Chapter 30. What's in Thailand's Water?

"Oh my God, no, not Mona Bagheri. Come on, not her," one of the pilots whispered, his eyes narrowing as he watched a woman drop Mona off at the airport.

His flight schedule for the day doesn't include Mona, but he has been secretly admiring her for a long time, so he just wants to see her and see if he's lucky enough to get a simple hello from Mona.

"Why?" Another pilot chimed in.

"I mean, after Isla? Chantana took her away. And now, Rose? She's suddenly publicly announced that she has a foreign girlfriend, a beautiful, hot blonde who's also a doctor." He said it, his voice tinged with desperation. "I mean, can these Thai mixed women just stay with us? With a man, not a woman?"

"But, you have to admit that woman is hot," the other pilot joined in, his gaze fixed on the woman walking alongside Mona, coming from the same black SUV.

"Didn't they come out of the same black car?" the first pilot asked, his eyes narrowing as he observed the pair.

"You mean they're staying together? Mona, isn't she staying in the usual hotel?" He sounded increasingly desperate.

"Oh, come on, just go ask her," one of the pilot's friends said, already starting to walk. "Why are you whining like a little bitch?" He's already closer to Mona, who's walking side by side with Rose to the airline office in the airport to report for their duty.

Mona stared at the pilot standing before her, a tall and handsome man. "Do you have anything I can help with?" she asked.

"We're on the same flight back to Bangkok today," he said, his eyes still fixed on Mona. "Hi, Rose."

"Hi, Khun Than," Isabelle answered quickly, and she left after giving him a concerning look.

"Is she your girlfriend?" The pilot asked Mona while his chin pointed at Jules, who's currently still talking with Rayleigh and George not far from the airline office's door. He's still positioning himself directly in front of her.

"Jules? No, she's not my girlfriend," Mona replied. She walked away from him, then stopped to continue her words. "Not yet, at least."

The pilot's face fell. "Oh, come on, give us a chance," he pleaded, following Mona as she walked away.

"I've given you all plenty of time already," Mona responded, her tone matter-of-fact.

"None of us have succeeded, though?" he asked in disbelief.

Mona turned to face him, a subtle smirk playing on her lips. "Then you're not doing it right," she said, before turning and making her way to the head department to report for duty.

The pilot stood there, his mind reeling. But, still staring at Mona and at the gorgeous woman who's waiting in front of the office. He admitted that Rose's girlfriend is a marvelous sight. Not only is she tall, slender, beautiful, and a hot blonde, she's rich and a doctor, and gossips say she's going to inherit a big hospital in New York City. He is not a person he can compete with.

But the woman next to Mona? He's so sure that he and his fellow pilots had a fair chance at winning her affections. Even now, when it seemed that she had her sights set on someone else—someone who just happened to be a beautiful, successful foreigner—"so, how is it? Is she her girlfriend?"

"No, not yet." He answered his friend.

"Oh man, not yet, which means she's interested in her. Right?" The first pilot sighed. "It's like they're just not interested in us anymore."

"Well, you shouldn't give up that easily," he said, quite annoyed with his friend, who's whining a lot but doing nothing. "You should show Mona that you're the man for her, and don't rest until she sees it that way. If you don't want to do it, I will." He then left, trying to talk with Mona and Rose again, but the two of them quickly left after reporting.

The pilot glanced at his watch, realizing they had about an hour before their flight to Bangkok. He still wanted to spend some time talking with Mona, but it seemed she had already made up her mind about her preferences.

As Mona came out of the office with Rose, the pilot couldn't help but notice the way the other woman's eye lit up when she saw Mona, her gaze filled with warmth and adoration as she looked at Mona. It was a look the pilot had never been able to elicit from Mona, no matter how hard he had tried before.

One of Mona's stewardess friends approached the pilot, offering him some new information. "That's another doctor in New York, a pediatrician—a specialist," she said, her tone almost taunting.

The pilot's face fell, and the rest of his crew couldn't help but curse under their breath. "Oh, sh*t," they muttered, quickly moving away from the situation.

The pilot let out a heavy sigh. "Can those doctors find another doctor?" he asked, his voice tinged with disappointment. "Where can we find another Isla Griffith?! Of fuck Chantana Duangkamol!"

Another stewardess chimed in, "I mean, we're hot, and who doesn't want a hot stewardess wife?"

The pilot considered his words: "You know, you've got a point." He said, Give up.

-

"Thank you for giving your time for me," Jules said, a warm smile spreading across her face. "I haven't felt this way in a long time."

Mona nodded, her own expression equally serene. "I'm glad I could be here for you," she replied, her hand reaching out to give Jules' a gentle squeeze.

Rayleigh and Isabelle were holed up in their room and only came out to find something to eat. They've been walking around Washington while sharing a lot of stories between them, especially Jules.

It had been hard for Jules to come back to the city where she had discovered her wife's infidelity. She had originally been reluctant to return, but the seniors, George and Anthony, insisted, urging her to come to the event. She knows they only trust her to be there because Lauren Thompson is on board, and no one dares go against Lauren except her and George. Then again, Rayleigh is coming too; George can't handle it alone. As it turned out, it was a decision she was not regretting, for it had led her to meet Mona Bagheri.

"Coffee?" Jules asked hopefully. "I don't know when we'll be able to meet again."

Mona's lips curled into a shy smile. "You should ask for my number then," she suggested, her voice soft and warm. "It'll be easier to find me that way."

The shy smile on Mona's face did not escape Rose's perceptive gaze. Quickly, she pulled out her phone, her eyes shining with excitement as if she'd found something interesting. "Wait, baby," she whispered to Rayleigh, "I have to tell Isla about this."

"Tell her what?" Rayleigh asked, her brow furrowed in surprise.

"I think Mona Bagheri is falling in love," Rose murmured, her lips curving into a delighted grin.

"Oh really?" Rayleigh's head whipped around, her eyes locking onto Jules, who was now smiling shyly and biting her lower lip as she entered her number into Mona's phone. "Fuck, you're right!" she exclaimed, a matching smile spreading across her face.

Mona and Jules were oblivious to the curious gazes of their friends; their attention was solely focused on one another. As Mona handed Jules her phone, their fingers brushed, and the air between them seemed to be filled with only pink and cute hearts.

"There," Mona said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Now you can text me anytime."

Jules felt her heart leap in her chest, her fingers trembling slightly as she clutched the phone. "Thank you," she breathed, her eyes locked onto Mona's. "I'll be sure to take you up on that."

The two women stood there, transfixed, as if the rest of the world had faded away. Rayleigh and Rose watched the interaction between Mona and Jules, and the urge to tease them was huge.

Suddenly, a young doctor who had been trying to get close to Mona tilted his head in disappointment. "Oh, come on!" he exclaimed. "I hit on her first!"

"Sorry about that," George said, giving the young doctor a slight tap on the back and offering him a look of encouragement.

Isabelle leaned into Rayleigh's embrace, a warm smile playing on her lips. "They're so cute," she murmured. "But we're cuter."

Rayleigh couldn't help but chuckle at her girlfriend's playful remark. "And hotter," she added, turning to capture Isabelle's lips in a soft, lovely kiss. She knew that Isabelle was in her uniform, and Rayleigh always respected the boundaries of public displays of affection, reserving any inappropriate touching for privacy only when they're inside a room.

George, trying to be a good senior and a good doctor, gave the young doctor's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, buddy," he said, his voice low and encouraging. "There are plenty of other fish in the sea. You just gotta keep trying, you know?"