Fan Fiction |
by Mimosa
“If there is a medical physician among the passengers, please identify yourself to the flight attendants, thank you!”
I propped up from my seat. Somebody was hurt? I was still a long way to be a medical physician, but who knew, I might still be of some use to whoever that needed medical attention on this plane. Honestly, I was bored to death planting myself in this seat and watching “Along Came Polly” for the third time. Anything to do was better than sitting here. I pushed the button.
“Yes, Miss?” The flight attendant, a blond woman in her mid thirty stooped down and whispered in a polite tone. She listened to me with a polite tilt of her head, and then nodded. “Certainly, Miss Chan, is it?” She rose and signaled me to follow her to the first class cabin, briefing me on the way. It seemed a little five year-old had run a high fever, all in a sudden. I racked through my minds for all possible causes that I’d learned about. I chuckled at myself, feeling the same as if I was about to take final exam. Fever? It should be classical. I plastered a smile to assure the flight attendant, and probably myself as well.
But my smile faded away when I got a clearer sight at the little girl.
“Hi Kelly! My name is Flora!” I greeted her. Whatever I saw, I didn’t like it. Her neck and face were blushed with tiny red dots. Hives! Her breath was laborious! I have no doubt.
“Allergic reaction!” I muttered, “What did she have for lunch?”
“We served her the adult portion. She insisted. It was chicken and salad” The flight attendant answered promptly
They both sounded benign enough. I had chosen chicken for lunch as well. What else did I miss? I skipped the desert… “The desert, what was it?”
“Pecan pie...”
“Ah, I knew it!” That confirmed my guess. She must be allergic to tree nuts. “Where’s her belonging?” I scanned through the overhead luggage bins “She must have her kit with her!”
Well, she didn’t. Her little Hello Kitty back bag didn’t contain anything else beside a cute little stuffed koala and a full collection of colorful booklets and assorted crayons. I touched her forehead. It burned my hand… and now she was clutching her stomach. The reaction was getting worse. I panicked.
“Whose is she?” I yelled, “Where’re her parents?”
“She…” The flight attendant was about to say something, when I saw a familiar looking box appeared in front of me. “Thanks God!” I snatched it and yanked it open.
Kelly was getting too weak to even feel the injection. I wrapped the blanket around her and tapped lightly on her arm. Little Kelly smiled back at me bravely. She should be safe for the next 20 minutes or so. After that, well, I didn’t really know what I could do if the symptom come back.
“How long is it until we reach HK?”
“50 minutes… approximate an hour!”
I came back to examine the kit wearily. To my relief, there lied another injector. I might just have to administer another dose…
“We’ll give her another dose if the symptoms come back!”
Was I hearing my own echo? No, my voice wasn’t that deep and warm. I spun on my heel, and I saw him. The same arrogant man from Darling Harbour! The one who had ruined that beautiful evening of mine. There he stood against the thin wall separating the cabin from the attendant's quarter, arms crossing. He nodded slightly. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
My adrenaline surged up once more.
“Where have you been?”
“What do you mean?” He narrowed his eyes, half confused, half amused.
What was he thinking? I hastened to the accusation I wanted to make, pointing at his little girl.
“Look, Mister. She’s not supposed to be left alone." Snapping the box closed, I threw him the teacher's look "And you know best that her kit should be with her! If you want to keep the kit with you, fine! But please stay next to her, please!”
He looked at me curiously, then leaned over to the flight attendant. She listened, and nodded. He settled himself down to the empty seat next to the little girl’s.
“There, you happy?” He asked with a twinkle in his eyes, and extended his arm to reach for the medicine kit in my hand.
I couldn’t help but muttered under my breath “What kind of father are you?” Aloud I addressed him dryly, “Mister, keep a close eye at your daughter. Keep her warm! And give her another dose if her breathing becomes arduous again.”
“But Doctor!” He began
“I’m not a doctor!” I cut him short, “At least not yet!”
“Oh!” He lifted his brow “Anyway, I…”
“Ding!” The seatbelt sign went on. I stooped down to tug a lose corner of the blanket back in under the girl seat. Her breathing had come back to normal.
Without looking at him, I turned away to walk to my seat in the next cabin.
I could feel his stare behind my back.
Such a horrible parent he was! I felt so disappointed!
Yet I didn’t quite know why I felt so strongly over it. Was I being nosy interfering into other people’s lives? Or would there be something deeper under the surface that I subconsciously refused to acknowledge?
He didn’t look like a married man the day I knocked the camera off his hand.
I tried to push him and his little girl out of my mind. I tried to watched and laughed at the silly movie. But at the end of the next 10 minutes, I found myself stood up and asked the flight attendant how Kelly was.
“She’s doing okay, Miss Chan.” She smiled “Doctor Lo is watching her closely! In fact, he’s moved down from the upper cabin to Kelly’s cabin”
“Doctor Lo?”
“I thought you know him?” The flight attendant was puzzled; “Didn’t I see you were talking to him just now?”
“I was only talking to Kelly's father” I felt my cheeks burning “I think!”
“Oh no, Miss Chan! Little Kelly travels alone!”
I looked to my left, then to my right...
“May I help you with anything else, Miss Chan?”
“Yeah!" I nodded vaguely "Do you have a shovel?”
She wore a complete blank on her face... "Pardon me?"
“Never mind!” I waved her off.
I only needed to dig myself a hole and hide.