Chapter 45
CHARLOTTE
I’m sorry, you were crying in your sleep,” he uttered as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Are you alright?”
My eyes darted to and fro as I tried to remember where I was. The sound of the plane’s engine hummed in the distance as I realized what had happened. While I was having what seemed to be one of the worst times of my life, he was watching it happen in real time. I looked around, wondering if anyone else was watching this, but thankfully, they were lost in their worlds.
I turned my attention back to the man on his knees. “Please stand up,” I said, but he ignored me and watched me curiously,
“Do I need to get the medic?” he asked
“Oh, no. I’m fine, I just need to catch a minute,” I replied, closing my eyes for a moment.
“You’re sure?” he asked, and I opened them and turned to look at him. I nodded in response and wiped the tears off my face. I looked around for the tote bag I had carried with me and found it on the floor. Some of the contents had spilled out in front of me, and I sighed as he started to pick them up. “Thank you,” I said, secretly wishing he’d stop.
Not to be ungrateful or anything, but it was starting to feel weird; I felt embarrassed. First, he woke me up from what started as a good memory and quickly turned into a nightmare, which I was grateful for, but the thought of it was silently killing me. He was still on his knees, reaching for my notepad, and I joined him. I picked up the rest of the items and tossed them in the bag. “Thank you so much. I’m fine. Just a bad dream and some headaches.”
“Alright. I could get you some painkillers,” he stated as he stood up, and I returned to my seat. I shook my head in response and forced a smile onto my face.
“No, thank you. I think I can handle it. I’ll just rest my eyes for a bit, and I’ll be fine,” I muttered, and he nodded in
understanding.
He turned around and started to walk towards his seat, but turned around. I started to heave a sigh, but as I stared at his hair, I remembered where I had seen him, and he turned around. I swallowed as he walked towards my seat.
“We’ve met before.”
“I think so. Why?” I blurted before I could stop myself. I wasn’t angry about the incident; if anything, I didn’t want to be reminded of yet another embarrassing moment in my life.
“You bumped into me, and I think your bag fell. I just walked away,” he said, running his hand through his hair. His tone was laced with apprehension, and his face crumpled into a frown. It was nothing like the person I had seen laughing earlier. It made me curious yet indifferent.
“Yeah, I wasn’t watching where I was going either. I’m sorry about that.”
“I’m sorry for being rude; I could’ve stopped to help.”
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Dancing into the Heart of Mr. Ca
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Chapter 45
“You were probably having a bad day; I was too,” I said, trying to make light of the situation. He laughed at the joke and admitted that he was annoyed at something at the time.
“Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, thank you for helping me now,” I added, and he nodded. His expression had gone from being concerned to a relieved one.
“I’m Thiago,” he announced stretching out his hand for a handshake. I quietened the thought in my head that reminded me of my vow not to entertain everybody. The man just helped me pick up my items and apologized for my bad behavior.
I had already admitted my fault in the matter; the least I could do was acknowledge his attempt to start over.
“Charlotte. Charlotte Edwards.”
I took his hand in mine and let go shortly after. He nodded in response as a smile crept onto his face. I started to count the seconds till he would say something else or take the hint to leave me alone at this point.
“So, you’re going to L.A? For the holidays?” he asked, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Now I have to make small talk, I wasn’t prepared to meet anybody on the plane and start talking to them.
“No, I’m moving there,” I responded with a thin smile, and he arched his head as his eyes twinkled with surprise.
“That’s nice. What do you love about being there?”
“Oh, I haven’t been there in a long time. I lived in Milan; I bet a lot of things have changed. I’m just looking to experience what it’s like there,” I replied, and he nodded in response, then grinned.
“You’ll have a great time there, that’s for sure,” he replied, and I smiled. A real one this time.
I sincerely hoped I was going to have a good time now. Given what I was trying to run away and build a different life from, it would be great to catch a break. “I hope so.”
He shared with me the vibrant culture of our destination, his role as a club owner, and the exciting nightlife. His lively anecdotes sparked a sense of adventure in me. Despite feeling both terrified and comforted by his presence, I realized it was time to end the conversation. Just as I was contemplating how to do so, he pulled out a card from his pocket.
“Here, if you ever need any help navigating the city, don’t hesitate to call me.” I took the card from his outstretched hand and glanced at it for a bit.
“Thank you,” I murmured, and he proceeded to suggest we take a tour around the plane. I started wondering how he jumped to that point and why he thought I’d want to do that. I was grateful for the help, but I simply wanted to remain in my seat. I shook my head slowly.
“No, I’d like to remain in my seat. The headaches,” I added, and he nodded as an understanding look crossed his face.
“Alright then, I’ll come to check up on you if that’s okay. Maybe a few minutes before the plane lands?” he asked, and I nodded in response.
I’d take that; we were barely acquaintances, but I was willing to shelve it under a stranger who did a nice thing trying to see it through. “That would be nice, thank you.”
Chapter 45
He walked away, and I turned my attention back to the bag. I secretly hoped he would forget to come, but he seemed like the type to keep his promises. I tried to focus on the flight and what it would seem like to be in a different place, but my thoughts kept going back to the dream. Then they would slowly shift to Thiago.
I looked at the card and sighed. Maybe he was right, a walk might be better than just sitting here, unable to think of anything else. But I wasn’t really up for walking with him. So, I decided to head to the restroom instead. I waited a few minutes more, then grabbed my bag and headed straight there. Once inside, I let out a relieved sigh and turned on the tap, washing my hands and face. The cold water splashing onto my skin was a welcome shock, waking me up. After I finished, I pulled my hair back into a bun and gazed at my reflection in the mirror.
I felt energized and decided I’d go for a small walk, maybe grab some snacks from the economy or business section. I just wanted to move my legs around for a bit and munch on something. I slipped out of the toilet and started my journey; I found the air hostess with a trolley and she handed me three bags of chips. I thanked her and started walking when I heard a voice behind me.
“Hi Charlotte, we meet again,” a familiar voice said, and I turned around to lock gazes with Thiago.
“Wow, what are the odds?” I said sarcastically, and he chuckled at the joke.
“You look better, that’s good,” he added, and I nodded in response.
“I feel better. I came here to grab these too,” I retorted, lifting the bag of chips.
“Oh, I love those,” he said, and I threw one of them in his direction.
“Have fun,” I grumbled before walking away.
“You too,” he responded, and I gave a little wave without turning around to look at him. A few minutes later, I had finished my tour, and the plane was ready to land. We were finally in Los Angeles.
The life I wanted was only a few minutes away from me, and I felt waves of excitement and trepidation course through my body as I returned to my seat. Soon, I’d be an entirely different person, stepping into a new chapter of my life in a new city.
