Olivia
‘Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We will shortly be starting our descent into London Heathrow. If you could please remain in your seats, with your seat belts fastened, tray tables stowed away, and your seat in the upright position.’
You and your notion of what everyone else should be doing with their lives, when you’re barely living your own.
Her hands balled into fists.
I bet she tried to live more than you ever will with how much time you have left.
Her stomach twisted itself into tighter knots.
‘Stupid idiot,’ she spat under her breath, leaning her forehead on the plastic window. She felt the stare of the man
next to her; the stranger who, for nearly nine hours, had had to endure Olivia’s incessant and restless shuffling, mumbling and, most embarrassingly, crying.
She pressed her head harder against the window, enjoying the pain that shot through her skull.
Stupid, selfish, totally irresponsible idiot.
Doesn’t have a clue about real life.
Doesn’t have a clue about being a decent human being.
Harder and harder she pressed, the sensations on the outside not strong enough to mute the hurt on the inside.
He didn’t even say goodbye.
The childlike voice emerged from deep within the angry depths. A tear escaped down Olivia’s cheek as her heart sank lower in her chest.
He’ll message. Just give it time.
Instinctively, she grabbed her phone and clutched it to her.
There had been nothing when she’d woken up that morning, her body beaten from the battle.
Nothing when she’d arrived at the airport, tired and overemotional.
Nothing when she’d boarded the plane to Delhi.
Nothing when she’d landed and transferred to her flight for London.
No email.
Nothing.
Not a single word from Jacob before she left him for ever.
What were you expecting?
She swallowed a sob that was forming in her throat. Something, she admitted to herself. She was at least expecting something
.
The plane smacked down hard as it made contact with the tarmac. Olivia was thrown upwards from her seat, her forehead banging against the window.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, we have now arrived at London Heathrow, where the local time is 5.35 p.m. The use of electronic devices is now permitted, but the seat belt sign is still on, so please remain seated until the aircraft has come to a complete stop. Thank you.’
A series of beeps and vibrations echoed around the plane, people turning on their phones and switching back to reality.
Olivia tentatively pressed the on button and watched as her phone lit up in response.
Message from Kate
BFF
Message from Mum
2 messages from Kyle Brother
Her eyes were glued to the screen, watching as the notifications piled up, one after the other. Friends and family wishing her safe travels and welcoming her home. Companies spamming her, hounding her to buy their products. But nothing, not a word, from Jacob.
She stuffed her phone into her bag and bit back the urge to scream.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, the seat belt sign is now off and we are ready to disembark from the aircraft. We wish you a pleasant onward journey, and from everyone here at Virgin Atlantic, thank you for travelling with us and we hope to see you again soon.’
‘Not bloody likely,’ Olivia spat, standing up and pushing herself out of the narrow row of seats.
‘Never say never.’ A jolly man behind her laughed as they walked down the aisle.
‘Yeah?’ She whipped her head around as the exit came closer. ‘And what the hell do you know?’
*
It had to be said, it was slightly awkward standing opposite the man she’d been so rude to as they waited for their bags to arrive.
He kept looking over at her as though, at any moment, she was going to shout her apologies across the conveyor belt.
Instead, she kept her eyes glued to the revolving train of luggage that snaked in front of them at a painfully slow pace.
Why was everything taking so long?
The lack of sleep was starting to kick in now, exhaustion weighing her down, burning through the final reserves of her patience, and leaving her prickly and frazzled.
‘Excuse me!’ She elbowed her way forwards, spotting her lumpy backpack emerge on the belt. ‘Can I come through, please? That’s my bag.’
‘Which one, sweetheart?’ a bulky, tattooed man asked. ‘I’ll get it for you.’
‘No, thank you,’ she snapped, ‘I can do it myself. I just need you to move
.’
Olivia launched forwards, almost toppling over and on to the belt herself. She grabbed the straps of her bag and hauled it off, struggling to maintain both her balance and her cool whilst doing so.
‘These young people,’ the man commented to his wife. ‘Think they can do it all.’
Fury erupted inside her.
‘These old people, always thinking they know best.’ She tutted, swinging her bag on to her back and marching off towards the exit.
Her heart was pumping ferociously in her chest, the sour taste of her outbursts coating the inside of her mouth. She needed to get out of this airport and straight back to her flat, dump her godforsaken rucksack, and have a long, hot, relaxing bath—
‘WELCOME HOME!’
Something had been unceremoniously shoved in Olivia’s face, forcing her to stop dead in her tracks. A young family almost crashed into the back of her, narrowly avoiding the collision by millimetres.
‘What the hell
?’ She felt the explosion building, the incandescent rage about to erupt from within her, when she noticed just who and what was standing in front of her.
There was Kyle, grinning from ear to ear, holding one end of a large, hand-drawn sign. The other, of course, was held by Kate, who was open-mouthed and shouting in celebration at her arrival.
‘SURPRISE!’ Kate squealed, letting go of the sign and rushing to greet her.
‘I don’t …’ Olivia faltered, still standing frozen in place. ‘I don’t understand.’
Kate wrapped her arms around her. ‘We’re your welcome home party, silly.’
‘But …’
Olivia felt the emotion begin to overwhelm her, the fire inside alchemizing into an ocean of tears.
‘Olivia?’ Kate looked at her. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘I … it’s all just … I don’t …’ Olivia’s bottom lip began to tremble.
‘Hey.’ Her friend pulled her into a hug and steered her away from the crowd. ‘It’s OK.’
‘It’s not though.’ Olivia’s defences finally broke, the
pressure too much, the exhaustion too draining, the pain in her heart too crippling. ‘It’s not OK,’ she sobbed into Kate’s shoulder.
‘Oh, my love, let’s get you home. You’re probably exhausted.’
Olivia nodded feebly, gingerly wiping her face with the sleeve of her top. She was
exhausted – on every possible level – but the feel of her friend was enough to calm her racing thoughts and settle the turbulence in her chest.
‘OK.’ Olivia took a long, deep inhale. ‘I’m OK.’
‘Good.’ Kate held her out in front of her. ‘And you may look totally wiped, but at least you’re tanned!’
Olivia couldn’t help but laugh, as Kate lifted her arm into the air for inspection.
‘It’s more freckles than tan, but I’ll take it.’
‘I would.’ She took the rucksack from Olivia’s hands and slung it over her own back. ‘Now let’s get you home, shall we?’
‘Please.’
Kate and Olivia made their way back towards where Kyle was standing. ‘Just to let you know, your brother has been banging on about getting a McDonald’s for the past hour. Do you fancy one?’
‘No.’ Olivia’s stomach writhed in protest. ‘But he won’t shut up unless we get him one, so we might as well go.’
‘Yeah, tell me about it, he’s totally obsessed with the stuff. I don’t know where he puts it.’
Olivia hesitated – something about Kate’s words sent alarm bells ringing in her brain – but she was too tired and far too full of her own turmoil to fully register the meaning.
‘Little Sis!’ Kyle held his arms out wide as they reached him. ‘Welcome home.’
‘Thanks.’ She managed a watery smile.
‘Everything all right? You look a little …’
‘Tired. I’m just tired.’
‘Well then, I tell you what you need. A good old Maccy D’s!
That will get you energized again. Here, let me take that.
’ He took the backpack from Kate, an indiscernible look passing between them.
Why were they being so weird around each other?
Before Olivia had a chance to question it, Kate pulled her close.
‘It’s good to have you back.’ She slipped her hand into Olivia’s. It was soft and warm and felt like home. ‘I’ve missed you.’
‘I’ve missed you too.’ Olivia squeezed her friend gently and smiled. ‘Now please, please
can we get out of this place?’
‘As you wish, my love.’ The three of them began to walk towards the exit. ‘As you wish.’
*
Three hours and an order of two Big Mac Meals later, Olivia was so far past tired she felt catatonic.
She lay on the sofa as Kyle and Kate flapped around her, shooting each other knowing looks, and giving each other tender and not so subtle touches of reassurance.
It had taken Olivia a while, but finally she’d worked it out.
The alarm bells had been going off for a reason.
‘Right, I’d better be heading home.’ Kyle stood, dusting the burger bun crumbs from his jeans. ‘I have work later.’ A lingering look at Kate. ‘Liv, are you sure you don’t want the rest of these?’ He held up a half-eaten, soggy packet of chips.
‘No, I’m good. You take them.’
‘Great. Well, I’ll see you at Mum and Dad’s next weekend, all right?’
‘Sure.’ She stood and gave her brother a hug. ‘And thank you for coming to meet me at the airport. It was …’
‘Unexpectedly nice from me?’
‘Yeah, exactly.’
‘What can I say? I’ve kind of missed you.’ He planted a kiss on her cheek. ‘Kate, I guess I’ll see you … well …’ He shifted awkwardly, eyes darting everywhere but at the two of them. ‘Yeah … whenever.’
‘Great!’ Her friend visibly tensed, her smile false and overly bright. ‘See you around.’
‘See you.’ Kyle shuffled out, slamming the door behind him, leaving Kate and Olivia in silence.