Private Jet (Heathrow Airport, London)

It was already dark and raining when they finally arrived in London. Once the plane stopped fully, Suhail managed to see through the window a black limousine waiting for them. Their father was standing next to it holding an umbrella trying to protect himself from the pouring rain, just like his bodyguards. Suhail was excited since she hadn't seen her father for at least two months. The interior lighting of the luxurious jet turned on, and her brother stood up grim-faced while the pretty flight attendant woke up her mom.

The flight attendant requested permission to open the pressurized door; right away, a harsh, frigid wind swept through the cabin.

Suhail's mom, half-sleep and disheveled, grabbed her by the shoulder and made her wear a pink coat and a ridiculous Hello Kitty ski mask that Suhail thought she had thrown away. She glared at her mom and went down the wet stairs to where one of her dad's bodyguards waited for her with an enormous umbrella.

However, when she reached the floor, Suhail, without a thought to getting wet, rushed towards her father and hugged him. Her dad greeted her delighted.

"How's my girl, how's my little princess?"

Suhail's dad opened his overcoat and held her close to protect her from the rain. She could smell her dad's wonderful fragrance, unique to him. It felt great to be with her dad again. They got in the limousine and her mom, as usual, was scolding Ronald, who was, in turn, scowling at her.

"Mom, I want a hamburger!"

"No, son, we have a dinner at the hotel with your father, so stop insisting!" snapped Suhail's mom.

"Daddy, w-w-why do you always have s-s-so many b-bodyguards?" asked Suhail. Her dad taped slightly the glass with his cane, signaling it was time to go.

"It's company rules. The corporation demands it, my baby girl."

Suhail settled better in her seat and watched pass by the damp London streets trough the limousine's thick window pane.

***

They arrived at a hotel in one of the most exclusive streets of London. They pulled up in front of the hotel and Suhail's mom tugged at Ronald. Grudgingly, her brother got out of the car without taking his eyes off the game he downloaded on his tablet. They entered the sober hotel's lobby and were surprised by three bellboys trying to catch a playful Dalmatian that was running everywhere. Suhail thought it was funny watching the bellboys clumsily slip on the floor in their attempt to capture the dog, which was oddly familiar. Just as they were nearing the reception desk, the Dalmatian stopped in front of Suhail, looking at her like it recognized her, and smiled. The friendly dog extended her its front paw, and the bellboys finally caught it. They got it immediately out of the hotel, but the dog would not stop looking at her.

Suhail and her family went to their suite, a room as big as she had imagined it. Their clothes were already folded and put away in the closet and in the sumptuous wooden dresser. Suhail couldn't stop thinking about that cute Dalmatian.

After having dinner with her parents, Suhail took a hot bath and went to bed, but she couldn't stop remembering the dream she had had. Her lids grew heavy, and a happy feeling settled in her chest. Finally, she fell deeply asleep.