History

CHAPTER 42 - Up, Up And Away

Lydia settled into her seat on the plane and looked around at the crowds of happy holiday makers and smiled nervously.
Her nerves shaken at the thought of being alone on board a long haul flight, Lydia rubbed her knees anxiously and looked out of the window to the tarmac below. A sudden feeling of freedom rippled through her tense body, slowly easing the tension in her shoulders as she began to relax a little more into the first class seat. 

Stretching her legs out without hitting the seat in front, Lydia felt glad she'd decided to upgrade her seat at check-in.
She was finally free from Sam's rules and free from the home she'd once loved that had now come to feel more like a prison than a sanctuary. Even if it was only for the next seven days, Lydia swore to herself she'd make the most of the time alone to gain back her strength and power and the confidence she knew she once had.

The hostess tapped her on the shoulder informing her it was time to fasten her seat belt ready for take off.
Lydia nodded and took a deep breath as she fitted the buckle safely into it's clasp, her hands naturally finding the arm rest to grip so tight she could almost feel the blood drain from her fingers.

Having never found flying easy, this time felt worse than ever since she was all alone with no one to hold onto as the plane set off along the runway.
Lydia took a deep breath and gripped tighter to the arm rest, pushing her body back against the seat, knowing that soon she'd be in the skies and able to relax, she just had to get through the take off first.

Looking to the man in the seat beside her, Lydia guessed that from his stuffy suit and uptight demeanour, that he maybe wouldn't appreciate a strange, anxious woman grabbing hold of his hand as though there were no tomorrow.

As if reading her mind, the gentleman unfolded a huge newspaper and began to read with it held high in front of his face.

Lydia concentrated on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, reading the headlines as the plane began to climb towards the sky.

Having mostly flown with Sam and Gabby, Lydia thought about some of their past holidays and how she'd had her fiance's hand to hold during take off. Although, most times Sam would shake his head at her and insist she get over her fear.

Lydia shook her head to clear out the sound of Sam's harsh tone, instead she thought about Cristiano's accent and the sexy way he pronounced her name. A shiver ran through her body, thrilling her senses in an unexpected way as her cheeks blushed, afraid that the strangers around her would know what she was thinking.

Before she knew it, they were in the sky and the hostess was wheeling a cart along the aisle handing out drinks and sweet treats.
"Can I offer you anything Miss?" smiled the hostess.
"Ah yeah, I'll have a water please"
The hostess reached for a bottle of ice cold water from the cart when Lydia shook her head, "Actually, can I have a champagne instead?" she asked, deciding to treat herself.
"Of course"
The hostess handed her a flute of sparkling champagne and a small bowl of complimentary strawberries.

Lydia sipped on the bubbly and bit into a plump strawberry as she glanced out of the window to the fading cities below.

Thirty-one hours, a 2-hour stop over in New York to catch a connecting flight and a choppy boat ride later, Lydia finally stepped onto the dock of Bora Bora and inhaled the tropical air.
Her stomach still a little queasy from the motion of the boat, she made her way to the hotel reception and was quickly shown to her bungalow on the edge of the lagoon.

Lydia gasped as she walked into her new home for the next few days.
Glass covering an entire wall opposite the huge double bed, containing a sliding door leading out onto her own private decking area, equipped with infinity pool and fire pit.