Arthur washed up, brushed his teeth, and went to the dining table. Michael set a plate of pancakes with honey in front of him.
"Did you pack everything you need? Michael asked while eating his own breakfast.
"Yes, Dad." Arthur replied.
Linda came from the kitchen with a plate of fresh pancakes and sat down beside Arthur.
"Did you take your acceptance letter and all your other important documents?" Linda asked.
"Not yet. I'll grab them right after I eat." Arthur said.
"Okay. Just make sure you double-check everything."
"I will, Mom."
After finishing his breakfast, Arthur went to his room and changed into a black t-shirt and blue jeans. After that he put the laptop, chargers, and all his documents into his backpack. Then he final checked to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything. After that he put on his white sneakers. Then he took his backpack and held the suitcase handle and went toward the living room.
"Are you all set? Did you take the documents? Michael asked.
"Yeah, Dad, I've got everything." Arthur replied.
"Alright, then, if everything is done, then let's get going." Michael said, and then he took his work van keys from the table and headed out the door.
"Did you double-check everything?" Linda asked, grabbing her purse.
"Yeah, Mom. Let's go."
"Okay, you and your dad go on ahead. I'm just going to check one last time." Linda said and went to Arthur's room. She just wanted to see with her own eyes that he hadn't forgotten anything.
Seeing that Arthur chuckled, held the handle of his suitcase, and went outside.
Michael brought his Ford Econoline E-150 to the driveway. Arthur took the suitcase and put his suitcase in the back of the van and sat in the back passenger seat. Linda locked the front door of the house and sat in the front passenger seat.
"Did you check everything?" Michael asked her.
"Yep, let's go."
Michael started the van. As they pulled away from the neighborhood, Arthur watched his house disappear from view.
"I'm gonna miss this place." Arthur said quietly.
"Well, you're visiting after your first semester, aren't you? You'll be back before Christmas. It's not so long." Michael said, looking at him in the mirror while driving.
"Yeah, well, I'm mainly going to miss my privacy after you booked my room with five other fatties." Arthur said sarcastically.
"Oh, yeah? Well, your father is not a multimillionaire who will book you a private palace." Michael shot back.
"Maybe not today. But one day your son will be a multibillionaire. Then he will buy you a private jet so you two can fly around the world."
"Heh. Multi… billionaire. Do you even know how many zeros are in a billion?" Michael chuckled and said sarcastically.
"Ugh!! Enough, you two." Linda said with frustration.
Michael and Arthur both smirked but kept quiet.
Forty-five minutes later, they arrived at the airport. Michael parked the van in the short-term parking, and they came down from the van. Arthur took the suitcase from the back and closed the back door of the van. Then they all walked together into the huge terminal, which was noisy and packed with people.
They found the check-in counter for Arthur's airline. There was a line, but luckily, it was short. His parents waited with him, and when it was his turn, Arthur went up to the counter, put his suitcase on the scale, and handed his ID to the agent.
"Excuse me, is it possible to get a gate pass? We like to walk him to his gate." Michael requested a gate pass from the airline agent.
"I'm sorry, sir. Since he is 18, he is considered a legal adult. We can only issue gate passes for unaccompanied minors or passengers who need special assistance." The airline agent replied kindly.
The agent weighed Arthur's suitcase, and it was underweight. As their financial health was not good, Arthur didn't have much to carry.
The agent printed his boarding pass and put a tag on his suitcase, which then disappeared on a conveyor belt. She handed Arthur his ID and the new boarding pass.
Arthur and his family walked over to the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint, a large, open area with long security lines. At the front of the line, a TSA officer was checking documents. When they got to the front of the line, Arthur showed his boarding pass and ID to the TSA officer. The officer checked the documents and handed them back to him.
"Just the passenger, please," the officer said while looking at his parents.
Linda and Michael hugged Arthur tightly. Linda's eyes become moist.
"Mom, please don't cry. I promise I'll do my best in college. I'll study hard and find a way to help support us." Arthur said with his thick voice.
"Call me when you land, okay? I don't care how busy you are. Just text me so I know you're safe." Linda gently kissed his forehead and said.
"I will, Mom." Arthur nodded.
"And take care of yourself. Lock your dorm door at night. Don't just leave your stuff lying around. Call us if you feel sick or overwhelmed. Don't stay up too late. And don't trust people you just met. Eat some vegetables, not just burgers and fries. Make good friends, and stay away from bad people. Especially bad girls. They can be manipulative. Remember why you're there. Don't let anything distract you."
"I know, I know, Mom. You don't need to worry. I'll be fine. And if anything happens, I'll call you right away." Arthur managed a small smile. He reached up and gently wiped a tear from her cheek.
"You're a good boy, Art. Don't worry about us. You just focus on your studies, alright? Don't waste what you've got, son. We never had this kind of chance." Michael said.
"I won't, Dad. I won't waste it. I know how much you did for me. You never say no to me. When I wanted something, you bought it for me. Even if it was out of budget or not worth it. You never thought a second time to fulfill my wishes and dreams. Now that I have this chance, I'm not going to let you down." Arthur sniffed and said with his choking voice.
"Ah, don't start all that. Anyway, just... don't get into trouble, you hear? And don't waste money on dumb stuff. You'll regret it later. Work hard and get to class on time." Michael said, looking away and waving a hand, clearly uncomfortable.
"I love you, Dad," Arthur said, rubbing his eyes.
"I love you too, son." Michael looked back, and a small, proud smile broke through his tough expression.