First Class Seductions Read online

  Gilbert closes up the cottage and drives Kristel home. After a long, goodnight kiss up on her porch, Gilbert gets into his car. He sees to it that Kristel enters her door and locks it. Finally, he drives away. Just when he thinks of stopping for a coffee smoothie at their nearby Whelan branch, his phone rings.

  “I’m just pulling over, actually,” Gilbert says. Tréasa is on the other line, asking her brother to help her with some packages to bring home that night.

  “What’s all this, my dear sister?” Glibert greets as he wonders why there are so many boxes on the counter.

  “These, my dear brother, are ingredients to something I want to create for the company,” Tréasa explains. “I asked dad to let me do it, and he agreed. He said that it would be a great addition to the Cor line if I am successful in it.”

  “Just what are you planning to make?” Gilbert asks as he starts to gather some boxes in front of him.

  “Creations,” Tréasa retorts. “My “cor” or twist to them. Just wish me luck on my ideas, Gilbert, all right?”

  “Aye-aye, captain-ness,” Gilbert says as he exhales a short laugh and carries some boxes to his car. “Why didn’t you bring your car anyway?”

  “Dad was on his way here, so I asked him to drop me here,” Tréasa says. “I told him I would just call you to come by and pick me up. Hey, I hope I didn’t interrupt anything on your way here.”

  “Nope, I brought her home way before you called,” Gilbert says. “ I just wanted my smoothie before I went home.”

  “I’ll ask them to prepare it for you,” Tréasa offers as she leaves the counter to ask a barista to make the drink. In just a few minutes, the choco-cherry-blueberry espresso smoothie is poured into a To-Go tumbler for Gilbert. Tréasa brings the drink to Gilbert, who’s waiting in the car.

  Brother and sister make it home very late that night. Tréasa still can’t sleep so she starts making her twists. Gilbert tucks into his drink in front of the flat screen TV and watches his favorite series. After two hours, he says goodnight to Tréasa without even looking at her. Tréasa shakes her head as she continues to work on her creations. She grabs at the chance to contribute something to their company’s new product line. With any luck, her family will love them.

  The following morning, Maria unexpectedly sees a sleeping Tréasa on the living room sofa. On the dining table, four coffee-based and non-coffee-based drink containers with labels are set up. Their contents are yet to be poured into them. Maria is confused at what she is seeing so she wakes Tréasa up.

  “Oh, thanks, Maria,” Tréasa says as she gets up sleepily. “Are they up yet?”

  “Maybe in just a few minutes,” Maria answers. “Whatever you’re planning, do it before they come down so it will be a good one.”

  Maria’s encouragement is as strong as her accent. Tréasa immediately goes to work and pours the drinks into their designated containers. She starts pouring the last drink when her parents enter the dining room.

  “What’s all this, dear?” Hilda asks as she reads the labels. “Can we taste them?”

  “That’s the idea, mom,” Tréasa says as she smiles at her curious mother. Smith reads the labels as well and starts to taste each one. He only speaks when he finishes tasting the last one.

  “I like all of them,” Smith says. “What’s in them?”

  Tréasa brings out a folder she worked on last night. Each page had a description of the beverages she just presented.

  “Let me read what I wrote,” Tréasa starts. “The first drink is called the “Green Phantom”. It’s a green tea-based smoothie with pistachio ice cream and avocado. The green tea counters the fat content of the ice cream and the avocado, making it a healthy drink for anyone who would want to try something different aside from our unique coffee blends.”

  Hilda and Smith nod as they taste the beverages again.

  “The second drink is “Dark Red Blood”. The vampire-inspired coffee-based smoothie is mixed with blended cherries, strawberries, raspberries, brandy, and cream. It’s almost like a black concoction but once it hits your lips, you will taste the red berries and the creamy coffee that will definitely lift you up in a unique way. The third drink is “Choco-Cinnamon Cheesecake”. This is a chocolate-based smoothie with blended cheesecake bits and cinnamon. You will add the degree of cinnamon that you prefer by stirring the cinnamon stick as many or as few times as you wish. It’s like drinking your favorite cheesecake.”

  “Brilliant,” Smith says.

  “The last drink is the “Mocha Chip Tapioca”, which is a mocha smoothie with your choice of chocolate chips and tapioca. Every sip brings forth different textures that will keep you sipping for more.”

  Hilda nods and chews as she sips the last drink. Smith smiles as he reads the labels again.

  “I want these in our Cor line,” Smith says as he sips more of the Green Phantom.

  “Hey! I want to taste those, too,” Gilbert says as he runs towards the dining table. “Wow! These are great! I want this cheesecake drink.”

  “Mine’s the tapioca,” Hilda says. “After breakfast, can you make some more of these, dear?”

  “I think I am attracted to the ‘Dark Red Blood’ drink,” Maria cuts in. “I need the lift for the day.”

  “My first batch of orders!” Tréasa exhales. “My pleasure. But we have to eat Maria’s omelets and bacon on cheese toast first.”

  Everyone sits down and has breakfast, anticipating more of the new drinks that they just tasted. Tréasa is happy because she knows that even if she doesn’t run the Whelan company, she will leave her mark with the new Cor line of products.

  Smith couldn’t be prouder. How he wishes Tréasa would change her mind and work for the company instead of pursuing her career to see the world. But he knows that Tréasa will pursue her dream, just as she was able to make four one-of-a-kind beverages in one night.

  The doorbell rings that morning. Maria accepts an envelope for Tréasa. The recipient accepts it and hurriedly opens it. Tréasa’s eyes widen and hugs Maria.

  “I’m in!” Tréasa exclaims. She then runs upstairs to her family and shares the good news. Delta Airlines has accepted her as one of their flight attendants. She will be training in Atlanta in two weeks.

  “This is just too much, dear!” Hilda says as she reads the letter again and hugs Tréasa. “I am so happy for you!”

  Smith approaches his wife and daughter and embraces them. Gilbert joins in the group hug. This is truly the opportunity that Tréasa has been waiting for. She will finally fulfill her dreams of travelling, seeing the world, and meeting the most interesting and important people. Now, the only thing she has to do is prepare.

  Chapter Three: Tip of Paradise

  First class. Tréasa repeats in her head as she passes by the lounge seats of the terminal. She woke up a few minutes after her alarm went off. She didn’t like being late but that morning was exciting yet nerve racking for her at the same time.

  It has been four years and being a flight attendant was all rules to her. She remembers the seven weeks of training that she went through in Atlanta. It was the most liberating experience that she had since college. There, she met good acquaintances that made it with her to their graduation. It wasn’t easy to squeeze all that information in that too short a period. But she did it. Tréasa Whelan conquered Delta flight training and is now in First Class.

  When Tréasa’s family first knew of her promotion, they immediately held a gathering for her even in her absence. Tréasa rarely goes home now that she is always in flight. Hilda and Smith admit that her being out of sight for college was a lot different than not seeing her because of her work. Back then, at least they knew that she would be coming home during special occasions, Spring break, or graduation. When Tréasa finished her training, she just had a few weeks off and she was immediately deployed to her first flight. Every time she leaves her Atlanta base for flights, Tréasa just can’t help but think of going back to LA every once in a while. But she knew tha
t she can’t go home all the time. She is now based in Atlanta and being far away from her family is included in her job description.

  Tréasa decided then to just keep a small rental apartment in Huntington Beach so that she would still be close to her parents and brother when she goes back to LA. She bid for every flight that she could possibly get because she wanted to save a lot for a house of her own. Her superiors were impressed by her dedication and passion for the career. She brought her own unique style, personality and class with her to work every day, and the passengers absolutely loved her. It was so obvious that she had "it"—that special something that she radiates out to others. People were drawn to her like a magnet. And in just four years, when a position in first class became vacant, Tréasa was promoted.

  There wasn’t any fancy announcement party to let everyone know that Tréasa has been moved to First Class. Her superior just told her and the following week, she wore the newly issued red uniform that everyone was talking about. It looked different on a mannequin during their measurements but as she makes her way to her gate, she knows that the uniform suits her well. Every step makes her feel like a celebrity in her own way. Tréasa’s first flight as a first class flight attendant is pretty much like the one in business class. She only has to consider that the passengers are extra special now. For months, Tréasa continues to be her best in what she does. Her superior notices her hard work once more and is aware that Tréasa is about to celebrate her birthday the following month.

  “I would like to suggest Tréasa Whelan for the task,” Victoria Hilts, Tréasa’s immediate superior says at a meeting, “The girl has been exceptional in all her years with us. She’s now in first class and if you look at her credentials, she’s perfect for the job.”

  “I agree,” one of the captains says. “I’ve seen this Miss Whelan work and I know she would deliver.”

  After a few more minutes, the meeting is over. Tréasa Whelan will be part of Delta’s new project. Tréasa’s superior was designated the task of orienting her of what she had to do.

  “Why are you silent?” Victoria asks Tréasa after telling her the good news. “You should be ecstatic because you’re going to be a pioneer in this.”

  “That’s why I’m silent, Victoria,” Tréasa admits as she gets her coffee from the Starbucks counter. “I am going to be the guinea pig.”

  “Listen,” Victoria starts as she leads Tréasa to the seats near the window. “You’re going to set every rule in this project. You’re gonna be paid extra. And most importantly, you’re going to have fun.”

  Tréasa looks at Victoria after “fun” drifts away. She’s right and Tréasa knows it. Fun and adventure was all that she wanted when she went through her International Studies course. Why not grab the opportunity to finally do it? Four serious flight attending years have passed. Tréasa sees in Victoria’s eyes that she deserves this break more than anyone.

  Victoria has seen so many flight attendants making all sorts of excuses just to go home early or to turn down a flight. But Tréasa never said no to her and she knows that the girl will do great in the Delta Review project.

  As Tréasa sips her hot latte, Victoria gives her the information folder, squeezes her hand, gets up, and leaves her to read it.

  “You have the rest of today and tomorrow off, Whelan,” Victoria turns and tells Tréasa. The break will give Tréasa time to read through the folder.

  Tréasa finishes her coffee and goes straight to the rest room. As she freshens up, she thinks of just spending her short break in her trendy apartment in Buckhead, Georgia. There’s a nearby café and a computer shop in that area as well. She needs to have the information scanned so that it would just be in her notebook. It’s inconvenient to bring a folder all the time with her hectic schedule.

  Tréasa first gets the documents scanned. She then makes her way to the nearby café and settles in a comfortable corner table. Tréasa turns on her notebook as she waits for her order or Bolognese spaghetti, garlic bread, Nicoise salad, and a tall cherry chocolate espresso smoothie. She uploads her newly-scanned project information from her bear-shaped USB and starts to read.

  Maira-ira Cove.

  Tréasa silently reads the name of the island she’s supposed to review. It’s an island in the northern part of the Philippines that is not that fully-commercialized yet. It can be categorized as one of the few islands that have only been seen by a few people who have the means to go on extensive lengths just to see such rare natural beauty. Boracay is one of the most popular beach destinations in the Philippines but it’s overly publicized and exposed to the world already.

  Delta wants to review destinations that they could fully recommend to their loyal passengers and to the rest of the travelling population. The Delta Review project is the very first of its kind for their Sky Magazine. It’s going to be a regular series that would feature everything about secluded and exotic places—the people, the food, the scenery, the ambience, and the overall experience. Delta didn't want to just hire regular writers that would most probably just come up with online information about the places they’re going to choose. They wanted to have someone of their own who could handle the task and be there in person to experience it firsthand. The Delta marketing team for Sky Magazine tirelessly filtered through their best flight attendants to select the perfect person for the task. Tréasa admits that the opportunity given to her is her dream job—travelling to places and reviewing it in an all-expense package. At first it was too overwhelmingly unbelievable to accept. But Victoria believes in her so much that she must indeed be the right woman for the task.

  It’s almost six in the evening when Tréasa finishes reading. Her smoothie is down to its last sip and Tréasa wants to stay up late to research more about the place. She calls for her server and asks him that she would like another smoothie to go. A few minutes later, her order arrives. She tips her server and she heads back to her apartment. When Tréasa passes by a convenience store on the way, she sees her favorite study food in college—cassava chips. She smiles and buys a large bag of it with a medium sour cream dip.

  With satisfaction, Tréasa locks the door behind her and puts down her things. She undresses and slips into her thin night clothes that she always brings with her. She performs her short evening ritual and sits on her bed. Tréasa turns on the TV and surfs for her favorite channel—Style, Home, and Taste. When she finally finds it, she turns up the volume a bit and watches the featured cooking show—Pia’s Corner—for an hour.

  She sips her smoothie and turns on her notebook once more. After the cooking show, she turns to the documentary channel and turns the volume down a little. Tréasa then opens her big bag of cassava chips and dip as she searches for more data about Maira-ira. The pictures are so breath-taking that she chooses some to be her phone’s wallpaper.

  Maira-ira Covei is the tip of Paradise—the northern tip to be precise. Tréasa heaves an excited sigh as she turns off her notebook and gets back to her TV watching. Tréasa realizes that it’s already three in the morning. But she smiles to herself and lays back because she has the entire day tomorrow to sleep. International datelines can do a lot to one’s sleeping pattern but amazingly, Tréasa’s beauty doesn’t seem to be affected at all. She just simply takes care of herself just like what Hilda tells her. Hilda’s mantra is to work hard but never let anyone see hard work on you. Well, Tréasa’s mom’s right. Being haggard doesn’t do any good for women or men. Stress will always be there but it’s one’s obligation to adapt and befriend it.

  Tréasa brings out her ammunition—glutathione, vitamin C, vitamin E, and multivitamins. She always takes them religiously everyday and as a result, a twenty-five year-old woman trapped in a sixteen-year-old body. Tréasa always has to bring her driver’s license and birth certificate to prove that she’s not a minor. It can be very exhausting at times but what’s a woman like her supposed to do about it?

  But even if Tréasa has always been deemed “perfect” or “princess” by those who k
new her since childhood, she still doesn’t think of herself as better than other people. Tréasa believes that she was just lucky to have been born to the Whelan family. Compared to other privileged women, she just knows what she wants.

  Tréasa dozes off in the middle of a baking show. She curls up under the covers and doesn’t wake up until passed noon. Tréasa’s stomach rumbles as she finishes her morning shower, so she decides to have a hearty breakfast at the motel’s diner. She’s up for a breakfast steak, grilled chicken, waffles, and some orange juice. Her heart was still racing from all that coffee she drank yesterday. At least she kept up with her shows even if it were just one night. Chewing on her first bite of steak, she remembers her birthday next week. For the past four years, she has celebrated her birthday alone at work. Only a few people know about it because Tréasa doesn’t have too many close friends. She believes that trust should be earned by the right person at the right time. It should never be forced or won in falsehood. If ever that does happen, Tréasa usually detaches herself from those people. They turn into acquaintances instead of long-time friends with Tréasa as they wanted to be.