Flight-mare

Famke was sitting in a leather seat in the private jet Royal rented and fought the pounding of her headache. While the evening before, she’d had an amazing time at the Gala, this morning was a clusterfuck of epic proportions and she was desperately waiting for them to takeoff.

However, Precious was sobbing pitifully in Imani’s arms outside the aircraft and Royal was trying to pry her out of them. Imani insisted on accompanying them to the airfield and she’d done nothing but badger Famke and Royal about moving away the entire time. Then if it wasn’t bad enough, she’d made a callous remark about not wanting them to leave on bad terms because ‘what happened if the plane crashed’ and now Precious was refusing to board.

Famke was ready to scream with frustration as the screams of the child outside echoed up the steps. However, her very real desire to smack Imani in the face for her callous insensitivity was outweighing her ability to coax Precious down from the heights of her terror. She took one look at Royal and waved at his mother and said “your family, your mess. Fix this shit. I’ll be on the plane.”

Imani hissed furiously at her, and she’d simply lifted one finger in Imani’s direction which earned her a rebuke from Royal, but she couldn’t care less. She was exhausted. True to his promise the night before, Royal didn’t let her sleep a wink. She was sore in places she didn’t know could be sore and her legs felt like jelly. She had never been on an airplane before, and her nerves were already jumbled because of her own fears of flying. Imani’s comment was reeling through her brain like an old movie projector.

She opened an eye at the sound of footsteps on the metal stairs and then Royal was in the plane with a still sobbing Precious in his arms. He plunked down in the seat across the aisle and forcefully buckled the wailing child into the seat beside him. He shot Famke an irritated glance and she closed her eyes and shrugged.

“You could have helped,” he growled across the space.

“You could have insisted she stay home but you pandered to her. I told you she cornered me in the bedroom, and you said to cut her slack. I warned she’d be trouble in the car, and you said you could handle her. If this is how the entire trip is going to be, then you may as well tell the pilot to go home, and we’ll head back to Pittsburgh.”

“She is upset, Famke because we’re moving away from her.”

“What do you want me to do Royal? You should have held a conversation with her at home this morning before we got in the car and away from Precious’s ears. Instead, you let her get into the car with us and cause havoc. Is this how the rest of our life is going to be? If so, if you’re going to allow her to continue to manipulate the situations, we find ourselves in, and make our daughter terrified, then you can deal with the fallout.”

“That’s not fair, Famke,” he turned in his seat to look at her after wiping Precious’s nose.

“Why? If my family acts like giant buttholes, I’ll handle them. When yours does, you get to deal with it.”

“Except my family is your family and yours is mine.” He shot back with a smirk.

“Yeah, I don’t think so.”

Whatever he was about to respond was cut off as the flight attendant announced the doors were closed and they were ready for take-off. Precious immediately went into a frenzy at the words and Royal groaned loudly. For the next several minutes he was urging the child to take deep breaths and telling her Grandma was only joking about crashing.

As the plane made its ascent into the air, Famke’s fingernails dug into the leather armrest and Precious’s screaming only fueled her discomfort. Her original thought about them going on vacation included the fantasy of a wonderful experience of excitement and joy with them all holding hands in a fun filled escapade. Instead, she was sitting alone, feeling her stomach in her throat while her own tears streamed silently down her cheeks. Precious was finally settling down next to Royal by the time Famke felt the jet even out in the air. She kept her face averted and looked out the window.

“Miss,” the flight attendant approached and tapped her on the shoulder. “Can I offer you a warm towel?”

“No thanks,” she shook her head sadly.

“How about a drink? Water or hot tea?”

She gave a single shake of her head, “I’m fine, really.”

“You seem very upset. Do you not enjoy flying?”

“It’s my first time,” she admitted quietly wishing the woman would go away.

“If there is anything I can do to make it a bit more enjoyable for you, please let me know. If you feel nauseous, we keep a medicine kit stocked aboard. Just let me know.” She patted her shoulder and moved away.

Giving the woman a tight smile, Famke was glad when she walked away. She looked over towards Royal and Precious and noted he’d taken her out of her seatbelt, and she was now on his lap, her head tucked into his neck, and she appeared to be sleeping. Royal’s eyes were also closed, his head resting atop Precious’s head. Her heart squeezed at the sweet image of them cuddling.

She forced herself to close her eyes and try to sleep but thirty minutes later she was awakened when the plane bounced in the air. Her eyes flung open, and she met the reassuring gaze of the flight attendant who was sitting across from her.

“It’s only a little bit of turbulence. We’ll be fine.”

She looked across the aisle and noted Royal’s seat was completely back and seemed asleep with Precious resting on his chest. When the plane dipped again, she gripped the arms and felt her bottom lip tremble.

“It will be okay, Miss.” The woman reassured her. “The captain said we’ll have a bit of turbulence here, but the rest of the flight will be very smooth.”

“Okay.”

“Famke,” Royal’s voice interrupted. “You okay?”

She met his eyes and he seemed to notice for the first time how distraught she was.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

“She’s never flown before, sir. The takeoff was a bit rocky with the winds and now we’ve experienced a bit of turbulence.” The attendant patted Famke’s knee. “My sister hates flying, and I immediately recognized Miss was uncomfortable. I’ve been keeping an eye on her.”

“Oh honey, I’m sorry,” he whispered over Precious’s head. “I didn’t even think.”

“It’s okay. Your hands are full.” The plane dropped a bit and she gasped, and her hands moved to her belly and squeezed it. “Precious is more important. Your mother put the damn fear of god in her.”

“I know. Mom is upset we’re moving and taking Precious away from her. She went about it wrong this morning. She’s feeling very guilty. She kept apologizing and telling me she was sorry.”

“She’s a grown woman, Royal. She knew what she was doing when she hopped into the vehicle with us. You told her point blank this wasn’t about her but about you, me and Precious and she made it about her.” She barely held her shriek as the plane shook again. “Damn it.” She looked to the woman who was hanging onto their every word, “my stomach is heaving.”

“I’ll get you a sickness bag. Would you like some ginger ale or anti-nauseant medication?”

She shook her head, “will it do this much longer?”

“It shouldn’t,” the woman said quietly as she stepped away.

“Famke, are you okay?” Royal questioned again.

Her mouth felt as if it was full of too much saliva and her jaw clenched. She shook her head and just as the woman reappeared with a brown paper bag, she felt her stomach heave. The bag slid under her mouth and Famke felt the contents of her stomach empty into it, while a horrified and humiliated sensation overtook her.

She felt Royal move to sit beside her in the empty seat and he held her hair away from her face while she continued being sick. It was as if her body decided since she started the process of emesis, it needed to keep the party going.

“Oh baby, you’re so sick,” Royal rubbed her back as she whimpered.

“I’ll be fine. Is Precious okay?”

“She’s sleeping.” He looked at the hovering attendant, “can you bring her some ginger ale and a couple of tablets?”

He took the bag from Famke’s hands and rose from his seat to dispose of it. A few minutes later he returned and sat next to her wrapping his arm around her shoulder and hugging her tight. “It didn’t even dawn on me you’d be nervous too. No wonder you were ready to rip my mother’s head off her neck. She scared you as much as she did Precious.”

Famke felt embarrassed and kept her face tucked into his chest. Having her fears compared to those a five-year-old felt was the height of degradation. “I’m fine, Royal.”

“You’re not and instead of considering the fact you wouldn’t normally leave me to handle Precious on my own, I should have realized you were struggling and it’s why you couldn’t cope with her too.” He kissed her temple. “I’ve got you. I’m sorry. I should have known better.”

“It’s fine.”

“How is she sleeping so soundly?” she leaned sideways and looked at Precious.

“Mom said she stayed up until midnight for the countdown, woke up at four screaming asking for you and then was up at six demanding to go to the beach. She’s exhausted.”

“I’m exhausted and I can’t sleep.” She whined ignoring Royal’s chuckle at her words.

He reached out and accepted the items the flight attendant held out, “take these tablets. It’ll settle your tummy and help you sleep.”

“Where are we going? I know Bram was teasing we were going to the Maldives and I went with it but I can’t imagine we’re going to Asia.”

“No. We’re not. Turks and Caicos. Rico actually has a house there and he graciously offered it to me.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s beautiful. I’ve been before with him. It’s going to be perfect. He did offer his place in Italy but it’s winter there too and not near as warm. I want to lay on the beach and soak up sun.”

“I’ve never been on vacation before.” She swallowed the tablets and rested her head on his shoulder again.

“We’ll be taking lots of family vacations, Famke. You, me, and Precious will be doing tons of things together.” He hugged her tight. “Try to rest. We’ll be there in a couple of hours and once you get your feet on the ground, all will be right. I promise.”

“I’m holding you to it.” She sighed and closed her eyes, the comfort of his arm around her shoulder making her finally relax. Landing couldn’t come soon enough.