CHAPTER 1 – The First Meeting

“Domestic flight from Capitol Metropolitan to Northern Province is now ready for boarding. Priority passengers please prepare to board the plane.”

The announcement was heard from the domestic airport’s PA system.

The priority passengers hurriedly board the plane to take their seats.

It was a 6-hour midnight flight from Capitol Metropolitan, Diamond country’s capital, to the Northern Province, the country’s most abundant territory with all the gold and diamond mines among other precious stones and gems.

When Amanda North headed to her row with her four-year old son Jack, she noticed that the man in the first row is already sleeping soundly with his seat reclined all the way back.

“Excuse me, Sir, could you please straighten up you seat first? We haven’t taken off yet”, her son Jack could not take his seat so Amanda requested politely.

The middle-aged man just glanced at Amanda and gave a scoff and fall back to sleep again.

Amanda tapped his shoulder again to give the man a shake but the man just grunts in dismay.

“What do you want?” the man was clearly pissed for being disturbed.

“I asked if you could straighten up your seat, so we can go inside” Amanda still trying to sound reasonable despite being pissed by the man’s arrogance.

“And if I don’t?” the man was really trying to annoy her now.

Amanda could not tolerate such unreasonable behaviour, in a stern voice she reminder the man again.

“Mister, please be reasonable. I already asked you politely. If you don’t move, the boarding process will be delayed much longer”.

Suddenly a deep commanding voice was heard in the commotion. 

“What’s going on here?” A tall, strong built man in his early 30’s was carrying a sleeping baby girl in a baby carrier.

“He doesn’t want to straighten his seat. We cannot move in” Amanda explained without glancing to the newcomer while putting Jack’s carry-on luggage in the overhead cabin.

“He’s just a kid and can easily squeeze in” the annoying man still trying to justify his reclined seat.

“Well” the tall man staring at the middle-aged man in front.

“I need to move in as well” just a few words from the man but the middle-aged man sensed the strong presence of the newcomer and he suddenly felt the chilling stare of the young man.

He felt he could not match up with the younger man so he immediately adjusted his seat without saying anything and fall back to sleep again.

The younger man went straight to the innermost seat without saying a word followed by Jack and then by Amanda.

“Thanks” Amanda gave a polite gesture to the man.

She decided to make a scene to force the middle-aged man to be thrown out of the plane if he still refused. Good thing the man came just in time.

When she looked at the man again, her heart ached to see the little baby squeezed in the man’s chest. Being a mother, she’s well aware of the positions most comfortable and uncomfortable for kids. And the little girl’s position is definitely not comfortable at all for a one-year old baby.

“Excuse me, I think the baby is uncomfortable” after looking for a while, she really could not help herself.

The man opened his bloodshot eyes and looked at Amanda with furrowed eyebrows.

“I think you need to remove her from the carrier” she smiled politely to make the encounter less awkward despite the intimidating looks of the man. The man did not even give her a second glance and went back to close his eyes.

‘I’ve done my part little girl; sorry you have a stubborn father’ she could only mutter to herself.

When the flight attendant was checking their row, she handed her an extra seat belt.

She gave the flight attendant a confused look.

The attendant quickly replied with a smile “this is for the baby”.

“My child has his own seat” referring to Jack.

“The baby doesn’t have” the attendant referring to the baby in the window-seat.

“Excuse me, Sir, the baby shouldn’t be in a carrier during take-off and landing. If you want to put her back on, you can only do so when we are up in the air” the attendant giving her most professional smile.

“It would be better also if the baby stays with mommy so she will be more comfortable” the attendant smiled while looking at the helpless baby.

“We are not –“ Amanda wanted to explain to the attendant when the man cuts her off.

“Darling, please help with Penny. I haven’t slept for a whole day” the man suddenly turned to her pleadingly while handing her the baby.

‘Darling???’ how could he call her endearingly.

She doesn’t even know this guy.

“Mom, I think it’s best if you carry her. She would be more comfortable. I can also play with her if she cries” Jack was so excited to play with the little girl.

She alternately looked into the big man in the window seat, then to her son in the middle and finally to the helpless little girl.

Her maternal heart immediately softened when the little girl started crying because of the discomfort.

“Fine” she took the baby while giving the father a reproachful look. She will definitely give him a scolding later when they land.

Her heart skipped a beat as soon as she held the baby. It’s been so long since she had a baby in her arms and when the little girl smiled at her, her heart totally melted.

The man was yawning non-stop when she looked at him again. When he noticed her, he mouthed “thank you” and gave her a playful wink then immediately closed his eyes to sleep.

“…” how could he be shameless.