To Where You Are
Chapter one
6am - Christmas Eve
London's Heathrow airport, the largest and busiest in the English capital, was buzzing with people, despite the day and hour. Most queued patiently with their families at the designated check-in desk, whilst others tried, not so patiently, to manoeuvre the luggage trolleys across the slippery marble flooring, while at the same time trying to keep a semblance of dignity.
Nikki Wade sat In the corner of a small designated smoking area, her carry-on luggage by her side, a cigarette in one hand and a large, black, Columbian coffee fresh from Starbucks in the other. She needed her daily injection of caffeine and nicotine just to get her through the morning, otherwise she was incapable of functioning, or acting like a normal, rational human being. Nikki Wade without her addictions sated was not a woman you wanted to cross. She had a fiery, tempestuous nature at the best of times; a temperament that had earned her the nickname of Jekyll and Hyde. It had become a running joke between her fellow colleagues at the nightclub she owned, and regularly they would take bets to see how long it would take their boss to flip her lid over the slightest of thing.
Sitting In the standard, un-cushioned, plastic chair, as she waited on her flight being called, Nikki keenly observed her surroundings. She noted how "UnChristmassy" the entire building looked. With only one tiny tree that was barely decorated, and a few flimsy and ancient looking pieces of tinsel hanging strategically around the ceiling, it was hard to tell that the festive season was less than 24 hours away. There was not even a Santa in sight. The only giveaway was the thick, crisp layer of snow that sprawled beautifully, yet dangerously, on the roads outside. Not even the soon to be holidaymakers gave hint to the month. T-shirts, shorts and sandals seemed to be the clothing of choice as the Brit's prepared to jet off into the sun for two-weeks of sun, sea and sangria - a far cry from home. Nikki openly scoffed at them and their over-zealous, enthusiastic ignorance. It was typical working-class, British behaviour. The same people would return home in 14 days, with liver damage, scarlet skin that peeled at an alarming rate, too much duty-free that they would not declare at Customs, a donkey under one arm, a sombrero under the other and they would still be wearing the skimpiest of beach clothes despite the temperature being below zero.
People watching was a hobby Nikki took great interest in. Her late grandmother always used to say, "there's nothing as queer as folk," and how right she had been.
Nikki rolled her eyes as she stubbed out her fag, all the while trying to suppress the want to scream "Bah, Humbug,". She hated this time of year, and all the sparkly falseness that went with it. It was like one big Julie Andrews film. People with catatonic grins that didn't meet their eyes - all singing, all dancing, happiness and hilarity. The fight to buy the best most expensive present, only to receive a book token and a pair of socks in return. Large family dinners, with relatives you detested and their hyped-up kids, high on E-numbers begging you to play with their toys; and that was all before the twister board came out and the charades started,
"British Airway, Flight 37, Flying to Glasgow Prestwick Airport is now boarding at gate 11. Please have your boarding passed ready for inspection." The refined female voice announced over the speakers from the information desk and before she had a chance to finish, Nikki was on her feet and trying to spring towards the allocated gate before anyone else did. She wanted a window seat, not for the view, but so she wouldn't be continually disturbed by some moron with a bladder problem who was up and down more times than lift attendant. The only thing worse would be getting plonked next to a gobshite who insisted on chatting for the entire journey about the wonders of aerodynamics. All she wanted was 50 minutes of peace and quiet, undisturbed with no frustrations; but the chances of that with her luck were slim to none. Everywhere she went these days someone seemed to piss her off, and today was unlikely to be any different.
"May I see your boarding pass, please, Madam?" A extremely camp male flight attendant asked politely, but failed to impress Nikki with his bright toothy smile and over-exaggerated hand gestures. In her mind she could picture herself hauling him over the desk by the lapels of his uniform, to punch his St. Tropez-tanned face; and she thought she might just live out the fantasy when he cheerily added, "Have a great day, and we hope you have an enjoyable flight with British Airways." Nikki scuttled off down the hangar before, "Bryan", as his name tagged implied, started to sing a rendition of Frank Sinatra's "Come fly with me". It was 6am. No one was meant to be as joyous as that when it was still practically the middle of the night.
Making her way onto the economy section of the plane, Nikki checked her seat number and threw her bags into the overhead compartment before getting herself comfortable in her allocated chair. She stretched her long legs under the seat in front, buckled up her seatbelt and crossed her arms over her chest as she stared out onto the tarmac runway to watch some Boeing 747's land, in her opinion, rather bumpily.
The weather seemed to be getting worse from what she could see in the early morning darkness. The thick snow that already lay on the ground was continually being added to by a heavy storm that showed no signs whatsoever of letting up any time soon. And she knew if it kept on the way it was then she, and 200 other passengers were going to be in for a very turbulent flight. Not that she minded. Not as long as she got to Scotland in one piece. Her sister, Jennifer had invited her to spend Christmas with herself, her husband, David, and their twin boys, Adam and Aidan - or the brats, as Nikki affectionately called them.
Nikki had reluctantly accepted the invitation, after a few weeks of unrelenting nagging from her sister. But really all she wanted to do was tuck herself away in her London flat, with a Marks and Spencer's ready meal for one, and watch the crappy 80's movies that were always repeated on the BBC. Scotland was cold and miserable, especially in December, and it would be made worse by having to watch her younger sibling play happy families ,when she was all alone, with not a partner or a child in sight.
"That weather is a nightmare; I hope we don't get delayed." Nikki turned her attentions to the petite blonde woman as she muttered quietly in what sounded like a Glaswegian accent, while settling herself in her seat in the middle of the row. "I hate it when you get stuck on the runway for hours." The woman flashed her best smile towards despite her anxieties, but Nikki ignored it and turned back to the window. "I hate flying at the best of times. It seems so unnatural. I always say, if God had wanted us to fly, he would have given us wings. But it is quite amazing, isn't it; how a structure this size, and weight manages to stay In the air."
"Oh God," Nikki thought to herself as she rolled her eyes, "The aerodynamic bullshit has begun already and we haven't even left the ground." All she needed now was the serial urinator and her trip was complete. Closing her eyes, Nikki hoped the woman would take the hint and be quiet; and it seemed to work. The plane taxied down the runway, took off and levelled; all without another word spoken. Even through some extreme turbulence the Scot with the alluring accent managed not to utter a single complaint. Twenty whole minutes of silence - heaven.
Taking the risk, Nikki reopened her eyes and took a sneaky sideward glance at the woman, who seemed to be engrossed in the book she was reading, and didn't look up. Her caramel-coloured hair, that was cut in a neat shoulder-grazing bob, hung around the contours of her face, which Nikki could tell was beautifully defined. The woman may have been a pain in the arse, but there was no denying that she was simply stunning, with the natural beauty of a 1920's film star.
Nikki turned away again as she felt a familiar rush of blood as it coursed through her veins, and prayed that no one would notice her sudden discomfort or the blush in her now rosy cheeks. She wasn't supposed to be feeling this way. Not since she had practically taken a vow of celibacy after her last girlfriend, of nine years, Trisha had cheated on her with her best friend. Women were no longer in the equation, and especially not sexy Scottish ones who would wine, dine and 69 you before putting your heart in a blender.
"This is your Captain speaking…" The announcement seemed to come from nowhere, but it grabbed the attention of each and every passenger, who listened with baited breath to the rest of the message. "I regret to have to inform you that we will now be coming in for landing. Due to extreme weather conditions in Scotland we have been forced to divert to an alternative airport. In approximately 10 minutes time we shall be descending into Dublin International Airport." The speaker systems shut off and in its place the fasten seatbelts light came on. Sigh's resounded around the aircraft and anxious chatter got louder thanks to the unwelcome announcement of a diversion. A diversion that would take them further from Scotland than when they had started.
Everyone's day was just about to get a million times worse, and Nikki Wade was no exception.