*Beep…Beep…Beep…* “Her heart is now stable… She may go home now.” I told her family. After I finished all the paperwork I figured that I could go home because my shift ended at 1:30 and it was already almost 2:00. When I finally got home I changed for my trip. I was taking off a year to go on an adventure.
“Well, this is it! I am finally going to take off time from the hospital and use up my year of vacation time!” I shouted joyously.
“Oh my! I can’t believe that I get to go on an adventure with Chat De L’air! He is the head editor of our company!” said Nikki S. Acer when she found out the news. She was a newspaper editor and she was chosen to go on a yearlong expedition with the head editor of their company.

As I was on the plane, next to this beautiful young lady, who was sitting next to her friend, I decided to strike up a conversation with her. After all we were flying to Rome.

“Hi Madame. I am Dr. Aaron L. Silver. What is your name?”

“Oh!” she said with a start, “I am Nikki S. Acer, newspaper editor for the Pennsylvania Press. This here next to me is Chat De L’air, the head editor. Pleased to make your acquaintance, sir”

“Ah…Chat De L’air? That, I believe is French for… cat of the air. What a wonderful name you have Mr. Chat!” I replied trying to please her with my French skills.

“Thank you Dr. Aaron, now if you’ll excuse me, I must find the bathroom on this flying death trap.” Walking to the bathroom, Chat muttered to himself in French.

Hearing him I translated to myself, “How dare he say my code name out loud so that all may hear? How dare he use my code name?”

Next thing I knew, we were at the airport in Rome. It turned out that Nikki and I were staying in the same hotel, so I helped her with her bags and things. The next morning, I woke up and decided to ask Nikki if she wanted to go sight-seeing with me.

“Nikki” I said, “would you like to go sight-seeing with me?”

“Like on a date? Of course! I would love to! Just let me get ready!” she exclaimed.

“Alright, I…um…I will be in the foyer waiting for you. See you soon…” I said stunned that she would even want to go on a date with me.

“Hi, you ready?” she asked surprising me.

“Oh, yes… I am.” Clearing my throat, and speaking formally, I said, “Now, my lady, if you will just follow me this way, I will show you your chariot.”

“My, my when you’re out to flatter you really try!” she said slightly embarrassed that I was being so formal.

So we journeyed on to see The Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and much more. All the while, I dazzled her with my French saying things such as: ‘how did a guy like me end up with a beauty like you?’, ‘you are my queen’, ‘you are the jewel in my crown’, and ‘I sent an angel to look over you at night. The angel came back to one night later. I asked the angel why it had come back. He pointed out to me that 'Angels do not notice other angels'’.

“Ah you are not the only person who knows French” she told me, surprising me with her talent.

“Yes, you are very good!” I said genuinely.

Well it is time that we get back I thought. I noticed that it was already 12:15 at night and she had work tomorrow…well today. A few days later, we left. We were on the same plane again and this time decided to compare our travel plans. We would be in the same place except for two months. She was to be in Amsterdam, while I was in Dubrovnik. We were devastated! It meant that we would be hundreds of miles apart for two whole months! It was towards the beginning of our adventure, just before France. The weeks flew by, and we fell deeply in love. The separation was in two days and we couldn’t bear it. When that day came we cried, and finally went our separate ways. Through the whole time we called, texted, emailed, and even IM’d each other. Then we were just two days away from seeing each other and we planned exactly where we would meet.

After our reunion we went to the hotel and accidentally over-heard Mr. Chat on the phone speaking in French. I listened and kindly translated.

He said, “All is as planned. Ms. Acer will disappear tomorrow just before three.” I repeated with a hint of surprise.

Disappear just before three? That was when we were to have lunch by the Eiffel tower! We had to leave but all the planes were booked, and all the trains were shut down for the construction. So we had to stay. I told her not to worry and that everything would be just fine. We changed hotels that night and were very quiet about the process.

The next morning proceeded as planned, we went to the Vieux Restaurant De Ville. After that we went back to the hotel to get ready for our lunch date. I showered, shaved, and refreshed. Then I went to her room, the door was open and she wasn’t there! There was a note on the floor that said, ‘nice try Dr. Aaron, but we found you!’ –signed Mr. Chat De L’air. They had her! She was in trouble and I didn’t know what to do! I thought that I kept Nikki safe. I was planning to take her to the magasin de bijoux and look at rings with her for a ‘promise ring’ or so I told her. I was planning to ask her to marry me at the end of our ten month, three week, and two day anniversary at three o’clock exactly. Because she was born on October 3, 2023; and it would match up to the numbers in her birthday 10-3-23.

I hurried and called the police to tell them that she had been kidnapped and they told me that I had to wait until the end of the week because she was a grown woman. I figured that I would just have to do it on my own. So I went to the hotel that Chat was staying in and they said that he had checked out and gone to the airport for his flight to Spain. So we were playing that game? I would fly all around the world to just get my true love back! I told the manager thank you and was on my way. Luckily I had packed my bags just in case this happened. I got to the flight just before it took off but I had to sit in the back because someone was in my seat next to Nikki. I had seen her and had proof that she was still alive, all I had to do now was wait to land and get her back.

“Excuse me sir, would it bother you to sit down in your seat and keep your head out of the isle please?” asked the hostess.

“Ah, sorry m'am, I have just noticed my friend who was kidnapped by her evil colleague. I shall try to stay out of the way.” I replied apologetically.

I couldn’t believe that he would be as careless as to…

“Hey everybody listen up! You all will be calm, and we will have no problems. My fiancée will have a panic attack if anyone moves. Don’t try to convince her to do anything she doesn’t speak English very well. Honey will you translate?” yelled Chat. Handing Nikki a piece of paper.

She obediently translated with the wonderful accent of hers.

Everyone tried to be calm as he told us that he was going to take over the plane and she translated.

A few minutes later he disappeared into the cockpit, and Nikki started crying and I went to comfort her. She didn’t notice that it was me until I started talking to her in a low voice.

“Nikki, it is okay, I am here. I am here and I will do anything to keep you safe.”
“Do you know if there are any parachutes on this plane? He plans to crash the plane into the field by the airport.” She asked me.

“I will go ask the hostess. I will be right back.” I told her.

“Excuse me are there any parachutes on this plane?” I asked the hostess.

“Yes. Why would you ask?” she replied.
“The young woman whom he claims is his fiancée is really my girlfriend. We plan to get as far away from Chat as we can.” I explained.
“Oh, my! Ok, I shall go get them for you!” she said quickly.
“Thank you.” I said hurriedly.
“Hurry! We must go before Chat learns that we have fled!” I told Nikki.
“Ok, I am ready… are you sure this is safe?” she asked.
“Yes. It is safe as long as you stay with me. There is only one parachute as you can tell, so I will buckle you to my harness but you must promise that you will hold on.” I replied.
So I opened the door, and we jumped. Just as we jumped, Chat came out of the cockpit. He yelled and yelled for us to come back because I was apparently stealing his fiancée. I yelled back that she didn’t even like him and that she was my girlfriend. When we landed we took a cab to the police to tell them what Chat planned to do.
They never caught him, but we still went on as planned. It was the day before I was going to propose to her and we caught sight of Chat De L’air! I was panicking, I wanted my proposal to be perfect! With cha there I would have to change my plans! I decided to tell her as soon as we got to our next destination Fiji. Our plane was going to leave the day after I planned to propose. I didn’t know if I could wait any longer.
“Nikki, I have changed our departure date. We will leave today at nine o’clock p.m. it must be done so that we can be safe from Chat.” I told her when we got to the hotel.
“Okay, as long as you go with me.” She replied.
“You know that I would never leave you unless it is for the good of your life.” I told her lovingly and I kissed her on the cheek, “Now we must pack before the flight.”
On the plane, I planned how I was going to tell her now. I would get to do it the way I always thought that I would. I would make the arrangements as soon as I could.
“Oh my! I love this view!” she exclaimed as we landed in Fiji.
I knew that you would! Oh, and by the way, I have arranged for you to have a spa day.” I told her hoping that she wouldn’t turn me down, “it is my gift to you for your birthday. Even though it is early. It would have been late if we had stayed in Spain.”
“Oh! Ok! I haven’t had had a spa day in forever!” she exclaimed.
While she was at the spa, I went and arranged the proposal. After it was all done, I went and picked her up. I made her put on a blind fold and helped her out of the car. It was almost time! I had to hurry! I got her to the spot that I wanted her to be and I took off her blind fold and said, “Nikki, je t’aime, I love you.”
“Je t’aime aussi, I love you too.” She said.
I got down on one knee, took her left hand in mine, and asked her to marry me. Right as I asked her, the sun rose above the endless water. She agreed to marry me and I explained to her why I did this here in this exact spot.
“My Dad proposed to my Mom here. I always wanted to do the same to my future wife.” I said, “The endless water represents my endless love for you. The sun rise represents how beautiful our love is. I love you with all my heart and I just wanted you to know that.”
“I can’t believe that you went to all this trouble for me!” saying that she wept even harder out of joy.
“I even asked your Dad for permission to marry you; I wanted this to be perfect, and when Chat took you I thought that I would never see you again.” I told her truthfully.
We went to the hotel and slept until noon. When I woke up, Nikki was gone! I found a note that said: ‘so long Dr. Aaron! You thought that I would not find you! I have a copy of your travel plans, and knew that you were going to Fiji the day after Ms. Acer’s birthday. When you disappeared I figured that you must have gone early. Oh, and by the way congrats on the engagement!’ -Chat
Chat had gotten her again! I thought I had kept her safe! We were in the same room! I don’t know how he could have gotten her! I ran everywhere, but I saw no sign of her. I just hoped that they were on the island, or else I would be lost, for I would be without her. I had to find her as soon as I could! I went back to the hotel in despair and found a note that said: ‘if you ever want to see your fiancée again, you had better find her before five o’clock on Friday the ninth, or you will never see her again! Here’s your hint: she is still on this island, and in one of these cities: Fig, Fushun, or Futile.’ –Chat
I panicked, she was either in this town, the capital, or the only city with an airport. I was going to work on this town first. I had already all through downtown, so I would look through the rest of town after lunch.
After I finished checking the rest of the town, I packed my bags and went to the capital city. I checked into the hotel and ran through a quarter of the downtown. By the time I was done, I went to bed and planned to finish downtown before noon and work on the rest in the afternoon.
“Are you sure you haven’t seen her?” I asked a few people on the streets.
I finished the rest of the capital city and packed to go to Fig. On my way out the door I wished that I had taken better care of her. I blamed myself for her going missing again. On the plane I slept because I knew that I would be searching for her all night because two days later, Chat would leave with her.
I was up all night and went to bed just before sunrise. I woke up around eleven thirty and panicked because the day was almost half over. I went straight to work and checked downtown for sings of them. In one of the malls I caught a glimpse of Nikki, or at least I thought I did. I ran all the way to where she was and found her with Chat forcing her to only speak French.
“Let her go Chat! She doesn’t want you! She doesn’t like you the way you like her! Leave her alone!” I shouted to Chat.
“Never! She is mine! If you want her come and get her! I will get my way!” he shouted back.
“I will get you for taking her from me again! I just got her back! You stole my fiancée! I will get revenge!” I yelled.
“Aaron do not come too close. He has a bomb! I cannot let you get hurt! Please just negotiate with him!” she yelled.
After hours of negotiation, we finally came to an agreement. We would go home early from vacation, and leave Chat to make a fortune on the stories that had already been taken, and the ones that would be taken. Then we were to move to a different city and find work in that city. After we married, we were to forget him and live life as if this never happened.
We went home and did exactly what he said, and then went on with the rest of our lives. We are now the proud parents of three beautiful children our oldest, Gizelle, and our twins, Romeo and Jenny. We live in a three story mansion on the top of a hill that overlooks the whole city. Moving to this city was the second best thing we did. The first was marrying each other and having kids. That is the story of the odyssey we went through to get our dreams come true.