I gripped Suzanne’s hand while our gracious hostess went to get her “little farewell gift” for us. The visit with Anna had gone well so far, but I desperately wanted to get out of there, and be on our way to the airport. Suzanne smiled nervously at me, and I knew she was thinking the same.
Meeting your ex is never easy, especially with your new girlfriend at your side. But Anna had been so sweetly persistent about having Suzanne and I visit her, and she had taken our break-up so well, much better than I had thought would be possible, and there was no doubt I felt guilty about it. I had fallen head over the heels in love with Suzanne the moment I laid my eyes on her, and I knew the right thing to do was to break up with Anna, but still, it had not been easy.
Anna came back into the living room, holding something sparkly in her hands. “This is for your two- oh my goodness, you do make a lovely couple. Honestly Amir,” and she looked at me intensely, her dark eyes glowing with sincerity, “believe me when I say I am happy for you.”
I mumbled something incoherently, cringing so badly inside I felt my teeth would shatter, and clumsily took the gift, a pretty little crystal vase – probably from the local artisans. Anna was still talking, “I just thought of you the moment I picked this up- I knew I had to give it to you. I appreciate it so much that you two made time for me and stopped to visit.”
Suzanne stood up. “Thank you Anna. The vase is lovely. We must be on our way…”
-“Oh of course of course- you have a plane to catch! Off you go, you two lovebirds!” Anna giggled, and Suzanne and I squirmed.
In the car to the airport, we didn’t say much. Anna does have a rather overpowering presence, and it is possible I had downplayed her vitality and force to Suzanne. It was Suzanne who broke our silence. “I suppose, it was a nice gesture, and I understand, it makes sense she would want to meet me, and get closure. It’s a pretty vase.”
I stopped the car, turned to Suzanne and cupped her lovely face. “Listen to me, no more talk of Anna, ok? That part of my life is over, done and dusted. It’s you and me babe, off for our new life. No Anna. Get it?” Suzanne nodded, smiling. We shared a deep lingering kiss, a promise of delights to come, and we set off back on the road. Every mile between us and Anna made my heart feel lighter, and knowing that very soon we would be thousands of miles away brought about a sense of joy that I had not felt for a very, very, very long time. Which was odd, given how perfectly and blamelessly Anna had always behaved towards me.
Everything went without a hitch at the airport, and before we knew it, we were up in the air. I hadn’t flown for a while, and I was excited and yet also scared. I had never been scared of flying before- I just put it down to nerves, as the take-off had been exceptionally smooth.
The plan was cruising steadily above the clouds with only the thin shining blue sky above us, and we were messing about with the entertainment centre, teasing each other in that silly lame way lovers do about our favourite shows when the first jolt happened. At the same time, the pilot mumbled over the crackly loudspeaker to return to our seats and fasten our seatbelts due to turbulence.
We held hands, and smiled at each other. I knew of course that turbulence is just the plane falling into little potholes in the air, nothing to be worried about. So when the next sharp jolt threw me against the sides of my seat, I continued smiling, although I was aware of my muscles stiffening with dread.
The turbulence sharpened. Silence descended over the passengers - it felt the plane was being hammered from side to side. Babies started crying and then the plane seemed fall a few hundred meters. A collective shriek went up, as the loudspeaker cackled incomprehensibly. I gripped Suzanne hands so hard that later she discovered three fractures in her finger bones. She cried out, in agony and fear.
The plane shuddered again and a terrible whirring noise filled the darkened cabin. I saw Anna’s glowing dark eyes, her deep smile, “a little farewell gift”, heard the clack clack of her heels as she walked towards me, something sparkling in her hands. “You two lovebirds have a plane to catch!” the plane swooped and seemed to fall again – the shrieks went up higher and passengers were wailing and sobbing freely.
I bent down frantically, grappling at my hand luggage which I had thankfully stored beneath the chair in front of me. The shaking of the plane made it hard to grip the zipper. Suzanne clutched at me “Amir- what are you- argh!” her question was cut off by a short scream as she was thrown against the window.
I scrabbled in my bag and found it- where I had shoved down among my overnight clothes. The crystal vase. It glittered harshly in the flickering darkness. I stared at it, and something smoky seemed to move inside it.
Without thinking why, I smashed it against chair handle. Pain shot through my hand and I could hear Suzanne’s cry –“What- oh God-“ she was crying now, hiccupping with fear and sobs, but the vase was undamaged. I put it on the floor and with all my strength, stamped on it.
I heard or felt the crack.
I removed my foot- for a terrible moment I thought the vase still whole. but it slowly fell apart in three jagged pieces. I just glimpsed a smokiness linger, and dissipate.
The juddering of the plane stopped. Normal lights flicked back on.
The sound of crying could still be heard, lowering into whimpers, but the dreadful screams of primal fear completely died down.
The loudspeakers crackled back into life “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking, with apologies, the turbulence is now over…”
Suzanne looked at broken vase on the floor and back at me, her eyes still stretched wide.
I raised my foot again, and brought it down on the crystal shards, slowly but firmly grinding them into smaller pieces.