A Flight's Desire

Chapter 17: Wishes

Robin and Mila Anne walked out into the cold weather of London and looked at Ben admiring the pigeons eating the grains that he had laid out for them. The two looked at each other and then back at the actor. They were having a hard time comprehending what was going on. "Hey," Robin called out.

Ben turned around to face them. "Hey!" He stood up and brushed the dust of the grains off his hands. "How was it?"

"We had a lot of fun," Mila Anne answered. "Thank you for bringing her here safely. I was worried that she would have let her Final Destination fear get to her." Robin hit her arm softly. That was the only irrational fear that she had besides clowns. "You must have somehow let her get over her fear of heights."

Robin scoffed but Ben was as chivalrous as ever. "It was my pleasure." He took one look at Robin and smiled. "Actually she helped me get over my fear of heights. She let me read her book and I didn't even know when the time passed by. And I'm really sorry to have bothered both of you. It was a last minute plan."

"Don't worry," Mila Anne said. "I would have kicked you out either way. It doesn't matter if you are one of our favourite actors. Nobody comes between her and I."

Robin turned to look at her in the wide-eyed way that she knew would scare her but Ben started to laugh. "I'm sure you would have," he said. "It wasn't my plan to get in the way and I'm glad that I haven't."

"When is your next flight?" Mila Anne posed the question to all of them.

Robin looked at the time on her phone and calculated the timings. "Eight more hours." She and Ben said at the same time.

"And what are you guys doing for dinner?" She asked but did not let them answer.

Mila Anne was a journalist and worked for one of the biggest newspapers in London. Her columns were always on the important pages of the paper but she always shrugged it off whenever someone pointed it out. She did not like hearing praises for her work. She preferred the silent and genuine appreciation. She had pushed Robin to her limits into publishing her book by telling her that she should have something that was hers out in the world and was working on a novel herself. Although she preferred reading more than writing, she continued writing because Robin would annoy her if she didn't keep up with her regular text updates. "Ben," she started. "This is Robin's first time in London. Would you care to join me in showing her around?"

He was taken aback. Obviously. The entire trip was surreal but he really wasn't anticipating that. It was a dream of his to show someone around his town and there was a great opportunity in front of him. But he didn't want to get between the two friends.

"I will hold you to this your entire life if you dare refuse." The journalist in her rose to the surface. "Oscar-Deprived Ben Summers Refuses To Show His Biggest Fan Around His Home Town." She read out the highlights of the potential headline in thin air as she put her arm around Robin.

"Ooh," he said, finding the title very catchy. "We wouldn't want that, now would we?" He looked at Robin but she simply smiled. It was his decision and they both knew the consequences that they would have to face if they were seen together. But where is the fun in life if not for the little thrills? "We will first go to the London Eye."

"That's the spirit!" Mila Anne clapped her hands together in excitement.

And so, the two Londoners showed the American around their city and made her try all the delicious treats that they loved as a child, bonding over the same with each other. Ben was well disguised because not even one person stopped them, but that could have been because of the rush that they were in to cover almost the entirety of London within the time limit.

When dinner time approached closer, Mila Anne's phone rang and she rolled her eyes, looking up at the sky to not show her disappointment out. "What happened?" Robin asked her.

"That was Mike, my boss," she explained. "He wants an immediate urgent column because one of the writers has forgotten to meet the deadline along with another article that he needs. This is absolutely codswallop, I'm telling you."

"Will you be able to submit one soon?" Ben asked, his voice filled with concern and eyes showing true worry. Now he felt guilty for taking up their time.

"I have the drafts ready at home. I just need to mail it to him." She stamped her foot. "Is it okay if we stop by my house? It will take ten minutes. Fifteen, max!"

"Of course." Robin said.

"Nothing is more important than work." He winked at her as he made the reference.

"Ooh, you are a fun guy, Ben." Mila Anne said.

"Or so people say."

And so, the three of them were out of the Tower Bridge in the first cab that they could find. "Step on it," Ben had told the driver as he got into the passenger seat and that made the two friends share a brief look with each other. He was concerned, and it felt so surreal.

The drive back was filled with talk about things that all of them had in common and it definitely was the best trip that Robin had had all her life. She had looked around Amsterdam as well as London - two of her favourite cities and it was all thanks to Ben. Whenever she looked at him, she couldn't help but think about all the reasons that she was thankful for his existence. He was the most genuine person ever and that was confirmed that day.

"Five minutes. I'll be back." Mila Anne said, getting out of the cab and running up the stairs to the two-storeyed house where she lived in the one-bedroom apartment that had been her childhood home once.

There was no talk inside the cab and the only sound came from the breathing of the three strangers when pitter patter sounds filled in and drops of rain fell upon the glass windows. "You're right once again." Ben stated and turned around to see her reaction to the fall.

"I didn't know whether it was going to rain now but I will take the accomplishment."

"I wanted to thank you for helping me out," he said. "Especially your friend. I don't know what I would have done if it weren't for you."

"Please, Ben. We are way past formalities now," she said. "Oh how I wish I could dance outside right now. I've always wanted to do it as a child but my brother. He was always the parent." Ben knew about her family when the topic arose and both of them got to talking about it. "He threatened to tear my doll up if he caught me outside in the rain."

"Why haven't you done it then?"

A soft smile spread across her face. "Some things are better done when you are not alone." She pursed her lips, sounding ridiculous even to herself. "What is your biggest wish?"

He took a deep breath. "To find someone who loves me for who I am." He admitted for the first time to someone besides Karen and his sister, Candice.

But before both of them could say anything, the cab door opened and the two knew that it was time - time to leave London.