Amanda: Yup! Becky just confirmed they needed the extra seats for security. Only the VVIP in first class. Still. I would loooooove to see who it is. Text me if it’s anyone you know (which I doubt). You sure you won’t get a social media account so you can be in the know?
Clara: Nice try, but no. My focus is ballet and this gig.
Amanda: Haha, okay! Gotta go. My purser is yelling at me to get off the phone cause we’re about to take off. Good luck and remember to get me a good seat. This girl is going straight from the Zurich plane to a plane bound for London to see you tonight.
Clara: Got it! Nosebleed seats it is!
By 11:30 a.m., Clara’s flight was ready to begin boarding.
A voice overhead announced, “Attention all passengers heading to London Heathrow on Pacific Skyways flight 769. We are ready to begin the boarding process. We ask that you please have your boarding pass and passport out and available,ready to be scanned by the gate agent. We kindly ask you to remain seated until your zone is called.”
Her British man in the expensive navy overcoat, Mr. Boring from earlier, was still glued to his phone. Where had he come from? Clara swore he wasn’t at the gate when she had checked less than two minutes ago. How had he been able to bypass everyone else lined up in business class on such short notice? Was he Pacific Skyways’ most elite frequent flyer passenger? The group of suits traveling with him were more stoic than earlier and kept nervously glancing around the boarding area. Maybe they were as frustrated by the delay as the rest of the passengers.
The process was the same as any flight where the airline elite boarded with business class passengers, followed by the families and the lowly economy-class passengers. Passengers in economy rushed to try to be the first on the plane even if it may not have been their row being called. Clara watched the scene play out and patiently waited to board. Her bag was checked so she didn’t need to fight for a spot in the overhead bin. Her tutu would fit nicely on top of whatever bags were already there.
“We are in our final boarding call for passengers on Pacific Skyways flight 769 to London Heathrow. All confirmed and ticketed passengers should proceed to the gate at this time.”
As one of the last passengers on the plane, Clara glanced at her boarding pass.I’m in the exit row? Finally, something good today!Her seat was conveniently located right by where she boarded. The gate area was relatively empty; she had no wait on the jet bridge, walked straight up to her seat, and relaxed. The flight attendants would sit right across from her in the jump seat as the plane took off and landed. When they weren’t there, Clara was rewarded with a lot of extra legroom. Maybe this flight wouldn’t be too bad after all.
Flight attendants were the best source of gossip. As she absentmindedly flipped through her airline magazine and listened in, Clara’s ears perked up at the wordroyalty.
“Stinks for all the Z and J class pax who had to be moved for security. Nice that Leeds is onboard. He’s always super sweet. Wish I got to work in the Z class cabin today.”
The sounds of the engines roaring to life killed the rest of the conversation. While the flight attendants began their in-flight safety announcements, she processed the information she had just heard. The VVIP must be whoever Leeds was. Z class was code for first class, as she had learned from Amanda. J stood for business class.
Where had she seen that name before? Who was Leeds? Where was Amanda and phone access when she needed it? Should she try to get a sneak peek at the first-class cabin and claim she was lost? Would the VVIP’s security team throw her out or ask for the plane to make an emergency landing if they encountered her? Clara’s mind went through multiple options and scenarios as she considered if it was worth trying to satisfy her curiosity.
Clara laughed to herself as she entertained the idea of which passenger at boarding could be Leeds. One thing was for certain. It was not her navy suit man; he clearly was a workaholic with other priorities in life.If there is anyone that needs a vacation, it’s him.
Clara tried to nap intermittently throughout the flight, yet try as she might, she couldn’t get her body to obey. It was too wide awake, thanks to the extra coffee. Luckily, there were a lot of new and recently-released movies loaded onto the entertainment system. Becky, Amanda’s friend, stopped by from the business class cabin and checked in with Clara a few times throughout the ten-and-a-half-hour flight. Clara was sure to thank her and happy to take advantage of the leftover servings of chocolates and strawberries. The rest of the flight was uneventful.
The plane landed with no problems and taxied away to the gate. Flight 769 had made up time in the air, but it was still four and a half hours later than originally scheduled. After sitting for close to eleven hours, Clara was more than happy to be one of the first passengers off the plane. It hadn’t sunk in until this moment, Clara was in London! “I made it!” she exclaimed and happily bounded up the ramp. On land again, Clara stopped to refresh herself and followed the signs to passport control and immigration.
One by one, passengers lined up outside of baggage claim and stared at the machine, waiting for it to roar to life and deliver their suitcases to them. Clara waited; ten minutes passed, twenty minutes passed, then thirty minutes. Frustrated her bag was nowhere in sight, Clara searched for an airline representative.
“Excuse me, do you happen to know if there are any more bags being brought up from this flight?” Clara asked. “It’s been over half an hour.”
“Once the belt stops moving, that’s it for the flight. Go check with the luggage office. If it’s not in there, you are going to have to file a claim with the airline. I’ll be happy to show you where to go if you need it.” The attendant was a welcome change from the airport workers she had encountered at LAX. Clara sighed and nodded. She followed along at a slower pace, dejected.
“Cheer up love, things will get better. You just need a nice spot of tea once you get settled,” the attendant offered. The kind elderly worker made sure Clara was settled before heading back to her post near the baggage belt.
“Thank you. I’ve had a tough start to my trip,” she voiced aloud with a hint of fatigue. Once at the Pacific Skyways office, she learned her streak of bad luck continued to follow her. Tracing revealed her bag was probably still sitting somewhere at LAX. “Thank goodness I have my costume and shoes!” she said to no one in particular. Other items could be replaced, but her costume was her lifeline.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. I’ll go ahead and ensure that as soon as it arrives at Heathrow, we’ll send your trolly up to your hotel. Just leave your details here. As compensation, Pacific Skyways is going to go ahead and offer you a voucher for 100 Pounds to use for whatever you may need until it arrives. Are you heading to a hotel? Perhaps we can also cover the cost of your taxi,” one of the baggage office team workers said, sounding sympathetic.
Another kind soul! Were all of the London-based employees so cheerful? Their accents were certainly charming. “Thanks. I would really appreciate the cab fare. I’m a little jet-lagged right now and not thinking one hundred percent straight. Do you happen to know how long it might take my bag to reach me?” Absentmindedly, Clara’s thoughts drifted to her navy-coat man’s accent and his rich, soothing voice.I wonder what he’s up to. Where is his home?
The attendant finished filing Clara’s lost luggage report. With a grim smile, he answered, “It looks like the next flight from LAX to LHR is tomorrow. Sometimes it can take two days to reach you, but I will try to put a rush on it.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.” She left the details for where she would be staying and made a beeline for the taxi stand outside the airport. The skies were gloomy, but a welcome change from southern California’s blue skies. A light mist came down and reminded Clara so much of Seattle. She smiled and took in the sound of British accents around her and her first glance at cars being driven on the opposite side of the road.
The taxi stand had a short queue of people ahead of her compared to the rest of the arrival area. If she squinted toward the very far end of the terminal, she saw several bright flashes going off with someone’s name being yelled.What the heck is that?Several tourists rushed from behind her toward the commotion at full speed. It was an amusing sight to see them try to maneuver around the crowds. If she hadn’t been so tired, Clara might have recognized the name Leeds being bounced around. She yawned and lifted her arms to crack her shoulders.
Clara’s focus was on getting to her home away from home for the next few days. Maybe her hotel would have her room ready and she would be able to catch a quick cat nap. Clara thanked her lucky stars that Amanda had trained her well in the art of carrying important items with her. Speaking of Amanda, Clara shot off a text to advise her she had arrived safely and was en route to her hotel. She rolled her eyes at the thought of Amanda wanting to go shopping in the airport before they even reached their hotel. The plan would be to meet up after the gala that evening for a late dinner.
London traffic was almost as bad as southern California. It was 9 a.m. London time, and the morning commute was still underway. “Is it always like this?” she curiously asked her London cab driver.
“Yes, miss. Heathrow is one of the world’s busiest airports. Even if traffic weren’t so bad, it always takes about an hour and a half to reach central London. We should arrive at your hotel about 10:30, or even as late as 11 a.m. Until then, I suggest you enjoy the ride,” he offered, glancing back at her in his rearview mirror.