I locked the door behind us. She looked at the closed door and stood there for a minute. I told her,”Let’s go.” She stood there like a statue. I tried to push her but she stood there like she was glued to the ground. I was pulling her hand towards the elevator but she wanted to take the stairs down. I did not say anything. It seemed like she wanted to spend the extra minute with me…I went to the front desk. I gave my vouchers and was given a clean bill. I did not owe any money. The Iraqi Airways paid the bill. I thanked the front desk clerk for their hospitality for last few days.

I told her to let her husband know the time of arrival in New York. In last few days I told her to call him because I knew he would be worried to death but she never wanted to call him. I told her that he might be worried but she said that she would call later but that later never came. So I bought a telephone card from the newsstand and told her to call. She did not want to but I dialed the number for her ..When he picked up the phone I promptly gave it to her. She told him the time of arrival.

I could feel that he was asking why she didn’t call earlier. She said that she was OK with a Bangladeshi family who was also stranded in the same hotel. She hung up the phone. I was relieved that her husband will be there to pick her up.

We came outside. The temperature was about 80 degree I assumed but with no humidity…I was looking for the Taxi driver I took few times. The driver saw us and came running to us. I asked the doorman if we could get a ride to the airport with the taxi driver. But he told us that Iraqi Airways arranged a car for us and it was already waiting for us to take us to the airport.

I felt bad for the Taxi Driver. I tried to give him some money but he politely refused to take the money as he did not do any service to us. I was very happy by his morality.

We came to the Muscat Airport. We went to the Iraqi Airways and they took us to the Gulf Air counter. The Iraqi Airways people did everything and I would say beyond their means to help our journey. I was surprised to see that the whole airport was almost empty. There were very few passengers. The situation was kind of gloomy. I could feel that there was something going on.

I asked the ticket agent if the plane was full. The ticket agent started to smile. He told me that there were only 13 passengers besides us. So only 15 passengers were flying in that plane as the whole Middle East literally stopped flying since the War started 5 days before.

I asked the ticket agent to give us a better seat where no one will disturb us as we were newly wed. He gave us a seat far away from anyone but he suggested us to tell the Air Hostess and he was sure that she would help us further. The agent wrote something in Arabic in a small piece of paper and told me to give the air hostess as soon as we got on to the plane. I thanked him and the Iraqi Airways person who helped us.

We were walking towards the gate. She was looking behind as if she was leaving her heart behind…I was pulling her ..We had two small suitcases. Finally after the immigration and custom checking we reached the plane. I handed over the boarding passes for both of us. Before she showed us our seat. I gave that paper to the Air Hostess. She gave us a mischievous smile and told us to wait, she went inside. I was wondering what was written on that paper, she asked me if I had any thought. The air hostess came back within two minutes and told us to follow her.

We were brought in to the First Class. I was surprised. She had no idea about the First Class Cabin. There was not even a single passenger in the First Class. The Air Hostess told us to enjoy and take any seat we wanted. I thanked that ticket agent. The whole First Class did not have any passenger. It was so quiet that it was kind of scary..
She was so happy that she just grabbed my hands…

The plane left for London. The Pilot announced that the flight will go to New York. There will be a short one hour stopover in London and then we would fly for New York. The flying time from Muscat to London would be about 9 hours.

I told her that most probably we were safe to be in the First Class till the end as we did not have to change the plane. But to double check if London to New York was safe. I asked the Air Hostess. She understood exactly what I was trying to say. She told me not to worry as she would make sure no one disturbs us, the Love-Birds as she called us even in the London – New York bound flight. I thanked her and she told us to take advantage of the empty room. I smiled at her and she just winked at me. Again….!

I did not realize she saw the wink by the Air Hostess. So she asked me what she meant. I told her that she meant to love you more..

We were treated like a royalty. The Pilot came to see us and I was so surprised by that…He was a very nice gentleman. He asked me if he could make our journey more enjoyable and I should not hesitate to let him know. That flight was more than 10 years before the 9/11 so things were easier then than now…I thanked him for his hospitality. ..I was wondering what was written on that little piece of paper by the agent. I called the Air Hostess and asked her why the Pilot wanted to see us and if it was possible to tell us what did the Ticket Agent wrote on that paper.

The Air Hostess started to laugh, finally she told me that it was written on that paper was that we came from a very high family in Bangladesh…and we should be treated like that in our plane. It was also written that we were newlywed and we should be given privacy. The Air Hostess looked at her and gave her a complement for her looks and outfit.

There was lot of food, even alcoholic drinks but I never touched any alcohol and neither did she…The Air Hostess served the best of the food…After the meal, she came back again and dimmed the light inside of the room and told us if we want we could take a nap. And she did not forget to mention to me that the seat was big enough for both of us. And it came with that wink…

I did not have word for that wink…I lay down on the fully reclined seat. I whispered in her air that we would make love..she blushed..her innocent face looked like a red ball. I grabbed her and pulled her towards me. She was not ready for that so she fell on top of me. I grabbed her..the seat was big enough for two people as the hostess told me.
I hold her tight ..she was on top of me..slowly she fell in sleep on my hand..so did I..

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