Thanks for reading and reviewing. You've reminded me how much I missed sharing my little hobby with other Captain Planet (ok, Wheeler and Linka) fans.
A delayed flight has Linka running later than she had originally planned. She hates being late. It feels like the taxi that she picked up at the airport is driving around in circles.
How far could the hotel possibly be? She wonders.
Thankfully the driver was not talkative, which meant Linka had some time to think and get even more excited about seeing her friends. She had assumed it was just going to be the original five Planeteers plus Georgie. Kwame married Georgie shortly before the Planeteers went their separate ways. Linka and Georgie have become good friends during their time in Greece so while Georgie may not have been an official Planeteer, she was like part of the group.
Ma-Ti is also married but his wife just started a new job and does not have enough vacation time built up to join the reunion.
Gi has a long term boyfriend named Eric, whom she met at work and hit it off with instantly. Unfortunately her boyfriend is too tied up in a research project to come. He is the lead researcher and is on the verge of a breakthrough.
To everyone else's knowledge, Wheeler has remained single. He is always so submerged in his work, he has little time for a social life. His work leaves him with no time to keep in touch with anyone. At least that's what they all assume has been the reason for his lack of communication.
Linka is seeing someone that she met through work. His name is Ivan, and he is also from Russia. That connection initiated their friendship, which eventually led to dating. Linka has always known that he feels more serious about their relationship than she does. She has always been cautious with her affections and while she enjoys spending time with him and he treats her well, she doesn't have the same feelings for him that she has had in the past. There are no butterflies with Ivan.
There haven't been butterflies since she left Hope Island behind; Since Wheeler. Even though she and the Yankee had never had a relationship other than friendship, he was the only one who made her feel anything, which is why she knows it will never work with Ivan; Not as long as there is a chance with Wheeler. She feels guilty for feeling this way. She doesn't want to hurt Ivan, but she needs answers. She hopes this reunion with her friends will give her what she is looking for. She thought their last reunion was going to be the moment the stars finally aligned and she and Wheeler would have their moment...but once again, they had been interrupted. She smiles thinking of the possibilities that this weekend will hold.
She is looking forward to seeing her friends; Just the five of them and Georgie. What she is really looking forward to the most is feeling those butterflies once again. She has missed the way Wheeler made her feel.
Linka is surprised when she arrives to find that it isn't going to be just the original crew. Everyone has brought a companion. Everyone but her. She has showed up alone. Wheeler on the other hand, has not.
She is the last one to arrive to dinner and takes one of the two empty seats after hugging each of her friends and an awkward, for her anyway, introduction to Wheeler's companion.
"Kwame, you were right to fly out last night. We had some bad weather this morning and I was not even able to do what I had planned on doing at the sanctuary," Linka sighs.
"So the whole reason you didn't fly out the same time as us, was a wash anyway?" Georgie asks.
"Literally," Linka shakes her head. She decides not to dwell on it and just be thankful that she's finally made it. She then addresses Gi's boyfriend. "Eric, I did not think you were going to make it. Did your research not pan out?"
"No, quite the opposite actually. Things progressed faster than I thought they would. It allowed me and my team to get our answers much faster than anticipated and I was able to be here to meet the rest of Gi's friends in person. I've met Ma-Ti and Rosa a few times before, and you of course, but this is my first chance to meet Kwame and Wheeler. Gi has told me so much about the Planeteers, I feel like I know everyone already."
"Well I am glad you were able to make it. It will give me another chance to get to know you better and make sure you are good enough for my best friend," Linka teases. She then turns to Ma-Ti's wife. "And Rosa, the last I heard, you were not going to be able to join us because you did not have enough leave?"
"Yes, that is what I thought too. Technically, I still do not have enough leave, but my boss is very good. She told me that she was ok with me taking the time and just owing it to the company later. She did not want me to miss out on seeing Paris with my husband," she says as she smiles lovingly at Ma-Ti.
"That was nice of her," Kwame says.
"So where is Ivan? Still getting checked into the hotel?" Gi inquires.
"Nyet. He is still in Greece."
"He is not coming?" Ma-Ti asks.
Linka shakes her head and orders a glass of wine when the waiter comes around to get her drink order.
"That's not fair. If you're going to be judging my boyfriend, I should get to judge yours!" Gi jokes.
"You have met him before," Linka reminds her.
"Then the rest of us could have judged him," Wheeler says, his voice showing no emotion, making it hard for her to judge if he was jealous or joking.
There they were. Those familiar feelings that Wheeler always managed to stir up. Unfortunately, they were the unpleasant sort.
"Excuse me, I am going to freshen up in the restroom. It has been a long trip. Go ahead and order without me," Linka says as she grabs her purse and leaves the table.
While she is re-applying her lipstick, Gi comes in, pretending she's there to do the same.
"Wheeler can still manage to be an ass, eh?"
"I had not noticed," Linka lies, pretending to concentrate on lining her lips.
"So why wasn't Ivan able to come?" Gi asks.
"I thought it was just going to be the five of us and Georgie. I thought he'd be out of place. Now it is I who is the odd one out."
"It's not like we are going to exclude you. To be honest, I'll probably spend more time with you than I will with Eric. I can see him anytime. I came here to see you! And the guys," she adds with a smile.
"I know...it is just...I thought things would be more...intimate, with our smaller crowd. Kind of like how things were before."
"Ah. Back when you and Wheeler could have your 'moments'?" Gi teases.
"It was stupid to expect that things would be the same," Linka says quietly.
"Wait, seriously?" Gi asks in a shocked tone. "You left Ivan behind because you wanted to see how things would be with Wheeler?!"
Realizing that she had been thinking out loud, Linka tries to backpedal.
"Umm, well. Nyet, I just meant that I did not want to subject Ivan to Wheeler's jealous behavior, but clearly that was foolish. Wheeler has moved on. He would not have cared if I came here with someone else. It is as I always suspected...he was only ever interested in me because I was convenient. Once we left Hope Island, he managed to find someone else."
"I'm willing to bet that she's only for show. Some ditzy co-worker that he asked to come along so he can gauge your reaction. Guess it worked," Gi says with a knowing smile.
"Well that is a very elaborate scheme."
"Not really. It probably didn't take much convincing. He's charming and she probably saw it as an opportunity to get a free vacation out of it."
"And a free engagement ring? That is a pretty big ring for a pretend date," Linka points out.
"Seriously?! I didn't notice. I haven't really talked to her much...and I don't really have as much reason as you to be so observant of her. Odd that he didn't introduce her as his fiancé."
Linka tries to change the subject.
"We should get back out there. Any longer and they will expect us to come back looking like we have had a full makeover and wardrobe change."
"Wait, what are you going to do?" Gi asks, blocking the exit.
"What I came here to do. I have gotten my answers. My closure. Now I will enjoy my time with my friends."
Linka straightens her back and squares her shoulders, ready to put on a brave face and take on whatever challenges the evening is about to bring.
To Be Continued...