Cheradine - Whole Lotta History

Chapter 13

A/N - Hello! Sorry this has taken a little longer than usual to upload, I was poorly last week so I'm a bit behind on everything.  Anyways, I hope you enjoy! <3

Nadine curses under her breath as she wrestled with her suitcase, her grip tightening around the handle. The narrow staircase, lined with expensive wallpaper, offered little room to manoeuvre. Finally, she reached the bottom, her face flushed and her muscles burning.

"Rachel, come on! We're going to miss our flight!"  She nervously checks the time on her phone. She glanced at Rachel, who was still rummaging through her bag with a nonchalant air. Nadine couldn't help but roll her eyes. Rachel was a chronic tardiness offender, even by Nadine's standards, which were pretty low to begin with.

"I can't find my passport." Rachel tells her.

"Now really isn't the time for you to be taking the piss." Nadine sighs, moving her bags to the front door.

"I'm not." Rachel protests. "I really can't find it." She watches as Rachel makes her way back upstairs, knowing they really would be cutting it fine if they wanted to be on time for the flight to Derry.

Not wanting to waste anymore time she takes their bags, loading them into the car. It takes her a few attempts, bit she finally manages to manipulate all the bags so they fit. There's a sound of a car door shutting in the distance as she walks back into the house, ready to pull Rachel out by her hair.

"Rachel!" She shouts.

"Just a minute." Her sisters muffled voice replies.

"I'll leave without you." She threatens.

Nadine retreats to the car, her patience fraying with each passing minute. She slumps into the driver's seat, the cool leather offering little comfort. The silence is broken only by the distant hum of traffic and the occasional honk of a car horn. As she stares out the windshield, she can't help but feel a sense of dread. She knows Rachel is always late, but this is ridiculous.

Just as she's is about to give up and go back inside, she spots Rachel rushing towards the car in her rear view mirror, her passport clutched tightly in her hand. Nadine lets out a breath of relief, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly.

"Sorry." Rachel mumbles, keeping her eyes down as she gets into the car.

Nadine's foot presses down hard on the gas pedal, her mind racing as she speeds down the motorway. The landscape blurs past the windows, a testament to her urgency. She can't believe how close they came to missing the flight. It feels like a miracle they're even here.

The radio softly plays Christmas song, easing the tension in the car somewhat, and Rachel hums along to them mindlessly.

They're suddenly cut off however, when Nadine's phone starts to rings through the cars hands free, Cheryl's name lighting up the screen. She'd not spoken with Cheryl since the incident at the club two days ago. The Geordie had been adamant she did nothing wrong, but Nadine still felt a pang of unease. She quickly declines the call, her attention returning to the road.

Just as soon as she cuts the call off it rings again, Cheryl was nothing if not persistent. Without hesitating she once again declines.

"I think she wants to talk to you." Rachel sates the obvious.

"I don't have time to talk to her." Nadine was a little short in her response, but it seems to have the intended effect of shutting Rachel up.

Nadine glances at her watch as they pull into the airport car park. Her heart pounds in her chest. She hopes against hope that they'll make it through check-in and security without any delays, but with the Christmas rush, she knows it's unlikely. Luckily, fate seemed to be on their side. One of the airport staff recognises her and whisks them through the VIP line.