Once again Liliana found herself sitting up in bed, panting, her throat dry as she gulped. She looked at her phone and noticed it was only 4:00 AM. Her heaving chest was doused in sweat, her head feeling hot once again.
Liliana grabbed the bottle of water next to her bed, and gulped back the last amount, emptying the bottle. Then catching her breath, she laid back down hoping to sleep and dream of anything but her boss.
Except now, her mind was wide awake, and so was her body.
Liliana groaned and placed a hand on her forehead as she tried to determine the cause of her sudden crush on Frantz. Then not wanting for this infatuation to go further, she decided to figure out a way to get over her crush.
She figured that maybe admitting it out loud could ease the havoc that was going on in her mind, and hopefully after saying it, it would seem irrelevant, if not ridiculous. Lili believed that avoiding this was like having a secret which was too good to be true. A secret, if held in too long, could cause you to explode at some point.
So, taking a deep breath, Lili laid on her back and cleared her throat.
She shook her head and giggled at the fact that she was actually going to admit her feelings out loud, with only her bedroom furniture as witnesses.
The thought itself was insane, and Liliana wondered if she was turning into a basket case.
Liliana opened her mouth but paused as she remembered the folk tale of the king with donkey ears. His wife had tried to keep it a secret, and when she couldn't help it anymore, she spoke the secret to a lake, only for someone she had not noticed to hear it and spread it out amongst the king's subjects.
Liliana shook her head as she figured that her nightstand couldn't possibly reveal her secret to anyone, and so after another breath she whispered, "I have a crush on my boss."
Liliana waited for a moment, waiting for something to go wrong and make her regret saying that, but when nothing happened, she felt a bit braver as she spoke louder "I have a crush on my boss."
Liliana giggled at her words then shrugged as felt her heart leap, then slowly began to return to its regular pace. Then feeling much better, as if a weight was lifted off her shoulders, Liliana went back to sleep.
The next day Liliana took a moment to go over everything Chamille had taught her during their first trip. She created a mental routine which she felt much more comfortable with, then she prepared for the next two shifts that would follow.
Flying with the Dunns was a joy. They were an elderly couple. The wife spent the entire trip knitting, and she enjoyed her morning tea, while the husband always kept busy with a crossword, and a cup of coffee.
Liliana almost handled the entire trip by herself. And enjoyed checking in on the Dunns though it was a short trip, and she looked forward to flying with them again.
Traveling with Ms. Marin was a bit more intense. She was a middle-aged woman, had gone through three divorces, and was a successful businesswoman. She had just started a scandalous relationship with a younger man, and she had the self-confidence of a queen. She wasn't rude towards the hostesses, but she could do without them constantly interrupting only to ask whether she was okay or wanted anything. Ms. Marin did enjoy her liquor however, and Liliana eventually lost track of how many times the client had asked, for a refill.
When they landed, Ms. Marin thanked and bid the hostesses goodbye as she exited.
On the drive home, Chamille turned to Liliana and said, "girl you make me so proud. You've handled the last two trips like a pro. Are you ready for tomorrow?"
"Thanks, and yeah I'm definitely ready." Liliana confirmed, and for once she actually looked forward to seeing Frantz Cavalier, because from the moment she admitted that she had a crush on him, she felt different.
He wasn't on her mind as often, nor did she dream about him anymore.
"Wow, loving the confidence. Does this mean he doesn't scare you anymore?" Chamille asked, and Liliana simply shrugged, keeping her thoughts to herself.
Once again Liliana was dropped home first, and as soon as she made it home, she kicked off her shoes and plopped on her couch as she dialed her mom's number.
"Hello." Her mom greeted warmly.
"Ma, I'm home." Liliana stated, as she took her hair out of the low bun and sighed feeling her scalp relax.
"That's great honey. How were the clients?" Her mom asked,.
"Oh my God mom, the Dunns are by far my favorite. They are so warm and friendly and pleasant." Lili explained as she smiled from ear to ear.
"And the other client?"
"Well Ms. Marin is a bit more strict, has a lot of self-confidence, but she seemed annoyed every time we checked on her." Liliana explained and the mom replied, "well at least you enjoyed it. I can tell you're having fun, and I'm so happy for you because you're doing what you love."
"Thanks ma." Liliana felt her cheeks rise with a wide smile.
"So tomorrow you're back again flying with the big boss right?" Her mom asked,.
"Yep, and it may be my solo flight. My trainer said, I've been doing pretty well, and if anything, tomorrow she will simply be my shadow, and I will be the main hostess." Liliana stated, feeling the excitement bubble in her chest.
"Well, that's awesome honey." Liliana heard her mom state, just as her phone beeped, indicating she had another call.
When Liliana pulled the phone away from her ear, she noticed that it was Jenna calling her, so in haste she said, "mom, let me call you back. The office is calling me."
"Okay. Bye." The mom stated, and Liliana quickly accepted the other call.
"Hello?" Liliana greeted.
"Hey Liliana, its Jenna. I am so sorry to call you like this, but it seems tomorrow you will have to fly solo with Mr. Cavalier." Jenna noted, and Liliana replied, "yes, Chamille told me that she would shadow me."
"No I mean, you will be by yourself. Chamille will not be able to make it." Jenna explained, and Liliana felt her heart drop.
"W-wait, why? What happened?" Liliana asked, her head heating up by the second.
"Chamille and the driver were involved in an accident. She's going to be fine. Just some minor cuts and bruises, but she is not cleared to fly. I'm sorry for dropping the news like this. But I wouldn't entrust this trip to you if I didn't know that you could handle it." Jenna said, and Liliana's mouth ran dry.
"Lili? Are you still there?" Jenna called out and on instinct Liliana stated, "yes, I am."
"Can you do this? Please?" Jenna almost begged, and Liliana gulped back a bit of saliva as she shook her head and said, "yeah, yeah I can do it."
"Oh you are a life saver." Jenna cheered before thanking her again and ending the call.
Liliana let the phone drop to her lap as her hand shook due to her nerves.
She, Liliana Chavez, the shy hostess with an unpredictable attitude and mouth, had to fly the infamous, arrogant, conceited Mr. Frantz Cavalier, solo.
Liliana gulped, her heart thudding audibly in her ears, which at the moment were buzzing, as many different thoughts began to invade her mind.
How was she supposed to survive this trip alone?