| Fan Fiction |
by Shweta
The answer came like the flash of lightning. Of course he would care. Of course it would affect him. Ariel was, his wife, and some strange bond had tied them together. This was...friendship.
Ariel had become close to him. The fact that she hated him, and wanted to see him suffer, was irrelevant right now. Right now, she was leaning her head against his shoulder and sleeping, slowly exhaling. Every breathe she took, made Joe’s hold on her tighter. He didn’t want to let go. That someone would harm this gentle creature, would want to kill her, take her life away, angered him.
They were just 32 hours away. 32 hours, and they would have complete security. Joe couldn’t push away the nagging thought from his mind. What if these people know where they live? What if one failed attempt was followed by a successful one? Was Ariel in trouble? Could she die?
Joe pulled Ariel closer, his arms protecting her. The airhostess looked at them and smiled. Joe took a sniff of Ariel’s hair. He exhaled slowly. The beautiful aroma making him dizzy, he thought he would loose himself in that smell.
The airhostess continued to smile at them. Joe realized she must think they are a couple in love. He didn’t bother to correct her. They were coming back from their honeymoon after all. So what if it wasn’t exactly the normal honeymoon? Where the wife and husband try getting as close as possible.
It wasn’t the kind of honeymoon he would have wished for. When he imagined weddings and honeymoons in his head, they were with Selina, and he was holding her close, smiling down at her, whispering in her ear that he loves her, and that he would do anything for her.
Joe looked to the sky. Selina, he hadn’t thought of her for so long. Was she feeling lonely? Was she hurt up there in heaven? He loved her still, but the ache in his heart was reducing. He didn’t yearn for her as much as he did two years ago. Was time the healer? Or was it Ariel?
Joe smiled at that thought. No matter how his time with Ariel would be, he would sure have many anecdotes to remember about her.
Suddenly there were vibrations coming from Joe’s pocket. Ariel stirred due to the vibrations and the noise made from the ringing. Joe cursed in his breathe and quickly answered the phone. Ariel slipped back into sleep. Joe untangled his hold around her and mumbled a “Hello” to the other person.
“Joe?”
“Yes, this is him. Who is this?”
“It’s Gillian.”
“Gillian! Hey! What happened? Why did you call? I’m sure it’s very early in the morning there...”
“Yes, but I was just awoken by someone. I thought I should tell you.”
“Anything important Gill?”
“Yes! Well, maybe...”
“What is it?”
“See, these two guys have been stalking your house. One guy comes in the morning, and the other in the evening, and they stay, pacing in front of your house. They seem to be waiting for somebody. Today it got confirmed, they asked me when you would be returning from your honeymoon.”
“Are you serious?!”
“Yes. Yeah! They’re looking for you, and they don’t seem very friendly.”
“Not for me, for Ariel.” Joe sighed. He didn’t have any qualms about sharing his secrets with Gillian. She was Selina’s best friend and she had become his after Selina’s death. He told her everything.
She knew everything about him, and now about Ariel. They both would sit and laugh over Ariel’s crazy shenanigans. She even encouraged him to try and build a friendship with his wife. She helped him through many loop holes, and she was his constant support since Selina’s death.
“What do you mean? Is Ariel in trouble?” Gillian asked concerned.
“Seems like it...she almost got shot today.”
“What?! Are you kidding me? Shot? Like a gunshot?” Gillian was short of words. She didn’t like Ariel much for the simple fact that she was torturing Joe so much, but she felt pity for her. The situation in which she married Joe, and that she lost her first and only love, these facts made Gillian pity and like Ariel a little.
“Yes Gillian. As unbelievable as that sounds, Ariel was almost shot today. At first I thought it was an accident, that they got something terribly wrong, but then the man specifically asked for Ariel, and now you’re telling me my house is being stalked!”
“Joe, calm down. I’ll call the police right now! I’ll make sure by the time you’re home, there is no one around your house stalking Ariel.”
“Well, call the police for sure, and give them my number if they have to investigate. And I guess we’ll be coming back...”Joe trailed off. Gillian sensed the tension in his voice. Suddenly a thought struck her.
“Hey, what if...what if there are more people? What if there’s a whole gang? Maybe they’re waiting for you at the airport.”
“What?! That’s rubbish!”
“Think about it Joe. They came all the way to Egypt. Wouldn’t they come to the airport? They managed to find your house didn’t they?”
“Yeah...yeah, I guess you’re right...but...how did they? How do they know where we live, and where we are right now? How can they find us?”
“Hmm, you think, Ariel did something? Something bad, that they want to kill her?” Gillian suggested, but this thought seemed ludicrous to her itself! Ariel might want to seek revenge with Joe, but so far she has never managed to do anything! Gillian thought of her to be a simple person, who wouldn’t get into trouble, and couldn’t hurt a fly.
“No! I don’t think so, Ariel herself was shocked when this happened. If she knew this was coming, she would’ve been a bit more prepared.”
“Well, I don’t know about all this, but what are you going to do? I don’t think it’s safe to bring her to your house.”
“Yeah I agree! It wouldn’t be...hey! the plane stops at Dubai and then moves on, maybe we could stay there. My mom owns a bungalow there, we could stay there for a little while, till everything is solved!”
“Great! That’s great! Call your parents to tell them not to worry ok? I’ll inform the police here.”
“Sure, and thank you Gillie. You’re a life saver.”
“No problems Joe. Just take care ok?”
“Ok. You too.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.” Joe hung up the phone. He had already started planning this little detour.
He quickly called Ethan and asked him a few more days leave.
“Let Angelina and Larry handle the rest of the campaign.” He said in clear cut words on the phone. “I wont be coming back so soon.”
“Ahan! Want to extend the honeymoon eh? So we had trouble getting you in the honeymoon, and now we have trouble getting you out! Well, stay happy, I’d see about the campaign.”
“Thanks Ethan.” Joe didn’t try to correct him, Ethan was a funny character, and it was best to leave him alone to think whatever he wanted to.
Joe hung up and searched through his phonebook in his mobile.
“It’s got to be here somewhere!” He thought trying to make as little sound as possible. He didn’t want to wake Ariel.
“Ahan!” He exhaled in victory. He dialled the number and waited impatiently as he heard the ring.
“Hello?”
“Vikram? It’s Joe here. Joe Cheng. I would like you to keep the bungalow ready with two rooms. I would be visiting in a matter of five hours.”
“Yes, of course sir. Do you want me to keep food ready sir?”
“Yes , sure Vikram. Thank you. Please make sure everything is ready by the time we get there.”
“Yes sir, I will. Good day sir.”
“Good day.”
Joe hung up the phone and took a great sigh of relief. Everything seemed to be coming back into order.
***
Well this was a boring chapter eh? But an important chapter too! Hope you guys liked it.
The next chapter is going to be exciting! Well, exciting in my standards atleast! Haha! So please read and comment!
shwetastories.webs.com