Time: Present Day

Location: Paris, France

On the plane Mal was twitching uncomfortably as he sat next to Layla. Two sets of eyes were drilling into him from behind. He turned around to see Amanda giving him a disapproving stare from two rows back. He didn't see Carter giving him the eye from the overhead locker above her head.

He would have been terribly amused to see another ghostly figure in white appear next to Carter and start to berate him for his attitude towards his best friend seeing what he had done to both him, and his now girlfriend.

"What's wrong?" Layla asked sleepily as she touched his hand under her rug on her knee,

"Can't you get to sleep?"

"No, it isn't that, it's Amanda. She's none too impressed that I'm coming with you. I can feel her eyes burning into the back of my head like the devil," he said, "and that's made me think more about Carter and what he would think if he were here, and could see us sneaking holding hands under a rug, and maybe even sneaking off to the toilet together," Mal said hopefully.

Layla smiled at him, she loved his sense of humour, especially in times of adversity l like this. He had the happy knack of making people feel better when they were down for the count,

"So you want to join the mile high club eh? I think you should, it's fun. I've been a member for years," she teased him. "I tell you what, since you're so interested in what Amanda thinks, why don't you keep an eye on her, and when she falls asleep, if you pick me up and carry me back down the corridor, I'll sign you in." She squeezed his hand so hard he whimpered.

"Ouch, what was that for?" he complained.

"Didn't I tell you, I can read minds, you naughty boy, but only feeble ones it seems." She nuzzled into him and said, "Nightie night, sweet dreams."

"Good night Darling," he whispered in her ear. "I hope she doesn't suffer from insomnia!" She looked up into his beautiful kind eyes, "Me too."

Teacher said to Carter, "See, they are in love, Carter, so what are you going to do about that?What are you going to do about your mother and her attitude to them. You need to fix this. Can you not see, this is a small step in your advancement but an important one. It involves kindness as well as sacrifice. They should not have to feel bad about such a beautiful relationship which has flourished, now that you are not interfering with it. Now, you need to stop your mother interfering with it."

"Which one?" Carter said sarcastically.

"You know which one, Amanda of course. You know already that Amelia approves."

"I don't know how I can fix this even if I wanted to, and I don't. If Layla could see me now she would forget about Mal in an instant. She loved . . . me!"

"Did she? Did she really, Carter? Perhaps, but did you love her? Really love her, not lust her. I'm not so sure, even now."

"Okay, okay, I get it. I didn't have a great track record with women, but Layla was different, with her I changed."

Was she? Did you, Carter Cheval? We shall see. As for how to fix this, you will know when, as you put it, the time comes." Teacher smiled and was gone. Carter saw that Amanda was starting to fall asleep, he had to keep her awake.

Mal looked back and saw his chance. He swept Layla up in his arms, blanket and all, and proceeded to carry her down the aisle. When he got to Amanda's row he gingerly made sure that Layla's tiny feet didn't knock anything on the way through. Despite his best endeavours a glass on the tray in front of Amamda went flying and clunked against the metal support for the aisle seat.

"What the hell are you doing Mal?" Amanda asked sitting up abruptly.

"Er, well, Layla was ill, not feeling at all well. The stewardess thought it might be better if she moved to the back of the plane, more air," he lied.

Just then Layla woke up, "Are you not well Layla?", Amanda asked her. Layla looked a bit bewilded then she noticed Mal nodding out of the corner of her eye. "That's right, not feeling good, need to get to the loo, sorry, now Mal, please." Mal breathed a sigh of relief and swung her legs in front of him and raced down the aisle to the toilets.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Amanda shouted after them.

"No, no, that won't be necessary..you go back to sleep. Mal's got this, haven't you, Mal?" she replied.

"Shit, I mean, yes, all under control, thanks Amanda," Mal said as he slid her to her feet and into the toilet cubicle. He wondered if it was so difficult for everyone trying to join the mile high club. He guessed it was.

He locked the door, turned around to see she had already slid her panties down and placed them in the small basin. It only took them a few minutes to join the club.

Amanda wondered what was so funny back there with all the giggling.

They went back to their seats just in time to prepare for landing.

They were relieved at the airport that Amanda was too preoccupied in receiving and extending condolences and kisses from her aunties to inquire about Layla and Mal's sleeping arrangements.

They agreed to meet in the morning, at the scheduled media conference concerning the high profile accident.

Chapter 53 - Together in Paris.

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