Flying Mile High Chapter 12
#21 of Flying Mile High
13.33. Sydney Time: Gwen sat impatiently in the cockpit as she waited for another plane to land on the runway. She wasn't paying too much attention to the G6 that was taxi-ing in front of her, as she was heading to the runway. Turned out it was actually the plane Joe and Sarah were flying together on to Hobart.
"Mummy, why are you nervous? You're scaring me".
Gwen's heart raced in her chest. For the first time, her baby was talking to her. It was the voice of a baby boy. She closed her eyes and talked back to her little gemstone.
"Sorry darling. Are you okay?".
"Where's daddy?".
"Daddy is in the plane in front of us. He's going to a big Island called Tasmania".
"I feel sleepy. Mummy, I love you so much. Take care of yourself. Take care of me. Can you sing me a lullaby?"
Gwen rubbed her belly and began to sing.
(Sung in the tune of 'Let it Be' by The Beatles).
"When I find myself in times of trouble, Joe Williams comes to me, Loving me forever, loving me. And in my hour of sadness, he is standing there in front of me Loving me forever, loving me.
Loving me, loving me, Loving me, loving me,
Loving me forever, loving me".
Gwen opened her eyes again. Now that her baby is at rest, she felt herself at ease again.
"You have such a beautiful voice. Why are you singing out of random?". Asked Bob, breaking the spell.
"It's my baby, he just spoke to me for the first time".
Gwen placed her hand on her stomach and started stroking it. The moment Bob realised she was pregnant, his face did a complete u-turn.
"You're not married are you?". He asked.
"No. But I know my boyfriend will be popping the question soon".
Bob looked away from her, completely disgusted.
"What's wrong?". She asked.
"Nothing".
"A horse is well known for keeping secrets, mainly due to their faithfulness. The emperor of the Chu kingdom of pre-ancient China told all his secrets to his finest horse". She quoted.
Bob looked at her and sighed. He hadn't told anyone about his secret for all his life.
"I was 34 and went partying as usual. I went to bed with a flight attendant and we were too drunk to realise she was in heat. One week later, she called me. She told me she'd taken a pregnancy test and it'd come out positive. We were arguing on the phone for 3 hours straight about keeping or destroying it. She ended up flying to America to terminate my child against my own will. From then on, I stopped going to the after hour parties".
Bob looked at her sadly and asked: "Do you mind?".
Gwen nodded and started unbuttoning her polo shirt. Bob placed his hand on her belly and gently rubbed it. He could almost connect with the fragile soul that lived inside. He started to smile again, he'd never had the opportunity to feel a mother's womb. After that argument on the phone with the flight attendant, he'd never seen that woman again.
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Joe had his Aviator glasses on to block the sunlight that was glaring straight through the window. He turned his head back into the cabin, and saw Sarah and Jonathan asleep on the couch. Sarah was resting her head on Jonathan's lap whilst he leant his head back with his mouth wide open.
Turning his head forward, he watched an Emirates A380 touchdown from Dubai. Joe had been told that he would be training for an A380 rating in a few years time. He watched as the 2 inner EA engines opened up, sending engine thrust in the opposite direction to slow the plane down. Once the giant whale had left the runway, the tower cleared Joe for departure.
"To Go 50 X-ray winds 355 at 4, cleared for take-off runway 34 left".
Joe advanced the throttle forward whilst his co-pilot returned the call.
"To Go 50 X-ray cleared for take-off runway 34 left".
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Once Joe's G6 was lining up with the runway, Bob advanced the throttle forward then stopped the A340 at the waiting point outside the runway. Gwen made a take-off request as she watched Joe align himself with the centreline.
"Sydney tower, Tangara 178. Ready for departure runway 34 left".
"Tangara 178 hold short runway 34 left. Traffic is a departing G650".
"Hold short runway 34 left Tangara 178". Replied Gwen.
Gwen heard the roar of the Gulfstream's engines as it started its charge down the runway. It continued to accelerate down the pavement before lifting up gracefully into the air. She watched as the landing gear retracted itself, and Joe flying further and further away from her.
"Have a safe trip baby". She whispered, as she watched the G6 disappear into the distance.
"To Go 50 X-ray contact departure".
"Off to departure To Go 50 X-ray".
"Tangara 178 winds 355 at 6. Cleared for take-off runway 34 left".
Janice sat silently next to a Scottish Terrier as she looked out of the window of the emergency exit. The engines started to rumble as the plane moved forward to line up with the runway. Janice was looking at the boats outside the airport before feeling herself thrown forward. The engines screamed as the plane went rolling down the runway.
A scream was heard in the cabin, and a small child began to cry. Janice peered back into the cabin and saw a young Black Labrador puppy who was travelling alone, shaking in fear as the plane hurtled down the long runway. Janice usually hates children but she somehow found herself feeling sympathetic towards her. Everyone onboard felt uncomfortable as the plane lifted up into the sky. The Labrador was now screaming in discomfort as the plane kept climbing into the afternoon sky.
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Janice was 6 years old when her life completely changed. It was father's day and she had specially made him a little 'I love you card'.
Janice stretched herself and woke up, it was 7 in the morning. She excitedly grabbed the card she made from her desk and ran to her parents room. Janice knocked the door and entered the room. She had been expecting to see Mum and Dad laughing, but Mum was bawling her eyes out.
"Mummy what's wrong?".
Janice looked up and screamed. She threw herself on the floor and started crying like a baby. Wailing at the sight she had just seen. 'How could she be so angry and sad at the same time?. What was that supposed to mean?. Adults are supposed to be perfect. Why am I seeing this?'.
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Janice started sniffling as one of the worst moments of her life came back to her. She was no better than the frightened puppy in the cabin. The two were lost, confused and scared.
A chime was heard and the seatbelt sign was turned off. Janice wiped her tears away and got to work. She pulled out the duty free trolley and started rummaging through the items. One thing she found in particular was a teddy bear in the airline's flight attendant uniform. She grabbed the teddy bear and smiled as she walked into the cabin.
"Ma'am please shut that kid up". Requested one passenger rudely.
Janice stopped in her tracks. She could have killed him on the spot but she was on duty so she kneeled beside the offensive passenger.
"Sir, I apologise that the girl may be interfering with your comfort zone. With all due respect, she is travelling alone without her parents. My records shows that she is only 3 years old, so you must understand how scared she must be. I will try to cheer her up but please be understanding towards her".
The passenger nodded his head and Janice lifted herself up. She walked over to the crying puppy and placed the teddy bear on her lap. Janice started moving its arms and spoke to her with a soothing voice. "There there, don't cry. Don't cry sweetheart. There's nothing to be afraid of. I want to be your friend. I'm lonely and sad. Can you be my friend?".
The puppy stopped crying and looked at the smiling bear. She took the stuffed toy into her arms and started hugging it. Janice went back to the galley to fetch the two companions headphones. When Janice came back, she plugged in an earphone and placed it on the puppy's ears. Then she took the second set of headphones and placed it on the bear's ears.
"Wanna watch telly together?".
Janice turned on the seat back TV screen, and navigated herself around the menu. She found the kids cartoon area, and chose a popular show that gets played on ABC.
The vixen who'd previously saved Janice came over to the two of them. She kneeled with Janice and slowly opened the tray table. She placed a box of Sultana Brans and an Apple Juice box in front of the girl. When the Labrador turned her head to the vixen, her jaw dropped wide open. She turned her teddy bear towards the vixen and asked her new companion a question.
"Don't you think she is the prettiest woman in the whole wide world?".
The puppy placed her ear by the bear's mouth and heard a simple reply escape from his mouth.
"We both think you are the prettiest woman in the whole wide world".
The vixen was completely moved. No-one had complimented her for the past 4 years. She tried to smile, but it was challenging for her to have facial expressions after the accident. Once she managed to succeed, the puppy kissed the vixen's scars. Every single one of them.