Runways

Chapter 4

"Welcome to Heathrow Airport, Captain Flores."

Frank nods and tips his hat at the ground crew of Icon Airlines in London, dragging his rolling luggage behind him. His cabin crew walks briskly behind him, all of them worn out and ready for bed. It's been a while since he's done long haul flights and it makes Frank exhausted, but today, he has a mission. He was out to look for a friend–and he was dead set on bringing him back home. 

The hotel the airlines reserved for them stood three blocks away from the pub where the two of them agreed to meet. Frank slipped on his leather jacket and looked at his reflection in the hotel's full-length mirror.

"Naks," Frank smoothed his hands over the leather, winking at himself. "Pogi mo talaga, Captain. Pero hanapin muna natin si James, bago tayo humanap ng chicks."

His phone rings at that moment and he shakes his head, chuckling at the situation. Of course James would call the moment someone's thinking of him.

"Hello, Captain! Ano? Sasamahan mo ba ako humanap ng chicks?"

---

The pub James recommended wasn't something that Frank was used to. It was dimly lit and the people talked like they had something stuck between the roof of their mouth and their tongues. Frank snorted as he looked around him, eyes searching for someone familiar. 

"Walang babae dito, huy." 

Frank looks up and he finds himself face to face with a familiar set of eyes. He smiles widely and he wraps the boy in a tight hug, hands slapping against broad shoulders. James lost a little weight, his jawline more profound, his eyes a little bit more mature. Frank pulls away from him and he looks at James up and down, shaking his head in amusement.

"Alam mo, pag bumalik ka ng Pilipinas hindi mo na masusuot yang mga coat na ganyan," he quips and James laughs–hearty, full and just... content. Frank laughs with him and he shoves James' shoulder, pointing at the empty bar stool beside him. "Hoy, Esteban. Ilibre mo ako, alam kong pogi ka, pero mas pogi pa din ako. Tsaka wala akong dalang pounds, hehe."

"Na-miss kita, Kuya Isko," James says, sincerity pouring out of his entire being. He calls out for two beers on tap and he turns to look at his mentor; the feeling of comfort, family and home coming back to him. "Seryoso yon ha. Na-miss kita."

"Eh tarantado, kasalanan mo naman yon. Tatlong taon ka nawala, ilang libong milya na nilipad mo, hindi mo man lang nilihis yung eroplano papunta sa Pilipinas."

James shook his head and scratched his chin, words betraying him. He doesn't say anything–because really, why didn't he come home? Frank laughed, chugging down the beer set in front of him.

"Pero, 'de, James. Salamat, pinaunlakan mo ako ngayon."

"Ikaw pa ba, kuya? Siyempre naman," James smiles at Frank, the man who's been a cross between his father and a brother in this crazy, fast-paced world of aviation. "Alam mo naman na basta magsabi ka, pupuntahan kita."

Frank looks at James and he wonders if the boy is happy. He's known the boy the moment he's graduated from aviation school and he's seen it all. He's seen him stand up on his own, fall down and gather himself back up time and time again. James isn't perfect, he thinks, but James is the kind of boy who learns from his mistakes and picks up the pieces to build himself again.

"Kuya, kamusta ka?"

"Ako?" Frank shrugged. "Eto, pogi pa din. Wag mo ko tanungin, lagi naman akong pogi wala pa ding nagbabago. Ikaw, kamusta ka?"

James smiles sadly and he picks up a napkin, folding it into a flimsy paper airplane. "Okay naman, kuya. Buhay naman, kahit papaano. Busy sa trabaho–lipad dito, lipad doon."

"James, uulitin ko yung tanong ko, ha? Hijo, kamusta ka?"

Frank watched the boy sigh, his eyes once full of youth now simmered with longing and emptiness.

"Malungkot," James whispers, fingers drumming against the hard tabletop. "Mag-isa lang ako dito kuya."

"Bakit hindi ka umuwi? Balik ka na, andun naman kami–si Dani. Andun si Dani, iniintay ka niya."

Frank pulls out a photo from his jacket pocket, the edges a little crumpled and scuffed, and he places it in front of James, pressing the image against his hands. James smiles when his eyes fall on a girl, fingers tracing the face he missed so much.

"Galing kami ng Hong Kong niyan," Franks points at the photo before taking a swig from his mug. "Roundtrip. Kala ko bibigay yan si Dani nung araw na yan, mukha kasing puyat at kulang sa tulog nung nakita ko sa airport pa lang. Pero nung umapak na sa eroplano, aba, biglang nabuhayan. Sinabihan ko yan na magpahinga, pero sabi lang niya sa akin, kaya daw niya. Naalala ko ang bilin mo sa akin dati na bantayan ko si Dani, kaya simula non dinadala ko yan lagi sa flight ko."

"Salamat, kuya."

"James... tatlong taon ng nagiintay si Dani sa yo." 

"Tingin mo, tatanggapin pa niya ako?" James asked and his eyes looks up at him sadly. "Baka hindi na ako tanggapin ni Dani, kuya. Nasaktan ko siya ng sobra sobra."

"Tanga din kayo pareho, no?" Frank says flatly, rolling his eyes at the boy. "Ginawang buhay ni Dani ang paglipad, gaya ng ginawa mo sa tatlong taon na paglayo mo. Alam ko na lagi kang iniisip niyan, lagi ka niya naaalala."

James runs his hand against the photo, his eyes memorizing everything there is about Dani. He remembers the way her skin felt warm against his, her caramel-brown eyes, the way she smiled at him. James sighed and he slipped his hand in his pocket, fingers grasping the rosary necklace he's always kept close.

"James," Frank places a hand on his shoulder and he sighed, turning his head to look at him. "Alam ko naman na ginawa mo 'to dahil gusto mo buuin ang sarili mo–pero James, hindi ka mabubuo hangga't wala siya."

He pulls out the rosary from his pocket, fingers clasped tightly around it. He knows this–James knows he'll never be complete without Dani because he spends every single day nursing the empty space in his heart.

"Mahal mo pa ba si Dani, James?"

James looks up, eyes blown wide in surprise. His brow furrows and his fingers tighten around the rosary he's holding on to before facing Frank, his jaw set in determination.

"Oo. Mahal na mahal ko si Dani, kuya."

"Bumalik ka na. Balikan mo na si Dani."

"May babalikan ba ko sa Icon, Captain?"

Frank nodded. "May openings ang Icon Air ngayon, may bagong fleet na inacquire para sa planadong international flights. Pag sinabi kong babalik ka, alam mo naman na walang tanong tanong, ibabalik ka nila."

James stares at the rosary in his hand and the photo in his hand, and his resolve strengthens even further. Dani's eyes stares back at him from the photo and James breathes, his heart finally, finally home.