The Chocolatier's Secret (Magnolia Creek, Book 2) (12 page)

There was a groaning sound, a slight jolt.

‘It’s the wheels tucking under the plane, out of the way,’ Ben explained, ‘and now the plane is levelling off.’

She could feel it. She was no longer plastered against her seat. She felt the plane lessening its angle as it found its place in the sky, and when she opened her eyes and released her grip on Ben’s hand, she realised they were straight. All she could see outside the window were the white fluffy clouds, moving past them like puffs of gentle air. It felt as though they were gliding, drifting. It definitely didn’t feel as though they were travelling at a speed she’d never before experienced in her life. It felt dreamlike, as though it was in her imagination, with nothing but the sound of air circulating around the cabin.

She looked at Ben. He was wincing and shaking his hand up and down.

‘What’s the matter?’

He turned over his hand, the hand she’d gripped hold of.

‘Oh my God, was that me?’ She looked at the indentations her nails had left behind. ‘I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you say anything?’ She put a hand across her mouth. ‘Are you sure you’re okay?’

‘I’m not going to start crying over a few marks. Let’s just say I’m glad your nails are reasonably short or we could’ve seen blood.’

Molly looked out of the window, more enamoured with flying than she thought she’d ever be. The take-off had been terrifying – the marks she’d left in Ben’s hand were testament to that – but now the noises of the aircraft had abated and the plane was gliding through fluffy clouds, without a care in the world. People sitting all around her were going about their business normally, watching the TV screens, chatting and laughing, blissfully unaware, or at least ignoring, how far they were from the ground.

‘I did it,’ she said to Ben, a huge smile on her face.

‘You sure did.’

The seat-belt sign went off and it wasn’t long before the cabin crew brought round small plastic containers of apple juice, orange juice and water. Molly selected an apple juice and opened up the colouring book to a forest scene with woodland creatures.

‘Had enough of talking to me already?’ asked Ben.

‘Not at all, but every time I hear a little sound my mind risks going into overdrive. I need distraction.’

Molly spent the next hour colouring the picture and all its intricacies: trees, squirrels, different flowers, a toadstool. They ate their first meal of the flight, Molly watched a movie when her eyes tired from looking at the colouring book and before long she braved taking off her seatbelt to make her way to the bathrooms.

‘Word to the wise.’ Ben moved to the aisle to let her past. ‘Go in the one on the left. The right-hand side …’ He pinched his nostrils.

‘Thanks for the tip.’ Molly steadied herself down the aisle, walking tall and proud. She couldn’t believe this was her. On a plane! Right now she felt as though she could tackle anything.

When she returned to her seat, it was time for the big trolley to be wheeled out again. Feeding time seemed to come round quickly on these flights. This time it was roast beef with roast potatoes, baby carrots, peas, and a chocolate cake for dessert, plus a roll with butter, a couple of bite-size chocolates on the side, all in their miniature containers.

‘I can’t believe how much they feed you on here.’ She sliced through a piece of beef using the plastic cutlery. Not the easiest task.

‘You wait. On the leg to Oz you won’t want to eat a thing. You’ll be pushing it away from you.’

‘How many times have you flown?’

‘Twelve flights now. As soon as I got over my fear, or anxiety, or whatever you want to label it as, I wanted to get out there and see things.’

Molly smiled. ‘I can’t believe I’m sitting on a plane with a virtual stranger.’

‘So let’s get to know each other.’

She sliced another piece of beef. ‘Okay. What do you do for work?’

‘I’m a doctor.’

Molly rested her fork against the container as she swallowed the last piece of potato. ‘No way.’

He laughed. ‘Don’t I look capable?’

‘Of course you do. It’s just … well, you look like a student to me, especially with the travelling thing.’

‘I saved up enough to take time off work and travel. I’m not sure I’d ever get to do it if I didn’t take the chance now, while I’m still young.’

‘How old are you?’

‘I’m thirty-two.’

‘Old then.’ She teased. ‘Much, much older than me.’

‘Oh come on then, what are you, a twenty-something?’

‘Thirty.’

‘Yup, so much younger than me.’ He shook his head. ‘Travelling is a lot of fun, but I’m looking forward to going home to Australia now. The time feels right.’

Molly could relate to that. It was the right time to get over her fear of flying, it was the right time to go and find her birth father.

‘So what do you do?’ Ben pulled off the foil covering for his dessert.

‘I’m a midwife.’

It was his turn to be surprised. ‘Weird how we’re both in the medical profession. So where do you live? Oh come on,’ he added when she didn’t answer, ‘I’m next to you on a plane and I’m flying back to my home country. As long as you don’t give me a street name and number, I think you’ll be pretty safe.’

‘I live in Bath, Somerset.’

‘Beautiful city. I went to a rugby match there.’

‘Very cultural.’

‘Not really. It was ten per cent rugby, ninety per cent propping up the bar. Although we did see the Abbey.’

‘From your bar stool?’

He pulled a face. ‘Point taken.’ He went on to tell her about some of the more cultural things he’d woven into his visit to the northern hemisphere: the Aran Islands, Croke Park, Trinity College and Giant’s Causeway in Ireland, then in England he’d been to Stonehenge, the Cheddar Gorge, Woburn Safari Park, Westminster Abbey, Covent Garden.

Molly finished up her chocolate cake but left the bread roll, unable to eat much more. Sitting down and sitting still for prolonged periods of time didn’t exactly require much energy, and she felt as though all the food was collecting in her tummy.

‘Where do you live, in Australia?’ she asked. ‘Which city?’

‘I’m from Melbourne.’

She felt it was safe to admit where she was heading. ‘I’m flying into Melbourne.’

His eyes lit up. ‘I thought you weren’t going to tell me any specifics.’

She smiled. ‘First stop is South Yarra.’

‘Nice place. Hotel?’

‘Short-term apartment – cheaper.’ She had the place booked for three nights to give herself time to recover from jet lag, time to digest what she was going to do. Then she’d hire a car, complete with a satnav, and make her way up to Magnolia Creek where Andrew Bennett ran his chocolaterie. Those few days would hopefully allow her feelings to settle before she went to find out whether he had any room in his life for her.

‘Are you ready to tackle Melbourne’s tram system?’

‘I think so.’ She was more than a little excited about getting on a tram for the first time. The idea of zipping around the city to go to the shops or see the sights – imagine going to work on one – fascinated her.

The cabin crew cleared away the trays of food and Molly put on another film. She could see Ben was watching quiz shows, playing the interactive
Millionaire
game show and tutting if he got one wrong. Her eyes were heavy, with London time closing in on midnight, and tired of the TV screen she rested a pillow against the window, smiled across at Ben and shut her eyes. She tightened her seatbelt when the plane bumped a little. She blocked out any scenarios about turbulence she’d heard, and as she told herself she was going to be fine, as she thought about her birth father and maybe meeting him face to face, she drifted off.

When Molly woke, the plane had nearly completed its descent and they were coming in to land. She smiled over at Ben, who looked like he’d been dozing too.

‘Well done,’ he whispered and she grinned from ear to ear.

Chapter Seventeen

Molly

Ben hoisted his bag over his shoulder and walked alongside Molly as they moved from the plane and through the passenger boarding bridge when they disembarked. Molly was tired and felt grubby, but she was buzzing. The adrenalin of knowing she’d got on a plane, without freaking out during the thirteen hours they were up in the sky, flooded her body. It had been a smooth landing, and the only moment she’d felt panic rising was when the wheels were on the ground and the rush of noise got so loud it was as though the plane was heading straight for something. But then it had quietened and the plane had leisurely crawled along the runway, into its designated bay, and the flight was officially over.

‘How are you feeling right now?’ A huge smile spread across Ben’s face as they walked away from the gate.

She couldn’t stop grinning. ‘Pretty pleased with myself.’

Ben stopped and pulled his phone from the front pocket of his bag. ‘Selfie time.’

‘What? No way! I must look hideous.’ The air in the plane had left everything feeling dry, tight and like she needed a damn good shower.

‘Rubbish. You look fine, you look happy.’

She accepted the compliment but held her breath when their heads tipped towards each other so they could both get in the frame. As well as a shower, she desperately wanted to clean her teeth. She hadn’t braved the miniscule cubicle on the plane to do it, but now she wished she had.

She watched the tendons in Ben’s arms as he stretched out and positioned the phone and took the picture.

He checked it. ‘No, wait, do it again. You’re not even looking at the camera.’

Of course not. She’d been looking at his skin, his naturally tanned colouring, which seemed at odds after a visit to the northern hemisphere that had only just emerged from winter.

‘Say cheese!’ This time it worked, and he said he’d post it in the Facebook group.

Ben turned over his palm. ‘I think my hand survived to tell the tale.’ The marks she’d made had disappeared now. ‘I think it’s only fair to warn the next person you sit next to though.’

‘Hopefully that won’t be necessary.’ She stopped, put down her holdall and removed her hoodie. The heat of Changi Airport left her no choice. ‘It’s boiling in here.’

‘I can’t wait to get some sun. I’ve had an Irish winter and an English start to spring. Bloody freezing.’

She laughed. ‘And it’s Australia’s winter coming up. You didn’t time it very well.’

‘Yes, Australia’s winters can be brutal,’ he joked, taking out an immigration card from the middle pocket of his bag. Molly already knew she didn’t need one as she was in transit. There was so much for her to learn! And besides, she’d managed to be asleep when they handed the cards out on the plane, something she never thought would happen.

They smiled at one another until they realised what they were doing, and awkwardly, Ben said, ‘What’s your layover time?’

‘My what?’

He grinned. ‘How long do you have until your next flight?’

‘Three hours, so I’ll stretch my legs, enjoy not being scrunched up in a seat.’
Clean my teeth and reapply my deodorant
, she told herself.

They were looking at each other again. Molly broke the silence. ‘And you get out there and enjoy the sunshine and heat.’ She wished she was joining him. He’d described Singapore to her during the flight and it sounded clean, neat, tropical.

‘Best of luck,’ he said.

‘With the flight? Or with meeting my birth father and possibly facing more rejection?’ The closer she got to Australia, the more real this was becoming.

‘Both.’ His eyes held hers for as long as they both allowed. ‘I’d better go. My mate’s meeting me at arrivals, and knowing him he’ll have left his car in a no-parking bay or on double yellows.’

‘Bye, Ben.’ Molly turned to go, but he pulled her arm and spun her round to face him. He looked about to kiss her, but instead he pulled her into a hug. He smelt cleaner than she’d expected, given the long flight, and the scent of washing powder still clung to his top. Perhaps he’d secretly used deodorant on the plane and freshened up when she was asleep. She hoped she didn’t pong too much as she hugged him back.

‘It was great to meet you, Molly,’ he said when they pulled apart.

‘You too. Keep in touch.’

‘I will, and I’ll see you on Facebook. Get on there as soon as you can and have a chat with everyone, they’ll want to know how you are. And if you find yourself at a loose end in Melbourne, we can always meet up when I’m back.’

‘We’ll see.’ She really wanted to leap at the chance. Now she’d met Ben in the flesh, she knew she hadn’t imagined the easiness of their banter, the feelings she’d begun to have despite hiding behind a computer screen.

When Molly walked away, she turned back once and Ben was still rooted to the spot. She waved to him and then he turned to go, and for the next few hours she didn’t think much about having to get on another plane, she didn’t worry about turning up to see Andrew Bennett. All she really thought about was Ben.

And she was still thinking about him as she boarded the second flight, this time on her own.

*

The flight from Singapore to Melbourne was better than Molly had thought it’d be. She had the window seat again, a spare seat next to her and then a woman who looked to be in her fifties sat closest to the aisle. The woman was Australian, and they made polite conversation – was it Molly’s first time? where was she off to? – and it distracted Molly from a slightly bumpy take-off.

The woman eventually opened a magazine, and Molly took out her colouring book, turning to an ocean scene with shoals of fish, fronds of seaweed and oddly shaped shells. When the food came around, Molly smiled to herself. Ben was right. She barely touched a thing this time and started to realise why everyone moaned about airline food. It wasn’t that it was so terrible; it was just that after sitting couped up on board, each meal became less and less attractive.

Halfway through the flight, Molly found herself listening attentively to any out-of-the-ordinary sound the plane made, and her mind was beginning to go to all sorts of places. She’d read a tip from someone in the Facebook group who said fearful flyers listen for any little noise, convinced it could be a life-threatening problem, so instead she put on headphones and watched a movie, even though her eyes were sore and dry from the air conditioning.

When the fasten seat-belt sign pinged on urgently and the plane bumped so much her tummy leapt up and down with it, Molly imagined Ben’s voice in her ear saying everything was okay.

The turbulence was only mild, but Molly definitely wasn’t as relaxed as she was during the first leg to Singapore and she didn’t manage to sleep a wink. The descent was smooth, the landing bumpy, but before midnight local time they touched down in Melbourne, Australia, and Molly looked out of the window as the plane taxied along the runway. The lights from the aircraft flashed against the night sky, pooling all around them, and eventually they pulled into their allotted bay.

She was here. She was in Australia. And everything was suddenly becoming real.