Four

Latifa's POV

The turbulence, stopped and we had the okay to move around, stretching my body from the position I was, I left the cockpit and strolled to the cabin, my spare uniform in order hence the previous shirt was destroyed by Gareth.

Since we boarded, I hadn't entered the first class cabin, partly because I had been busy attending to passengers in other parts of the plane and partly because I was stalling.

"Miss Latifa," Jake my male colleague called out to me as he stepped into the business class cabin.

"Yes Jake," I answered, shortening the distance between us. "Anything the matter?"

"Cherry is asking for you," he informed in a smile. "I think the turbulence woke her up."

"Mrs Drex is on board?" I inquired in a frown, a bit surprised. I had been on a 3 day break after that crazy flight so I was a tad shocked Mrs Drex was returning back to New York so soon.

"Lead the way." I motioned and strode behind him, the first class cabin I'd been trying to avoid a few feet away.

"Princess Latifa!" Cherry hailed the instant she caught sight of me and a grin immediately split my face at how adorable she looked in her jeans and black fluffy blouse. 

"Looking beautiful there Cherry," I commended and bent to pick her up in my arms. She quickly rested her head on my shoulder and I laughed, tilting my head to gaze at her face. Poking her cheeks I asked, "still sleepy?"

"Maybe she is," Mrs Drex answered for her daughter. She was dressed in a white floral dress that showed her baby bump.

"Why back so soon? You barely spent 3 days in LA."

"Yeah, I went to visit my gynecologist," she explained in response to my question. "It was a compulsory 2 day check up and pregnancy care."

"Oooh," I said with a nod and turned my neck as Cherry tried to pinch my ear. "I hope it went well."

"It did," she affirmed.

"So my future husband is okay in there right?" I implored, my expression one of concern.

"He is," she chuckled at my serious expression.

"Cherry will soon be my sister-in-law," I uttered and adjusted the child so she was facing me. "Right Cherry?"

"Hmm?" She asked, her attention shifting to the button of my shirt. 

"I said you'll be my sister-in-law," I repeated. "We'll soon become one big happy family."

"Are you getting married to my brother?" She asked, her eyes shining.

"Yes," I answered.

"But he's still in mummy's belly," she blurted, her brows crunching in thought and Mrs Drex and I burst out in laughter.

"I know," I spoke. "I'm ready to wait till he's out of Mummy's belly, okay?"

"You'll wait?" She asked.

"Yes I will," I declared. "Because I love him."

"How can you love someone you haven't met?" She questioned, proving how smart she was. "Mummy is that possible?"

"Maybe it is possible for Miss Latifa," Mrs Drex uttered and stretched her arm as I bent to return Cherry to her seat.

"For your brother? It's possible," I declared, and placed a palm on my chest for emphasis. Cherry giggled at this while her mother shook her head. "So if you don't mind Cherry, I'll go check on the other passengers."

"Go ahead," Mrs Drex urged as Cherry yawned. "See? She's sleepy already. I had to wake her up early so we could board this flight."

"Okay," I whispered as the little girl's eyes happened to be drooping, her head falling to the side before she sat up and swallowed, rubbing her eyes. "See you later Cherry."

They both waved at me and I smiled back. The smile remained on my lips as I passed each set of seats, nodding at passengers, most of them I haven't seen or met in my lifetime.

One good thing about this job is the chance to meet and connect with new and different people, despite their class, wealth or occupation.

"Good to see you Miss Latifa," the Johnson's an elderly couple greeted as I reached their line of seats.

"You both look healthy and lovely," I commented and grinned down at them. "It has been a while I ran into you two."

"We went on a vacation sponsored by one of our kids, now we are returning back to our quiet life," Mr Johnson explained in a laugh, his round belly almost destroying the buttons on the blue shirt he wore above brown slacks.

"Was it fun?" I inquired though I already knew the answer from their lit up expressions.

"It definitely was," Mrs Johnson wiggled her brows at me, appearing beautiful despite her age with her grey hair in a tight bun, brown eyes and black dress. "I wore a bikini for the first time in years."

"Would have definitely loved to see that," I murmured in all honesty, really wanting to see how confident she must have looked. "Have a nice flight."

I departed from them and continued in my walk down the first class cabin. My blue eyes discreetly scanned the face of everyone to see if I could catch sight of the young foreign minister who's name I didn't want to mention even in my head.

Almost at the end of the walkway, a sigh of disappointment left my lips. "Be on the flight with his fiancée my foot," I scoffed quietly.

"Bastard isn't even here himself," I ranted a little loudly, attracting the stares of a few passengers. I giggled nervously, "sorry."

As I bowed slightly in apology I spotted someone I must have missed in my search for a particular person. "Mr McCain, how are you?"

My acknowledgement fell on deaf ears as I received no response. The only reaction I got was a once over sweep of his gaze, his expression sullen as he accessed me. 

I lifted a brow of surprise as he turned his head toward the window, totally ignoring my presence. 

'Guess Xander McCain's ego is bruised after that day,' my subconscious uttered in my head as I whirled around, already at the end of the walkway and departed.

********

"Fuck I'm tired," I let out, allowing my suitcase to drop on the red carpet of the hotel room and jumped on the bed, the softness welcoming my weight. I had no reason to change my attire of grey sweatpants and a black tank top hence I was cormfortable enough.

"A few hours of sleep will do me good," I said, vision sweeping the room till it stopped on the antique clock on the white painted wall. The time read 11:13. 

It was still morning and the fact I had no other flight to hop on till 8pm was music to my ears. Rolling to my side on the cotton white bedspread, I pulled my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans and placed it beside my head.

My eyes slowly shut after that as I willed my body to give in to the sleep and rest I needed. It seemed I was able to hence after a while the sound of 'Hello' by Adele woke me up.

"Who the hell?" I groaned out in irritation as the lyrics pierced my slumber and destroyed any sleep I had managed to gather. 

Tapping blindly on the mattress, the location of my phone lost in my disheveled state, I searched with eyes still closed till my hand grabbed the device.

I didn't bother to check who the caller was and instead picked it up and placed on my ear. "Hello?" I croaked out.

"Why do you sound dead Tifa?" The voice of my mom reached my hearing and I groaned deeper.

"Mom can we talk later?" I suggested, in a haste to return to my slumber state.

"No it's urgent," she said in a serious tone, prompting me to open my eyes. "Your Dad and I need you to return home now."

"Anything the matter?" I inquired, slightly worried and fully awake. At her silence I interrogated. "What is it mom?"

"Nothing we can talk about on the phone as it requires your presence," she explained further. "Where are you?"

"I'm in New York," I answered. "I just got to the hotel after a flight."

"Good, it isn't that far from LA," she conversed. "Be here by 4pm, it's really urgent. Bye."

"But mom, can't you at leas__" my words got cut by the end beeping of the line. "Shit!"

Sitting up, I pushed my fingers in my hair and let out an inaudible scream in a bid to let out my frustration as I guessed nothing too serious might be wrong to warrant my presence.

However the little fear lurking in the back of my mind didn't let me ignore their request and go back to bed. They were the only family I had and so I had to do what I had to do.

"Shit Mom!" I yelled out and slumped back on the mattress, kicking and screaming in a quiet tone. 

Done with my madness which helped to release my anger and frustration, I got off the bed and slid my feet back into my stilettos. Grabbing the handle of my suitcase, I strolled out of the hotel room, flagged a taxi and headed back to the airport.

I boarded the next available plane for LA and got seated. After a short period of time we landed and I got off, picked up my suitcase and got into the closest empty Taxi.

Showing the driver the location I had already written while on the plane, he started the vehicle and moved. I produced my phone from my black purse and rang my Mom's number.

I tried calling 3 times but no one happened to pick up. Perplexed and bothered I sat up and said to the driver. "A little faster please."

What do you think is going on????

Find out in the next chapter..

Freshy ❤️