by Glen Johnson
“I got the job,” she said as she was nestled against his neck, breathing in his musky scent.
“Really? That’s, um, great news.”
Jenny stood back again.
Here we go; Jenny thought. She knew he wouldn’t be able to congratulate her; he would have to have a dig.
“But you know you don’t have to work.”
“I know. I know. We have been through this already,” Jenny said with a long inner sigh.
They had argued for weeks when she first stated she wanted to get a job. “Sitting around the apartment is driving me crazy,” she had told him. He stated, “If they were still living with his family, she would have someone to talk to.” And so it went, back and forth for weeks. He eventually gave in, saying she could look for a job. This started more arguing, as she stated she didn’t need his permission.
Luciano put his hands up in an, I surrender, gesture.
“When do you start?”
“Tomorrow. I go in for a little refresher training, and then fly mere hours later.”
“Tomorrow! That was fast.” Luciano had his arms crossed.
“It’s what I want. We have been over all of this already.” Jenny said, while hitching her bag up over her shoulder, then crossing her arms as well.
Luciano realized he was on the losing end of the conversation.
“You’re right bambina. I just want you to be happy.” He took a step closer and hugged her again. He could feel the tension leave her body as she relaxed into his hold.
“I’m going to go home and unwind for a bit.”
Luciano looked away to some commotion to their left. He seemed like he had run out of things to say and was just waiting to get back to work.
Jenny noticed his distant look.
“I will let you get back to work.” She drained the rest of her lemonade.
“When will you be home?” She asked looking at the floor.
“Same as normal,” he stated.
Paulo came bounding over with another busboy at his heals. Both were arguing.
Luciano turned to give them his attention.
“Just make sure you wake me in the morning before you leave for work.”
“I will. I will,” Luciano said over his shoulder as he tried to usher the two arguing busboys into the kitchen away from the customers.
Jenny said tchau to Silvio and Cassia as she left. Silvio just nodded as he was giving change to an older man, and Cassia waved bye as she was seating a couple.
Jenny walked along the cobble stoned streets, past all the market stalls and sellers screaming their wares. Along past all the bright and colourful shop fronts, with older citizens sat on white benches against the walls. Cars whizzed past at neck breaking speed, with horns blaring. The sun beat down, and sucked all the moisture from the air.
Jenny felt annoyed that Luciano hadn’t been more upbeat about everything.
He will get used to the idea; she thought. Not that it matters, it’s not as if I ever get to see him anyway.
She walked past the Historical Museum of Mato Grosso. She had been to all sixteen of Cuiabá’s museums – some twice. She considered going in, as she walked past the peach coloured building, to take her mind off everything. Maybe some other time. I need to sort out what I am going to wear.
*
The night was uneventful.
Luciano didn’t arrive home early to have a few extra hours with her, to celebrate the news. In fact, she wasn’t sure if he came home at all. He didn’t wake her when he got into bed, or before he left in the morning.
He’s probably forgotten what I told him, she reasoned. However, she knew she has made up too many excuses for him lately.
Jenny understood when she wandered into the small front room and saw her mobile had a text message.
Cannot make it 2night. Paulo quit. C u 2morrow night. Will sleep here.
That was it, a vague text, without even one single loving X. For a moment she pondered on whether she was being childish, expecting more attention than she deserved. Until she noticed the time, 7:44 PM.
He could have rung, but hadn’t bothered.
Jenny was on the phone with her mother for two hours, telling her the good news. There was only a four-hour time difference, so when she phoned her at 5 PM it was 1 PM in England.
Luciano used to encourage her chats with her mother, because she missed her so much. But lately he has complained about the expense, even asking why her mother never phoned her?
How things quickly change. Love is soon replaced with indifference.
Jenny didn’t want to spoil her phone calls with her mother, so she never told her what was really going on. She made out everything was perfect. A perfect relationship. A perfect home. A perfect country. She realized she had become the perfect liar.
The only problem was; her mother had sold her house in England and was moving over.
Maybe, in all the excitement, and the fact everything around her will be new, she won’t notice.
She knew she was kidding herself. Jenny knew her mother would know something was wrong the instant she saw her face.
Maybe Luciano will pretend to be nicer when mum arrives. He may even take time off to show her around.
When Jenny had first arrived, he had taken months off work to show her his country. He was so proud to be Brazilian.
However, I doubt he would do that for his future mother-in-law. Does he even want me as his wife anymore? She found these thoughts crossing her mind more often of late.
Jenny stood in the small kitchen making toast, to go along with her strong, black coffee.
I know he works hard. He has a lot to live up to. Even so, do I want to become just an afterthought? Someone he comes home to if he has time left at the end of the day.
Jenny wished she had the answers.
Life can be so complicated sometime. I live the perfect life. I don’t have to work. I live in a beautiful, hot country. I have everything I need, and yet something is missing. I’m not happy.
She might have even considered going back to England, if her mother hadn’t sold the house and was going through the final stages of moving over to join her.
Jesus I’ve fucked everything up. She rubbed her hand down her face. Love has a lot to answer for. Love! She gave a grunt. She curled her hair up and tossed it over her shoulder.
The coffee was too strong; she thought it would do her some good for the day ahead – keep her sharp. She poured it away and had her normal glass of fresh orange juice.
She was debating whether to phone Luciano and ask him to wish her luck, but she just couldn’t be bothered with running around trying to get any kind of attention from him. It’s obvious what’s more important in his life – work!
Jenny looked at the clock hung by the bathroom door; it was 7:36 AM.
Time to get ready and head out.
*
Jenny could drive but wouldn’t dream of trying to navigate the roads. Brazilians are crazy drivers. They ignore all road signs and lights and drive as if the Devil was at their backs. Even zebra crossings were just lines on the ground; they meant nothing to the drivers, and only a suicidal person would consider using them.
Therefore, she found herself in the back of a yellow taxi with the blue stripe down the side, with the air-con cranked right up.
Jenny was nervous and had changed her outfit four times before going with a cream blouse with cream trousers, matching her heels – she also had flats in her bag.
The taxi was waved through the Green Gate; the guard on duty looked hot and bothered, and couldn’t be bothered with checking IDs.
Jenny stood starring up at hanger seventeen, situated on the edge of Marechal Rondon International Airport, as the taxi drove away.
She looked around. The place look deserted. She pulled the notebook from her purse to check she had the right address and time. 10 AM Mr. Dias said. It was 9:55 AM.
“Boa tarde! Senhorita. Clark. Como vai!”
T
here was a man of about twenty-five years of age dressed in an oily boiler suit. She gave one more look around, and headed towards the waving man.
As she approached, she saw he was wiping his hands on an even oilier cloth.
“Obrigada,” Jenny replied.
He swapped to accented English. “Miss. Clark, I would shake hands, but alas...” He held up his dirty hands.
Jenny stood like a statue.
“I’m sorry; I haven’t introduced myself; I am Eduardo, Mr. Dias’ son.”
Jenny relaxed. “Good to meet you Mr. Dias,” she said with a smile.
“Please, it’s just Eduardo,” he relied with a smile in return.
“Please, come in.” He stood aside so she could enter the hanger through a small side door.
“There’s our beauty!” Eduardo spread his hands.
The hanger was filled with the large British HS748. The underside was slate grey with a brilliant white top, and a strip of forest green running along with the window inset inside. A small Brazilian flag sat at the end of the company name, Maravilhoso Aéreas, which was bright yellow. The bulky turboprop engines jutted out over the wings. The large blades rose higher than the top of the plane. The boarding ladder was down, just next to the massive tail fin.
There was one other man over on the far side, clanking tools around. He didn’t look over.
“Am I too early?” Jenny was confused at how empty and deserted everything looked. She was starting to get a bad feeling.
“No, no. Perfect timing.” Eduardo smiled again, displaying a set of perfect white teeth.
Jenny noticed how the boiler suit fitted snuggly over his muscular body.
Why are all Brazilian men so hot?
“We were just giving the Lady one final check over.” More hand wiping. “Father will be here soon.”
A light tapping echoed off the door they had just entered.
“Ah, that will be Amélia.” Eduardo strode to the door.
Jenny continued to look around, as Mr. Dias’ son welcomed another woman into the hanger.
Amélia was the other airhostess, or cabin crew, as the new PC name stated. Amélia only spoke a few words of English. She shook hands and smiled a lot as they were introduced.
Jenny noticed how strikingly beautiful Amélia was. Stunning! She thought to herself. Even Eduardo kept giving her sideways glances. She could have been Miss. Brazil.
They were led to a small office, where Eduardo stated his father would be along shortly.
Jenny could see Eduardo and the other man checking the tyres, through the office’s large window. She was just studying the way Eduardo’s body moved under the boiler suit when Mr. Dias entered.
“Miss. Clark. Senorita. Rocha.” He shook both their hands. He took his seat behind the desk. It didn’t look like the office was his; it wasn’t refined enough. She got the impression that the room was smelly and too dirty for his tastes. His perfect, pinstriped suit looked out of place in the worn room.
Mr. Dias went on to state what the day held for them both.
Two busloads of customers would be arriving in just over three hours, at 1 PM. The passengers were performers flying to the Rio De Janeiro Festival, which took place in four days time, just under a thousand miles away. They would land in Rio’s Santos Dumont Airport.
It was a tester flight, to check all systems worked properly, with a full compliment of passengers and baggage. The customers were told it was a maiden, test flight, and that was why the tickets were so cheap. The performers snatched up the offer.
Mr. Dias told them they would be measured up for their uniforms when they returned that evening. Their clothing was tasteful and perfect for the maiden flight he announced. If everything went according to plan, their bank account details would be taken for future payroll transactions. This was a hands-on job evaluation.
He stated they would give the plane a preflight check, and give it a once over preflight clean inside.
Mr. Dias also announced that he was the pilot and his son Eduardo was the copilot.
He then excused himself, stating he had to go over flight plans and other details with the flight tower.
Jenny and Amélia left the office to prepare the plane.
*
At 12:45 PM, the two airhostesses welcomed the passengers on board. The vast hanger door was rolled to one side, allowing the passengers to exit the two coaches and walk to the plane.
Jenny stood halfway between the coach and plane, welcoming the passengers and asking them to place their luggage on the prepared loading cart, and to take their carry-on with them.
Amélia stood inside the door, welcoming them again and herding them to their seats.
Within half an hour, the coaches had pulled away, and the main door to the plane closed. Mr. Dias and his son had changed and were in the cockpit, with the other man – who had been in the hanger earlier – filling the hold with the luggage.
Everything was moving so fast, Jenny had not been given any refresher courses, as Mr. Dias had stated.
Perhaps once the maiden flight is over, I will receive some. Or maybe because of my experience he thinks I don’t need any?
Jenny stood halfway down the plane, with Amélia at the front. A Brazilian voice was giving safety instructions over the speakers.
She had worked for large, multinational airlines and was used to certain procedures. Because it was a short flight, there was no food to dispense or sort out at the beginning of the flight. There weren’t even any drinks available, only what the passengers brought with them.
They still did the headcount to check all were on board though. Mr. Dias had even stepped out of the cockpit to ask if everyone was present.
Jenny went through the motions of the preflight safety check.
The voice thanked them for flying on the HS748, and stated that in their seat pocket was a safely card. There wasn’t Jenny noticed earlier. Mr. Dias said they were being printed.
The voice announced the exits, with Jenny motioning to them. Most people were chatting excitedly, ignoring the safety advice.
The voice mentioned the oxygen masks, with Jenny pulling one over her head to show the procedure. The safety list was complete, and the voice told everyone to have a safe flight.
The plane was now taxing along the single airstrip, heading towards the final takeoff.
With one last walk up and down the aisle, checking all seatbelts were secure, and bags stowed properly, Jenny took her seat at the front, outside the cockpit.
Different, and easy. More relaxed, she found herself thinking. If every flight was like this, she decided, I think I will enjoy working for Mr. Dias.
The plane taxied down the runway, then started to pick up speed, as the massive turboprop engines kicked up a notch. The G-force pushed Jenny back into her seat.
The plane gracefully rose up into the perfect Brazilian blue sky, without one single cloud in sight.
A perfect takeoff.
The perfect job.
A light popped on, accompanied by a pinging sound, announcing seatbelts could be removed.
Instantly the occupants of the plane started moving. Seatbelts unclipped and conversations started up. People started walking about, using the toilet or wandering to chat with friends.
Jenny wasn’t used to seeing so many people leaving their seating all at once. She was used to the quiet British, who would remain seated unless they had to move. Here, the Brazilians seemed to have to keep moving.
An announcement stated the flight would be just over an hour, because of favorable winds.
With no food trolley or drinks cart to roll up and down the thin aisle; Jenny was a little confused as to what she had to do, and even wondered why two-cabin crew were needed?
No one seemed to need anything. No little lights flashed on the board to announce someone required help.
Jenny stood inside the small crew area, just before the pilot’s cabin, listening to the hubbub of white noise rolling up and down the
plane.
She had been informed that the passengers were all performers; the fifty-eight men and women would perform in the carnival, representing the city of Cuiabá.
Jenny marvelled at all the young performers. Not one looked older than twenty-five. All had perfect bodies. It was if they were all flying to a beauty pageant or photo shoot.
She found out, by talking to a young female, who was waiting to use the toilet, that they had to be there to meet in the Avenida Presidente Vargas, for the opening ceremony, when the city’s mayor crowned the Carnival King, or Momo as they called him, whereupon the Momo would receive the keys to the city.
The thin, strikingly beautiful, lithe woman told her there were four different parades, on the day they were performing, and that they were in the third. Each one was eighty minutes long, and they weren’t allowed to over run their particular time slot. However, before she could describe anything else, the toilet became free, and she dived inside.
With no one needing anything, Jenny simply walked up and down the plane, asking if everything was okay.
There were no problems; everyone seemed happy and lively.
With everything going according to plan, Jenny decided to take a few minutes to use the toilet herself. She informed Amélia, and then headed for the toilet.
There were only two toilet cubicles on the medium-sized plane, just next to the cabin crew area.
After securing the door, Jenny pulled down her trousers and sat on the stainless steel seat. There was a lot of banging going on through the wall. It sounded like a couple was trying out for the Mile High Club.
Jenny had to smile. On the way over to Brazil for the first time, she had tried it with Luciano. The cubical was way too small, and laid out all wrong for sexual exploits. She had ended up with her knickers ripped, and banging her elbow and head. They had both left the cubical laughing, and bright red, when a little old lady gave them a smile and a knowing nod.
Suddenly, the banging was replaced with loud thuds, one after the other. Screaming issued for only a few seconds, as shouting echoed up and down the cabin, followed by more thuds.
What’s happening out there?
Jenny quickly sorted herself out, with shaking hands.