Happy Anniversary Part 2

Now Boarding . . . . .


Locke rested on his wheel chair as he had done so many times before. He wanted to be one of the first people on the plane; get it over with. However, he was unsure of the holdup. The brunette gate agent then came over toward him and leaned down to look at him. “I'm sorry, sir, but the special wheelchair that we use for loading the disabled passengers,” she said, sadly,” Well, no one seems to know where it is right now. Unless we find it I'm not sure we can get you on.”

“There’s not another flight till tomorrow.” Locke pointed out.

“Yes, I'm aware of that, sir, but there's nothing I can...”

A tall black man then came over with JD on his nametag. He gently touched the brunette on the shoulder, getting her attention. “Look, I can get Michelle, we can carry him on.” He looked down toward Locke,” Would you mind if we carry you on?”

The bald man felt like screaming. He had already suffered enough indignity with the Walkabout Station and now they were going to carry him on board, showing the world how useless he was? He gently pinched the bridge of his nose. “No, that’ll be fine.” He told them.

He wanted to get this over with.



JD and Michelle slowly made their way onto the plane, shifting through the seats. Locke held onto them as they carried him toward his seat. Once they arrived, they set him down as gently as possible. He grunted and adjusted his back. “I'll get your bag, sir.” JD informed him.

“If you need anything just press the call button.” Michelle told him.

“Okay,” he whispered, “Thank you.”

The two flight attendants made their way through the seats and back to their usual duties. Locke rubbed his face, and sighed. He wanted to get home and wanted to get back toward his life. He then reached up to check the flight safety manual but his hands were too jittery; he dropped it. The plastic piece of paper flipped out and landed on the aisle a good two feet away from him. Locke grunted as he tried to grab it but couldn’t reach. He continued, refusing to feel weak. Then he stopped when he noticed a soft tanned hand pick up the safety manual for him. A young woman with an exotic beauty about her handed him the plastic flyer. “Here ya go,” Mia smiled.

“Thank you,” he said, slightly embarrassed.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, patting him on the back as she continued toward her seat.

Locke smiled briefly. The kindness of the young girl touched in a special way. He wonder why she didn’t bother to ask him why he didn’t get up out of his seat to get the flyer?

Mia looked at the rows and rows of seat until she found her spot. She slid over and sat down, noticing she was practically near the back. She placed her bag under her seat and tucked her hands into her pockets of her jean jacket. More and more people began to file into the plane, taking their seats. A bushy haired man with a short sleeve shirt over his longer sleeve shirt came into the middle looking very mad. It would seem like he wasn’t liking being on this flight. As he sat down, another man continued to walk toward the back, dragging his luggage with him. “I can’t believe you are letting this happen,” Clay grunted over his cell-phone,” NO . . .No, listen to me, Giles. You are going to pay for not being able to handle this. And plus you are adding salt to my wounds. First class was BOOKED! I have to sit in the back with the rest of the white trash!”

Mia winced as the business man continued to the very back of the plane. As he disappeared from view, a young man came over and sat down at her row. “Moron needs to control his volume.” He mentioned.

“Tell me about it.” Mia giggled.

The young man leaned back and rubbed the back of his neck. “Fly much?” he said to Mia, making idle conversation.

“Not if I can help it.” She grinned.

“I know the feeling,” then reached over and extended his hand, “Seth Butler.”

“Mia Ray.” She smiled, shaking his hand.

“Nice to meet you, Mia,” he grinned, “It’s a long flight, so why not get acquainted.”

Mia smiled. She had just met the young man and already she liked his friendly attitude. Then within seconds, another young woman came back to the row. She was looking at her ticket and then back to the seat. She smiled brightly at Seth. “Excuse me,” she said, pointing toward the seat next to him.

“Oh,” the young bookstore worker said, moving his legs out of the way so the redhead could sit down next to him and Mia. The pale skinned girl sat down and sighed, looking at Mia. “Hello.” She smiled.

“Hello,” she replied, extending her hand,” I’m Mia.”

“Shanna.” She replied before Seth extended his hand and introduced himself as well.

The redhead looked at them with a smirk, slightly confused. “Do you two know each other?” she giggled.

“No, we just met,” Seth said, shoving his bag under his seat, “ We figured since we’re stuck on this long flight, why not get to know each other?”

“Conversation goes a long way, Shanna.” The Lakota girl smiled.

The redhead was amazed and impressed at the same time. She never expected to be sitting next to two people close to her age, and also never expected them to be so friendly. “Yes,” she agreed, “Yes, it does go a long way.”

“So,” Mia decided to start out, “Where you from?”


Charlie grunted as he continued to try and get his guitar into the side cabinet. He didn’t want to check it in, it was too precious to him considering it’s value. He continued to try and shoved it until a young black man stepped in to help him. “Let me help you with that.” Martin told him.

“Much obliged.” Charlie said, shoving the door.

“Piece a’cake.” The black man said, patting him on the back and going to walk toward his seat.

Charlie brushed his hands off his jeans and started to go find his seat as well. As he sat down, he turned and was struck nearly blind by beauty. Fashion Model Kristy Loran walked past him. When their eyes met, she offered a brief and friendly smile. Charlie smirked as he rubbed his mouth. The model continued walking toward the back to find her seat. The musician figured he might find his way back there and once she knew he was with Driveshaft, she’ll be all over him.

McKay shifted through the seats, heading toward the back. All he could keep his mind on was visiting his brother. Looking forward to enjoying some Montana scenery and getting to play with his new nephew. In the end there wasn’t anything more important than family. As he continued on, he tried to shift around some suit that had just come out of the bathroom. They accidentally pumped as he tried to get his canvas bag around him. “Sorry, mate.” McKay replied.

“Yeah, you are sorry,” Marshal Mars replied.

The Australian paused in his journey to the back of the plane. He faced the federal officer. “What did you just say?” he asked.

“I said you are sorry. You are and you whole damn country.” Mars told him to his face.

“Mate, if you are looking to get under my skin, you just succeeded.” McKay then started to move toward him.

“Hey!” a female voice interrupted him.

McKay looked down at the seat neat to the one reserved for the Marshall. A young brunette with soft green eyes looked up at him. “Ignore him,” Kate told the Australian,” He doesn’t want to be here.”

“Then we’re all happy he’s on this plane,” McKay said turning around.

“Yeah, be smart, scum bag,” Mars replied, “Walk away.”

McKay then dropped his canvas and began to walk back toward him, rolling up his sleeves. “I’ve never really been a smart man.” He sneered, anxious to beat up the suit.

“Gentlemen!” a black stewardess then said as she came over to them, “Is there a problem here?”

Mars and McKay stared each other down. They wanted to tear each other limp from limp but they also knew it would get them thrown from the flight. The marshal twisted his neck and gently button his sport goat. “No, no problem . . .Yolanda,” he said, reading her name tag,” The dummy here was just heading toward the back.”

McKay took a deep breath then turned around and picked up his canvas bag. After he flung it around over his shoulder, he turned back around one more time. “Hey, mate.” He said.

Mars looked at him.

“I may be a dummy,” McKay pointed at him, “But I know a son of a bitch when I see one.”

Kate then smiled, wincing. She was trying to keep from bursting out in laughter at McKay’s comment. The marshal just stared him down as McKay continued to go back toward the tail section. McKay grunted to himself, trying to stifle his anger. He then found his seat and flung his canvas bag in the overhead apartment. He then quickly sat down and then reeled from the alcoholic smell of the large man next to him. McKay gritted his teeth, rubbing his buzzed cut head. Could this trip get any worse?


Taylor grunted as he continued to haul her bags toward the bag. Mandy was right on her tail, with her own luggage. The blonde was mad that all of first class was booked. She hoped that she wouldn’t be stuck next to some stinky person. Luckily she had her best friend Mandy by her side to help her survive the trip. As she turned around to tug her luggage, she then bumped into the back of someone. The young man laughed and turned around. “I’m sorry. “ he laughed.

Taylor looked into his ice blue eyes and was instantly mesmerized. However, not more than Mandy was. The So-Cal blonde was certain she had seen those eyes in her dreams. “No, it’s my fault,” Taylor giggled, “I should have watched where I was going.”

“It’s quite all right. Do you need help with your bags?”

“Oh, no but maybe you can help us with something else?” Taylor replied, continuing to flirt with them.

Mandy didn’t even really noticed her best friend’s flirting. She was just lost in the young man’s eyes. “Boone!” a woman then said over near her seat, “Stop staring at those skanks and help me with my luggage!”

Boone sighed, feeling incredibly embarrassed. Mandy and Taylor both sighed, feeling definitely insulted. “Forgive my sister,” he calmly said, “she’s, uh . ..she a bitch.”

“At least you admit it,” Mandy smirked.

“So, where are you two sitting? Maybe we can have a drink later?”

“We. . .uh . .” the blonde tried to say.

Taylor then interrupted her, “We’re sitting in first class. These are . . .our grandmother’s luggage. She was forced to sit in the back cause we ran out of the room. We’ll come find you once we get her settled.”

“Oh,” Boone smiled, “Okay.”

The two blonde friends then continued on toward the back. After they got a ways from Boone, Mandy hit her friend on the arm. “I can’t believe you told him that!” she hissed.

“I know. I’m sorry,” Taylor grunted, rubbing her arm, “It was a bad judgment call. After that bitch called us skanks, I didn’t want to give her any more fuel for the fire.”

“What if he comes looking for us?” her friend replied, “I’m going to be so embarrassed.”

“Look at the bright side, “ Taylor giggled, “His sister will probably keep him occupied the whole trip.”


Eddie slid over toward his seat and sat down. His mother was already taking her medicine that helped her sleep. Eddie’s father was typing away on his keyboard. The young boy didn’t know much about his father’s job but he was thankful he had it. It kept him from pretty much wanting anything. He only wished the arguments would go away. People continued to flock toward their seats. A nice black woman and her husband proceeded toward the back. Eddie noticed the black man taking off his ring as he was walking. The group paused for a second and then the young boy looked at a young woman with curly hair. What he noticed most was the scar on her forehead. What would cause such a pretty girl to have such a scar?

Joscelyn was waiting for the others to move. She was anxious to go and sit in her seat. Her thoughts were only on her sister Paige and her husband Derek, who she loved like a brother. They were going to have her become the nanny to their daughters Lily and newborn Connie. As long as she was around loving family, she knew she would be okay. Joscelyn then paused when she saw Eddie staring at her. The boy was fixated on her face; specifically the scar. The young woman then gently rubbed her forehead, in an attempt to hide it. She finally started moving toward the back. “It’s not polite to stare, Eddie,” his mother whispered to him.

“Sorry, mommy,” he said, opening his comic book.


Jack leaned up and placed his bags into the over-head compartments. He was having difficulty getting them to fit. Little did he know, his ex sister-in-law slowly moved behind him. Jenny paused for a second, taking a smell of the air. She thought she recognized a familiar aftershave but saw no reason to look around to see if it was who she thought it was. Besides, what would be the odds that her sister’s ex-husband would be on this flight?

Jenny made her way toward the back and then sat down in her seat next to Clay, who was still yapping on his phone. The blonde grunted, worried that she was going to have to endure this over the whole trip. Then someone tapped her on the shoulder. She looked up and saw a girl a little bit older than her, with amber curly haired. Kellye looked at Jenny then looked at Clay. The girl soldier sighed but there was certain things she was raised to do by her father and brother; like doing the right thing and telling the truth. “You’re in my seat.” She sighed.

Jenny looked at her, then at Clay. She smiled as the young woman saved her from being next to the annoying businessman all trip. Jenny slid over and Kellye sat down in her former seat. The blonde girl looked at her and then pulled out her purse. Kellye moaned softly as Clay kept screaming in her ear, over the phone. The girl soldier then noticed that the blonde girl next to her was writing on a twenty dollar bill. Jenny then motioned for Kellye to read what she had written. The girl soldier leaned over and looked at it. It read, “You could have easily taken my real seat. Thank you for your honesty. Take this and buy yourself a good dinner when you get home.”

Jenny then closed the twenty dollar bill and handed it to Kellye. She smiled as she took it, and whispered, “Thank you.”

Kellye smiled as she stuffed the money in her side pocket. She was happy about the outcome of switching seats and doing the right thing. Brian once taught her that kindness was it’s own reward. More and more she was seeing that daily.

Libby continued to match toward the back. As she did, she saw a rugged handsome man sitting next to a young man with a blonde buzzed cut. The therapist smiled at the man; then shied away; wondering what he would ever see in a thin, non-attractive woman like herself. Hal flipped through the Sports Illustrated magazine, until he was interrupted by a tapping on his arm. “Dude,” Dutch chuckled, “That lady was SO checking you out!”

“I wasn’t aware we were in high school, son,” the cop smirked.

“What’s your name, dude?”

“Hal. Hal Mancuso,” he said, shaking his hand.

“Ian Dutchman but you can call me Dutch,” the surfer smiled.

Hal smiled back. He seemed like a nice kid and the name Ian already brought back fond memories. And here he was worried he was going to be annoying the whole trip.


Jilly continued on down the aisle toward her seat in the back. She was looking forward to being back on American soil. She had been roaming for so long, she never really found a true home. She hoped being back in American would perk up her spirits about where her life was headed. It wasn’t easy living abroad and it wasn’t easy being deaf either. Sadly, it was that fact that made her accidentally pump her bag into Ramon’s chest and didn’t hear a word about it. “Hey!” Ramon stood up, “Who the hell do you think you are?”

Jilly kept walking, obviously not hearing him.

“Hey, skeeze, are you deaf?” the Spaniard screamed.

“Actually, she is.” Ana-Lucia mentioned as she was walking down the isle, “ I overhead her trying her best to communicate with the gate agent. She didn’t mean to pump you, nor ignore you.”

“But that doesn’t excuse her clumsiness.” Ramon retorted.

“Actually, it does,” the Latina giggled.

“Oh, you think this is funny, do you?” the Spanish archer moved toward her, “Do you know who I am, chica? I’ll have you and that retard thrown off this plane.”

“I wouldn’t recommend that,” she sneered, “Sometime . . .bad might happen to you.”

“Are you threatening me, punta?”

“Maybe I am . ..maricon.”

John finally came back from his trip to the bathroom and saw Ramon in yet another confrontation with a woman. “Sweet Jesus,” he muttered, “What have you done now?”

“I didn’t do anything, John” Ramon countered, “This stupid whore thinks she can talk down to me.”

“Okay, that is enough, sit down!” the American archer pushed him into his seat, then turned toward the Latina cop, “I am sorry for my friend’s rudeness.”

“If you got to apologize for him,” Ana-Lucia pushed past him, “Then he ain’t much of a friend.”

John watched her walk away. Ramon was getting on his nerves and he was growing tired to cleaning up his messes. The archer sat down at the window seat of his Spanish friend. Ramon made a fist and rested it on his hand. “Thanks a lot, Hermano,” he told him, “You are my friend. You’re supposed to take up for me.”

“Did it ever freaking occur to you that you’re not RIGHT every single time?”

“Johnny-Boy, when we get home, you and I are going to define the means of our friendship.”

“Yeah,” John moaned as he stared at out the window, “I think we will.”


Brendon smirked as he finally got on the plane. He had temporarily gotten lost but luckily he managed to make it just in time. If the large man in front of him hadn’t raised such a fuss and he heard him from down the hallway, he never would have found the proper gate. Hurley smiled as he looked back toward him. “Lucks on our side, eh, dude?” he told the Asian man.

“Yes,” Brendon smiled.

Hurley got into his seat and immediately pulled out his headphones, helping himself a nearby comic book on the seat. Brendon walked past him, following the numbers toward his seat. He stopped when he saw the three young people in the row with him. The young Native American girl, the fiery redhead and the man by her side; all laughing and cutting up. Brendon was so happy to see them. Even though he could never tell them why he was happy to see them, it was enough that he knew. “Hey, “ Shanna smiled at his arrival, “You sitting with us?”

“I am,” Brendon smiled.

“Then sit down, bud, we’re just getting to really know each other, “ Seth laughed ,”The mo-friends, the mo-better.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” the Asian said, sitting down next to Mia.

“Wow,” the Lakota girl giggled, “Four of us sitting together, relatively close in age. What are the odds?”

“It must be fate.” Brendon smiled.

Mia then introduced herself, then introduced Shanna and Seth for them. The Asian man shook their hands, happy to have met them. “Brendon Battle,” he smiled proudly.