THE FLIGHT GIRLS
The Price of a Dream
Written by Prachi Gurjar
AUTHOR’S NOTE
This is a fictional story.
The characters, places, situations and incidents in this story are created for the purpose of fiction. Any resemblance to real people or real incidents is purely coincidental.
This story is about two girls who work at an airport and come from almost the same kind of life. Both have dreams. Both have responsibilities. Both want a better life for themselves and their families.
But sometimes two people standing at the same place can choose completely different roads.
One chooses patience.
The other chooses shortcuts.
This story is not about calling someone good or bad. It is about how circumstances, choices and desperation can slowly change a person.
Ruby and Illahi are fictional characters, but the struggles they face are very real for many people.
Sometimes poverty does not make people weak.
Sometimes it only makes them impatient.
And sometimes the biggest mistake of a person’s life begins with one small thought.
I just want to get rich once.
CHAPTER 1
TWO GIRLS AT GATE 18
The airport looked beautiful from outside.
Glass walls.
Bright lights.
Expensive cars.
People carrying branded bags.
Families going on holidays.
Businessmen talking on phones.
Children running behind their parents.
Everyone seemed to be going somewhere.
Ruby stood near Gate 18 with a tray in her hand and watched the passengers entering the aircraft.
She had been working as cabin crew for almost two years.
She was twenty five.
Tall, slim and naturally beautiful. Her long brown hair was always tied properly during duty. She had a quiet face and calm eyes. She was educated, hardworking and very particular about her work.
She rarely talked unnecessarily.
She had only a few friends.
And among those few, Illahi was the closest.
Illahi was standing beside her, checking her lipstick in the small mirror attached to her compact.
“Ruby, look at this.”
Ruby looked at her.
“What?”
Illahi turned the compact towards her.
“My lipstick.”
“It is fine.”
“Fine? I bought it for eighteen hundred.”
Ruby stared at her.
“Eighteen hundred for lipstick?”
Illahi smiled.
“Imported.”
Ruby shook her head.
“With eighteen hundred, I can buy groceries for a week.”
Illahi laughed.
“You and your groceries.”
Ruby smiled slightly.
Their lives looked almost the same from a distance.
They worked in the same airline.
They had almost the same salary.
They travelled on the same flights.
They wore the same uniform.
They had similar family problems.
But the way they lived their lives was completely different.
Ruby saved almost everything she could.
Illahi spent almost everything she had.
Ruby had a small notebook in which she wrote down her monthly expenses.
Rent contribution.
Electricity.
Medicines for her mother.
Her younger brother’s college expenses.
Household groceries.
EMI.
Savings.
She even had a separate envelope inside her cupboard where she kept emergency money.
Illahi had no such notebook.
She had shopping bills.
Credit card bills.
Online payment notifications.
And dreams.
Very expensive dreams.
She wanted a bigger house.
A luxury car.
Designer clothes.
International holidays.
A phone that cost more than her monthly salary.
She wanted people to look at her and think she had made it in life.
“Ruby.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you ever think about becoming rich?”
Ruby looked at her.
“Of course.”
“Then why don’t you do something?”
“Something like what?”
“Something big.”
Ruby smiled.
“Big things also take time.”
Illahi rolled her eyes.
“You always say this.”
“Because it is true.”
A senior crew member walked towards them.
“Girls, briefing in five minutes.”
Both immediately became serious.
“Yes, ma’am.”
The two girls entered the aircraft.
For the next few hours, they were not Ruby and Illahi.
They were cabin crew.
They smiled at passengers.
They helped elderly people.
They checked seat belts.
They served food.
They answered questions.
They handled rude passengers.
They stood for hours.
And they smiled even when their feet hurt.
After landing, Ruby’s phone started ringing.
“Maa.”
She answered immediately.
“Hello, Maa.”
Her mother’s voice sounded tired.
“Beta, when are you coming home?”
“Tonight. Why?”
“Your brother’s college fee is due tomorrow.”
Ruby became silent for a second.
“How much?”
“Twenty two thousand.”
“I will arrange it.”
“Ruby, you already sent money last week.”
“I will manage.”
“But beta…”
“Maa, don’t worry.”
She disconnected the call.
Illahi had heard everything.
“Again?”
Ruby nodded.
“Your brother should also do something.”
“He is studying.”
“So are we.”
“His studies are important.”
Illahi looked at her.
“And your life?”
Ruby smiled.
“My life is important too.”
“Then?”
Ruby looked through the aircraft window.
“Right now my family needs me more.”
Illahi said nothing.
She looked at Ruby for a few seconds.
Then she opened her phone and checked the price of a handbag.
That night, Ruby went home.
Illahi went shopping.
They both earned the same salary.
But they were building two completely different lives.
Neither of them knew that one day, their choices would take them to completely different destinations.
CHAPTER 2
SAME SALARY, DIFFERENT LIVES
Ruby lived in a small rented house with her parents and younger brother, Aarav.
The house was old.
The paint had started coming off the walls.
The kitchen was barely big enough for two people.
But Ruby loved it.
Her mother, Meera, always complained about the leaking bathroom tap.
Her father, Devendra, always said they would fix it next month.
Next month had been coming for three years.
Ruby entered the house around eleven at night.
Her mother was waiting for her.
“You ate something?”
“Yes.”
“You are lying.”
Ruby smiled.
“I had dinner on the flight.”
Her mother put a plate of food in front of her anyway.
“Eat.”
Ruby sat down.
Aarav came out of his room.
“Didi.”
“Hmm?”
“College form.”
“What happened?”
“Last date tomorrow.”
Ruby looked at him.
“How much?”
“Eight thousand.”
She took out her phone.
“Send me the details.”
“Didi, leave it. I will ask Papa.”
“No.”
“But you already gave him twenty two thousand.”
“I know.”
“Then where will you get this?”
Ruby looked at him.
“I have savings.”
Aarav became quiet.
“You save everything.”
Ruby smiled.
“Someone has to.”
Her father was sitting quietly in the corner.
He finally spoke.
“Ruby, we don’t want to become a burden on you.”
She looked at him.
“You are not a burden.”
“We are your parents.”
“Exactly.”
Her father lowered his eyes.
Ruby finished her food and went to her room.
Her room was small too.
A bed.
A cupboard.
A study table.
A few books.
And a small wooden box.
She opened it.
Inside were her savings papers and some cash.
She counted the money.
Then she opened her phone.
There was a message from the bank.
Her salary had arrived.
She transferred money to her brother’s account.
After that she moved five thousand into her savings account.
She looked at the remaining amount.
It was not much.
But she smiled.
For Ruby, saving five thousand was an achievement.
For Illahi, spending five thousand was normal.
Illahi lived with her parents too.
Her father, Sameer, ran a small electrical shop.
Her mother, Farzana, gave stitching classes to women in their neighbourhood.
They were not poor enough to starve.
But they were not rich enough to live without worrying.
There were EMIs.
Bills.
Rent.
Medicine.
House repairs.
Everything was manageable.
But nothing was easy.
Illahi hated that feeling.
She hated calculating before buying something.
She hated saying no to herself.
One evening, she came home with a shopping bag.
Her mother looked at it.
“What did you buy?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why is the bag so big?”
Illahi opened it.
A dress.
Her mother stared at it.
“How much?”
“Don’t start.”
“How much, Illahi?”
“Six thousand.”
Her mother closed her eyes.
“Beta, your father’s electricity bill is pending.”
“I will pay it next month.”
“Next month your EMI is due.”
“I said I will manage.”
Her father came into the room.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
He saw the dress.
He said nothing.
That silence hurt Illahi more than anger would have.
She went to her room and closed the door.
She looked at herself in the mirror.
“I deserve a better life.”
She said it softly.
And she believed it.
The problem was not that she wanted a better life.
The problem was that she wanted it immediately.
CHAPTER 3
THE MAN WITH THE EXPENSIVE WATCH
Illahi had always liked rich people.
Not because she hated her family.
She loved them.
But she hated their financial condition.
At the airport, she met hundreds of passengers every week.
Some travelled economy class.
Some travelled business.
Some carried luxury handbags.
Some wore watches that cost more than her yearly salary.
Illahi noticed everything.
One evening, a passenger left a luxury perfume bottle in the aircraft.
Illahi found it while checking the seats.
She stared at it.
She knew it was expensive.
Ruby came from behind.
“Give it to lost and found.”
Illahi looked at her.
“You don’t even want to smell it?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because it is not mine.”
Illahi laughed.
“You are impossible.”
Ruby handed it to the ground staff.
That night, Illahi met a passenger named Reyaan.
He was young.
Well dressed.
Confident.
He had an expensive watch and spoke like money had never been a problem in his life.
He complimented Illahi.
“You have a very nice smile.”
She smiled.
“Thank you.”
He asked about her work.
They talked for a few minutes.
Before leaving, he gave her a small gift bag.
“What’s this?”
“Nothing. Just a small gift.”
She opened it later.
A perfume.
She searched the price online.
Her eyes widened.
Nearly twelve thousand.
She called Ruby immediately.
“Guess what I got.”
“What?”
“Perfume.”
“From?”
“A passenger.”
Ruby became serious.
“Illahi.”
“What?”
“You should not take expensive gifts from passengers.”
“Why?”
“It can create problems.”
“He gave it willingly.”
“Still.”
Illahi ignored her.
That became a habit.
Rich passengers.
Gifts.
Dinner invitations.
Expensive places.
Illahi started believing she was finally getting close to the life she wanted.
One evening, Reyaan introduced her to one of his friends.
His name was Zavian.
He was charming.
Funny.
He talked about money all the time.
“I made two lakh last week.”
Illahi looked surprised.
“How?”
Zavian smiled.
“Smart people don’t earn only from salary.”
“What do you do?”
“Different things.”
He showed her pictures of luxury cars.
He talked about betting.
“Have you ever gambled?”
Illahi laughed.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t have money.”
“That’s exactly why you should learn.”
Ruby was sitting next to Illahi that night when she heard about it.
Later, while returning home, Ruby said,
“Stay away from that guy.”
Illahi looked at her.
“You don’t even know him.”
“I know the type.”
“You know everything, don’t you?”
“No.”
“Then stop judging people.”
Ruby stayed quiet.
After a few minutes she said,
“I am not judging him. I am worried about you.”
Illahi looked outside the window.
For the first time, she did not answer.
CHAPTER 4
THE FIRST BET
The first time Illahi gambled, she won.
That was the worst thing that could have happened.
Zavian had told her to start with a small amount.
“Just five hundred.”
Illahi laughed.
“What will five hundred do?”
“Nothing. That’s why you won’t be scared.”
She put in five hundred.
She won.
She got nearly double.
Her heart started beating faster.
Zavian smiled.
“See?”
Illahi stared at her phone.
One thousand had become almost two thousand.
She tried again.
She won again.
That night she went home with five thousand extra.
She had never earned five thousand so quickly.
She sat on her bed and stared at the money.
“This is easy.”
That sentence changed everything.
The next week she put in ten thousand.
She lost.
She tried again.
Lost again.
She put in twenty thousand.
Won.
Then lost.
Then won.
Then lost more.
Soon she stopped thinking about money.
She started thinking about winning.
That was the difference.
Ruby noticed something was wrong.
“You are quiet these days.”
“I am fine.”
“You look tired.”
“Work.”
“Are you gambling?”
Illahi froze.
“Who told you?”
“No one.”
“Then why are you asking?”
“Because I know you.”
Illahi looked away.
“I just tried it.”
“Stop.”
“It is not that serious.”
“It becomes serious very quickly.”
“I can control it.”
Ruby looked at her.
“Everyone says that before they lose control.”
Illahi became angry.
“You are jealous.”
Ruby was shocked.
“Of what?”
“That I am trying to make more money.”
“I am not jealous of you.”
“You are scared that I will become rich before you.”
Ruby looked at her for a long moment.
Then she quietly said,
“I hope you become rich.”
Illahi looked at her.
“I genuinely hope you do.”
“Then why are you stopping me?”
“Because I don’t want you to lose yourself while trying to make money.”
Illahi laughed.
“You sound like my mother.”
Ruby smiled sadly.
“Maybe she is right too.”
Illahi walked away.
The losses became bigger.
She borrowed money.
Then borrowed again.
She used her credit card.
She lied at home.
She lied to Ruby.
She lied to herself.
One morning she was late for duty.
The supervisor warned her.
“You have been careless for weeks.”
“I am sorry, ma’am.”
“This is aviation, Illahi. People are trusting us with their lives. You cannot come late because you were out all night.”
“I understand.”
“Do you?”
Illahi looked down.
She had not slept properly for days.
Her eyes were red.
Her hands were shaking.
She was losing money.
She was losing sleep.
And slowly, she was losing herself.
CHAPTER 5
THE PRICE OF A SHORTCUT
Illahi’s debt crossed one lakh.
Then two.
Then more.
She stopped buying expensive clothes.
Not because she had changed.
Because she had no money left.
She started borrowing from friends.
Some stopped answering her calls.
Zavian disappeared whenever she needed help.
One night she called him.
“Zavian, please help me.”
“What happened?”
“I need money.”
“How much?”
“Thirty thousand.”
He laughed.
“Why would I give you thirty thousand?”
“You told me you would help.”
“I said I would guide you.”
“You got me into this.”
“Nobody forced you.”
The call ended.
Illahi sat on the floor.
She looked around her room.
The expensive perfume.
The clothes.
The bags.
The phone.
Everything she had wanted suddenly looked meaningless.
She had bought things to feel rich.
Now she was sitting in debt.
She started taking substances to sleep.
At first it was just something someone gave her.
Then she started asking for it.
Her behaviour changed.
She became impatient.
Angry.
Suspicious.
Sometimes she cried without knowing why.
Ruby saw her one night outside the staff entrance.
“Illahi?”
Illahi turned around.
“What?”
“What happened to your face?”
“Nothing.”
“Come with me.”
“I am fine.”
“You are not.”
Illahi pushed her hand away.
“Stop acting like you can save me.”
Ruby stood still.
“I am not trying to save you.”
“Then what?”
“I am trying to stop you from destroying yourself.”
Illahi’s eyes filled with tears.
“I don’t know how to stop.”
Ruby became silent.
For the first time, Illahi sounded scared.
Ruby hugged her.
Illahi cried.
“I just wanted a better life.”
“I know.”
“I wanted to help my parents.”
“I know.”
“I wanted to stop being poor.”
“I know.”
“I wanted to be like those people.”
Ruby held her tighter.
“You don’t have to become someone else.”
“But I am tired.”
“I know.”
They stood there for a long time.
Ruby finally said,
“Come back with me.”
Illahi wiped her tears.
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“I have already gone too far.”
“No one goes too far to come back.”
Illahi looked at her.
“I don’t know.”
Ruby said,
“You can still choose.”
But Illahi was already walking away.
CHAPTER 6
RUBY’S LITTLE LOVE STORY
Ruby had her own dreams too.
She just never talked about them.
There was a man named Ahaan who worked with the airport ground team.
He was quiet.
Kind.
And he always remembered small things.
If Ruby had a long duty, he brought her water.
If she looked tired, he asked if she had eaten.
They started talking during breaks.
Nothing dramatic happened.
No big proposal.
No promises.
Just conversations.
“Why do you always work extra shifts?” Ahaan once asked.
“Family.”
“Do you ever do something for yourself?”
“Sometimes.”
“When?”
Ruby laughed.
“I don’t remember.”
He smiled.
Ahaan liked her.
Ruby knew it.
And somewhere inside, she liked him too.
One evening he said,
“Let’s go somewhere tomorrow.”
“Where?”
“Anywhere. You choose.”
Ruby looked at her phone.
Her brother had sent her a message.
His college fees were due.
She looked at Ahaan.
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Family work.”
“Every time?”
“Almost.”
Ahaan sighed.
“Ruby, you cannot keep postponing your life.”
She smiled.
“Maybe I can.”
“Do you even like me?”
Ruby became quiet.
“Yes.”
Ahaan looked surprised.
“Then?”
Ruby looked down.
“I don’t have space for a relationship right now.”
“You don’t have to marry me tomorrow.”
“I know.”
“Then what are you scared of?”
“Nothing.”
“Ruby.”
She smiled.
“I am scared that if I start wanting something for myself, I will stop doing what my family needs.”
Ahaan looked at her for a few seconds.
“You deserve something too.”
“I know.”
“Then give yourself a chance.”
Ruby shook her head.
“Maybe one day.”
That day never came.
Ahaan eventually moved to another city for work.
They remained friends.
They spoke occasionally.
There was no bitterness.
No dramatic heartbreak.
Just one small love story that never became a relationship.
Ruby had chosen her family.
Not because she did not want love.
But because she knew what she could carry.
And she had already decided what mattered most to her.
CHAPTER 7
THE GIRL WHO STARTED DISAPPEARING
Illahi’s performance at work became worse.
She forgot safety procedures.
She argued with passengers.
She came late.
She missed briefings.
One day, the senior supervisor called her into the office.
“Sit down.”
Illahi sat.
“We have received multiple complaints.”
“I am sorry.”
“This is not about saying sorry anymore.”
“I will improve.”
“You said that last month.”
“I will.”
The supervisor looked at her.
“Illahi, I am giving you one final warning.”
She nodded.
“Thank you.”
When she came out, Ruby was waiting.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“You were called to the office.”
“I said nothing.”
Ruby looked at her.
“Please get help.”
Illahi laughed bitterly.
“Help won’t pay my debt.”
“We can figure that out.”
“How?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Exactly.”
Illahi walked away.
A week later, she was suspended.
Then terminated.
The news broke her.
She came home with a small box containing her belongings from the airline.
Her mother looked at it.
“What is this?”
“Nothing.”
Her father came out.
“You lost your job?”
Illahi could not answer.
Her mother understood.
“Why?”
Illahi started crying.
Her father sat down.
“You were working at such a good place.”
“I know.”
“What happened?”
She remained silent.
Her mother held her hand.
“Tell us.”
But Illahi could not tell them about the gambling.
The debt.
The substances.
The lies.
She was afraid.
Her father looked at her and said,
“Whatever happened, we will handle it.”
Illahi cried harder.
For the first time, she realised that the people she was trying so hard to impress were not the people who loved her.
Her family did not care about luxury.
They cared about her.
But it was already too late to simply go back to the way things were.
CHAPTER 8
THE LAST WARNING
Ruby was promoted to senior cabin crew.
It was the happiest day of her professional life.
Her mother called everyone in the family.
Her father bought sweets.
Aarav sent her flowers.
But Ruby was not completely happy.
Illahi was missing.
She called her.
No answer.
She called again.
Nothing.
Finally Illahi answered.
“What?”
“Where are you?”
“Home.”
“How are you?”
“Fine.”
“Can I come?”
“No.”
“Illahi.”
“What?”
“Please.”
There was silence.
Then Illahi said,
“I have no money.”
“We will manage.”
“I have debt.”
“I know.”
“I owe people.”
“We will figure it out.”
“I lost my job.”
“I know.”
“I have done things I cannot tell you.”
Ruby closed her eyes.
“Then tell me.”
“I cannot.”
“Then at least let me sit beside you.”
Illahi started crying.
“You are too good, Ruby.”
“No.”
“I wish I was like you.”
Ruby answered softly.
“You don’t have to be like me.”
“Then what should I do?”
“Start again.”
“How?”
“One day at a time.”
Illahi did not answer.
Ruby said,
“Promise me one thing.”
“What?”
“Don’t do anything illegal.”
There was a long silence.
“I won’t.”
Ruby believed her.
That was her mistake.
CHAPTER 9
THE BAG
Three weeks later, Illahi got a call.
A man she knew from one of her new contacts offered her money.
A lot of money.
All she had to do was carry a bag during one international flight.
She asked,
“What is inside?”
“Nothing dangerous.”
“Then why me?”
“Because you know airport procedures.”
She was offered enough money to clear a major part of her debt.
She knew it was wrong.
She knew Ruby would never agree.
She knew the risk.
But desperation has a strange voice.
It does not shout.
It whispers.
Just this once.
You need the money.
Nobody will know.
You can start again.
Illahi agreed.
Before leaving home, her mother asked,
“Where are you going?”
“Work.”
Her mother looked at her.
“You don’t have work.”
Illahi looked away.
“I found something.”
Her father said,
“Come back early.”
She nodded.
That night, Ruby was also working on a flight.
She had no idea Illahi would be on the same aircraft.
During the pre-flight check, Ruby saw her.
She froze.
“Illahi?”
Illahi looked at her.
Neither spoke for a few seconds.
“What are you doing here?”
“Working.”
Ruby knew that was a lie.
Something felt wrong.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
Ruby noticed the bag.
“Whose is that?”
“Mine.”
“Let me see.”
Illahi immediately held it tighter.
“No.”
Ruby looked at her.
“Illahi.”
“I said no.”
Something inside Ruby became uneasy.
She remembered their last conversation.
Don’t do anything illegal.
Illahi had promised.
The flight began.
For the first few minutes, everything looked normal.
Passengers settled down.
Crew moved around.
Announcements were made.
Then security officers entered the aircraft.
Ruby noticed the change in their faces.
They walked directly towards Illahi.
“Ma’am, please come with us.”
Illahi went pale.
“Why?”
“Please come.”
Ruby stood frozen.
The bag was opened.
The contents were found.
Illegal material.
The aircraft became silent.
Illahi started crying.
“No.”
She looked at Ruby.
“Ruby.”
Ruby could not move.
“Please.”
But there was nothing Ruby could do.
Security officers took Illahi away.
Ruby stood inside the aircraft, watching her friend disappear through the door.
For the first time in her life, the airport did not look beautiful.
It looked frightening.
CHAPTER 10
AFTER THE FLIGHT
The news spread quickly.
Illahi had been arrested.
The airline suspended her name from all records.
Her family was called.
Her mother collapsed when she heard.
Her father did not speak for hours.
Ruby went to their house.
Illahi’s mother opened the door.
“Ruby.”
Ruby hugged her.
“I’m sorry.”
Her mother cried.
“She is not a bad girl.”
Ruby’s eyes filled with tears.
“I know.”
“She made a mistake.”
“I know.”
“Why did she do this?”
Ruby had no answer.
Because she knew.
But knowing the reason did not make the situation better.
Illahi had not been born dishonest.
She had not started her life wanting to break the law.
She had been tired.
She had been desperate.
She had wanted money.
She had wanted to escape poverty.
She had wanted to give her parents a better life.
But somewhere along the way, she had started believing that the fastest road was the best road.
And now she was paying for it.
Ruby sat alone outside the house.
Ahaan called her.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“What happened?”
She told him everything.
He remained silent.
Then he said,
“You tried to help her.”
“I should have done more.”
“You cannot control another person’s choices.”
“But I knew she was in trouble.”
“You did everything you could.”
Ruby looked at the airport from a distance.
“I keep thinking about one thing.”
“What?”
“She was not a bad girl.”
Ahaan said,
“Maybe she wasn’t.”
“Then why?”
“Sometimes good people make terrible choices.”
Ruby wiped her tears.
“And those choices still have consequences.”
“Yes.”
Ruby nodded.
That was the hardest truth.
A person’s circumstances can explain a mistake.
They cannot always erase its consequences.
CHAPTER 11
TWO DESTINATIONS
Months passed.
Ruby continued working.
She became more responsible at work.
She started saving again.
Her brother finished his semester.
Her father got his medical treatment.
Her mother finally got the leaking bathroom repaired.
Life was not suddenly perfect.
But it was moving.
Illahi’s case continued.
Her family had to face questions.
Neighbours talked.
Relatives judged.
People who had never helped them suddenly had opinions.
Illahi sat in a room far away from the airport.
She had time to think.
She thought about the first perfume.
The first bet.
The first win.
The first lie.
The first debt.
The first substance.
The first illegal offer.
She realised that her life had not fallen apart in one day.
It had happened slowly.
One choice at a time.
One shortcut at a time.
One lie at a time.
Ruby visited her.
They sat across from each other.
Illahi looked thinner.
“How are you?”
Ruby asked.
Illahi smiled sadly.
“Alive.”
Ruby looked down.
“I am sorry.”
“For what?”
“I couldn’t save you.”
Illahi shook her head.
“You tried.”
“I should have stopped you.”
“You couldn’t.”
Ruby became silent.
Illahi looked at her.
“Do you remember what you told me?”
“What?”
“You said a wrong road is not a shortcut. It is a swamp.”
Ruby remembered.
Illahi smiled.
“I didn’t understand it then.”
“And now?”
“Now I know.”
They sat silently.
After a while Illahi said,
“I thought money would free me.”
Ruby looked at her.
“And?”
“It became another prison.”
Ruby held her hand.
Illahi started crying.
“I just wanted my parents to be proud of me.”
“They already were.”
“I wanted to give them everything.”
“You forgot that they wanted you more than everything.”
Illahi closed her eyes.
For the first time, she understood.
The life she wanted had never required her to become someone else.
She had simply stopped believing that she could reach it honestly.
CHAPTER 12
THE LAST ANNOUNCEMENT
A year later, Ruby stood at Gate 18.
The same airport.
The same lights.
The same announcements.
The same passengers.
But Ruby was different.
She looked through the glass windows and watched an aircraft take off.
Her phone rang.
It was her mother.
“Beta, when are you coming?”
“Tonight.”
“Come early.”
“I will.”
“Your father wants to talk to you.”
“Why?”
“He has something to tell you.”
Ruby smiled.
“Okay.”
She disconnected.
For a moment she thought about Illahi.
Some memories never completely leave.
She remembered their first flight together.
Their jokes.
Their fights.
Their dreams.
Their different choices.
Ruby had not become rich.
Not yet.
She still travelled by public transport sometimes.
She still checked prices before buying things.
She still saved money.
She still helped her family.
She still had dreams.
But she had something else.
Peace.
She knew where her money came from.
She knew who she was.
She knew that her life was not perfect, but it was honest.
Before boarding the next flight, Ruby looked at the passengers.
Some were travelling for holidays.
Some for work.
Some to meet family.
Some were running away from something.
Everyone had a destination.
But not every destination was written on a ticket.
Some destinations were created by choices.
Ruby smiled and walked towards the aircraft.
Her story was still going.
Illahi’s story was still going too.
Because one mistake does not end a person’s life.
But it can change its direction forever.
And sometimes, the most important lesson comes after the worst fall.
The airport announcement echoed through the terminal.
“Passengers for Flight 218, please proceed towards Gate 18.”
Ruby looked ahead.
Then she walked.
MORAL
We all want a better life.
We all want money, comfort, respect and a future where our families do not have to worry about every bill.
There is nothing wrong with dreaming big.
The problem begins when we become so desperate to reach our dream that we stop caring about the road we are taking.
A shortcut can look beautiful in the beginning.
It can give quick money.
Quick happiness.
Quick success.
But some roads do not take us towards our dreams.
They take us away from ourselves.
Ruby and Illahi had almost the same salary, almost the same struggles and almost the same starting point.
But their choices made their destinations different.
Ruby chose to wait, work and save.
Illahi chose to get everything quickly.
Neither girl was born better than the other.
One simply made choices that protected her future.
The other kept making choices that destroyed hers.
Sometimes life is unfair.
Sometimes poverty pushes people into difficult situations.
Sometimes desperation makes a person choose the wrong thing.
We should understand the circumstances behind someone’s mistake.
But understanding is not the same as saying the mistake was right.
Every choice has a price.
And when we are standing at a difficult point in life, we must remember one thing.
“A slow road can still take you home.
A shortcut can take you somewhere you never wanted to go.”
Ruby did not get everything she wanted.
But she did not lose herself while trying to get it.
And perhaps that is the real meaning of success.
Not becoming rich overnight.
Not impressing strangers.
Not living a life that looks expensive.
But being able to look at yourself at the end of the day and know that you earned your life without losing your soul.
“Some flights take us to another city.
Some choices take us to another life.”
