Trip Day

"I think that's for me,' Hanita said with a small smile and she sidestepped, coming out of Talik's covering.

Talik got out his phone, looked into it, and glanced at the car. When he had made sure that the details matched, he walked to the car and told the driver to open his trunk.

Talik didn't allow Hanita to lift even one bag and just opened the door for her to get into the car which she did with a shake of her head.

"Stop shaking your head, Hanita…" he jokingly warned.

"Then stop treating me like I'm fragile…"

"You are to me…" he said with a wink as he closed the door. Talik bent down and folded his hands on the window pane of the back seat.

"See you tomorrow then…"

"Sure thing."

And with that Hanita's taxi zoomed off.

She stared out the window and couldn't help but notice how clear the skies were and how happy the birds seemed in the blue skies. They flew with their wings spread open like they didn't have a single care in the world. Hanita wondered what it would be like to experience the life of a bird for one day, then she smiled at her thoughts as her mind wandered to Talik.

In just a few days, he had rubbed off on her and made her feel like she had known him for some time. His aura was so warm even though he was a little authoritative – but Hanita found herself smiling sheepishly at the fact that he took control of things around her. According to her, that was how a man should be and not leave everything to the woman – men like that irked her. Men that were not responsible were one of the reasons Hanita wasn't in a relationship at the moment. She had an ex like that and Hanita did everything not to think about the scumbag of a man that she had some months back.

Talik.

She smiled as his name rang in her mind. She felt some kind of sensation in her belly when she thought about the flight tomorrow. Somehow, Hanita Hill found herself wishing that tomorrow would come already. She couldn't wait and at the same time, she didn't like that she was having such thoughts about her colleague. In the next instance, Hanita reminded herself that it was work that she was traveling for and not some kind of vacation. She needed focus to ace this task and she hated to fail at whatever she did. Hanita needed to get her head out of the clouds and she needed Talik to act accordingly also. Perhaps, they would have some talks in the plane while they were airborne. That thought gave Hanita some peace of mind.

* * *

Hanita had stayed up late packing for her trip and that had cost her some time to sleep. She woke up feeling tired but was thankful that she wasn't going to have to rush to catch a flight. She would be picked up from her house and driven to where she'd fly from.

'Hmm.. the life of the wealthy,' Hanita thought. 'So easy and fluid.'

She got dressed and left her room, headed straight for the kitchen. Their cook whipped up a quick breakfast for her and even had some sandwiches packed for her and her friend.

"How did you know I was traveling with someone?" Hanita asked with a smile and a quizzical look on her face.

The cook just smiled and blushed as she returned to what she had been doing.

"You guys eavesdrop on our conversations, don't you?"

"If only we could close our ears like we can close our eyes, Hanita…" she said in response.

Hanita laughed and while she held her plate of light breakfast, she went to her parent's room. At the stairs, she met Carnise, who was coming down ready to go to work.

"Morning Carnise," Hanita said.

But Carnise didn't reply to her. She had even hissed loudly and had stretched it longer than usual before she walked out the door and slammed it behind her.

Hanita laughed. "What is she so upset about? Her abusive father?" Hanita rolled her eyes and continued up the stairs with a hum of her favorite song.

Nothing could ruin Hanita's great spirits that morning. Even though she felt tired from not getting enough sleep, she still felt this happiness constantly coursing through her body.

"Mum? Dad?" Hanita called as she knocked gently on the door.

"You can come in, darling," Daliana called out.

Hanita opened the door and found her mother still laying down on the bed. Bow she had a brace on her neck and Hanita looked with a frown.

"Wh-What is that?"

"I put it on her last night," Deveron said.

"Why though?"

"You needed to see your mother last night… crying from pain and she couldn't turn her head," Deveron explained. "Any light turn caused pain then I placed a call to the doctor…"

"You went out at night to purchase that?" Hanita asked with a sad and pitiful look on her face.

"Uh huh," her father replied.

"We are to come to the hospital in two days…"

"They've moved the date up?"

"Something like that…"

Hanita wanted to cry but she held back the tears that stung her eyes. "You'll be fine, mummy…" she said. "I'll be leaving soon…."

"In your jet!" Daliana said with a loud voice then immediately regretted it as her hand went to her neck area. Even to speak was tasking as the nerve pain she was experiencing at the moment was excruciating.

"Mum! Careful…" Hanita warned. "But yes… I'll keep in touch."

"Of course, you will," her father said. "Have you seen Carnise lately?" he asked.

Hanita nodded.

"We haven't set our eyes on her since that discussion…" Deveron said as he cast his gaze downward. He felt bad that Carnise was hurting and now, was staying away from them.

"That isn't right… especially with what Mum is going through," Hanita retorted. "You mean she hasn't checked up on you, mum?" Hanita questioned as she looked at her mother's face.