In The Arms Of An Angel
Chapter 3
Her pity party was soon disrupted by loud voices near the airplane door.
Gaby looked up to see what was happening then decided not to. She went back
onto her sulking. I have no time to mind other's business when my life is
dangling on a cliff, she told herself sternly.
"I can't believe this!" a voice boomed, obviously vexed at something. "I've
only been here for 2 days and I'm being summoned back home!"
She didn't mind him. she went on to staring at the window. It was so
peaceful outside. The space was vast, with green, lush grasses. The sky was
littered with fat cotton-like clouds and the sun was nowhere to be seen. "An
angel!" she muttered when an angel started forming in the clouds. Gaby
smiled. She loved it when she looks in the clouds and see formations. It was
an exhilarating experience. Not a lot of people appreciate the beauty of
clouds. Too bad, she thought. There are so many beautiful things out there
waiting to be discovered. I guess I`ll never discover them all. I would die
wondering if mountains can be moved, if stars can be plucked from the skies,
and if there's such thing as true love. She shook her head again. NO MORE
SELF-PITY!!! She scolded herself, mentally punching her stomach for being so
disheartened. She stared at the skies and studied the clouds again. This
time she saw a cherubic face. "A smiling baby!" she exclaimed in delight.
"What did you say?" the voice asked, this time it was nearer. Actually, it
was so near she felt his breath on her skin.
She shook her head. "Nothing. I just said I saw a smiling baby."
The voice smiled. "Where?" he sounded so excited.
Without turning around she pointed outside and up to the sky. "There. See
that round cloud there? Study it intently. A smiling baby will appear."
He moved closer. Gaby could smell his aftershave. She inhaled it a bit,
letting the smell linger in her nose. Hugo Boss. She'd recognize that smell
from a mile!
"How'd you know I'm wearing Hugo Boss perfume?" he asked. Gaby has spoken
her thoughts aloud once again. He leaned forward once more to look at the
clouds. "I can't see anything!"
"I`d recognize that smell anywhere! I had a really close friend and he
loves that perfume. I love that perfume." she decided to turn around and saw
herself staring at the face of an adorable dark-haired, baby-faced man named
Shane Filan. Yes, Shane Westlife. "Holy cow!! You're Shane!" she exclaimed.
She must have sounded disgusted because he looked offended.
"Yes, I am. Sorry, I can't help it," he said, leaning back and settling on
his chair.
Gaby stared at him in part-bewilderment and part-confusion. "Huh?"
"I said I'm sorry I can't help but be Shane! You sound so disgusted!" His
eyes drooped. His eyes were lovely. It reminded her of those cute puppies
she'd often see in the malls.
"NO!" she exclaimed in defense. "I'm not disgusted! I'm star struck. I'm
sorry!" she touched his arm and gave him a begging look.
"I`ll let ya off the hook if you show me the smiling baby again," he
stated. This time she saw him smile. Gaby felt at ease all of a sudden. It
was as if she had found a friend that instant. And she knew that if she
could make him see the angel, he would become her friend for life.
"Stand up. Let's switch seats for awhile." They stood up and traded places.
He peered on the glass and crunched his nose in concentration. "Now, look up
there," she ordered, pointing her index finger infront of him. "Examine it.
Really look at it. There, see that round cloud?" he nodded slowly. "Good,
you're getting there. Now see the tiny clouds inside the circle. Then look
for the boat-shaped cloud inside the round clouds. Are you seeing it?"
He hushed her. "Shh…I'm seeing it! I'm seeing it! Oh wow!! I can't believe
I'm seeing it!" he stared at it a minute longer and then turned to me.
"Thanks! That was awesome! I can't wait to see more!"
She smiled. He looked so happy, like a five-year-old kid getting an ice
cream cone. "No problem. I'm glad you find it wonderful. It's fascinating,
innit? I love studying them."
"It sure is!" he gushed once again. "Thanks! You just made my day. I was
having a horrible day, actually."
"Same for me. No, lemme correct that. I've been having a horrible life for
the past eight months." She told him, her face frowning and she
automatically rounded her hands into tight fists.
He turned to face her, touching her fists. Gaby eased a little and felt
her shoulders relax. "Eight months? Jeez, that's like forever!"
She snorted. "Yeah, tell me all about it!"
"Oi! I still don't know your name," he suddenly said. He smiled at her,
his eyes crinkling at the corner. He had one of those radiant smiles that
make Gaby jealous. Because I used to smile like that. I used to be able to
smile as if smiling alone will save me from whatever predicament I was in.
Now it's so hard to smile, to put my feelings in it, she thought painfully.
"My name? What's my name? Crap!! Wait a sec…hehehe…okay, okay, I'm just
kidding!" she laughed when he began to tickle the sides of her tummy. "Don't
do that! We don't want me to pee in here, right?"
He stopped immediately. "Of course! I don't want to smell like a toilet!"
Gaby let out a hearty laugh. This feels good, she thought to herself,
laughing as if I have nothing to worry about. "I'm Gabrielle. But call me Gaby."
"Gaby. Gaby." He recited. "I'm pleased to meet you and be your seatmate for
the duration of the flight!"
She scoffed. "You sound like one of those flight attendants!"
Shane laughed. "Well, I really am glad you're my seatmate and not some
stern looking old lady who shush me everytime I start to hum!"
"I know what you mean! One time I was on my way to Singapore and this
middle-aged guy was complaining to the flight attendant that I was too loud,
singing and all. And I was only humming, mind you!"
"Are you on your way to Dublin?" Shane asked.
"Nope. I'm going to Sligo to have a vacation." They buckled their seatbelts
when the sign flashed infront of them. The plane was about to take off any
minute now.
"Cool! That's where I live!" he exclaimed, slightly bouncing on his seat.
Gaby rolled my eyes. "I know that by now. I know where all of you live!
Every decent Westlife fan knows that!" she pointed out.
He shrugged. "Where will you be staying? You can stay with me in our house!
Yeah!! We can ride horses, go to pubs and party!"
"WHOA!" she exclaimed. "Shane, calm down! It's so sweet of you to invite me
but I've a place to stay. My cousin lives in Sligo."
"You're Irish?" he asked.
Gaby shook my head. "She is. Not me. Well, she's half-Irish. Her mum met a
wealthy Irish man and married him. She used to live in Dublin but when she
visited Sligo, she fell in love with the place and moved there on her own."
"What about her step dad?" he inquired. "Ok, don't answer that if you think
I'm being too nosy."
"It's ok. I don't mind. Her step dad, Uncle Scott, died 3 years ago. I've
only met him once when they visited us and he's a funny guy. You'd think he
wasn't a rich man. He was so down to earth. And he loved Anya very much."
The plane started its take off. She felt dizzy. She always feels dizzy when
the plane was about to take off but this time it was intense. Her temples
were throbbing. Suddenly, she had the urge to sleep. "I'm a bit tired,
Shane. I`ll talk to you later. I'm going to take my nap." With that she
closed my eyes, leaned back on her seat and clutched the pillow on her lap.
This was going to be a long trip.