was watching them with a small smile. She hugged him tightly, pressing a kiss to his head before muttering, "You've grown so much since the last time I saw you." Ao'nung wrapped his arms around her and hid his face in her neck, sighing as a sense of warmth and comfort washed over him from her embrace. She continued to mutter soft words to him, like "It's going to be okay" and "I'm here for you," as if she knew how he felt in that moment.
After a few moments, they pulled away from each other, and Ao'nung looked at her with a teary eyed smile. "I'll be okay," he whispered, the sick feeling in his stomach slowly easing. She gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead before they started their way towards baggage claim, then outside. The air outside was crisp and refreshing, almost as if it had just rained. Earlier, Peylo said that the kids were in school and that Syura and Aokuna would meet them at the house. Obviously Tsireya was the one showing the most excitement, hurrying them along even though she didn't help with their luggage or know where she was going. Their parents and aunt were catching up; Nìwa'eng was telling them that Aokuna was getting married and that Syura had her own apartment. Peylo mentioned that they'd be going to the same college, so it'll probably be better if they move in with her or see if any dorms were open. They'd have time to settle in since the college was on spring break, and all Tsireya could talk about was how much fun they were going to have and all the places she wanted to see. Ao'nung didn't share her enthusiasm, still feeling a bit overwhelmed as his mind went on autopilot every time someone talked to him.
It was going to be a long week.