Meanwhile, at Gate B7, three identical 8-year-old Black girls sat in a neat row. Naomi, Simone, and Jasmine Carter, triplets. They wore matching, crisp purple dresses. They were reading quietly, not running around or using electronics.
Naomi, the oldest by three minutes, held a chapter book about the first Black female astronaut. In her notebook, she had written down all their flight details: Gate B7, Flight 447, Departure 2:15 p.m., Arrival JFK 5:47 p.m. and the emergency contact: Mama’s assistant, Kendra, with the phone number written twice.
Simone, the sensitive one, was reading poetry. Jasmine, the youngest, had a graphic novel about a Black superhero.
An airline employee, Ashley, appeared to escort the unaccompanied minors. “Are you Naomi, Simone, and Jasmine Carter?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Naomi answered, standing up perfectly.
“You three are the most prepared unaccompanied minors I’ve ever escorted,” Ashley smiled.