Forever and a Day (31 page)

“I’ll tell you this, it was about Mystery man. I really think it was the meds though. The dream was way too vivid.”

“I’m sorry Halo…” JJ said with a bit of a guilty look.

“It’s fine! Well let’s get moving Mrs. Willows!” Halo laughed and gingerly slipped off the bed, “Heard from Joel?”

JJ lent Halo a hand with a giggle, “Yes, they will be ready to leave by 11AM. I told him Xander arrives at 11:32AM. Our driver will drop us off at the charter terminal and I’ll go meet him, unless you want to meet him personally.

Halo stopped in her tracks as she headed to the bathroom, and turned to JJ, “Um… I would like to, but I think you meeting him would be best.” Halo turned back to the bathroom and changed the subject, “Did Doug leave early?”

“Yes, he left at 6AM to finish getting his gear ready.” JJ replied.

Halo turned again to JJ with a little wicked smile, “I bet he’s tired!” She did not wait for a response, went in and turned the shower on.

JJ shook her head as she watched Halo disappear into the bathroom. Suddenly Halo was poking her head out from behind the door.

“Hey! Would you do me a favor and pick something nice, but casual for me to wear, please?”

JJ waved and began digging through Halo’s suitcase. While her friend was showering, she chose a pair of her form fitting white capris, and a lime green loose knit top with her white Cami underneath. She picked her out a matching pair of pink lacy bra and panties. Holding them in her hands, she walked in and dangled them in front of the glass shower enclosure.

“Hey sexy! How about these!” JJ laughed.

Halo turned and wiped the water from her eyes and focused on her panties, “Sure! Too bad, he doesn’t get to see those! Or… was that all you were going to have me wear!” Halo chuckled.

“Why not! He’s going to see you half naked soon anyway!” JJ broke into a laugh as she dangled the lacy undergarments in front of Halo.

“Oh, you naughty girl! You are such a brat!” Halo smiled and flicked water over the enclosure at her friend.

The black Town Car stopped at the security gate as the security guard checked all their identifications. He pointed towards the tarmac to a white and red jet, “Pull up there.” He ordered and waved them through.

The driver pulled up to the stairs leading up to the jet and hurriedly got out and opened the door for Halo and JJ. He then ran back and took out their luggage. The Virgo ground crew hustled over, accepted the girl’s baggage and headed up the stairs and into the plane, bypassing the closed cargo door.

Halo looked up the stairs and saw the gray haired Captain coming down with a big smile on his face, in tow was a dark complexioned woman in her late thirties wearing a red Virgo flight attendant uniform.

The white shirted Captain gave Halo and JJ a quick salute, “Hello, Miss Raines and Miss Jones. I’m Captain Charlie Flowers, and this here is your flight attendant, Teuila Pelesa. It’s a pleasure to have you with us, Mr. Assandri sends his regards.” Captain Flowers extended his hand out to Halo.

Halo accepted his hand and very gingerly shook his hand, “A pleasure to meet you Captain Flowers, and you too Teuila.” Halo reached over and shook the flight attendants hand.

“Please Miss Raines, you may call me Charlie. Up top is our co-pilot Henry Schoen, he’s preparing pre-flight. I believe we are waiting for an arriving actor, a Xander Kostinos?”

“Yes.” JJ interrupted, “I will leave here in a few minutes to go meet him.

“Well we best get you situated, come on up!” Charlie gestured up the steps as the ground crew came bounding down the stairway.

Halo smiled and headed up the steps with JJ and Charlie behind her. Joel was waiting at the door for them.

“Good afternoon, Halo.” Joel said with his leering like smile.

“Hey Joel.” Halo said as Joel pointed to the front seat behind a Plexiglas partition.

“Saved the best seat in the house for you.”

“Thanks. Oh hey Sarah.” Halo said as she saw Joel’s assistant wave to her. Looking back, she saw Doug waving to JJ, then to her and he mouthed a ‘thank you’ to her. She nodded and smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

She recognized David, Peter and Jorgen. Halo waved to them all, she was shocked on how Jorgen even got into his window seat, even with the VIP first class seating being so accommodating, he was a very large man.

Teuila came over and helped her stow her carryon under her seat, then handed her a red Virgo logoed blanket. Halo settled into the seat next to the window. She looked ahead and she would be able to see her Mystery man through the purple tinted clear Plexiglas when he arrived. Good she thought and settled in with a yawn.

JJ came back from giving Doug a kiss and leaned over to Halo, “Hey you look tired; it’s about an hour or so until I’m back. You should take a quick nap.”

Halo yawned again, “I think I will, text me before you get here, ok?”

“Will do.” JJ stood up and headed around the partition and down the steps to the waiting Town Car and within moments they were off to the main terminal.

Teuila came up to Halo, “Miss Raines, would you care for any refreshments? Perhaps a snack or lunch? We are fully stocked for the entire week.”

“Oh, thank you Teuila, please call me Halo. Just a bottle of water if you will?”

Teuila nodded and soon returned with a bottle of water. She went to hand it to Halo and saw she was fast asleep, her head resting on the bulkhead by the window. Teuila retrieved a pillow and another blanket, opened it up and covered Halo with it. She then set the bottle of water down in the armrest’s cup holder and left with a smile on her face.

Xander walked up the aircraft’s exit tunnel with the throng of tired fellow passengers. He looked about and saw JJ waving to him. How she was able to meet him at his gate struck him as peculiar, he waved back with a big smile as he came up to her.

“Well hello stranger! We really have to stop meeting in unexpected places like this! What will people say?”

JJ laughed, “Hey, I heard somewhere that we should just tell ‘em all to go to hell!” She leaned forward without thinking and hugged him, which surprised her as much as him. He in turn gave her a polite squeeze. JJ felt herself get a bit giddy, “Uh, sorry. I guess you just look huggable?” JJ nervously chuckled.

“It does kinda seem like we are old friends!” Xander said with a warm smile.

“Yeah, it does, doesn’t it?” JJ felt herself blush.

“So where to?”

“Let’s get your suitcase we’ll talk on the way.” JJ pointed down the concourse. They began walking together, “Well I do hate to tell you this, but we are getting right back on a plane. We were waiting on you.” She gave Xander an apologetic look.

“No problem. Hey, my apologies on bringing this up… I have a question about the contract. I read that I am not supposed to speak with Miss Raines and that we are not to share vehicles and something about all questions have to go through a Deacon or Joel.”

JJ stopped dead in her tracks and reached out and grabbed Xander’s arm, with her other she covered her mouth, “Oh my! Xander, I am so sorry! You must think Halo is a—a diva or something! That wasn’t supposed to be in your contract! I am so sorry, that’s my fault.” She watched as Xander relaxed a bit and smiled.

“Whew! I am happy to hear that, from her note to me it did seem out of character, but I wondered all the way down here if I did something wrong?”

JJ reached out and set her hand on Xander’s arm, “Oh, Xander no! In fact, Halo is waiting on the plane to meet you.” She saw a shadow of something pass quickly over his face and his mouth formed an open “O”, “Uh, Xander? You ok?”

“Oh, uh yes. Sorry, I wasn’t expecting on meeting Miss Raines so soon.” He looked down at himself with his brows furrowed.

“Is everything ok?”

“I’m sorry JJ, I’ve been cooped up on a plane for what seemed like days, would you mind if I uh, freshened up a bit?”

JJ saw the worry and nodded, “There is a bathroom up here, but if you could hurry it would be great.”

“Sure, I’m sorry.” He said with a pained look and headed into the nearby men’s restroom leaving JJ outside the door waiting.

Xander rushed into the bathroom and hurriedly took off his shirt, ignoring the other men. At the sink, he quickly washed up. He spied a toiletries dispenser, hurried over and purchased shaving cream, a razor, deodorant and some cologne. Finishing his grooming, he tossed all the toiletries in his carry on and got his shirt back on. With a quick look, he ran his fingers through his thick dark hair and headed out to JJ who was patiently waiting.

“That was fast.” JJ said as they began walking towards baggage pickup and customs.

“You said hurry!” He laughed, feeling nervous, “Thank you for stopping.” He added quietly.

“Of course!”

They retrieved his suitcase and soon they were out of customs and into the waiting Town Car and headed back around the entire airport to the charter terminal.

“Uh, we going to a different airport? I thought this was the only one in Brisbane.” Xander asked as he settled in next to JJ in the backseat.

“We are on a charter jet, the terminal is on the other side of the airport. So you won’t have to go through security either, just hand the guard your passport at the gate.”

Xander nodded and checked his passport in his pocket, “So this is Australia? Nice from what I can see.” Xander laughed nervously.

“Yeah, it is. Pago Pago is very quaint compared to here.” JJ smiled while watching his face.

“Uh, can I ask you something JJ?” Xander said in a serious tone.

And there it is, JJ thought, “Of course!” She smiled.

“How to put it, uh… ok what is Miss Raines like? How should I be? I don’t want to make a fool out of myself.”

She saw him flush pink and giggled. Oh, he has it bad, she thought, “Well she is one of the nicest people you may ever meet. She generous, I think you know that…”

“I’ll say!” Xander said, waiting for more information.

“Well, she usually gets her way. So if she gets something in her pretty little head? Watch out!” JJ laughed as the driver sped along, “Just be yourself, Xander. You seem like a great guy,” she patted his arm, “you’ll be fine.” She smiled and took out her phone and texted Halo as they approached the gate.

Xander had his credentials ready and they were quickly waved through. As the Town Car approached the plane, JJ turned to Xander, “Hey, Halo has quite a few bruises so don’t be taken aback. And don’t worry, soon we will all be just like old friends, just relax! Ok here we go!”

“Got it.” Xander said and saw his hand tremble as he was white knuckling the handle to his carryon.

The driver got out and opened the door for them. Xander stepped out first and held his hand out for JJ who accepted it as he helped her out. He looked up the stairway to the jet and saw the Captain waiting for them as the driver handed Xander his suitcase. Xander looked around confused as to what to do with it.

JJ saw his confusion, “Bring it up with you, all the baggage is up in the back.”

“Thanks.” Xander replied and watched as JJ tipped the driver generously and felt like he should contribute, as he had tried to do with his Limo and driver in Los Angeles. Larry was the driver’s name he remembered, he politely refused his tip with a smile.

JJ saw his look and turned to him with a smile, “Your expenses are covered.”

Xander nodded and gestured for her to go first and she headed up with him right behind her. He shook the Captain’s proffered hand. The Captain ushered them in and introduced him to Teuila, then ducked into the cockpit.

Xander watched as JJ stood by the first row of seats as a short thin guy with a hawkish nose got up and offered his hand, “Hey, I’m Joel Miller the other producer.”

Xander shook the dead fish of his pasty white hand and smiled, “Pleasure to meet you Mr. Miller.”

JJ turned to Xander and put her finger to her lips, “Halo is sleeping, and she’s had a hard week. Why don’t I introduce you two a little later on,” She saw Xander look a bit relieved as he nodded his head, “I’m going to head back and sit with Doug.”

Joel spoke up, “Take a seat and relax, it’s about a five hour flight.”

“Thanks!” Xander replied and waited until Joel sat down and JJ cleared the aisle before looking for his seat. He began slowly making his way back as Teuila ran up and took his suitcase and carryon with a smile.

It was then he saw her in person for the second time, the Halo Raines. His belly erupted with a swarm of happy butterflies as he moved slowly down the aisle watching her from the corner of his eye. Her image he thought was forever going to be imprinted in his memory. She looked like an angel sleeping all curled up in her seat.

One of her Keds was halfway slipped off her foot and a painful looking bruise was apparent. Her delicate and bruised hand was holding the edge of her red blanket up under her chin. He decided if there ever was an angel alive on earth, it was her right then and there. He saw Teuila slide his bag under a seat two rows back from Halo’s.