Idril anxiously searched around the airport. Nope, there was no sign of Paulo, the luggage guy. Damn it. It was getting late. She needed to check in pretty soon, but she couldn't possibly do it without her passport!
The guy at the counter who was issuing the boarding passes for her flight came up to her.
"I am sorry madam, but we are closing the check-in in another 10 minutes."
And Idril panicked. Frantically, she dug in her purse to take out her mobile phone and redialed Imogen's number for the hundredth time. Please pick up, pick up this time, she pleaded silently. And Imogen did.
"Hey Imogen, where are you? I have been trying to call you for like, forever. There was no answer."
"Yeah, sorry, I put it mistakenly in my baggage and had to run around a little to get it out. Where are you?"
"Oh no, you have checked in already?" Idril was dismayed.
"Yes, of course." Imogen sounded surprised. "You haven't?"
"No, the guy, he hasn't come yet."
"Guy? What guy?"
"Paulo. The guy you said was bringing my luggage." Any moment now she was going to start crying.
"What? But he was here half an hour ago. He also delivered two other guys' stuff. How come you didn't get yours?"
Idril yelped. "What are you talking about? When did he come and where the hell was he? Wasn't he supposed to call me? Did you not give him my number?"
"Of course I did." Imogen replied. "I even told them what you looked like."
Idril hit panic mode, full throttle. "Obviously Imogen, it wasn't enough." She snapped, completely out of her wits, "He never showed up. What the hell am I going to do now?" She screeched, her voice cracking with the oncoming tears. "And this airline guy here says that they are going to close the check-in now. What am I going to do Imogen?" She completely broke down then.
"Okay, okay. Idril. Calm down. Obviously there has been a mistake. If Paulo was here, I would throttle him."
"Yes, but he isn't. What am I going to do now?"
"Listen, can't you ask the people of they could hold on for five more minutes? I will call Paulo and ask him wherever he is to get his butt down there. Okay Idril? Just hold on. I will call you in a minute."
"They won't Imogen. I have already asked them."
"Okay then. Just get your boarding pass and check-in. We can arrange to get your luggage delivered later once we reach London."
"No, I can't do that." She wailed. "I don't have my passport with me. My flight to Delhi is in two hours of reaching London."
"Oh shit! What the hell were you doing keeping your passport in your luggage, you stupid girl." Imogen responded irritatingly, then controlled herself. "Hang on then. Let me call Paulo." With that, she rang off.
Trying to control the tears threatening to fall, Idril went off to plead with the airline people, again. They were sympathetic but helpless, quoting, "Airline rules." Either she got her boarding pass within the next five minutes and dash off to check-in or she was staying behind.
She waited, hyperventilating, for Imogen's call for the next two minutes and in her anxiety almost shouted at her.
"Where is that rat hiding?"
"Hey, I am sorry. I called him so many times, he didn't pick up. Maybe he is driving or something."
The tears did fall then. She whispered, "Imogen, what am I going to do now?"
"Listen." Imogen voice was grave. "Why don't you call up him?"
"You said he isn't taking calls."
"Not him. Him, Feanor Frazier."
Idril hesitated. "I can't."
"Why not? You did spend the last three days with him. And he, after all, is partly to be blamed for this situation. If you had been with us last night, none of this would have happened." She could hear the edge in her friend's voice.
"I..." Idril didn't know what to say. She couldn't talk about what happened last night. It was... she didn't want to talk about it.
"Idril." Imogen urged. "What happened? Look, I am going to message you Paulo's number. Just keep on calling him. And meanwhile let Frazier can help you." Someone spoke to Imogen then, and she said, "I need to switch off my mobile now. Sorry darling. I am really sorry. But please call him, okay. I will ring you once we land." And she was gone.
Idril sat down despondently, no longer crying. What was she going to do? After the way she had left his house this morning, how could she now call him and ask him for his help? And the note she had left! Oh, the damned note!
No, I can't do this, she told herself. Besides, I might not need to. I will call Paulo and get my luggage and catch the next flight out of here. That's it. Meanwhile, I can simply wait here. And there are so many shops in here. I can browse through them.