The gates were opened meanwhile and passengers started making a queue.
"Shall we?" I said pointing towards the gate and the line.
"Sure, come beta, " she said holding little hands of her daughter and carrying her handbag. Meanwhile, I also took my laptop bag and we started moving towards the queue.
I made way for both of them to join the queue and stood behind them. I took out my passport and boarding pass.
"Mummy, plane!!" screamed her daughter, Shanaya pointing towards one of the aircraft that was landing.
"Shhh, slowly, everyone is listening to you, " she said putting her little hand down, and added, "now hold your teddy".
The queue was moving and eventually, our turn came and we showed our passports, boarding pass.
"Thank you for choosing Spice jet sir and mam." said the gate attendant, Radhika (yes, I read her nameplate!), with a huge smile on her face while checking our documents.
"We're not together" Sandy replied in grief. "But it's ok" I added to her, with a warm curve on my face.
"Ah, I am sorry sir and mam." Radhika apologized to us and greeted, "Have a safe flight!"
"No no, it's fine. never mind, Thanks!" I replied her with thumbs up and she handed over our documents to us. Meanwhile, I saw both of them already started walking towards the aircraft.
I also joined them and the flight attendant was waiting for us. I showed her my boarding pass and she pointed me to my seat. Sandy also showed the boarding pass and she was also shown her seat. But I heard she wasn't happy with her seat and she wanted to look for options.
I didn't want to block the gate so I started walking towards my seat; it was on the second last row, the window seat. I always prefer a window seat whenever I fly because I love to see the clouds, the birds, the sky and the city. It gives me a feeling of being on the top, where I always wanted to be!
I opened the overhead cabinet above my seat and kept my laptop bag inside. I took my seat and adjusted myself. I started looking for both of them and after some passengers adjusted, they appeared. They were walking towards my seat and they stopped by my row. She checked her boarding pass and looked over my seat's row. To her surprise, it was the two seats next to me.
"What a pleasant surprise mam!" I exclaimed with a huge smile on my face.
She was in shock, I can assume from her face.
Shanaya who was hiding behind Sandy's legs emerged from her side and said, "Mummy, window."
"No window beta, you sit here quietly," she said pointing to the seat next to me and Shanaya slowly came and sat in my neighboring seat. Sandy also adjusted her handbags in the overhead cabinet and seated on the aisle seat next to Shanaya.
I could clearly judge the disgrace on the face sitting next to me. I know how it feels to be close to something you like but not enjoying it. But I was happy to give up my inner happiness for that little girl because sometimes you can enjoy by just seeing the other person enjoying.
"You want window seat?" I whispered into Shanaya's small ears, making sure that Sandy isn't listening.
Up and down moved her head couple of times with an innocent emotion on her face. "Come, sit here" I replied with a smile on my face. Seeing me smiling, she also started smiling. Probably the best what a child can do!
"No Aakash, its ok," said Sandy from the other side who heard me talking to Shanaya.
"Come on, I'm not doing it for you. It's for her" I replied and tried to adjust myself.
Now if Shanaya and I exchange our seats then she would be missing her mother, with me sitting between both of them. So the best option was Sandy and I also exchange our seats.
And there it was, the final exchange of seats with the little girl on the window (what she wanted!), with her mother next to her and I was sitting on the aisle seat next to Sandy (what she didn't wanted!).
"Thank you!" replied Sandy trying not to have any direct eye contact with me.
"I said I did it for her but anyways, it's ok, anything for that smile on her face," I said pointing to Shanaya who was busy peeping out of the window with her teddy on her lap.
Suddenly my phone started ringing. I took out my phone and attended the call.
"Yes Lisa, I am in the aircraft and have got the window seat. Thank you. I will call you once I'm in Dubai." and I ended the call. I noticed Sandy was looking at me. I gave her a smile.
(Announcement)
Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. This is your pilot Arihant Singh speaking along with the co-pilot Rahul Sharma. We're ready to fly in next 5 minutes. Ground staff is requested to leave the flight. Fleet staff is requested to kindly come ahead for the instructions. Thank you.
And then came 2 Air hostesses who were demonstrating about safety and seats belts. The demo was over and we were instructed to put on our seat belts and keep our phones on the flight mode.
Sandy first made sure that Shanaya had put on her seat belt which she accepted to put after many hesitations and then she put on her own seat belt too. I put on mine as well and closed my eyes. My heart beats were rising up. I had a fear of flight take offs.
"What happened?" Sandy asked seeing me uncomfortable.
"Nothing, just a minor fear of flight take offs. Once we're in the air, it's all ok!" I replied with my eyes closed.
"But you always wanted to be on the top!" she replied on a sarcastic note.
"That doesn't mean I don't fear the take offs." I replied tying my seat belt more tightly.
The doors closed, the staffs were advised to take their seats. The plane started to move out slowly from the parking area, it took a round of the airport, adjusted the position and stopped. Then suddenly the speed increased, faster and faster, gradually we were climbing higher and higher leaving the city below, into the clouds talking to the sky...
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The Ice-Cream
RomanceAakash and Sandhya accidently met after few years at an Airport. Both of them traveling to Dubai and apparently seated next to each other. Aakash now a successful businessman, discovers Sandhya is now married. Be a part of their journey into the pas...