Flight Deck

Flight Deck is a place where the flight crew of an airliner sit while flying the aircraft; also known as the cockpit.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

2026. City of Makati.

Hindi ko inisip sa buong buhay ko na makakapasok ako sa Manila Polo Club. Ni hindi ko rin inisip na tunay akong makakapasok sa loob ng Forbes Park, at inisip ko na mapapadaan lang ako sa labas patungong BGC at Ayala. Pero ito ako ngayon. Kanina sa Sanctuario de San Antonio, ngayon naman sa Manila Polo Club.

Yeah, right. Pang-mayaman na event.

Huminga ako ng malalim at sinuring maigi na maayos ang aking buhok at damit bago ko kinuha sa bag ko ang maliit na pouch na naglalaman ng foundation at lipstick. Noong natapos naman ako ay bumalik na ako patungo sa table na naka-assign sa amin.

It had been almost two years since nagkita ulit kami ni Sage dahil sa isang Venus Match na nag-sabing ninety-nine percent compatible kami sa isa't isa. Hindi pa talaga kami magkikita ulit kung hindi dahil kay Mika, ka-trabaho ko as an air traffic controller and best friend ko, na nag-udyok sa akin na subukan; at si Sage naman na naghahanap at gumagala lang doon sa app para makahanap ng hook-up. What happens next for us to end up together—still together—is a grand twist of fate, indeed.

After all, the whirlwind that happened dahil doon sa app na iyon, hindi ko kinoconsider na noteworthy at all. What happened afterwards practically led us here now.

The reception for today's event is set conventionally at the Banyan Garden. For a February outdoor venue, hindi siya masyadong mainit and the old tree that serves as backdrop gives good cover from the heat. It is a change of scenery compared to the usual closed and air conditioned settings, and since Manila Polo Club nga eh... it is intimate and soothing as some oasis of green and quietness away from the city traffic and noise. The hanging capiz lantern and Christmas lights on the tree's branches will certainly make the place much dreamy and magical at night.

Hindi pa ako nakakarating sa pinaka-table namin noong napatigil ako kaagad sa nakita ko. Sage is laughing nervously and swaying like an idiot, all the while holding a baby. And from what I can see, the baby is just a few minutes away from bawling his eyes out.

Noong sinabihan ako ni Sage na we're going to attend a christening, kaagad kong tanong is kailan at saan. Coincidentally that it is set on the fourteenth of February and sa Manila Polo Club pa nga. And okay lang sa akin, since hindi lang naman tuwing Valentine's Day pwede kami mag-date... after our history with dates. To be honest, mas kinabahan ako about the prospect that he'd been giddy like a child to be considered as a godparent...

Because even he can act childish in times as this. Good Lord, hindi ko alam na paunahan din pala ang pagiging ninong!

And yes, he's that happy since siya lang daw sa batch niya ang pinili. After all, it had been a good call for the parents to choose within their own circle and also not too many.

"Kay ninong ka na ba sasama, hmm?" tanong ni Sage sa baby na akala mo namang makakasagot at may magagawa ngayon. "Takas na kita kay daddy at mommy mo, Vik, ha? Ba-bye na tayo sa kanila, oh."

Their small group among other guests, visibly seen to be composed of Sage and a few of his batchmates all the way from flying, chuckle and coo at the baby three seconds away from really crying out loud.

Three...

Sage has a light skip on his steps as he draws a little farther away from the group; the other's raising their hands in a wave.

Two...

Mister Nikolai Verano just scoffs and shakes his head.

One...

And the three-month-old baby finally cries, that even with all the soothing done by Sage, the infant is unrelenting.

Sumuko na rin kaagad si Sage; halata noong huminga siya ng malalim na kahit anong pagsuyo niya ay walang epekto. Kaya naman ay ibinigay niya ang sanggol sa ama nito. Mas magaling manghusga talaga ang mga bata, alam kaagad na nakakatakot si Sage.

Bahagya akong nasamid sa pagpipigil ko ng tawa.

Napansin naman ako ni Sage kaya pawang may sinabi muna sa mga kaibigan niya bago ako pinuntahan.

I clear my throat and look away from him with a smile as I take a new glass of water from a waiter who've just passed by me.

"Tama ba ang nakita ko na tinawanan mo ako kanina, hmm?" panunukso sa akin ni Sage at halata sa kanyang ngiti na talagang hindi niya ako tatantanan hanggang hindi ako umaamin.

"Kawawa kasi 'yong baby. Ang sad kapag umiiyak. Ang gwapong bata pa naman." I chuckle. "Tapos talagang sa dami-dami ng pwedeng maging ninong niya, nakakatakot pa 'yong napunta sa kanya."

"Nakakatakot ba ako?"

"Oo. Pinagdadasal ko talaga na hindi ka magiging bad influence sa inaanak mo."

"Magiging inaanak mo rin naman, 'di ba?" He reaches out for my hand and turns his attention somewhere else. When I follow his gaze, I notice that he's looking at where his godchild is.

Mister Verano had managed to calm down the baby, attentively coaxing the babe with a light rub on his back and whispering hush words with a small smile. He brought the baby to where his wife is, who instantly breaks away from a conversation with a group of women to take her child, excitedly cooing at the baby. And I know that anyone with eyes, whether they personally know or not the couple, just as I remain between being a friend and stranger of them, that they both fit the roles of parenthood.

Bahagya naman akong tumingin kay Sage at napansin kong nakangiti pa rin siya habang pinapanood sila. Napaisip naman ako kaagad kung bakit, at may isang tanong ang nangibabaw sa akin—Does Sage Nathaniel Martinez always like kids?

"What?" Napansin naman ni Sage na nakatitig ako sa kanya. "Tama naman ang sinabi ko, hindi ba? Ngayon, inaanak ko pa lang si Vik. Kapag nagpakasal tayo, inaanak mo na rin siya."

"Hindi ko alam na mahilig ka sa mga bata," kaagad kong sabi sa kanya.

"They're too much of a responsibility, but they are cute. I don't actually think fatherhood suits me. At least, not just yet," he remarks. "Vik is very much like a good combination of both Nikolai and Yumi, and knowing them two... Vik might have the best parents in the world. And also, I think I will not mind seeing a mixture of us both."

I lightly and embarrassingly punch his arm, causing him to fake the pain with a light laugh. My cheeks are certainly red. After all, among all people, it is the likes of Sage Nathaniel Martinez that I never think will have such a life-long dream as that. And be so open-minded about it, clearly the opposite of how he is when we've first known and reunited with one another.

Our relationship isn't like those of our close friends. I am a witness of it after the first event that he invited me to join him during Mister Verano and Miss Bonifacio's wedding, and here we are now, a year after, with their son's—Viktor Alexander Verano's—christening. Theirs is a fairytale one.

Ours isn't also like that of Mika and Kurtis's. I and Mika remained the best of friends despite my intention to pursue flying and resign as an air traffic controller; that's the very reason why when it had been my turn to invite Sage to their wedding, theirs is the power of soulmates joined by an app.

The same app that led me and Sage to meet one another, but not to be firmly together...

Sage and mine... Our story is much more of a risky experiment we've both decided to take together.

Pero along the way before this moment, alam ko na hindi lang ako ang nakakapansin na hindi na nagiging experimental ang lahat-lahat between the two of us. We started seeing each other eye-to-eye, and I am thankful to agree to be helped and guided by him.

"Kung magpropropose ako sa iyo ngayon dito, will you say 'yes'?" tanong ni Sage sa akin, out of the blue, about nine months ago noong tinuloy namin ang reservation namin for that misbooked date sa Blackbird. The date, eighth of May, also coincides to be a few days after ko makapag-Airbus A320 check, making me officially type-rated for such.

Muntikan ko na maibuga sa kanya ang iniinom kong wine noong tinanong niya iyon sa akin. Sigurado at seryoso ko naman siyang sinagot ng, "No! Sinong lalaki ang magpropropose ng ganyan?!"

He slowly breaks into a smile. "Ako. But tinitignan ko lang kung ano ang magiging reaction mo."

"Sage Nathaniel Martinez, kung magpropropose ka, magpropose ka na lang din kaagad," giit ko sa kanya. "'Wag mo na akong tanungin kung ano ang magiging sagot ko."

And shit, he did.

Hindi niya na ako tinanong or hinayaang magkaroon ng pakiramdam about his intentions for a proposal. He just dropped the question when we're both in New York, after enjoying some hearty breakfast doon sa sinabi niyang madalas niyang kainan, a year after we've started such roads of baring everything to one another and casting off whatever masks we might be wearing.

"Bago mo isipin iyon, ito muna ang seryosohin natin na ayusin," I remind him as I scramble for a bundle of small white envelopes from my bag. Roughly less than twenty, enough for him to hand out to each of his friends present. "Palitan muna natin last name ko bago natin isipin 'yang bagay na 'yan."

Sage laughs at that as he takes the envelopes.

They are actually not the wedding invitations, per se, but a save-the-date cards. Medyo nakakahiya na ibigay ang mga iyon today; but, as per Sage, ang daming nagpaparinig ng kasal within their circle ever since last month. That's why, ever since na nagawa naming makapag-print ng first batch ay sinigurado niyang maibibigay na rin namin kaagad ito.

Talk about the one who's really excited...

"Right. Sharing my name with yours is the current priority, sweetheart," he says before kissing me lightly on the cheek.

"That's good to hear." I chuckle. "Sana lang talaga hindi ka maging bad influence, for now, kay Vik. Kapag naging bad influence ka, I'll need to rethink about your dream, Captain Martinez."

He smirks, seductively. "I'll make you agree, Captain Astilla."

Because, Captain Sage Nathaniel Martinez, I'll certainly continue falling in love with you due to the million things you never knew you were doing.

This is Captain Yvonne Jade Astilla, from the flight deck, welcome aboard.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

☆ FLIGHT SERIES 02: FLIGHT DECK END ☆

———————————————

A/N: AND... Again, another book done for the FLIGHT series. Yes, THAT'S THE END OF FLIGHT DECK!

It had been a long journey, too; though not as long as Flight Plan, but yes. Of course, I also need to move forward from here, just as how Yvie and Sage did with their lives, and their journey may end here, but I am very happy that you've also given them a chance and a home. The same way that you (probably) did with Yumi and Nikolai.

I am happy and content with every vote, comment and share of yours. This book might be over, but there's book 3 for the FLIGHT series. Flight Path is up and it might have a very slow update compared to this one, but I am really working on it!

I don't have much to say but thank you! Thank you from the very bottom of my heart. And for the last time, vote, comment and share. For more updates, especially in the future of the FLIGHT series, follow me on twitter @23meraki.

Stay safe, and best of luck on your future endeavors. Always continue dreaming big, fly high and God bless. Cheers on for safe flights, clear skies, great destinations and happy landings! ♥

—Capt. J

UPDATED: 17 July 2024 |  2252H

#FLIGHTseries02 || #FSFlightDeck