The Hurting Hearts

 

 

 

You can always expect to be awakened by a passing airliner if you take a room in a hotel near the airport. His eyes were sleepy because he spent his evening watching Monday Night Football game instead of taking a good night rest and sleep. He sat up in this big bed, which was meant to be used by two people and not by one who felt miserable every single morning. Everything that one normal human being wants he already had. Own apartment in one beautiful city, a car, parked down in the garage and a wonderful career which allows him to travel around the world as an airline pilot. Not knowing what time it is, he went in a desperate search for his cell phone, hidden in the wrap of sheets. No messages. 8. 14 Am. Time to wash up and if there’ll be time, a quick stop at the hotel restaurant for a breakfast.

The only thing that always made him feel good was putting on his uniform, suiting up and putting the Captain cap with airline wings on his head. It made him feel important and to be honest, he is an important person. Without a captain, Airbus 320 can't take off the ground.

Every week he spent few nights in this hotel, making him feel like at home. He knew almost every receptionist and waiter in the restaurant. With some of them, he shared mutual sympathy and even platonic friendship. Sometimes, when he was flying to foreign countries, he used to remember some of his hotel friends and brings them expensive chocolates, usually during Christmas time. Why not provoke a surprise and a smile on someone if you can. It made him feel good.

After quick refreshment at as usual rich food buffet, hauling his carry-on, he boarded the bus shuttle which will take him to an airport, to his bird, as he used to call the airplanes. He was one of the last pilots who still saw the romance in his job.

Just like in a hotel, the same thing is at the airport too. Same people, same routine. No matter how interesting life we have, the routine will always be the biggest enemy who kills the joy and diversity in everyday life.

After passing all security checks, he walked close to a panoramic window. There it was, his Airbus 320 docked to exit 21, just waiting for him, warming itself with an early sun.

"Don't worry about the sweat, honey. I will cool you off as soon as we are in the sky." Her captain laughed alone to himself.

He took the walk through the gate bridge having Chief Stewardess Maggie greeting him at the entrance.

“Good Morning Maggie!”

“Captain! How was your night?”

“Short and sweet.” He handed her his coat and carry on and she put it in the storage. In the cockpit, his co-pilot was already there, going through a regular check list.

“Hey, John! How are you today?”

“All good sir! Morning! Nothing to report, Captain.”

“Good, love to hear that. Best way to start.”

“To start what, sir?”

“The morning! The best way to start the morning is…without a problem.” A short laugh burst out of them both, having Captain joining him in checking.

9. 24 am on his cell phone, still no message. It put him down a little.

“Maggie!” No answer from the back. “Maggie!” He raised a voice a little. He was lazy to get up because he was already strapped to his seat.

“Yes, Captain?”

“Maggie, could you be so kind and bring me the passengers list? And a coffee when you get the chance, please! You want coffee too, John?”

“I am fine, thanks.”

Maggie left, leaving the cockpit door open. Seeing through the window he could see the working ground team almost finished with their duties. Passengers list and coffee came also too.

“Why you go through passengers list every time before takeoff?”

“I want to see who I am flying with. I don’t know the real reason how it all started. Maybe I will see someone who I know and it would be fun to go back and say hi. Imagine the face on them.”

“Did it happen before?”

“Yes, it did actually. Once I sent stewardess to tell one of my good friends to come to the cockpit because they needed help to fly the plane, since their captain wasn’t feeling well.”

“That is funny. I can imagine his face. He was a pilot too?”

“No. He is an architect.”

“Jesus! Did passengers hear them talking?”

“Hell no! She told him to follow her and right before she knocked on the cockpit door, the explanation came, why he was needed! He shit his pants!”

They both laughed as hell. Johnny wanted to know more obviously.

“So?”

“When I opened the door, he had such a relief, I thought he was about to crash on the floor. He still tells that story every time we meet somewhere.”

Johnny realized that Captain Casey was a joker. For his friends and colleagues who know him longer in this company, he will always be Loco Nick. That nickname came from long ago while they were in Mexico, Cancun. Johnny had known him for a short period of time but still didn’t have the courage ask his captain about legendary tale regarding that nickname. Maybe, when they will know each other more.

Passengers list didn’t show any familiar name to Nick. He was about to put the list aside when one name grabbed his attention. Anne Jennings. He was of the few ones who called her Jeannie. A huge amount of feelings rose in him like a storm raiding the ocean. His chest started to hurt from so much emotion. It can’t be, he thought. Seven years have passed since he saw her last time.

“You ok Captain?”

“Huh?

“I said, are you ok? You look lost, sir. Is everything all right?”

“Yeah, yeah, I am ok. Are we load and ready to go?”

“Ground team gave us green light. Let me check with Maggie, if we are all counted, we can start the pulling.” Nick just nodded to his co-pilot. Maggie also gave a green light. All passengers counted and seated. A huge desiring wish was in Nick, to get up and look for the seat 35C and the passenger in it. His Jeannie. But there was a job to do. He made a call over his headset to the Tower, letting them know that flight TGA 334 was ready to taxi to the runway. That part of his job he could do in his sleep. All the way taxing the path to the runway he was lost in his flying thoughts. The last thing he wants to find out is that Anne is not his Jeannie.

“TGA 334 to Tower, requesting the permission to take off.”

“Tower to TGA 334, you have the permission, using runway 25R.”

“Thank you.”

“Safe flight.”

The sweating bird started picking up speed on the long runway 25R. As soon as the right speed was reached, Nick pulled the stick down and the nose of his bird rose up. They were in the air.

“Gear up!”

“Gear up Captain!” Johnny answered lifting the lever of the landing gear. “Flaps up too.”

“Got it. Level our honey to 6000 feet and set 200-speed knots.”

“Understood.”

“Ground Control to TGA 334, set course 125, 15 000 feet.”

“Roger that Ground Control! TGA 334 to 125, level on 15 000 feet.” Nick routinely acknowledged the instructions. Soon will come the moment when he should address the passengers, but the chance that Jeannie is maybe in the back was huge. She could easily recognize his voice.

“Johnny, why don’t you address the passengers?”

“Me? Really? But that is what Captain always does.”

“I know that dummy. I am giving you a chance to practice. One day when you are going to be the captain of one of these birds, you will have to give the speech. So, why won’t practice now?” A huge smile was returned to him from his co-pilot. He liked him now even more.

“Once when we level, do the speech, ok?”

“Yes, sir.” Johnny was happy like a little child before opening Christmas present.

It went pretty well. No stammering, nothing. It went smooth like a river. Nick was impressed.

“Well done my man! If you ask me, you are ready to be the boss!”

“Thank you, Nick.” His co-pilot was so full of happiness and proudness of himself. Soon after, Maggie was knocking on their door. As soon Johnny opened it, a burst of praise came straight at him, making him bigger a little bit.

The flight was scheduled for three hours. Making the bathroom excuse, Nick went out to check out if it is really his Jeannie in the seat 35C. He stopped next to the toilets, peeking a little towards the spot where she should be seated. There she was better than ever with her long red hair and beautiful body. Seeing her reading the magazine was the cutest thing he has seen in recent times. He didn’t realize he was smiling. What to do? Now he knows for sure. It is her by no mistake. To do something about it, or not? To say hi, or keep silent? His thoughts made him realize he was thinking like Hamlet for a second. That made him laugh with himself again while he was getting back to the cockpit.

The flight was calm and all went through just fine, without a single turbulence. The remaining time of the flight Nick used to think what to do, to check with his heart, what it really wants.

As soon as they docked, Nick got up and stepped next to the exit. He decided to say hi, ignoring sweating palms and high beating heart. People seemed delighted with Captain while he was greeting them on their way out. There is she, fifth in a row from him, having troubles carrying her bag and coat.

“I hope you had a nice flight Miss Jennings, or should I better call you Jeannie?”

She lifted her head from her bag. Hearing name Jeannie stopped her in the pace. She knows that voice sounds so damn familiar. It can’t be. But there he was. Nick in full his presence. She yelled his name jumping in his open hands, even though she didn’t want to look like a teenage girl. But they did act like it. For a brief moment.

“Nick! What? I mean, how come? What are you doing here?”

“Nothing really, I just came from the gate dressed as captain to make an impression on you.”

She was confused as hell.

“I flew you here. I was your Captain on this flight.”

“Come on! Will you move the line, will ya?” Someone was in the hurry in the back. They stepped out of the plane and out of the way.

“Nick! You really surprised me! I didn’t know you are a pilot!”

Lots of things you don’t know, Nick thought.

“Yeah, I am the pilot for the last five years. You in a rush?”

“Rush? How do you mean?”

“You have time for a cup of coffee? You know, to catch up. What do you say?”

She knew she was on a tight time schedule. The meeting will not wait for her, but then, it was Nick in front of her!

“Right now? Well yeah, it would be great!”

“Awesome, let me just talk to my co-pilot. Wait here.”

She was still bedazzled. Her hair! She put the carry-on bag down trying to fix her hair a little bit. He came fast as lightning, putting his jacket on.

“Come on.” He took her bag and they were on the way through the gate bridge. A nice coffee shop on the view deck was one of his favorites, drinking coffee and watching planes taking off and landing was something that could never bore him. He took his usual coffee and she was having a large one with milk.

“Two sugars?” Nick asked handing her two baggies.

“You still remember, don’t you?”

“Of course, how could I forget it?” He smiled.

“You would be a good waiter then.” She teased him, couldn’t resist.

“Well, now we know what career I can pursue if the birds get bored with me.”

“Birds?”

“Airplanes. I call them birds. Sounds nicer. If you say airplane, you think of metal, wings and tires. On the other hand, when you say bird, it immediately gives a soul to it.”

“Wow, how romantic. I like it, from now on I will call them birds too.”

“Maybe we will start a movement, call them birds and make them souls of the sky!”

Laugh after laugh, what they needed both for a long time.

“So, we know what brings me here.” Nick said.

“The bird.”

“Hah, yes, the bird! And you?”

“I work as a lawyer for a company, not here though. I came here to meet a client of ours, has some legal issues, he was asking for a meeting and some legal advice.”

“What part of the law?” Nick asked taking a sip out of his coffee.

“Divorces. The dirtiest part of the law.”

“Ouch! Famous people divorce?”

“Yes. But don’t ask me any names!”

“I wasn’t about to ask you!”

“Yeah right! I know you, Nick! I know how curious you can get!” Jeannie laughed remembering how annoying he could get, like a drooling dog asking for an extra cookie.

“No! Honest! I have changed Jeannie!”

“Long time.”

“Long time what?”

“Long time since someone called me that.”

A moment passed by.

“Does it bother you?”

She just smiled. That was all he needed. To see her smile.

“Are you married?” She was curious.

“No. My job doesn’t let me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I am married to the sky. I spend more time up there than down here. Even eagles tell me when we meet up there, don’t you get bored being up in the sky all the time?” He finished in deeper voice making her laugh again.

“You haven’t changed at all, stupid!”

“And you? Are you married?”

“No.” A few long seconds passed between them. “But, I can’t say I wasn’t asked the question though. That train left the station a long time ago.” She finished looking at him with sadness in her eyes, giving him the look like when someone realizes that he or she made a mistake once. In this case, she was the one who made that mistake.

“Seven years. That question was asked seven years ago, Jeannie.”

“I know stupid.” She said silently, holding her cup between her hands. The conversation started so nice and now she is getting that stuck feeling in her stomach.

“Hey! Cheer up, it was in the past!” Nick tried to light up the mood with a smile, but she could recognize his fake smiles and hurting heart.

“I have to go, Nick! I have this meeting, I can’t be late.”

“How come so sudden? I am sorry if I upset you, it wasn’t my intention.”

“I know Nick, I know. But I really have to catch a taxi for that meeting. Can’t leave the client waiting.”

“Don’t complain.”

“How do you mean?”

“You have one, I have hundreds. Rage of one client can be taken, but if I am late, I would have passengers waiting to lynch me.” He managed to make her laugh even in this awkward situation. She realized it was something she was missing all those years, his stupidity and him making jokes. Too much heavy history was between them to pretend there are no hurting hearts.

“I have to go, Nick! I am really sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He touched her hand, calming her instantly like only he knows how. From her, he took the bag and they were on the way to exit the airport. The air was fresh outside, but not cold. Noon already passed having people coming in and out of the terminal building, going their way. She waved to the first oncoming taxi, making him stop on the side.

“To downtown, please.” She said opening the back door.

“No problem, mam.” She put her coat in the car and handed bag from Nick. At the opened door there she was still standing. In her own struggle, she didn’t know whether ask him a phone number or not. They haven’t spoken a word all the way since they left the coffee shop.

She gave him a long look, full of sadness and understanding of the current situation they were in. So much history and bright future that never happened between them.

“Jeannie.”

“Yes?”

“The question still stands open.” There was a tear in his eye. “I always had, I still do, and…I will always love you. I am a bird without wings. Come with me, and make me fly again. Be my wings, honey.”

She started crying. Tears coming down without control, but still standing firmly next to the car. She turned away from him, making his heart sank to the bottom, but she just took out her coat and bag, closed the door and put things on the ground. She stepped closer, hugged him strongly, giving him so long desired kiss.

The question finally got its answer.

 

 

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 21.10.2017

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