Chapter Twenty One – In the Past
Isabelle got out of the cab at the airport early in the morning and smiled gently at the cab driver as she got out of the car and paid for the ride. She'd told Paul there were some things she needed to sort out at the office and quickly gave him a peck on the cheek before leaving. He'd merely cocked an eyebrow at her and asked what it was, taking for granted she'd been there the day before when he'd been in the meeting. She couldn't tell him she couldn't go there and claimed she just wanted to check out an inconsistency with the new schedule and that she would be home for brunch.
That white little lie was still nagging her as she walked through the doors to the main hall and headed for Federation World Airlines office. This time she didn't hesitate outside the door, instead she strode in and then came to a halt just inside the door.
Balloons hung from the ceiling, everyone was smiling and coffee was handed out by Emma, one of the clerks. There was a small gathering to the left of her and she couldn't help but to chuckle as she spotted the burly and jovial American captain in the middle.
He beckoned for her to come over, waving his hand as he entangled himself from the rest. "Isabelle!" he said with a large grin and within seconds he'd strode over to her to give her a hug and kiss on the cheek.
"Joe," she said happily, surprised to see him. "I thought you were back in Washington."
He took a look at his wristwatch. "I was, about seventeen hours ago," he replied, still smiling, cheekily. "I'll tell you what, I wasn't overly excited to drive a buss; no matter how much you push it's still not fast. I came here in the middle of the night. It was even too late for a party."
"Hey!" Came a protest from one of the other captains in the room. "You crashed your sports car," he added, meaning the Concorde. "Besides the 747 is not so bad, she's a steady bird."
"Boys and their toys," a soft spoken Australian flight attendant said with an amused shake of her head as she walked up to Isabelle. "Come and try some of the cakes, they're really marvelous. Captain Patroni and Maggie fixed them for this little welcome back party of his."
"I didn't even know he was here," Isabelle protested lightly as she let her fellow flight attendant steer her away.
"He didn't now he could be here until yesterday," she said with a twinkle in her eyes. "That's when he completed the last medical tests upgraded his psychological profile. There was a Boeing 747 on overhaul at our Washington based damage control center that was to be transported here today and that crafty bastard convinced Captain Paxton to take him on as first officer."
Isabelle couldn't help but to laugh at the pretended smartness of her colleague's voice. "Yes, unlike Paul I think Joe is qualified to fly Boeing straight away," she said.
"Surely Captain Metrand can fly a buss as Captain Petroni calls the 747: s?" she raised a questionable eyebrow.
Isabelle shrugged. "I really don't know, I haven't actually asked. I do know that he's been flying Concorde for several years commercially and before that worked as a test pilot at the facility in Toulouse."
"But you met him at FWA didn't you?" Rosie asked curiously. "I've seen him before this new Concorde arrived."
"You've seen him at Air France," Isabelle explained. "I worked there for a short amount of time too. I was later approached by FWA with a better contract at a time when I was awfully tired of flying. I even considered a change in career."
Rosie shook her head. "No honey, you're the best. There will be no quitting for you. I've heard nothing but praise from your co-workers-" she trailed off and glanced around before leaning close to Isabelle to whisper into her ear. "-or underlings as I call my staff," she said with a low playful chuckle.
Isabelle stared at her for a moment then burst out laughing. They were both in charge of their respective cabin crew.
"Listen," Rosie said cheerfully as she dug into a chocolate cake. "This might not be my business but how did you manage to ensnarl captain handsome?"
Isabelle pursed her lips into a thin line. "You're right, that is not your business," she said but even if her words seemed harsh her tone of voice was playful and light. She then sighed ruefully. "I've worked hard for that and I have to tell you, he's caused me a lot of heartache."
"I've heard a lot of that from various colleagues," she said causing Isabelle to frown.
"No, don't get me wrong Isabelle. I'm talking about our golden boys in general, not only yours," she assured her.
"It's just- you know people are gossiping. Let's just say that Captain Metrand was high on some people's listings and some will give you the evil eye honey," Rosie finished and gently squeezed Isabelle's shoulder to comfort her. "Not only people from this company."
Isabelle looked at her realization dawning on her as to what her older colleague was insinuating and she suddenly felt both disappointed and sad at the same time. "You don't think he, or they, can keep away from each other? Is that what you're trying to tell me?" Isabelle finished incredibly, her voice a near whisper tinged with disbelief.
At this Rosie said nothing but she didn't look up to level her eyes with Isabelle's. "They just don't change over a night, honey," the older flight attendant said apologetically as she once again squeezed her shoulder and then turned on her heels to walk over to Captain Tracy and another gathering at the end of the room.
Isabelle stared after her, her mood plummeting.
"This is a party Isabelle, why the puppy eyed look?" Joanna Jones asked as she walked up to her, having arrived only a minute before.
Isabelle smiled genuinely at her. "Jo, I didn't see you coming," she said happily albeit a little surprised.
"To tell you the truth I never thought I would come," she said a little sheepishly. "But I missed this-" she trailed off and gestured around the office filled with happy people and then toward the large windows overlooking the runways. "Flying regional is not the same thing, nothing new, no other languages or cultures to try, no Latinos or Europeans. I wanted to start anew with a new company, new people and new destinations. I don't know what I was looking for really but it wasn't what I found. I am ashamed I could even think it would be better somewhere else."
"Don't be Jo," Isabelle said softly. "I know how you felt. Right after the accident I – everything felt wrong. Like I had changed but everything around me remained the same, appearing as it always had. I felt like I could take on the world at days and at nights I cried myself to sleep hugging my pillow."
Jo smirked gloomily. "Are you sure the pillow was the only thing you hugged at night?" she asked carefully as she cocked an eyebrow and broke into an enigmatic smile.
Isabelle eyed her wearily suddenly on her guard, Rosie's words still fresh in her mind. Joanna immediately sensed something was wrong.
"Has something happened?" Joanna said concerned.
Isabelle shook her head stoically and then forced a smile on her lips. "No, everything's just fine," she assured her colleague.
"How long have we worked together?" Joanna admonished. "I can see all is not well."
Isabelle let out a low chuckle as she gently ran her fingers just below her eyes. "Rosie and I were talking earlier and- well it concerned Paul. She kind of insinuated that he didn't want me, at least not for long." she said sadly.
"What?" Joanna burst out in annoyance casting a glare in the direction of the older Australian flight attendant. "There is something I haven't told you Isabelle. Something I probably should have said a long time ago. When Rosie saw you walk hand in hand with Captain Metrand at the joint flight crew party-"
"The second time I saw him and the first time I had the guts to approach him," Isabelle broke in, deep in thought, looking almost drawn back in time. "Lara, my superior attendant at the time just shook her head at me."
"-she looked downright angry," Joanna continued as if Isabelle had never interrupted. "It got obvious that Rosie had a crush on Captain Metrand even though I didn't know her very well then."
"We met occasionally back then and had the time of our lives, at least I had. Then one day he was just gone," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. "I started looking for him but he was nowhere to be found. I realized then the hard truth about our dates. To him I was just a fling while I was serious. It took me months to get over him, I wanted to throw things at him, and at one point I swear I would have enjoyed slapping him, to hurt his feelings."
"Isabelle," Joanna chided lightly.
"I saw him at times on some parties but I kept away from him and he didn't see me, or maybe he pretended he didn't see me," she mused. "Now that I think about it I saw Rosie there too."
"Clinging to him?" Joanna asked in disdain.
"No, I didn't see them together," Isabelle answered. "Sure he was talking to women but not her, at least not at the time."
Joanna studied her as she got an amused, almost fond look on her face. "Thinking about something special?" she asked teasingly.
"I've always singled him out in a crowd but I've kept telling myself we would have no future together, he's proven me right on two occasions, the first one when he vanished and the second time when we hooked up at a hotel and-"
"Okay," Joanna raised her arms in a gesture of surrender. "I get the picture, involuntarily I might add."
"After the accident I...well actually it was before the crash, when we'd landed in Paris. We were drawn to each other and I followed him home after setting up poor Captain Patroni with some woman."
Joanna shook her head in amusement.
"As I said, I ended up following him home. It looked the same as it always had and the pictures of us taken earlier was still there. It turned serious- I will never forget his face, the look in his eyes, when he told me that he wanted us to get together again," Isabelle said.
"Something he just said?" Joanna asked carefully.
Isabelle shook her head. "No, for the first time he was serious, not playing around, no smooth talking. I must have looked dumbfounded. I studied him for a moment, not daring to get my hopes up."
"Well, you deserve to be happy, Isabelle and judging from what you've just told me I'd say he won't let you go. Captain Metrand is stubborn, that much I know and quite cunning too if I'm to believe some of the pranks he's pulled on fellow pilots."
That statement caused Isabelle to laugh out loud, her eyes twinkling.
"Feeling better now?" Joanna asked happily.
"Oh, Jo, I was supposed to comfort you," Isabelle whined lightly, her voice apologetic.
"But you have, believe me. I've missed this, my friends and colleagues, everything," Joanna said and then added. "That new first officer that Captain Tracy is dragging along- look at him. What do you think?"
Isabelle slapped her playfully on the shoulder. "I think Sean, our administration clerk assistant, will be very disappointed in you," she said lightly. "Haven't you noticed the way he looks at you?"
"Come on, he's such a dull character. I admit that he's cute but I need some substance, some indication that he can do other things than being nice to old lady passengers," she said cheekily.
"Well then don't let me stop you," Isabelle said with a wry grin. "I'll just head behind the counter and report in. I'm a bit curious as of how my new flight schedule look."
"You know, I just got this marvelous idea. Why don't you call Captain Metrand and ask him to come over? I'm sure Captain Patroni would be delighted and that Rosie would be furious to see you hold his hand," she said in amusement.
Isabelle shook her head sadly. "I promised Paul I'd be home for brunch. I don't really want to be here, I just want to forget about the accident and get on with my life. Sometimes at night I-"
Joanna gently squeezed her shoulder with a vain smile. "I think we all have those nightmares. I know it sounds impossible but we have to learn to deal with them and let them make us stronger instead of bringing us down," she said softly.
"I guess you're right," Isabelle whispered ejectively.
"Wise words, aren't they?" Joanna said with a smirk. "Courtesy of my therapist. Believe me, it's easier said than done."
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