A Flight's Desire

Chapter 38: Shifting

A bright ray of sunlight escaped through the closed curtains of the gloomy room that was lit up by warm yellow overhead lights. The room was a total mess, surrounded by cardboard boxes of various sizes. Many were stacked upon each other to create space to walk around. The carpet and the rug were rolled up and they were leaning against the north wall, waiting to be packed up in the biggest cardboard box that lay open in the living room. Rock music was playing from the laptop that rested safely in its place on top of a box that was labeled 'Books' in dark black marker.

"Oh come on!" Robin exclaimed when she noticed that the curtain that she had tucked four times already refused to block the evidence of the day from her packing. She tied the base of the curtain and tucked it once more and made sure that it worked before she sat cross-legged on the floor.

As Lincoln had mentioned during her previous visit, the apartment opposite to Lincoln and Melody's was vacant and up for sale. Robin's pros/cons list worked out to his side of the argument and she had prepared to shift to Los Angeles to live with her family once again. She knew that she would be giving up living alone and her position at the Budapest Department. She would miss working with David and Sweta, but it was time for a change in her life. She knew that she had had her time of life in the beautiful city, but it was time to take her responsibilities as a family member seriously.

Packing years of memories in cardboard boxes was the most difficult. Packing her belongings wasn't that hard because she was used to seeing them everyday. It was the memories that were attached to the apartment that she was getting emotional over. Her apartment was at a lease from the company and Sweta had agreed to live there, having been promoted that year for her brilliant work at finding out the fraud that could have been committed at the firm from the credit card statements. She deserved it and Robin had never been more proud of anyone before.

She regretted leaving things the way they were with Karen and Paige, that too on their wedding. Most of all, she hated having left Ben the way that she did. A kiss on the cheek? What was she thinking? She wasn't, and that was the truth. Her heart and mind were at war with each other and she couldn't make a list for this. She had to trust her gut. But what did it tell her? She did not know.

"Stop it." She shook her head and concentrated on the music. "Waiting for the end to come....wishing I had strength to stand....this is not what I had planned....tt's out of my control," sang she who started folding up her clothes. Somehow, the lyrics seemed to fit her current situation. "Well, Linkin Park, you've got my back when no one else does." She saluted her laptop while imagining herself standing in front of all the members before getting back to work.

That evening, her phone started to ring and she was half expecting it to be Paige, who would be reminding her about the book launch at the Barnes and Nobles in Los Angeles. But when she looked at the caller ID, her face heated up instantly. "Oh....I-" She hadn't been in regular contact with this person because she didn't want to bother them. She was sure that they would have a busy schedule. But seeing his name, it brought back all the feelings that she felt for him.

"Hey!" She picked it up and put it on speaker.

"Robin! Hey!" Ben spoke. "It's been so long! How are you?"

She was panicking because she didn't know what to say, that's how she was. "I'm good, thank you. How are you?"

"I....kinda need your help. I'm stuck in a situation and I would really love your help." Ben realised his mistake and immediately apologised for it. "And I know how I sound calling you after months, but you are the only one who can save me from this."

She hadn't been expecting that but it was better than what she was hoping it to be. "Sure! How can I help?"

"Thank you!" He said. "I'm in Budapest."

Her eyes widened. Ben was in Budapest. Ben....was in Budapest. "Oh my God! That's great! Are you here for a shooting?"

"Yes I am. I'm here to shoot the final episode of the show....and for a convention."

"That's great! How can I help?"

"Uh....I don't know how to ask."

Robin smiled. "Do you want to write it down first?" She knew that it was one of Ben's methods of acting.

Ben chuckled. "I wish I could....I need a place to stay."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Is everything okay?"

"Alright I can't lie to you. I mean, it's you." She blushed harder, the memory of the kiss lingering. "The hotel that I had booked has been filled. They've agreed to repay the amount but I don't know where to go. The sun is setting and the manager told me that there aren't any vacancies in any other hotel." Robin opened her mouth to say something but he continued. "I could stay with my friend and co-star but I don't want to bother them. I mean, I don't want to disturb you either but-"

"Ben Ben Ben! Calm down. Breathe." She gave him a few seconds to breathe from rambling at the speed of lightning. "You are not bothering me at all. You can stay with me." But when she looked around, she realised what her place looked like. "Where are you right now? I'll pick you up."

"Oh, I don't want to bother you. I could catch a cab-"

"I need to shop for groceries anyway. I'll pick you up on the way."

He couldn't believe his luck. Robin really was one of the sweetest people that he had ever met. He wished that he could have talked to her properly but he knew that she would have been busy with the book launch.

But the conversations that they did have would last for a really long time. It was hard to say goodbye every time that they texted each other but they never talked about what happened between them at the wedding. They knew that they had to talk about it. It was inevitable that they did so.

"Are you sure? I really don't want to be of any trouble."

Robin stood up and pulled on a cardigan jacket. "Well, you will be of any trouble if you keep asking me that. I am glad that you called me right now. How do you like your spaghetti?"

"Uh....however you make it. I'm sure it will be delicious."

"Alright. Send me the address. I'm coming."

Keeping the phone down, both Robin and Ben cheered silently, but when they thought about the silence that they would face from starting the inevitable topic, they wondered how that would go.

Well, at least they were going to see each other again, right?