I thought my big business trip to Los Angeles would be just another day, until a cryptic request from the pilot made me question everything I knew about my past. The truth he shared would change my future in ways I never imagined.
My flight to Los Angeles was supposed to go smoothly, but what happened during that two-hour journey changed my life forever. But before I tell you about it, let me tell you why I had to get to Los Angeles that day.
So, I work as an architect for a well-known construction firm, and it’s my dream job. Let me tell you, it wasn’t luck that got me here. It was my hard work and all those sleepless nights I spent in college perfecting my skills and learning new concepts.
Recently, my boss gave me the opportunity to present a big project to some of our top investors in Los Angeles.
It was a big deal because it could lead to a long-awaited promotion, so I gladly accepted.
Honestly, I was so grateful for it because it was also a chance to make my mum, Melissa, proud of me. She’s my best friend, and that’s mostly because she raised me in a single-parent family. She told me that my father passed away before I was born, but she never stopped me from pursuing my dreams. My mum was always there to support me and I love her for that.
When I told her about the meeting in Los Angeles, she gave me a hug and said: ‘Go get them, honey! I will pray for you.’
The time at the airport flew by and soon I was comfortably seated on the plane, ready for takeoff. The flight attendants were so friendly and I was lucky to have an empty seat next to me!
As the plane started to gain altitude, I couldn’t help but feel excited. I had prepared well for my presentation and hoped that the investors would like it.
A few minutes into the flight, a friendly flight attendant named Bethany approached me with a tray of drinks.
‘Can I get you something to drink?’ – She asked with a smile.
‘Just orange juice, please,’ I replied, raising my hand to accept the glass. As she did so, Bethany glanced at the birthmark on my wrist.
‘Excuse me, could you give me your passport?’ – she asked abruptly.
Strange, I thought.
Confused, but not wanting to argue, I handed it over. Bethany looked it over carefully and nodded.
‘Just a standard protocol check. Thanks!’
Sounds cool.
After a while, Bethany returned to my seat.
‘Excuse me, are you going to take your time after boarding?’ – She asked.
‘Yeah, I have a connecting flight to catch and I’m already running late,’ I explained, subconsciously clenching my hands into fists.
‘Well, the pilot wants to talk to you after we land.’
‘The pilot?’ I asked. ‘Why? Can’t he talk to me now?’
‘I’m afraid not,’ Bethany replied seriously. ‘He wants to talk to you in person. I know you’re in a hurry, but trust me, you’ll want to hear this. You’ll regret it if you don’t.’
I sat there in utter bewilderment.
What exactly was the pilot supposed to tell me? And why did it have to be only after we landed? My important meeting was hanging in the balance, and I didn’t want to risk being late for docking. But Bethany’s insistence made me feel like it was something important.
When the plane landed and the other passengers began to disembark, I pulled myself together and waited patiently for the pilot to approach.
When the cabin was finally empty, a tall man with grey hair entered, and his gaze immediately stopped on me.
At that moment I literally dropped my bag and jacket. My jaw almost hit the floor, because I could have sworn I’d seen this man before.
I instantly recognised him from the old photos my mum used to show me. It was Steve, her childhood friend.
But the man didn’t look happy to see me.
Tears were streaming down his face and he hugged me tightly. I stood there completely bewildered and he sobbed on my shoulder.
‘What’s going on?’ I asked in a trembling voice. ‘What’s wrong?’
He pulled away, looking at me with reddened eyes. Then he gently took my hand and showed me the mole on his wrist. It completely matched the one on mine.
‘Courtney,’ he said, panting, ’I’m your father.
‘Wait, what?’ I looked at him wide-eyed. ‘My dad? But Mum said…’
Why did my mum lie to me, I thought. Why didn’t she ever tell me that Steve was my father?
‘I don’t know what Melissa told you, Courtney, but it’s true,’ Steve continued. She suddenly disappeared from my life when I was about to enter aviation school.’
‘She didn’t even tell me she was pregnant… I… I found out through a friend, but that was years after you were born.
At that moment, all I wanted to do was talk to my mum. I wanted to find out why she’d left Steve. I wanted to know why she kept everything from me.
I immediately pulled out my phone and called her.
‘Mum, why didn’t you ever tell me about Steve?’ I demanded as soon as she answered. I put it on speaker so Steve could hear. ‘Why did you keep it from me?’