Familiar Air

FIVE YEARS LATER

New York City

John F. Kennedy International Airport

The atmosphere in the expansive area, which had escalators moving up and down, was lively and bustling with many individuals and families strolling back and forth on a Wednesday evening. Despite this, the environment was still cool and calm even with the automated voices that could be heard across the buildings.

Amongst the crowd of people that were making their way from each terminal towards the entryway, a beautiful woman with an air of sophistication strutted along the crowd. The red pants and suit jacket that she had on complimented her body tone perfectly, and the sound of her heels which clacked across the floor as she walked could almost be heard.

Behind her was the assistant that pushed her trolley of loads alongside, and beside her were two children whose little hands were safely secured in hers.

They had not stopped chattering nonstop to her as soon as they arrived at the airport, and she just smiled mildly at each other's questions because she was tired of answering their endless questions, since they had boarded the plane.

Within a few seconds of getting to the end of the terminal, her beautiful bluish-green eyes sparkled radiantly as her face brightened up at the sight of the person that she was expecting to see. He had arrived at the airport minutes before her landing hour to welcome her back into the country, and he was just right in time.

"Welcome, Ava. It is so good to see you," he said the moment she got to where he was standing, as they hugged one another and kissed each other on the cheeks.

"It is so good to see you, Uncle Jace," the twins said in unison when he was done exchanging pleasantries with their mother, and he pulled them into a warm hug as they giggled.

The girl, Autumn, who was a complete replica of her mother pouted immediately when he released them from his grip, and showed him her thumb which was wrapped in a bandage. Her brother, Evan, explained the details of what happened to her hand to their uncle.

"I thought you said that you were going to arrive earlier than today," Jace reminded her as they all made their way outside the airport, as the chauffeur carried their bags to the car that was waiting to pick them up.

"Handling kids is so exhausting. I had to postpone our arrival because Autumn sliced her fingers with a knife two days ago, after I had warned her several times. The past days with them out of school have been the most hectic for me," Ava groaned with a frown, remembering how hard it was to calm down the twins who were crying all night, after they returned from the hospital.

"You should take a break after today before you start making plans for their adjustments to this city and all," Jace suggested placidly and Ava nodded in agreement.

"How many more hours till the event?" She asked Jace while directing the twins into the car, and then took the seat beside them immediately.

"Two more hours," Jace answered her as he took the middle seat, "We will drive to the suite first and you'll still have time to take a short break till the event. Are you sure that you are still up for it or you will take a second option?" he suggested.

"I have to be there. Dali will be disappointed."

The car drove along the highway for minutes from the airport to the suite they were going to stay in, and the kids were already in a deep slumber before the car arrived at its destination. It was quite stressful for Ava, who didn't want to wake them up, because she said convincing them to stay without her for the night would be harder if they were awake.

After they had all settled down into the suite, Ava had to take her time to reply to some business emails and sort out some electronic files, before she could start preparing for the event she had to attend in less than an hour.

She had so much going on in her life that needed to be balanced, and she had been doing that right from time till the present moment.

But now, things were different.

She had to get prepared for her new life now. A life that would be so much bigger and more impacting. The life no one saw coming.

*~•~*

The huge building that was going to be used for the event was flooded with reporters already, as their bright flashes and clicks of camera lightened the grounds of the red carpet.

Resting on the walls of the building were large letters encrusted on the wall, shining bright neon lights that spelled out the name of the brand's fashion exhibition they were attending; ALGAG

The luxurious cars of A-celebrities, elites, and socialites, pulled into the driveway right before the red carpet, as different personalities stepped out of their cars and received attention from the blinding lights of the paparazzi.

They all began to step into the fashion museum red carpet in their dazzling dresses, and custom-made tailored suits. The air was thick with confidence and pride, evident in their haughty expressions and the sound of their noses snorting.

Nonspeaking, there was a high level of hypocrisy in their greetings and pleasantries.

However, everyone was carried away by the appearance of the highly respected socialite that just made their way inside, and had not noticed the tires of the latest Maybach that halted before the red carpet.

Ava, who was sitting in the back seat of the car sighed really hard, at the flashing lights that still managed to seep through the heavily tinted windows of the car. Everything around her which looked familiar felt unfamiliar, and she knew that she was finally back in New York to a different light and life.

She could remember years ago when she was living from hand to mouth in the same city, where she had once dined with the wealthiest young elites when they were all still young. When she was at her lowest and had no one to turn to. When she had hit rock bottom.

"Shall we?" She heard Jace's voice call her back from her reminiscing moments, and she flashed a brilliant smile at him before nodding affirmatively.

She could not believe she had to be before the lights and flashing cameras, on the first day that she would officially return to New York after almost five years had passed. But the look of everything around didn't faze her. She was used to it already.

The moment the door of the car opened after Jace had instructed the chauffeur, the cameras turned in her direction in awe of who the owner of the expensive drive would be. Instantly, cameras began to click the moment one leg came out of the car, as the voices of people could be heard the moment they sighted the heels.

There was a collective gasp that spread through the people they were gathered, as they all began to murmur amongst themselves if it was indeed what they thought it was.

The heels Ava was putting on were one of the three diamond carat heels, that had been placed on auction in Paris for a huge amount of money months ago. They recognized it because of the shining phoenix-like crest that embellished it, and they all began to wonder who she could be.

Stepping out of the car in the luxurious dress that complimented her heel and bag, Ava had her left hand crossed into Jace's arched arm as they both strolled down the red carpet through the blinding lights.

Jace's three-piece tuxedo was tailored to perfection against his broad body, and his waxed jet-black hair made the manly features of his face stand out.

They all recognized him to be a popular and wealthy elite, but they had no idea about the lady that he had come with. Some of them concluded that she was probably his girlfriend or wife, but some of them claimed to have seen her before somewhere.

Either way, their appearance together permeated an air of elegance.

Ava and Jace together made their way to the opening event, and they were greeted warmly by other celebrities that noticed Jace more than the lady that was beside him.

They parted ways shortly to exchange pleasantries with their acquaintances, and the only person Ava went to see was the person that invited her.

It was Dali, the new Editor-in-chief of the ALGAG.

They both met at a fashion event in London a year ago, and discovered that they both attended the same fashion school in Paris. They soon connected and became friends again, but were both separated by distance and work.

However, Ava had been planning to move back to New York, and Dali, who had just become an Editor-in-chief for one of the biggest clothing brands in New York, invited Ava.

"Oh my goodness, darling. I cannot believe you made it," Dali grinned happily when she turned to see the person who had tapped her on the shoulder where she was standing, "I had doubts that you would be able to come."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Ava smiled, as Dali pulled her into a big hug and clasped her hands around her.

"I am so nervous. I just hope I do well," Dali stifled nervously.

"Of course, you'll do perfectly great. You are a skilled perfectionist," Ava assured her with a warm smile, and hugged her even more tightly. The two had a brief talk before Dali returned to the changing room for the models, to check if everything was going in the perfect order.

As everyone took their seats and got ready for the fashion exhibition, Ava walked back to the exhibition hall from where she had gone to see her friend.

Through the broad, almost whist hallway, she ambled elegantly past a huge figure walking in the opposite direction of her, and an air of familiar aura whooshed past both of them.

The feeling was undeniably palpable.

Jace, who had been looking around for her, walked into the hallway, and waved to her the moment he sighted her walking in his direction, "Hey Ava, I was looking everywhere for you."

"Coming," she waved back to him, and quickened her steps in elegance.

At the mention of the name, the illustrious man in suit turned around to look at the lady that he had just walked past a few seconds ago, and his heart fell, the moment his eyes sighted a glance of her side face.

The resemblance was insanely striking!

'Was he hallucinating?'