Road-X-Trip 02: Gliding Interlude

**Disclaimer : This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited. **

Day 1. 8:AM (Over the Atlantic)

Following a long wait only made bearable by Olga's multiples mischiefs, they finally boarded the plane. After take-off's first shakes, Olga falls asleep to the accumulated fatigue of the past days, heightened by the nightly awakening of the morning itself. Her head rests on the shoulder of her boyfriend, who is typing on his smartphone.

Of sympathetic but serious appearance, Richard is a well-built, big guy. Square face. A mass of brown hair popping from his head, pulled back on one side or the other, depending on the day. Tough in reality, behind this somewhat deceptive appearance hides a reserved and cautious man. Richard is not the daredevil type. Rather, he is measured and controlled. The element of madness, in their couple, is Olga, no doubt about this.

Richard starts a chess game against the artificial intelligence. We can the A fierce struggle led against the robot to gain advantage is to be read from his state of extreme concentration and clenched jaw. The annoyed expression that gradually appears on his face seems to indicate that are not going in his favor. Yet, Richard is an intellectual guy. But the logic of chess eludes him completely. An exercise so different from his usual mental gestures. He couldn't predict more than two moves in advance. At least not yet: he firmly wishes to improve.

Yes, Richard does not lack determination. This is one of his qualities. He carefully chooses his goals and works to achieve them, whether it's a month's or a lifetime's work. Again, Richard is a very methodical guy. While planning the trip, he listed all the things that needed to be done. He took care of finding someone to watch after the cat, to take care of the plants. But mostly, he handled all the paperwork. And it was not a small task. He managed finances of the trip, purchase of the plane tickets and Olga's visas. Although allergic to any kind of administrative paperwork, the young woman could not escape a few formalities necessary to ensure that everything was in order before departure. Here, Richard essentially played the role of support and motivator. Once this was done, they had to find a solution to the thorny problem that was their apartment in France. They could not resign themselves to let it go: Olga and Richard had fallen in love with it and intended to move back in after their trip. Fortunately, the couple had a good relationship with the owner. He agreed to rent the apartment to another tenant during they stay in North America. All they had to do was to find a storage unit in which they could store their personal belongings. Their furniture even remained in the apartment.

Richard slightly lifts up the window's shade and glances at the expanse of water that stretches as far as the eye can see. He taps on his small personal screen, looking for the flight information page. Right now, they are flying half-way above the Atlantic Ocean. Richard zooms in on the map until the blue area fills the entire window. All that's left is the plane's icon, waving left and right in the center of the monitor. This rectangle, a few hundred pixels wide, covers almost the entire ocean and yet, sitting comfortably in his seat, it is difficult for Richard to imagine how immense the blue sea is under him. As seen from his seat, how could he imagine all the marine life that is teeming beneath the seemingly calm azure curtain.

However, on the surface, the waves never find respite. Richard glances inside the plane. Everything is so quiet. Those who are not sleeping are watching a movie or reading. The quietness reminds Richard of previous trips. Flying has always had a special effect on him. The excitement of arriving at the terminal, the customs, the Duty-Free stores. The wait before boarding. The impatience. The coming and going and the distant sounds of the airport. Then the airplane's blasts on the tarmac and the hostess's welcoming words. Hands clutching the armrest, back pressed into the seat at take-off. Prayer that everything will go well. Then the bell ringing, marking the end of the ascent, the end of the ordeal. And again, the calm. The muffled hum of the turbines. The characteristic smell of the air in the pressurized cabin of the plane.

And always, the sleep mask and the luxury goods magazines, the little plastic helmet folded in a bag. Richard tilts his gaze to Olga. Of all of them, she is undoubtedly the most peaceful. Her sleepy, tender face, free of all contractions, rests limply on the young man's shoulder. Her pale pink complexion contrasts with the small freckles that stain her cheekbones and nose. A thin lock of her wavy hair is caught at the corner of her lips. She breathes so softly, he can barely hear her. Her hands rest one on top of the other against her stomach. Richard wants to squeeze them but refrains, fearing to wake her up. Instead, he finds a movie and rests his head against his girlfriend's.

A little over an hour goes by and the mushy plot of the movie Richard has unearthed from the company's blockbusters and romantic comedies catalog takes a decidedly unexpected turn. Richard feels a slight movement on his shoulder. It's Olga awaking from her long nap. An urge must have woken her up because, once her eyes are able to see Richard's screen, she leans towards him, removing his earpiece.

-- Richard, you're watching a romantic comedy and you didn't even wake me up.

-- I didn't know you liked the genre! Is this new? he questions, a little confused.

-- No, but you can plug two headphones on the same screen! Do you realize that? We can watch the movie at the same time! she says in a falsely naive tone. I want to laugh at their heartbreaking love stories with you! she mumbles plaintively.

-- Plug in your headphones then, Richard says. But be careful, this is very serious. Hardin just found Robert's phone number in Tessa's things and he took it very hard. The situation is very tense, I don't intend to laugh at all, he says, hardly containing his sarcasm.

By way of answer, Olga grants him with a big amused smile and snuggles back against his shoulder.

-- Then I'm ready, Richard.