Best Surprise Ever (Spring Break Part 3)

Yesterday was definitely the best day of this vacation so far!!
A few days ago while my mom and I were making our plans for the week, she told me that on Wednesday we had to go to the airport to pick up her friend Charma. Charma was a friend from church who didn't have any family in the Sioux Falls area. She had been out of town for a few days and needed a ride home from the airport. Being the wonderful person my mom is (not to mention I'm extremely gullible) I didn't question this at all.

Before I really tell my story, I should insert one short story here. On Tuesday night, I left the dinner table to go start a movie for Blakely in my parent's room. When I came back, my parents and sister Amy got real quiet. I said, "Are you all talking about me?" My mom hung her head and sheepishly said, "Yes." I really didn't care and asked, "Well, what are you saying?" She wouldn't tell me and my dad and Amy wouldn't look me in the face. I started to get kind of upset and then my mom told me what they were talking about. I don't even remember what it was but I knew it was a total lie. I decided not to push the issue any farther but went to bed a little upset that night. My mom is never one to talk about any of us when we're not around and will always tell us if there's something bothering her. I figured it must be pretty bad if she wouldn't tell me what she was saying.

So yesterday morning, I was still a little hurt but decided to just drop it. On the way to the airport, she started telling me more about Charma and mentioned that Charma thought it was so wonderful when people met you inside the airport rather than outside at the pick-up area. I've always loved having people come in to meet me (just ask my husband) so I thought that would be a sweet gesture and I once again didn't question it.

We were a little early so we went inside, got a snack, and then made our way to the pick-up area. While we were waiting, she continued to tell me about Charma. She was a gastroenterologist who had never married and had been away at a conference in Ohio. She lived in a very nice condo not far from the airport.
I just want to say here that my mother is a very good  liar story teller.

The flight finally landed and everybody from the flight started coming through the doors that led to the terminal. We waited a while and then she said, "Oh look, there she is." I couldn't see her face but I did notice that there was a little girl walking with her. My first thought was, "Charma has a daughter. Mom didn't mention that." Then I saw the woman's face and my jaw hit the floor. It was my Aunt Shirley from Atlanta and her daughter Bailey. I just stood there in total disbelief. (By the way, my second thought was "I wonder if mom knew Shirley was on Charma's flight.") I looked at my mom and said, "What????!!!" She was just smiling from ear to ear.

Shirley and Bailey came through the doors and I gave them the biggest hugs ever. My mom immediately apologized and said that the night before at the dinner table, they had been talking about Shirley coming. She didn't want to ruin the surprise so instead she told me that had been talking about me. She said it had bothered her ever since and she felt so bad. Of course, I forgave her!

It was such an awesome surprise to have them here since I don't see them often. Plus, we girls definitely don't get a lot of time together since we're all scattered across the country. What a wonderful surprise!!