Petrichor to his Heart

9.6

The moving jets paved the way for her liner to enter the hanger and without paying attention to the soldiers her colleague has just mentioned she steered the aircraft towards the waiting-on-the-ground crew.

"Thank you so much, Ma'am, it was one of the best learning days." Naman's respectful voice made Pallavi smile. "Hoping to accompany you in other sessions as well."

"You wanted to learn Naman is that all..." Pallavi knew the young guy was overwhelmed by the kindness, it was the least she could offer to anyone so why not. "by the way how many flying hours did you complete by now?" grabbing her traveling bag, Pallavi brushed the imaginary dirt from her dress pants and then accompanied Naman out of the cockpit.

"450 + hours including the training but I believe the more we fly the more we learn." He replied following her steps.

"But you are already certified to be a good pilot..." Pallavi started but Naman interrupted which made her say.

" at least on paper then..." Pallavi was surprised how the young man didn't make it obvious yet kept taking lessons from her.

"Learning is a continuous process, Maam." Naman had by now pulled out his sunglasses and the bright sunny day outside the craft meant she did the same.

"True... every moment of life was a learning" Pallavi could not agree less.

"I hope to fly soon with you, have a good day ..." Naman said just when they reached the connecting buses. "what is this commotion...looks like there indeed is an emergency."

Pallavi's eyes followed his and in front of them, some 100 yards from their buses was a big military bus and then the sky thundered with the all-familiar sounds of the jets. She was shaken with a strange sense of Deja vu, she knew this moment has been a part of her life in some way or another.

"Hurry up, guys!" the bus before theirs left, and their driver called them, perhaps he was hurrying to give space to the approaching jet.

The men in their respective uniforms seemed alert yet she could see a few of them sullen apart from a few who were chatting or even smiling at their insides jokes.

"It's important we are in our wits before an important mission because we can't let depression take over our brains, that's the biggest enemy even bigger than the enemy." His words echoed in her ears and she sat straight in her bus seat.

Soon it was going to be seven whole years of them breaking up but it was the sudden meeting and that sudden separation that was haunting her, she could avoid his memories but every time she saw even a small something related to the military his memories would come back to her, not letting her move anywhere.

She kept her gaze lingering on the approaching cargo jet that was now circling the runway and then the soldiers waiting for something perhaps for the same jet before her bus took a turn and the runway went invisible leaving her no choice but to come back to her own lonely world.

It took the bus no time to drop her to the main airport area and soon she was making her way to her designated room for a quick lunch and some eye-shut time when her phone pinged with one of those tiniest missed calls which ended even before ringing properly. This was happening for some days now but she was one of those persons who didn't call back until the other person left a message to call back or just called.

She was about to put her phone back and take the lift to the upper floors where the restrooms were when Leena, the air staff gestured for her to follow her.

Stuffing her phone back in her trousers and shifting her bag to the other hand she left the corridor and turned to the other end of the lounge to the staff office.