Flight SQA016 (The Flight Series)

by A. E. Radley

  “How so?” Emily frowned.

  “Oh it’s common knowledge that she’s been after the marketing manager’s job for a while now,” Jessica explained. “She probably orchestrated the whole thing.”

  Emily sighed. “Well, I don’t have a choice. There’s no way I could afford to get Henry to and from London on my own. I have so many loans that there’s not a bank in America that would go near me, all my credit cards are maxed out with medical bills. I need them and Crown knows it, I’m just going to have to suck it up. I never thought I’d get the money for Henry to have the operation he needs but with Doctor Harvey’s help...Well, I couldn’t turn it down.”

  Jessica walked over and put her arm around Emily’s shoulder. “The important thing is that Henry is going to have the operation he’s been needing and you don’t have to pay for it. Then he’ll be better and you’ll do a few months more of your schedule and you’ll get rid of those debts.”

  Emily smiled and shook her head. “Oh this schedule won’t get rid of those debts, it will mean I can get back within my credit limits. I’m over on everything and can barely make the minimum payments. I’ve worked out if I keep this schedule for eight months then I will be in a situation where I am back within the maximum limits rather than over.”

  “Wow, you’re in real deep then?” Jessica questioned softly.

  “Yeah.” Emily sniffed and took a deep breath. “When it’s your kid you’ll do anything, you know?”

  “Absolutely,” Jessica nodded. “I’m not a mother so I can’t imagine what you’ve gone through but I know I’d do exactly the same.”

  Emily took another deep breath to get herself together again and Jessica stepped away and finished up what she was doing.

  “I better get going before she comes back,” Jessica muttered.

  “Okay, I’ll see you in a few hours,” Emily said.

  * * *

  Olivia jolted awake to find Henry staring at her. For a moment she wondered why she could see him through her sleep mask but then realised that his hand was on her face where he had pushed the mask up. That was what had woken her. “Henry?”

  He was kneeling on her bed in his long-sleeved giraffe pyjamas. “We’re gonna crash,” he told Olivia solemnly. “And I can’t find Mommy.”

  Olivia sat up on her elbows and realised that the aircraft was flying through some turbulence, the engines rumbling slightly. Glancing to the panel above her she noticed the seatbelt sign was on display. “We’re not going to crash, I promise.”

  The aircraft shook violently and Henry fell forward onto Olivia’s stomach before sitting himself back up on his knees again. He looked at her with something near to panic. Olivia pushed her pillow back against the wall behind her, sat up, and patted for Henry to sit beside her, thankful for his small form in the cramped space. He didn’t need telling twice and quickly crawled up the bed and sat beside her, folding his legs under the quilt without invitation.

  “I’m scared,” he told Olivia. As her brain scrambled for something comforting to say she noticed a rectangular lump under his t-shirt, about the size of a USB stick, located over his heart. She stared at it for a moment while she tried to figure out what it was and Henry followed her gaze and pulled up his t-shirt to show her his chest.

  “It’s so Doctor Fisher knows when I’m sick,” Henry said as he put his hand to the protruding lump with its angry scar and accompanying yellow bruising.

  “I—I see,” Olivia said and took the t-shirt from his hands and gently pulled it back down again.

  The aircraft lurched and Henry gripped Olivia around her middle, resting his head against her silk pyjamas. She put an arm around him and looked about her in a panic. She decided that distraction was probably the best plan of action so she turned on the reading light, pulled out a newspaper, and flipped it open. The pages immediately caught Henry’s attention.

  “What’s that word?” He pointed at a headline.

  “Auschwitz,” Olivia said quietly.

  “That’s a funny word,” Henry said.

  “Yes, it’s a name of a place,” Olivia said and quickly moved on. “Oh, look, China is planning to invest thirty-billion dollars to create an economic corridor with Pakistan.” Olivia mentally kicked herself for thinking he would understand any of the words in that headline but she kept turning pages.

  “The White House!” Henry pointed at a picture.

  “Yes.” Olivia breathed a sigh of relief. “And who lives there?”

  “The President,” Henry said quietly as he looked at the picture with interest.

  “Very good, and what is the President’s name?”

  “Nibbles!” Henry declared happily.

  Olivia frowned. “No, not Nibbles.”

  “I need to go wee-wee.” Henry kicked back the quilt and started to crawl down the length of the bed before turning and looking at Olivia. “Come on.”

  “Me?” Olivia looked panicked.

  “I can’t go alone,” Henry told her insistently. Olivia pushed down the quilt and followed the small boy to the end of the bed. Once she stood up he held out his hand for her and dragged her towards the washrooms. As she passed the galley, Olivia quickly looked in to see if Emily was there but it was empty. She sighed. She had no idea if what she was doing was appropriate, she was technically a stranger to Henry.

  The small boy pushed the door open with his free hand and continued to hold Olivia’s hand as he pulled his pyjama trousers down and edged himself up to sit on the toilet. Olivia remained in the corridor, she averted her eyes and kept her arm outstretched into the washroom where Henry still held her with a tight grip.

  The curtain separating the first-class washrooms from the premium cabin moved and Olivia felt cold dread wash over her as Emily appeared before her with a frown of confusion. Emily angled her head into the washroom and saw her son.

  “He won’t let go of my hand,” Olivia whispered, hoping that Emily would understand how she came to find her son and a stranger in such an odd situation.

  Emily’s face fell. “I’m so sorry. Did he wake you?”

  “He was frightened because of the turbulence.”

  “I couldn’t find you, Mommy,” Henry called from the washroom.

  “I’m sorry, Henry. I had to look after a little girl who had been sick,” Emily explained as she squeezed into the small washroom.

  Olivia stared fixatedly away from the scene and listened to the sound of Henry’s clothes being readjusted and the flushing toilet.

  “Henry, you have to let go of Miss Lewis’s hand now,” Emily told him.

  “We read a newspaper in her bed,” Henry told his mother and Olivia felt her breathing constrict.

  “Well, that was very nice of Miss Lewis,” Emily said lightly. “But you shouldn’t be disturbing people up when they’re asleep.”

  Olivia felt Henry’s hand loosen and she managed to step away.

  “But I couldn’t find you and I was scared,” he whined.

  “It was no trouble,” Olivia spoke up.

  “You’ve done so much already,” Emily said. “I’m mortified that he woke you.”

  “He really is a lovely boy,” Olivia said and made tentative eye contact with Emily.

  “Me and Olivia are friends,” Henry told his mother as he washed his hands. Olivia didn’t know what to say to that so stood silently by as Emily dried Henry’s hands with a paper towel.

  “Right, Henry, I’m taking you back to bed and then I need to talk to Miss Lewis, okay?” Emily said and looked up at Olivia. “I’ll be, like, twenty seconds…”

  Olivia nodded and stood frozen in the corridor thinking that Emily was about to berate her over some kind of impropriety.

  True to her word, twenty seconds later Emily reappeared and gestured for Olivia to step into the galley for a little more privacy. Olivia folded her arms defensively over her chest, feeling quite out of place standing there in her pyjamas.

  “I am so sorry,” Emily began and Olivia looked at
her in surprise, having expected to be reprimanded.

  “What are you sorry for?” Olivia frowned.

  “That my son has just woken you, crawled into bed with you, and forced you to take him to the toilet,” Emily explained as if Olivia hadn’t been there for any of it.

  “It’s quite all right, Miss White,” Olivia replied. She couldn’t understand why Emily was apologising.

  “I should have been here,” Emily said.

  “You had to work,” Olivia said. “As I said before, he is a lovely boy, I don’t mind.”

  Emily looked at Olivia and smiled. “Thank you, I really do appreciate that.”

  “Miss White,” Olivia said and fidgeted nervously. “I—I didn’t hear from you, after Friday, and I…Well...”

  “Oh, yes, the business card,” Emily said and folded her own arms. “Look, thank you for trying to help but it really isn’t…I mean, I have it under control.”

  Olivia frowned. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand?”

  “The debt advice, I don’t need it,” Emily clarified. “I’m not some dumb blonde; I can manage my own finances.”

  “Oh,” Olivia felt perplexed and looked down at her shoes. She could sense Emily’s eyes upon her as she struggled to catch up with the conversation and could feel an embarrassed blush creeping onto her cheeks. With abrupt clarity, the pieces clicked into place and she lifted her gaze to meet Emily’s. “I gave you my business card!”

  “Yes.”

  “No, I mean, I gave you my business card.”

  Emily looked lost so Olivia tried again “I mean, I gave you my card in the hope you would call me. Not for financial advice.”

  “Oh!” Emily said with realisation. “You…you wanted me to call you—call you?”

  “Why are you saying it twice?”

  “You wanted me to call you so we could talk, socially?”

  “Yes,” Olivia smiled, relieved at finally being understood. “I wanted to ask you out. For dinner. Or drinks. Or-or both.”

  “You attached a hundred-dollar bill to it.” Emily pointed out.

  “That was a tip.” Olivia’s frown returned. “Like I did before. I always leave a tip. Was that wrong?” she asked at Emily’s prolonged silence.

  “You don’t think it’s unusual to ask someone out on a date and pay them money at the same time?”

  “Oh.” Realisation dawned. “Oh!” Olivia’s hand flew to her mouth as she realised her mistake. “I don’t think of you like that, like…like a…”

  “Like a hooker?”

  Olivia felt horrified. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t think.”

  “It’s okay, I’m teasing. I mostly thought that you were offering debt advice.”

  “Which would also have been considered rude?” Olivia enquired nervously.

  “Well, some people might think it rude if it was unsolicited and based upon a conversation you were not supposed to have heard.” Emily pointed out.

  “I apologise, for my miscalculation. I’m prone to it.”

  Emily offered a comforting smile. “No need to apologise.”

  Olivia regarded Emily silently for a few seconds. “So?”

  “So?” Emily asked, not understanding the question.

  “I…left you my number?” Olivia prompted.

  “Oh!” Emily said, on realising Olivia was asking her out. “Oh, I…”

  Olivia gave a tight smile at Emily’s discomfort. “I understand. I’m sorry for bothering you,” she said and began to turn away.

  “No, wait,” Emily stepped forward. Olivia paused. “I’m in a difficult place at the moment. Henry is very sick.”

  “So I understand,” Olivia admitted.

  “He is my priority and I don’t have time for anyone else in my life. This isn’t some brush off, I just have a lot going on at the moment,” Emily explained with a sad smile. “If the situation was different then my answer would be different.”

  Olivia strained to smile brightly but couldn’t quite make it reach her eyes. “Thank you, you don’t have to say that. I understand your situation. Of course, Henry is going to be your priority. I’m sorry for the confusion with the business card. I really didn’t mean any offence.”

  Emily nodded. “Thank you, for explaining.”

  “I’m…going to go back to sleep.” Olivia indicated towards her seat with her finger.

  “Can I get you anything?” Emily asked.

  “No, thank you, Miss White,” Olivia replied and left the galley.

  CHAPTER 10

  Emily was pacing the galley when Jessica returned.

  “Jess! Thank goodness!”

  Jessica frowned. “What’s wrong? Is Henry okay?”

  “Yes, he’s fine,” Emily reassured her then whispered to her friend. “Miss Lewis asked me out!”

  “Ooh!” Jessica laughed.

  “No, no, not Ooh.” Emily shook her head. “Absolutely no Ooh.”

  “You don’t want any Ooh?” Jessica questioned.

  Emily took a deep breath and leaned on the workspace. “She explained about the business card.”

  “Okay. So what’s the scoop?”

  “It was all a misunderstanding. She was leaving me her number…to call her.”

  “Like I suggested,” Jessica pointed out.

  “Yes.” Emily hissed. “And you were right!”

  “So, what happened?” She looked at her watch. “I am so glad I came down here early, I love a bit of juicy gossip.”

  “This has to stay between us, Jess,” Emily implored as she checked the curtain to make sure no one was eavesdropping. “If Iris finds out I’m dead, I’m sure she has a rule about dating passengers. Especially those worth a million dollars.”

  “Of course,” Jessica replied seriously. “I’d never tell anyone anything you tell me, I promise.”

  Emily stood opposite her and leaned on the wall. “There was a little girl being sick and Sean called me to go and help, that man is useless.”

  Jessica nodded her agreement. “Yes? And? Come on…get to the juicy bit.”

  “While I was there, Henry woke up. He was scared because of the turbulence but I wasn’t here…” Emily drifted off and raised her eyebrows at Jessica.

  “Oh my God, he didn’t.” Jessica covered her smile with her hand.

  “Yep, he woke her up. Even climbed into bed with her.” Emily shook her head, mortified. “Apparently she read to him from a newspaper.”

  Jessica tried to stifle her giggle but failed.

  “Oh, wait, it gets better. He made her take him to the bathroom!”

  Jessica stared at her with wide eyes. “No way.”

  “Yep,” Emily replied. “I came through that curtain and she’s standing in the corridor, he’s on the toilet holding her hand, and she’s looking away to give him some privacy.”

  “That’s adorable,” Jessica said with a smile.

  “I could have died.” Emily shook her head. “So I put Henry back to bed and asked her to stay here, you know, so I could apologise to her.”

  Jessica nodded with excitement. “Yes, and?”

  “So I’m apologising and she’s telling me what a lovely boy he is and then she brings up the business card and I say thanks but I’ve got it covered. So, she’s looking all confused and then she explains, in her own way, that she wanted me to call her socially. And I say that it’s weird that she put a hundred-dollar bill on the business card, and then she seemed to get why I was confused and she apologised for her…what did she call it?” Emily pondered for a moment. “Oh, yes, a miscalculation. She apologised for her miscalculation and said she was prone to it,” Emily continued. “And it was weird because I kinda understood her a bit better then, you know? She seems a little…stilted, like she’s a bit socially awkward or something? So I tell her it is all fine and she asks me out.”

  Jessica quietly clapped her hands together. “And? Then what?”

  “Well, I said I can’t,” Emily admitted. “I don’t have time to date, not whil
e all of this is going on with Henry…”

  “Oh.” Jessica pouted. “But she’s so nice, she’s great with Henry, clearly.”

  “But what does she really know about me?” Emily questioned. “I bring her food and bottles of water, I make her bed and retrieve her luggage. We have nothing in common.”

  “How do you know that until you’ve been out with her?” Jessica asked. “Two people can come from different walks of life and still be perfect for one another.”

  Emily paused for a moment before shaking her head. “I have to think of Henry first. I don’t have time for anyone else, my schedule is packed and I have to take time out while Henry has his operation and recovers. Then it’s the schedule from hell again. And she’s a passenger, it could get awkward, you know?”

  “Well, I think you’re right that Iris wouldn’t like it.” Jessica agreed. “Look, you know what’s best and if you’re not ready to see someone then that’s that. It’s just a shame, she’s always seemed so nice.”

  “Yeah, I think she is,” Emily said and let out a wry chuckle. “But maybe hard work.”

  “The awkward thing?” Jessica smiled.

  “Yeah, Henry asked me what an economic corridor is.” Emily rolled her eyes “And then he said something about fish sticks, or ass witches, he wasn’t sure.”

  “But then she is getting him to eat cucumber.”

  “True.” Emily nodded.

  Jessica smiled. “Can I ask you something?”

  Emily’s eyes narrowed. “Sure, what?”

  “Do you think she’s hot?” Jessica let out a quiet giggle.

  Emily blushed a little as she whispered, “Jess…”

  “No, go on,” Jessica pushed. “Do you?”

  “Of course, anyone can see she’s hot,” Emily admitted.

  Jessica grinned and turned around to press some buttons on the control panel that regulated the first-class cabin lighting to begin the slow lights-up procedure.

  “What’s that grin for?” Emily laughed.

  “You know,” Jessica said quietly.

  “It’s just bad timing.” Emily shook her head. “I have too much on my plate right now.”