Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 58353 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58353 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
My smile fades at her bittersweet memories. "It's wonderful that you decided to return."
Chuckling, she pats my hand with her smooth speckled one. Her nails are beautiful with their expensive French tips. "I'm sure you'll get to make memories as lovely as mine in this magical place, too."
I say nothing. It would spoil the mood to explain that I'm about to turn around and hop on another plane. I'm not staying in Rome, I'll be on my feet, working on a plane heading to California. Once I get there I'll have a day to rest at my box-size apartment before I leave once again.
Once I help her retrieve her bags, and make sure she's found a driver to assist her to customs, I head towards the crew's rest area to get some much-needed rest. The section dedicated to employees like me is small; just a lounge with gray-faux leather seats, a few fridges with food and drink, and a back area with curtained off twin-sized beds for a quick nap.
Everything can be seen through the windows of the lounge. There's a few people inside, all drinking coffee or looking at their phones.
I slip out my employee ID to scan at the door and wait for it to beep and blink green.
It lets out an awful squeal and glows red.
"Huh?" I frown, scanning my card again.
Drew speaks up behind me. "Ma'am, that area is off limits. Employees of the airline only. Can't you read the sign?"
Twisting around to balk at his wide grin, I quickly scan my ID again. And again, growing more and more desperate with each attempt. Every angry squeal and flash of red sends my nerves into overdrive. "What did you do?" I demand.
"I didn't do anything," he says feigning innocence, his expression smug. "Maybe your card is expired or something."
A wave of panic washes over me. I know my card hasn’t expired. I just used it this morning to open a security door at the gate in LAX.
"You did something," I accuse him. His grin grows wider. Heat slips up my neck––I recall seeing him on the phone. "Who were you calling when we landed?"
He shrugs, still smirking. "I was only informing the boss about our flight. How it went, if there were any issues, the usual. It's called SOP, Filia. Good employees know this stuff."
My fists clench at my side. I want to punch him so badly. I take a deep breath and force myself to stay calm. "Did you do what I think you did?"
"That depends. What does your gut say?"
Fuck. I grab my phone out and scroll through my contacts. If Drew went out of his way to slander me to our boss and actually get me fired, I have to fix it now. "I can't believe you," I say, my voice shaking with anger. "You're a terrible person, Drew. A terrible person."
He laughs. "You're the one who assaulted a customer."
I freeze up. "Excuse me?"
"You went off on poor Mr. Blake when he just wanted another drink. You threw his cup at him, spilled wine on him, even had your huge bully of a friend threaten him."
My mind is reeling. In my hand, my thumb presses on the number for my boss. "Drew, you're lying. That's all lies."
The line rings twice––it clicks. "Don Mathews, who's calling?"
"Mr. Mathews!" I gasp. "It's me, Filia Renovere! I'm at the airport in Rome and my ID won't work on the lounge. Has it been deactivated?"
He sighs in exasperation. "Yes, Ms. Renovere. When an employee of the airline is let go, we must hastily end all access for security reasons."
"But...but why am I fired?" I clutch my phone until my fingers throb. Drew watches gleefully. "Whatever Drew told you is a lie! He just wants me gone because he doesn't like me!"
"Do you hear yourself? You sound like a child. Now, please, I have to arrange a new crew member to fill in for this...recent opening."
"I... But how do I get home?" My head spins. "I was supposed to go back to California on this next flight."
"You'll have to figure that out on your own. Goodbye, Ms. Renovere."
The line goes dead.
I turn around to face Drew, who's still standing there, smirking down at me. "Looks like you're going to have to find another way to get back to the States."
The weight of his words crashes down on me. I can't believe this is happening. I've never been fired from a job before.
I'll just buy a ticket like everyone else does. Googling on my phone makes my stomach cramp. Every flight out for the next three days costs more than I have on hand. I've been living paycheck to paycheck. I'm stranded in a foreign country.
Drew yawns, scans his ID––the door beeps green. "I'd say good luck, but that would be fake. I'm not the kind of guy who says fake things. Bye bye, Filia." The door shuts, and I watch him stroll to the table of snacks and grab a banana.