Remembering You

Chapter 2

The flight was long, longer than I expected. My fear of planes caused my anxiety to kick into full drive of sweaty palms and quick breathing that made everyone around me nervous. I couldn’t help it. I see the worst out of every situation. About eight hours into the flight I started to calm down. I listened to music and wrote in my journal. I drank nothing that flight due to fear of going to the bathroom, so I just snacked on the pretzels they passed around. I wasn’t really hungry anyway. I took about three naps, but the turbulence woke me up every time. When I got to fourteen hours into the flight I kept my eyes locked on the projected front screen that showed where we were on a map. I watched the white poorly digitalized plane cross the blue. I watched until we reached Australia. The announcement came over the intercom that reminded passengers to stay buckled in their seats; we were going to be landing. I didn’t have a window seat, and my eyes looked over to where the window was anyway. The lucky bastard who got to sit at the window seat didn’t even look out of the window the entire trip. I envied him. My nerves were catching up to me, and I felt uneasy until the plane’s wheels tapped down onto the ground below us. I was thankful the flight was over.

It took about twenty minutes until I actually got to leave the plane. I took my carry-on and thanked the flight attendants as I left. I always thank people; they didn’t have to be as nice as they were with me. I was an anxious mess. When I was walking on the very similar walkway from the plane to the airport, I felt out of my element and my comfort zone. Keeping my head low I watched my feet as I walked. It felt as if it was instantly when I heard my name called out in a dirty accent. I paused from walking and looked around confused. My name was called again, “Melanie!” It was a male voice. It was Shay. But I couldn’t find it so I started to walk again towards the swarm of people. There was a loud whistle and I looked to where it came from. There he was. Shay was a fairly tall tan man. He was balding, but kept his hair short so you barely noticed under the baseball caps he always wore with some beer logo. He was wearing a white shirt that had his sunglasses tucked at the neckline. He was an older man, around my father’s age, but he always acted like he was in his twenties. With one hand on his hip he motioned with the other a very welcoming wave towards me with his smile bright. His wife was next to him, Felicity. She is a tall woman as well, almost as tall as her husband, and kept her hair in a short bob. It was dark brown. She was tan, but looked paler than Shay because she wasn’t outside as constantly as he was. What she was wearing made me blush because it made my yoga pants and loose knit sweatshirt look like I was some charity case. She was wearing what looked like a work suit with heels and jewelry to embellish this look. I know Felicity, and she always dressed to impress. When she saw me she took off her sunglasses and smiled large, waving at me over with open arms. At this moment when Felicity’s arms opened for an embrace I felt my eyes sting a little with tears. I was so far from home.

My fingers dug into the strap that was on my shoulders as I gave a small jog over to Shay and Felicity. Dropping my bag to my feet, I wrapped my arms around Felicity. She rubbed my back, “How was your flight, darling?” Her accent wasn’t as dirty as Shay’s was. She reminded me of royalty how she spoke. It flowed from her like velvet. As she spoke she kissed my cheeks.

We pulled away from one another and I looked to her blue eyes and grinned, “Long.” I said breathlessly as if I swam to Australia instead of flying on a plane.

Shay laughed and pulled me into a hug, picking me up lightly, and cracking my back. I gave a small grunt and he dropped me down to the ground. When he spoke he too kissed my cheeks. “Well that’s what happens when ye’ lose a day!” Shay reminded me that I was a day ahead of myself. My face seemed to fall in shock and he laughed out loud. We then started to walk, Shay taking my carry-on and leading me through the whole security, customs, and baggage claim. My anxiousness and awkwardness started to fade the more Shay and Felicity talked to me; it wasn’t like they were total strangers in my life. I have known them for years. Felicity wouldn’t stop talking to me about the plans she had made for my visit, and how excited all her friends were about me staying with their family. I didn’t want to socialize. Shay told Felicity to stop talking, because this wasn’t about Felicity rather it was about me. This is why I like Shay the best. When we got my bag there was a small argument because I felt like I should’ve carried something to their car, but Shay insisted he would carry both bags. Felicity reminded me that I’m their guest. I reminded her that I was practically family.