Divine Affinity

54

Eiry sat at Maui's airport lounge, the early morning light filtering through the windows as she clutched a huge cup of coffee in her hands. The airport was unusually quiet at this hour, with only a few scattered travelers milling about. As she sipped her coffee, Eiry closed her eyes and took a deep breath, savoring the moment of peace before her long journey ahead. The soft hum of the airport's AC unit and the occasional sound of luggage wheels rolling across the floor were the only sounds that filled the air. Suddenly, the loudspeaker crackled to life, announcing the boarding call for her flight to Copenhagen.

"Here I come..." Eiry got up and grabbed her hand bag.

With a sense of excitement, she made her way towards the gate, the anticipation of seeing Eddie setting her heart aflutter. He didn't know anything about it. She wanted to surprise him, but for it to work she had to tell Rae and Stone who would make sure everything would happen as planned.

"May I have your boarding pass?" The woman asked as she stopped in front of her desk and Eiry gave it to her together with her ID. The woman smiled and after scanning her boarding pass, she gave it back to Eiry who had her heart beating a mile per second. "Have a nice flight."

"Thank you." Eiry responded, tucking the documents into the folder of her bag.

She started following other passengers quietly through the hallway towards the plane. Stepping onto it, Eiry was greeted by the warm smiles of the flight attendants as she found her seat by the window. She stowed her bag in the overhead compartment before settling into her seat.

"I'm on the plane." She texted Stone from her 3310 that she decided to buy just in case.

She did not expect a response, since they too should be at Tacoma airport, but their flight was to New York and from there they would fly to Copenhagen. Eiry would arrive first. The only thing that worried her was if Eddie would try to contact her in between flights. Stone would distract him though.

"Oh boy..." She whispered all alone, resting her hand over her heart in an attempt to calm it down.

Finally, the plane taxied down the runway, and fast enough she was watching as the familiar sights of Maui disappearing beneath the clouds. Pulling out her favorite novel, she lost herself in its pages, the story unfolding before her like a dream.
Throughout the flight, Eiry shifted positions, alternating between reading, watching a movie, dozing off for a short nap, and unfortunately, to pay some visits to the cubicles plane toilets are to throw up. The first time was when the flight attendants came around with the first meal, and the second was when she was offered a glass of white wine. After a nap, she woke up feeling fine.

Long hours after leaving home, the plane descended towards Copenhagen. As the aircraft touched down on the runway, she felt a mix of excitement and purpose wash over her. A sense of happiness washed over her as Eddie would be just a few hours away. She was missing him. Eiry eagerly unbuckled her seatbelt, ready to see him, kiss him, make love to him and most of all, support him. Stepping out of the plane, despite being August, a crisp Scandinavian breeze greeted her, a stark contrast to the warm tropical air she was accustomed to. Eiry's eyes sparkled with exhaustion but also wonder as she looked around the bustling airport, her senses absorbing the sights and sounds of a new country. She had never been there before. Making her way to the baggage claim area, her anticipation grew as she patiently waited for her suitcase to emerge on the conveyor belt. When her suitcase finally glided into view, Eiry softly smiled.

"Finally..." She whispered as she impatiently grabbed her suitcase, eager to go to the hotel.

Eiry turned around towards the airport's exit, the bright fluorescent lights blurring her vision for a moment. Suddenly, a wave of dizziness washed over her, causing her to instinctively grab onto the nearest railing for support. Her fingers lightly brushing against the cold metal as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing the sensation to pass.
It was only a few seconds, Eiry straightened herself up and made her way out of Copenhagen Airport. The cool Danish air hit her face, clearing her mind as she scanned the bustling street for a taxi. Spotting one at the curb, she hurriedly approached, relief flooding her features.