Early the next morning, Malik and Edna are at the airport to catch their flight.
This time around there are no assistants anywhere and that means that they have to carry their bags themselves and have to wait in line like everyone else.
It's stressful, yes, but at least they are not being recognized easily. No bodyguards and assistants mean that little or no attention would be paid to them and they are enjoying it.
Edna is wearing a flower dress and a stylish hat is on her head together with some fancy glasses that sit at the bridge of her nose. Malik is dressed in jeans with a leather jacket and a baseball hat.
To any person, they would look like a couple going on vacation and nothing gives off their identity as members of an elite family.
When it gets to the time to check in, they both move towards the check-in desk towards the man who is dressed behind the desk.
He gives them smiles as they give him the details for him to check them in.
It gets tensed up when the smile slowly starts to vanish off his face.
" Um, there is a Malik Jackson on the system, but there isn't an Edna Taylor Jackson here. " He announces to them.
Malik frowns very deeply, not liking the turn of this.
" Are you sure? Can you check your system again?" He asks.
" Yes. " The man confirms just after running a quick check.
Turns out there was a mix-up somewhere. Malik has been successfully booked for the flight, but not Edna.
Malik is angrier at himself even though he wasn't the one who booked the ticket for Edna. He told his assistant to do that, but something went wrong along the line.
" It's okay. " Edna places a hand on his shoulder and turns to the man.
" Is there any other available space left?" She requests.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but our first class is full and so is economy. All that is left is a free seat in business class. " He says. Glancing back to the screen of the monitor for reference.
Edna turns to Malik. Her hand is rubbing over the bridge of her nose.
" I'm just going to fly business class. " She tells him. " Let's just take it. We will just have to see when we get to Rome. "
Malik isn't buying this idea of hers at all. He doesn't want her to suffer for something that wasn't even her fault in the first place.
" Just take my ticket and I will sit in business class. " He says.
" No, you fly first class. "
"No, you do that. "
"Um, you can't do that. " The man quietly chirps in. " Tickets can't be swapped like that. "
"Maybe you guys can make an exemption today. " Malik says. " Who is in charge here?"
The man's face turns sour like he thinks that he has gotten into trouble and that's why Malik wants to see his boss.
Malik is still waiting for this man to point him in the direction of whoever is in charge, but he gets caught in a sight.
A young man with huge glasses on. He is bent over his phone and has headphones around his neck.
The thing that caught Malik's attention is the flag sticking from the man's backpack. He is probably an Italian who is schooling here and is heading back home. Whatever the tale is, it's evident that he is heading to Italy too.
An idea pops up in his head and he heads to the young man a few feet away from him.
"Hey, excuse me. " Malik tries to get his attention.
He raises his head and notices Malik looking at him. He turns behind to make sure that he is really the one.
"Hi, how are you?" Malik offers him a handshake and he takes it. " I'm Malik. "
"Matteo. " He introduces. " Nice to meet you. "
"I see you are heading to Italy too. " Malik casually points at the flag.
He turns around and looks at the flag as if he is just noticing it sticking out of his backpack just now.
"Yeah, it's my grandma's birthday and I have to go. " He explains.
"That's great, really great. " Malik glances at Edna. He is looking at him like, what are you doing?
"Listen, Matteo, are you supposed to fly now?" Malik asks. " Are you flying business?"
Matteo looks lost, but he doesn't interrupt Malik.
" Yes, I'm flying business class. "
" Is there a way you would be willing to swap your ticket for a first class? " Malik requests. " There has been a mix-up and my friend and I can't be separated. "
Matteo's eyes bulge and Malik misinterprets that to be that he isn't interested in the deal.
" I'm going to give you some money for it too. " Malik adds. " I'm not trying to be an asshole, I'm just desperate. "
" First class tickets are way expensive and I don't think the airline will allow that. " Matteo says.
" I'm going to handle them, I just need someone who is willing to swap tickets. "
" Totally. " Matteo smiles.
Imagine flying first class for the first time in your life and you are even going to be paid more money for it. That's a total steal.
*****
Edna can't stop looking at Malik as they make their way to their seats in the business class section of the plane.
When he said he would handle it she didn't think that he would request some bosses at the airport and just like that, they got their seats.
Malik sits closer to the window because she doesn't want to and they prepare for the plane to take off.
Malik has settled in and is just sitting there waiting, but Edna's sees won't leave him.
"I'm sorry, I know I said I won't do it again, but you have to tell me what the hell you did. " She begs. " They said swaps weren't allowed. "
" Edna, everything is allowed. " He says. " You just have to talk to the right kind of people. "
"And you did? "
" Yeah. It wasn't kind of automatic because I wasn't putting on an expensive suit and a wristwatch, but a few throws of names, and I got what I wanted." He shrugs.
Edna can't help but laugh. She is laughing because she knows how much Malik hates getting things done that way. He only did it because it was for her, he would never use his dad's name because he hates nepotism.
Edna smiles sweetly and runs her hand over his chin and lightly pulls at his cheek. He doesn't smile or frown, he is just looking back at her, tiredly.
A little whimper of a child draws their attention off each other and they turn to see.
It's a little infant in the hands of a young woman. She is holding the child close to her chest as she hums a song in its ear, trying to calm it.
There is a man beside her, he looks a lot older and he is putting on a wedding ring. They are a couple, probably got married a few years ago.
The appearance of the family says a lot about them. The mother's cloth doesn't have a single crisp on it and so it's that of the child. The father is almost falling apart with all of the bags he has to carry while his wife tends to the child.
The mother notices Edna and Malik looking at her and she smiles.
" Don't worry. " She says. " Lily is a good girl, she won't give you guys a hard time. "
"Oh, Lily. What a nice name. " Edna smiles and gives the little lady a wave.
The mother makes her way back and even says hello to Edna on her behalf.
" Do you guys have any children of your own?" The young mother asks.
Edna is confused for a while. It's obvious that she has mistaken her and Malik to be a couple, she doesn't know how best to answer this question.
"Um, I have been married for a few years now. No kids yet, just hoping. " Edna manages to smile. She hopes that the mother picks up the clues she left in her answer.
"Oh, that's sad. " She pouts. " We had the same problem too. Just got our little miracle a few months ago. "
"That's sweet, congratulations. " Edna adorably tilts her head.
The lady turns away from them and murmurs something to her husband. He nods and reaches into one of the bags and takes out a business card.
His wife takes it from him and passes it to Edna. Edna takes it and reads through it, she doesn't know why she has been given this.
" That's the business card of my endocrinologist. " The mum explains. " She helped us and I am sure she can help you too. "
Edna's lips quiver and she tries to smile. She has never been more embarrassed about her childlessness before.
"Thanks." She pretends to love the suggestion. " I will give her a call sometimes. "
It seems that Malik has ignored the woman and has been more concerned with looking out of the window.
Lily's mum notices this and she frowns at it.
"Hey." She tries to get his attention back. Malik turns and gives her a flat look.
" Sometimes, it's not the woman's fault. " She points with her index finger, the only one that isn't helping to grasp the baby. " You men just have to work harder, you know what I mean. "
Edna can't even look at Malik. She wishes that she can't just disappear into the thin air right now.
" Thanks for the heads up. " Malik nods. " I will keep that in mind next time I'm fucking her. "