Aella

XXIX

We took off six and a half hours ago. Henri has helped me with my Italian, being as he is of course from Italy. We work on more nouns that I'll have to use on a pretty regular basis. The nouns are easier than the verbs and adjectives, because there is not a million conjugations to remember.

"Attention lady and gentleman", Kevin speaks over the intercom. "We will be starting our descent in about five minutes. Winds have been in our favor tonight, we'll be landing in about forty minutes."

I stand up from my seat and stretch my arms into the air. When I wasn't working on my Italian, I took a nap, because we flew overnight. It will be about 8AM when we land in Rome, but only 3AM at home.

On the jet we own, there's a conference room and a small bedroom in the very back. I took my nap there, but the bed is so short, even my legs hung off the end. My clothes are back there, so I go back and change into my arrival outfit.

Once I change, I go into the small bathroom off to the side of the main cabin and work on my hair. I don't have much to work with, as it's a bathroom on a plane, so I brush my hair into a high ponytail and use water to try and make it look like it has a little more life and volume. I wash my face and put on a tiny bit of foundation to make my skin look even, and to cover the very dark under eye bags I have from lack of sleep.

When I return to my seat in the main cabin, I open my phone. I open the message from Aella. Good morning Darling girl. I will see you soon.

The stupid WIFI on our plane allows you to receive texts, but not send them, so I simply smile at the text and put my phone back into my bag.

I stare out the window in an exhausted haze, watching the sky get brighter. It glows purple, then orange, then turns to the beautiful blue of daytime. The plane begins to descend through the clouds, and the world opens up beneath them. Still being thousands of feet in the air, everything looks the same. We're mostly over water, but then I see the island of Corsica appear next to us.

"Please prepare for final descent", Kevin says over the intercom. The stewardess locks different drawers and bins up, then takes her seat on the jump seat next to the cockpit.

As I buckle my own seat belt, the plane takes its dive into position to land. The airport is on the coast, so we're still flying over the ocean, and it's vaguely scary, but it's natural. I've flown into this airport many times before. The plane takes one last turn, and then I can see the city from the opposite side of the plane. It's just as beautiful as I remember it. I've always loved being here in Italy, this is my true home.

A minute later, we're probably only a few hundred feet from the ground. The airport comes into view in front of us, so I take a deep breath and wait to touch the runway. Landing is always the scariest part. What if we hit too hard and die? What if we don't even make it to the runway?

Kevin is a trustworthy pilot, and we touch down softly onto the runway, then the jet screeches to a slow speed. We taxi a couple runways over, then we stop. I stand up right after the stewardess does to stretch my legs again. I go over to the opposite side of the plane to look out at the tarmac.

There, in her perfect glory, stands Aella. She has her own guards now, standing on either side of her. They all stand shoulder with the part, hands clasped in front of them. She has sunglasses on her face, but I think she spots me in the window, because a very small smile forms on her face.

It takes a moment for the door to open, but I'm ready for when it does. I do my best to not look like a child, but I hurry down the stairs and over to Aella. She takes a few steps forward and removes her sunglasses as I meet her, and instantly everything feels safe again.

I wrap my arms around her neck, and she picks me up a few inches off the ground effortlessly. Aella buries her face into my neck, and she just hold me tight. "Oh, Cara Mia."

Aella gently sets me down, but still hold me against her. The early morning sun shines right on her. Her hair glows a light brown, almost golden. Her skin glows as if heaven was shining a spotlight right on her. Her eyes gleam in the light, glowing a reddish gold, like fire.

Aella brings one of her hands up to my face, resting her palm on my cheek. I lean against it, loving the feel of her touching me again. I stare up at her, and she back at me. "I've missed you so much."

Aella smiles down at me, she blinks a slow blink, taking everything in. "I have missed you more than you will ever know, Topolina."

She bends down to meet my height, but I stand on my tiptoes to meet her as well. We kiss slowly, as if we forgot how. It's intimate, and sensual, but also hungry. Even though it's only been a few days since we've seen each other, there is something about the both of us that can't stand to be apart. I need her, and she needs me.

We kiss for a moment, but I need to come up for air. She releases me, and I her. Aella stares down at me once again, studying my face. "Come on, my love. Let's get you home."