Natalie gasped, feeling her heart race. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing at the end of the airplane aisle. Repeating “No, no, no,” she tried to deny it. The situation seemed impossible, but there it was, right in front of her, challenging her sense of reality.
She looked again at the man’s familiar brown eyes, feeling numb. It couldn’t be him, yet the resemblance was uncanny. She wanted to scream, but shock held her voice back. Her mind struggled to accept the sight, her eyes fixed on him in disbelief.
The man was oblivious to the turmoil going on in Natalie’s mind. He acted as if everything was alright, packing his bag at a leisurely pace. Studying his face and hands, Natalie felt sure it was her father. But was it really him? The idea turned her world upside down, leaving her with nothing but questions…
Just minutes earlier, Natalie’s mood had been so different. She had mentally prepared herself for the upcoming flight. It was her first month back at work after that horrible day, and though it was busy, it provided a much-needed distraction from the grief.
Her job as a flight attendant, and the interactions it brought, helped her feel better after the tough time she had been through since the previous year. Before boarding the plane, Natalie took a deep breath and forced a fake smile. She had told herself that if she kept pretending to be happy, eventually her body would believe it too.
So she briskly stowed away luggage and inspected overhead compartments, comfortably slipping into her familiar routine. Her colleagues chatted animatedly around her, eagerly discussing their weekend plans post-landing. She attempted to soak in their enthusiasm, hoping it would quell the uneasy feeling rumbling in her stomach.
This flight signified not merely her return to work, but her re-entry into normal life. She needed to believe she was prepared, that the shadow of the previous year had faded enough to allow her to function again.
But then, just as the plane was preparing for boarding, she spotted him. It was as though her heart had abruptly ceased to beat. Her body became a statue and a deafening silence enveloped her world. What on earth?!
Natalie’s heart hammered wildly in her chest as she gaped at the man seated at the end of the aisle. Her body froze, and all she could do was stare at the man in seat 37A. What on earth was he doing there?! This couldn’t be possible.
Her heart raced, and she stammered, “This can’t be happening,” “This can’t be true.” Suddenly, she was completely lost in the moment, forgetting everything around her. Her coworkers, the other passengers, and the preparations for boarding all faded from her mind. She could only stare at him.
He had the same warm hazel eyes, the same chestnut hair, and even his mannerisms were identical. Her pulse quickened as she continued to stare. But it couldn’t be real, right? This had to be some kind of cruel illusion of her mind. She stared at him again, still unable to believe it. What was happening? Was this some kind of sick prank?
Every detail of his face mirrored that of his. But it couldn’t be him. She knew it was impossible. Yet, there he was, sitting a couple of rows away from her. She continued to stare at him, but he didn’t seem to notice her presence. She was facing a mayhem of thoughts, struggling to comprehend how her dad could be on this flight.
The same warm brown eyes that once gazed at her with love and devotion now looked out the window without recognition. The strong, tender hands that had held hers through every step of the way were now calmly flipping through an airplane magazine.
She needed to be certain. She had to know for sure. Gathering her courage, she decided to confront him. Natalie quickly grabbed the coffee cart and poured a cup of fresh, steaming coffee. Then, she took a deep breath, her heart pounding, threatening to burst from her chest. She had to know.
With unsteady legs, she stood abruptly and marched towards the back of the plane, the closer she got the better she could see him. But the impossibility of the situation made her unable to believe her eyes. “I apologize for the delay, sir,” she began speaking, but her words froze in her throat.
He looked up, and their eyes met. The cup slipped from her grasp, splashing coffee everywhere as it dropped to the floor. Her dress was completely ruined, but she didn’t even notice. All she could do was stare at him.
Natalie’s mind reeled, unable to comprehend how her father could be on this flight, alive and well. She had been there when his coffin was lowered into the earth. She had mourned his death every day since, falling into an absolute mess. For months, she couldn’t sleep, eat, or even shower properly.
Yet here he sat, not even an arm’s length away. The resemblance was eerie – from the hints of gray in his hair to the fine creases branching from the corners of his eyes when he smiled. It looked like the same man who had loved and raised Natalie, but why was he looking at her as if he didn’t know her?
Every rational instinct told Natalie that this man could not possibly be her dad. But her pounding heart drowned out reason, fixated on the living ghost before her. She studied every inch of his face, searching for even the slightest difference, some imperfection in this phantom of her father, so she could console herself that she wasn’t losing her mind.
However, her thoughts were interrupted by a loud scream that jolted her out of her paralyzed state. The man, her dad Winston, started screaming at her. “WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!” he shouted.
Natalie blinked in confusion. What?! Was this the way he greeted her?! What was going on? Natalie stood rooted to the floor. This couldn’t be true. It must be a dream… But he kept screaming. “CAN’T YOU SEE THAT THERE’S SOMEONE SEATED HERE?!” he continued. He looked really angry. But how could that be possible? He shouldn’t be angry at her. He had never raised his voice like this before. This couldn’t be her father!
Natalie’s eyes started to water as she stared at him, frozen in her place. Suddenly, she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. It was her fellow attendant, Cassandra. “Please accept my apologies on behalf of my colleague,” she said, “I’ll clean this up right away.” She smiled at the man and gave Natalie a stern look.
Finally snapping out of her frozen state, Natalie became aware of her surroundings—the people staring at her, her colleague Cassandra looking slightly angry, and the spilled coffee everywhere. She felt embarrassed, confused, and hurt, a whirlwind of emotions crashing over her. All she knew was that she needed to get out of there.
So she quickly squeezed herself down the aisle and, without saying anything, hurried back to the galley. There, she could finally breathe again. It didn’t take long before the quietness of her mind got interrupted by the loud yelling of her colleague, Cassandra. “What was that?!” she glared angrily at Natalie.
“This is why I warned you not to come back to work so soon, Natalie. You need rest, you’re not ready to work!” Natalie’s mind was racing. Her colleague had already warned her about not being ready to work so soon after her father’s death. She had been stubborn, insisting that she was fine and ready to return to work.
But now, she had seen her late father, or at least someone who looked exactly like him. She was so convinced that it was him, but what if it was just an illusion of her mind? What if it wasn’t true?! Doubt and confusion clouded her mind, leaving her heart in a frenzy of emotions.
Winston had been Natalie’s entire world. As a single father, he had poured all his love and devotion into raising her, making sure she never felt the absence of a second parent. From bedtime stories to cheering the loudest at her school recitals, he had been her unwavering source of support.
Winston had always been an avid diver, finding solace beneath the waves. The ocean was his second home, a place where he felt most alive. A year ago, he had set out on a diving trip to explore a remote reef, one he had spoken about with excitement for weeks. But he never returned. A sudden underwater current, the authorities speculated, had pulled him into the depths, and despite days of searching, his body was never found.
Losing him shattered Natalie in ways she never imagined. The uncertainty of his fate haunted her—the not knowing, the absence of closure. She clung to hope, believing that if they just searched a little longer, he would be found. She fought tooth and nail to keep the search going, pushing authorities, hiring private divers, refusing to accept that he was truly gone.
But after months of scouring the ocean, the search was finally called off. Natalie had no choice but to hold a funeral without a body to bury. The finality of it crushed her. No grave to visit, no final goodbye—just an aching void where her father once was.
Natalie took a long absence from work as she searched for her father’s body. But as months turned to an entire year, she realized she couldn’t continue like this. One day, when she looked at herself in the mirror, she barely recognized the person staring back.
The loss had taken its toll, turning her from a cheerful young woman into a frail, older-looking version of herself, deprived of care and love. At that point, she made the decision to return to her job and start anew. However, she had never expected that exactly a year after saying goodbye to her father so tragically, she would be seeing him on the plane.
All those months of relentless searching and here he was sitting calmly, gazing out the window, with no acknowledgment of how much she had suffered trying to find him? She couldn’t believe it. “Hello, can’t you hear me??” Cassandra grabbed Natalie’s shoulders and shook her, trying to bring her back to the present and interrupt her thoughts.
Natalie was confused and looked at Cassandra’s serious face. “What?” she asked. “He wants to talk to you,” Cassandra repeated firmly. “Uh…uh, who wants to talk to me?” Natalie asked, bewildered. And then, before she even pointed her finger, Natalie already knew. It was him. He wanted to talk…
Natalie didn’t understand what was going on, but she decided to go for it. She wanted answers more than anything, and maybe now she would get them. So, she took a deep breath and steadied herself before approaching him.
“Hello, Winston,” she began, but then stumbled, “Uh, sir, uhm, I’m sorry.” He looked at her, and she continued to speak, rattling off her words, “I’m sorry about the coffee. I was just so surprised to see you.” He looked at her with a confused expression, and it dawned on Natalie that he didn’t recognize her.
“Anyways,” he started, “I wanted to make sure you’re okay.” He offered her an apologetic smile. “I was a bit harsh on you earlier and could sense that you were tense. Is everything alright?” he asked.
Natalie was flabbergasted. How could he possibly say that? Didn’t he know who she was? How could he not recognise his one and only child? She felt utterly confused. From the look on his face, it was clear that he didn’t know who she was and was just being polite.
Was he losing his mind? Or perhaps she was the one losing her mind, and this was a complete stranger who had nothing to do with her late father. Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her. Natalie couldn’t comprehend what was happening.
She didn’t want to say something strange and create more trouble. She needed to get away from this conversation as quickly as possible. “Thank you for your concern, sir,” she replied, forcing a polite smile, “I’m all good. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Oh no, that’s alright,” he smiled, then reached into his wallet. “Wait a second,” he said as he handed her a white business card, “This is my business card. I’m afraid I ruined your dress,” he pointed to her coffee-stained skirt, “My secretary will reimburse you. I apologize once more.”
“Oh, sir, that’s fine, you don’t have to,” Natalie said. “Please, I insist,” he persisted. Natalie didn’t know what was going on, but she knew she needed to get out of there immediately. “Thank you, sir, I really appreciate it,” she said, hoping to cut off the conversation quickly and walk away to the back, “Have a nice day!” she added as she hurried away.
Once back at the back section of the plane, Natalie let out a deep breath. She looked down at her hands and noticed that they were shaking. She felt like she had seen a ghost. A ghost with the face of her late father on it.
She had to talk to someone. This was the only way to make sure that she was not losing her mind. And she knew exactly who to talk to. “Cassandra?”, she asked nervously. Cassandra turned her head, and the minute she saw the look on Natalie’s face, she knew something serious was going on. “Talk to me,” she said, adopting a nurturing tone as she patted Natalie’s back.
“Tell me I’m not crazy,” Natalie began, nervously locking eyes with Cassandra. Cassandra looked at her questioningly. “It’s okay if it’s all too much for you, Natalie,” she said calmly and softly. “We would all understand if you want to take a couple of extra weeks off, you know,” she added.
“No, no, no, that’s not it,” Natalie muttered, opening her locket. Then she took out a photograph, holding it in her hands for a moment before adding, “Doesn’t he look like my dad?” She pointed at the man in seat 37A and then opened her hands to reveal the photograph.
Cassandra looked at her with great disbelief. You could tell she was thinking that Natalie still had hopes of finding her father. Her mouth fell open a little bit, and then she said, “Look, Natalie, that’s…” Cassandra had only begun to speak when she glanced at the wrinkled photo in Natalie’s hand.
“Oh my gosh,” she gasped, covering her mouth in shock. “That man looks just like your father. How is that possible?” “That’s what I’m thinking,” Natalie replied, quietly wondering who the man resembling her dad was.
The relief washed over Natalie as Cassandra’s expression confirmed her recognition of the uncanny resemblance; she too had noticed. It wasn’t just her imagination; that man truly looked like her late father. But the reality remained that he couldn’t be her dad. Or could it? What if he had lost his memories and that’s why he couldn’t recognise Natalie anymore.
Natalie’s heart raced with hopeful trepidation. But she soon chastised herself for her wishful thinking/ She stared at the business card in her hands, the one he had given her. It bore the name “Kevin Jones” in bold letters, indicating that he was the Chief Executive Officer of a staffing and recruitment company.
It was a far cry from what her dad had been doing. He had always been passionate about working with people and helping them, which led him to work at a shelter for ex-convicts, assisting them in reintegrating into society as smoothly as possible. This man, Kevin Jones, was clearly not her father.
Unless, Natalie thought to herself with a chuckle, he had undergone a drastic transformation and faked his own death to start an entirely new life under a new identity. But even then, there is no way he’d end up becoming a CEO of a company within a year. Natalie realised that despite her hopes and prayers, this couldn’t be her father.
The idea seemed too far-fetched, but in the midst of her pain, it brought a sense of comfort at finally getting some answers. “I have to ask him about it once!” Natalie whispered, her voice trembling. “Even if he had lost his memories and started a new life, I need to talk to him and find out the truth. Has he been out there this whole time while I mourned him?” Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over.
Cassandra gently squeezed her shoulder, offering comfort. “You’re overwhelmed, Natalie, but there has to be a logical explanation for all this. You need to talk to him. Maybe he knows something that can make sense of this.”
Before Natalie could respond, Jess pushed her back up the aisle. “I will go with you,” she said reassuringly. Natalie was grateful for the support because she had no idea what to do. With a nervous smile, she crouched next to the mystery passenger.She stared at his face, trying to find the words, but no sound came out. All she could do was gaze at the man who was wearing her dead father’s face.
“Can I help you?” he finally said after an awkwardly long silence.Cassandra sensed Natalie’s hesitation and stepped in, “Yes, you can help. We apologize for the intrusion, but I’m afraid you bear an uncanny resemblance to someone important to one of our flight attendants. It’s quite shocking.”
Natalie felt herself shrinking, knowing that she was that flight attendant, and he probably already noticed. She didn’t want to appear shy or overwhelmed, so she mustered her courage and cleared her throat. “Do you, by any chance, know anyone by the name Winston Garcia?” she asked boldly.
The man looked at her for a moment, and Natalie thought he might say yes, but unfortunately, he didn’t. “No, I’m sorry, I don’t…” he replied. Natalie stuttered in response, “Oh, I’m so sorry. You just look identical to my father whom I lost on a diving trip. I know it’s likely just an improbable coincidence, but I’m grasping for explanations, to be honest.”
Kevin’s kind eyes radiated empathy. “I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for you but I am sorry I have never gone diving once in my life,” he replied sympathetically. “I wish I could offer you more answers, but no, I’ve never heard the name Winston. This must all feel so surreal.” He added, “If there is anything I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to contact me.”
Natalie appreciated his understanding, even if it didn’t bring the answers she sought. The encounter left her with more questions than ever before, and the mystery surrounding the man who looked so much like her late father deepened.
The remainder of the flight was a blur for Natalie. She couldn’t wait to get off the plane because there was one last person she needed to visit to get answers to this mysterious matter. Upon arriving back home, Natalie quickly grabbed her belongings and rushed to her car. She entered the address into her navigation and drove straight to the place she wanted to visit.
Once she arrived at the house, she impatiently pressed the doorbell. After just a few seconds, Mrs. Garcia opened the door with open arms, inviting her in for a hug.“I’m sorry for disturbing you so late in the evening grandma,” Natalie began. “But I need to talk to you about something important.” She got straight to the point.
Mrs. Garcia smiled warmly and reassured Natalie that she was never a disturbance. “I just baked some cookies,” she said with a hint of sadness, “the ones that Winston used to love.” Natalie empathized with Mrs. Garcia’s pain, knowing she was still grieving her son. With difficulty, Natalie cleared her throat and took a deep breath.
She explained to Mrs. Garcia about the man on the flight who resembled Winston, showing her the business card as proof. Mrs. Garcia’s eyes welled up, and Natalie could see the anxiety in her expression. “Is everything okay, Grandma?” Natalie asked, squeezing her hand. “I know this is hard for you, but I needed to get some answers. I’m sorry to bother you with this.”
Mrs. Garcia took a deep shaky breath and asked Natalie to fetch an album from her bedside drawer. Natalie did as instructed, and both of them sat down at the kitchen table. Mrs. Garcia opened the album, and Natalie couldn’t believe her eyes. What was going on?!
Tears welled up in Natalie’s eyes, and her body trembled as she saw two twin babies in the photos. One of them she recognized from old baby pictures of her dad, but the other was unfamiliar. She couldn’t comprehend what she was seeing. Did her father have a twin brother?
Mrs. Garcia explained that the babies in the photographs were Winston and his twin brother. Natalie was astonished but listened as Mrs. Garcia continued, revealing new information that left Natalie baffled for a long while.
Mrs. Garcia then shared the painful truth—Winston didn’t have a present father, and she had to raise her kids on her own. When she discovered she was having twins, she knew she couldn’t manage two sons alone, so she made the heart-wrenching decision to leave one of them at an orphanage.
Natalie was in disbelief, but she couldn’t imagine the difficult circumstances her grandma must have faced. She felt empathy for her, understanding that she did what she believed was best for the child’s future. As tears streamed down Mrs. Garcia’s face, Natalie felt torn between anger for the secret kept and compassion for her difficult decision.
Mrs. Garcia’s love for her sons was evident, even in her regretful confession. With her thoughts filled with concern for Kevin, Natalie couldn’t help but hope he had a better life growing up than Winston’s childhood. Holding Kevin’s business card, she observed the signs of his successful career, indicating that he had overcome any previous hardships.
Natalie wondered if Kevin knew he was adopted and whether he wanted to meet his biological mother and, perhaps, even her— his niece. Natalie’s mind was spinning with this shocking revelation about her dad having a twin brother. She looked at Mrs. Garcia, who had tears streaming down her face. Natalie squeezed her hand gently.
“I know this must have been an impossibly difficult decision for you to make back then,” Natalie said softly. Mrs. Garcia nodded, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. “I always wondered what happened to my other precious boy. Not a day went by that I didn’t think of him and pray he was okay,” Mrs. Garcia said, her voice thick with emotion.
Natalie’s heart ached for her. She hesitated before asking, “Do you think…do you think Kevin knows he was adopted?” Mrs. Garcia shook her head. “I don’t know, dear. But now that we’ve found him, I’d like to try to reconnect, if he’s open to it.”
Natalie nodded. “I think we should reach out to him. Perhaps we could invite him over for dinner?” Mrs. Garcia smiled through her tears. “That’s a lovely idea. I would love to see him again. So Natalie drafted a thoughtful email to Kevin explaining the situation. She included photos of her dad Winston and details on Mrs. Garcia in hopes of stirring Kevin’s curiosity. Her finger hovered over the send button for a long time before she finally clicked it.
An agonizing week passed with no response. But then, an email from Kevin appeared. He shared that he knew he was adopted and always wondered about his biological family. He would love to meet. Natalie quickly called Mrs. Garcia to share the exciting news. They decided to host Kevin for dinner at Mrs. Garcia’s home.
She spent days preparing all kinds of delicious foods to make sure everything went perfect. Then finally the morning of the reunion dinner arrived. Natalie went over to Mrs. Garcia’s house early to help her get everything ready. Mrs. Garcia was a bundle of nervous energy, fluffing cushions, re-arranging photo albums, and fussing over every little detail.
Natalie helped set out an assortment of snacks and appetizers for when Kevin arrived. She could sense Mrs. Garcia’s anxiety. “It’s going to be wonderful, grandma,” Natalie reassured, squeezing her hand. At precisely 6 pm, the doorbell rang. Natalie opened the door with a warm, welcoming smile. “Hello again, please come in”.
Kevin stepped inside tentatively and Mrs. Garcia immediately pulled him into a tight embrace. They held each other for a long moment, both crying tears of joy. Kevin clung to her, burying his face in her shoulder. The emotional reunion brought tears to Natalie’s eyes. Over dinner, Mrs. Garcia shared stories about Winston and details of Kevin’s early childhood before the adoption.
Kevin listened intently, marveling at the uncanny ways he was similar to Winston. He was amazed to find parts of himself in these family stories. Natalie could see Kevin’s sense of belonging growing. This reunion healed a wound in all their hearts.
That emotional reunion dinner marked a new beginning for their family. Kevin became a regular fixture at Mrs. Garcia’s home, making up for lost time. He and Natalie grew close, bonding over memories of Winston. Natalie found comfort in seeing parts of her late father live on in his twin brother. There was a hole left in all their hearts after Winston’s passing.
But Kevin’s presence allowed them to heal and fill that void. Mrs. Garcia was overjoyed to reunite with the son she thought she had lost forever. Having Kevin back in her life was a blessing. Though the road that led them there was painful, Natalie knew this was how it was always meant to be. Their lives were intertwined, and now they could move forward together.