Awakening Hearts

Chapter 4: BARON

"Boredom is a disease"

I looked out the window of this private plane.  It was a cold morning and I'd flown direct from China to Wellington in the early hours. We were less than an hour from our destination and I felt tired. It had been a long week of negotiations and our technology was ready to be distributed on the Asian market. I looked up from the laptop and rubbed my eyes with the pads of my fingertips.  The words were starting to blur.  I was about to get up when the stewardess came toward me.

"Are you ok Sir? Can I get you anything?"

She smiled at me with her red lips and one eyebrow raised.  Her teeth were so white they glistened against the red backdrop.  Her eyelashes dropped and partially covered her green irises. I gave her a quick once over.

"I'll have an Americano thanks Andrea.  Black and strong."

I inhaled and returned my attention to the laptop.

"Anything else.  Sir?"

I shook my head without looking up.  I wasn't in the mood to take what she was offering and she was offering.  I'd examined Andrea intimately before.  Many times.  But the old saying,  familiarity breeds contempt was true in this case.    She gave it up too easy these days and I preferred to be the hunter not the hunted.

The smell of coffee wafted to my nose. Nothing like a good coffee to flush away the doldrums.  A memory flashed through my mind and I paused.  One of a place I spent during my high school years and of a woman as old as my mother who owned it. Her indomitable character left a lasting impression and entertained my young self when life seemed dull.  High school.  Shit, that was over a decade ago and my mind ignored the sentimentality of that time. It'd been a while since I'd been to Doris's and she had a way of talking that made you dive deep.  I made a mental note to stop by the diner on the way home today.  Doris liked Chinese ginseng tea.  I thought of the package stowed away in my luggage along with the gifts for my mother and father.

"Mr Tao, the pilot is circling Wellington airport and we're approaching the runway Sir.  Would you like me to buckle you in?"

I raised my eyes and a face appeared right in front of mine with a full cleavage on show .  Andrea's red lips puckered when she finished her sentence.  I pushed my laptop aside which caused Andrea to stand up quickly.  I buckled myself in.

"I got it Andrea," I replied in clipped tones.  The lines on my forehead deepened as I frowned.

"Yes you do Sir, you do have it."

I grunted.  When will this women learn that less is more.  Less is fucking more.  I was quickly losing my patience and the breath I forced out through my nose must've registered.  When I finally lifted my head, I was alone once more.   I gripped the hand rest as the pilot descended the plane and I felt the jolt as the wheels hit the tarmac.  It doesn't matter how many times I fly, I will never get used to the feeling of the plane landing. The jarring in my teeth a reminder of why I don't like it.

"Welcome home Sir.  I hope you had a good flight.  The weather will be in the high tens today."

The pilots voice echoed over the speaker, his deep voice calming the edges.  I soon forgot the landing and my mind turned to work.

"One of the airport staff will be waiting to escort you and your luggage directly to immigration.  Thank you for flying with Conway's.  Enjoy your day Sir."

I stood up with my phone in hand and called my personal assistant.

'Rodney, I'll be through customs in less than fifteen."

I hung up before he replied.  Time is currency and currency is the essence of my life.  I pick up my light weight coat and put it on.  The door of the plane opened and with my briefcase in one hand I walked toward the entrance and stood there.  The streak of reds and oranges through the dawning day greeted me.  Wellington weather was like an unfettered horse.  Some days it was wild windy and wet, other days the blue sky reined over the city making you forget there was ever a thing called rain.  I loved this city and it's diversity.  There was no other place in the world I wanted to live.

I walked down the steps and my shoes hit the asphalt.  There were other planes disembarking and I could see people walking along the tunnels.  Airport personnel were moving about in their florescent clothing like bees buzzing around a hive. Ahead I see a woman wearing a dark blue fitted skirt with a white blouse.  It seemed like the standard uniform but she wore it with class and I noticed long legs with feet encased in high heels that made my eyes follow the line of her leg upward.  Around her neck hung a badge that clearly identified her as airport personnel.

"Mr Tao.  Welcome to Wellington Airport.  My name is Shaniqua.  I'll be your guide through immigration.  If you'll follow me, I'll take you to our VIP waiting room where one of our immigration staff will check your passport and luggage."

She smiled and beckoned to me.  I raised my eyebrows.  Her voice was deep and masculine.  Such a contrast from her pretty face and feminine image.  I nodded and followed her, admiring her womanly form from behind.  There was a moment of silence as we walked through doors and down passageways.  My eyes adjusted easily to the low light.  Then the sound of our footsteps echoed off the walls as we went from carpet to tile and Shaniqua stopped in front of a large blue door and opened it.  A rash of noise reached me and it was as if the world came alive as a crowd of voices gathered in the air. 

Shaniqua stopped in the middle of the room and turned to me.

"Mr Toa, if you'll take a seat, someone will be with you shortly.  Ok?"

Her eyebrows raised in expectancy and I nodded in agreement.  I looked around the creamy coloured room, a change from the stark white of most airport waiting areas and sat down in one of the three leather lounge chairs placed at right angles of each other.  I leaned back and noted how comfortable the seat was and my body began to relax.  I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked for messages.  None were important, so I sent a quick text off to my parents, letting them know I had arrived and I'd stop by the house today.  No sooner had I sent the message when my phone rang.  I peered at the screen.  It was my mother, Lily Ling.

"Wei, Mama", I smiled as I answered.

"Baron, you're back! What time will you be at home son?" her warm voice like cream soaked oatmeal.

"I'm not sure Ma but I'll message you when I'm on my way.  I have a few things to do at the office."

"You know I miss you so make sure you stay longer than thirty minutes this time.   Your father will be happy to see you too."

"You always say that Ma but I'm sure Pa will be just as eager to see my back walking out the door."

"Hush with that nonsense.  You know your father is proud of you even though you both act as if you couldn't care less."

"Ma ..."

"Baron.  I miss my son and I want to see him, so make sure you arrive at a decent time.  No excuses."
"Ok Ma.  I have to go.  I'm still at the airport."

"Love you Baron."

The phone went quiet on the other end so I hung up.  I sighed and thought of my father.  He had quite a story and it had an impact on my life.  Some might think his presence throughout my growing years was divine intervention, but I viewed it as interference.  My mother is Chinese. She taught me to think and act independently.  If I fell over, I picked myself up and moved on.  But my father, well, anyone who laid a finger on me, dad thought he or she should be taught a lesson.  So I grew up learning to use words as a weapon thanks to my mother and my fists as armour compliments of my father.  Sure I'm grateful that I can defend myself but if my father wasn't Wiremu Heinrech Taonga then I would've been an ordinary kid growing up in a multi-cultural home.

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