Two days later, France, somewhere between Orléans and Paris.

"We're never gonna make it! I will miss my flight and au revoir, USA!" Sanaa Sy said desperately, rubbing her head in her palms.

"Sanaa, why would you leave at 6:00 if your flight is at 7:45? That gives us just over an hour to get there, and you still have to check in! We're going to be super late!"

"How am I supposed to know that? Last time I checked, I haven't been on a plane in ten years. Besides, I always have mom or someone with me checking up on everything!"

"That's what I'm saying, you're stupid."

"No, you're stupid ... idiot ... rat face ... foo-"

"Are you done?" he calmly interrupted his sister, not wanting to play her childish game. "It's morning rush-hour and, obviously, there is a lot of traffic."

Sanaa felt frustrated with her brother, but she managed to contain herself since he was driving.

But then he spoke again. "I can't believe people will actually hire you to take care of their kids. Don't they know that you're still one too?"

"Shut up before I make you eat this wheel," she said through her teeth.

"Really? And who will drive you to the airport?"

"Whatever." Sanaa waved her hand in the air. Once again, he was right. She glared out the window, feeling desperate. She saw that tough year flashing before her eyes. Was it all for nothing? God knows it wasn't easy. Between compiling her au pair file, dealing with the agency's trouble and doing twenty-eight Skype interviews, she never thought she would make it this far.

"What time is it?" Nael asked, interrupting her thoughts. Even if his eyes were on the road, he could feel Sanaa's desperation.

"Ten 'til seven! It's too late! I'm screwed!" Sanaa rested her head against the window, wanting to bawl her eyes out. How could she have thought that living one hour away from Paris would save her from morning traffic?

"Whose fault is that?" Nael muttered. He couldn't help it. Sanaa might be his sister, but she had always been the kind of girl with her head in the clouds.

"You know what Nael?" she began, "Do me a favor—shut up and do your job!"

"I'm only telling the truth, so stop complaining like a little girl, because it's stressing me out!" he yelled, irritated in a way only brothers can be.

Sanaa didn't feel like answering him since she knew he was right. Instead, she gave him a killer sister glare. Idiot!

She slammed her head against the back of her seat and folded her arms under her chest, catching her reflection in the right-side mirror. She saw her caramel skin, curly black hair and dark eyes staring back, her whole face in a pout.

"I look pathetic," she mumbled. "And ugly. No wonder I always need filters when I take pictures."

Nael checked his head as he tried to keep himself from laughing. Here it was ... Sanaa the drama queen was back.

"I confirm, you are ugly." He laughed while she slapped him on the head.

"Stop it, sale folle! I'm driving!"

"Yes, and you're lucky you are."

"We will be there in just fifteen minutes!" Nael said, changing the subject.

Ten excruciatingly long minutes later, the road finally cleared and the Charles de Gaulle sign approached with a glimmer of hope.

"Do you think I can still make it? Will they let me in?" Sanaa was staring at Nael, hoping he would say yes as if everything depended on his answer.

"I don't know, but we'll do our best," he said quietly, Sanaa hearing the doubt in his voice.

"That wasn't helpful. You could have just said yes to reassure me!" She snapped her head back again.

"Sanaa! What do you expect me to say? I'm not gonna lie."

"Whatever! Stop talking and stay focused on the road," she ordered, biting her half-manicured nails and rubbing her forehead.

"Deep breaths," she calmly told herself as she looked at Au Pair Chronicles' fan page on Nael's phone. Maybe reading some crazy au pair stories would help calm her down. But all she saw were stories about au pairs in rematch and having trouble with their host kids. Oh, no! Maybe the whole thing wasn't a good idea. Maybe she'd end up in rematch too. Maybe her host kid would be a crazy psychopath, like in the movie Esther, or maybe her host parents would make her work for more than forty-five hours, and she'd be too scared to say anything!

Stop it, Sanaa. She tried to reassure herself. Maybe praying would calm her down. Please, God! Allow me to take that plane. You know more than anyone how much I need to go to the United States to start all over, to have a new beginning, even if it's only for a year. I need this adventure to figure out who I am and forget this life which is not what I want ... plus, I'm pretty sure I'll be the best au pair this kid will ever have 'cause ... well, duh! After fifteen more minutes of anxiety, they finally reached the airport.

"Here we are! Thank God! Sanaa, take your small bag, and I'll grab the rest of your luggage!"

No sooner said than done, they got out of the car and ran to the British Airways section of the airport. Two stewardesses, both very tall and attractive and dressed in navy-colored uniforms, were standing there. Sanaa stepped closer to the stewardess on her right and handed over her ticket.

"Excuse me, miss. I have a flight at 7:45. Here's my boarding pass."

"I'm sorry, miss. The boarding gate is now closed. We are no longer allowing passengers onto the plane. Will you please step aside? People are waiting to register for their next flight."

What? No! Was this it? Was it over? Was it all for nothing? Was this a sign from God? NO! It couldn't be! I didn't have twenty-eight interviews for nothing! Twenty-eight interviews for God's sake!

Sanaa's mind was spinning too fast, but, eventually, she found the courage to come back to reality as she looked at her brother for help, even though it was too late. All those days of compiling her au pair portfolio, applying for the visa, visiting the Sweet Care Au Pair office in Paris—they were all for nothing. How could she have messed things up so quickly?

"Miss, please!" Nael begged desperately, facing the stewardess. "We drove for three hours. My sister is with the Sweet Care Au Pair Agency, and if she misses this plane, the repercussions will be consequential to her employment."

Sanaa blinked as she stared dumbfounded at the stewardess. She was always stunned by her brother's determination. When he really wanted something, he fought for it until the end. He had such a hopeful mind, unlike her.

"I am sorry, sir, but there is nothing I can do."

I knew it. In Sanaa's mind, as frustrating as the situation was, it reminded her of a scene from a TV show that ended with a cliffhanger just before the closing credits. Unfortunately, this was real life, and in real life, the heroine didn't always make it.