"Good afternoon, this is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 55B to London. We are now calling on Passengers with children and those with special needs to begin boarding at this time. Regular passengers will begin boarding in exactly 10mins from now. Please have your boarding pass and means of identification ready. Thank you" Mrs Miller heaved a sigh of relief when she heard this announcement and looked down on her daughter who was still resting on her shoulder. They had been sitting for exactly one hour waiting for their flight to be announced. "We definitely need to have a private jet and I'm making sure that happens as soon as possible. Can't be spending so much time waiting at the airport for a flight to be announced for take off" she thought to herself. She took a quick at her wristwatch and tapped her daughter "That's our flight sweety.. come on, let's get our stuff together and move to the gate." Melody raised herself slowly from leaning on her mother and picked up her purse which she had left by her side on the bench. She got up and after picking her box, she turned to mother "let's go mama" and began rolling her box away to board the plane.
"May I see your boarding pass and identification please..." the flight attendant requested. Melody handed the passes to her and slightly shifted her face mask so she could slightly see her face. Her heart sank when she saw the shock on the flight attendant's face. Of course, her face was a gory sight to behold and that was why she had tried to prevent people from seeing what it looked like.
"I'm really sorry ma'am." the lady said handing the documents back to Melody after briefly checking them. Melody gave a faint smile and nodded "It's fine... Thank you." she received the documents and moved on with her mother closely behind.
"Are you okay?" her Mom asked as they both settled down in the first class section. Melody turned to her mom and took off her handkerchief-made mask and smiled.
"I wish I could say I'm fine Mom... but I'm not. I'm hurting inside and I don't know how to let it all out. I used to be the prettiest girl everywhere I went but take a look at me Mom... I can't even walk confidently in public because of what has happened. I feel like my entirely world has crumbled Mom" Both mother and daughter broke down in tears. It was a really touching sight for other passengers who were with them as some even got teary watching the duo.
"My supposed friend is with my supposed fiance on a romantic trip to only God knows where. But here I am, hurting badly from their betrayal and it looks like I am the one who's in the wrong. Why's life so unfair to good people? I mean, of all my friends, Mellissa was my favorite and I showed her the love of a sister Mom, yet she turned around and stabbed me in the back by trading me off to a total stranger and hooking up with my man." Mrs Miller held her daughter's hand tightly and listened to her with sympathy. She was glad that for the first time since the incident, Melody was finally letting out her grief and sadness. She resolved in her heart to listen to every of her daughter's lamentations and be as supportive as ever even if it lasted through the entire flight.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The takeoff was announced and in no time they were air bound for London. Melody dozed off again while her Mom watched her sleep. "I can't imagine what you must going through right now my little princess, but one thing is sure, no one messes with my daughter and gets away with it." Mrs Miller swore under her breath.
If there was one secret nobody knew about Mrs Miller, including her husband and daughter, it was the fact that she had been in the underworld for years even before she met her husband. But she had reduced her physical contacts with her colleagues in the underworld to protect her family and to avoid suspicion from anyone especially her immediate family. However she still maintained a subtle relationship with them and would call to send little donations to assist in their affairs and dealings. And unknown to Dr Miller, this was actually how his wife made seventy percent of her income, which made her thrice richer than him but she made it look like it was all from real estate. She actually got good deals from her Agency but after paying her staff and settling her Agency's legal obligations, it wouldn't have been possible to get so rich. She knew that her home would be broken if her husband were to find out about her involvement with the mafia but in her heart she also knew that all she had done was so that she could keep the family wealth stable and possibly protect them should any threat arise. She had let her daughter out of her sight for just one night and she ended up getting hurt; she blamed herself for it but she knew just how to fix it.