Pure Intersection: Made "Love" In The Air

In the sleek modern Heart Airport in Texas, a crew of flight attendants stroll purposefully through the halls heading to their respective stations to prepare for take-off. Chairman Paulo Gustavo, dressed in a single-breasted suit as usual, leaves the last button on his blazer unbuttoned as he walks out of a meeting with a crew of pilots.

He reaches for his phone and sends a text message to his wife Ariella while walking to his office.

Ariella, holding her phone, goes through the message which seems to surprise her. Immediately, her phone rings, it is her husband Paulo.

She picks up and says "What is this text I'm reading? Why are Juanita and I going to Malaysia?"

He coolly explains, "An international school in Malaysia contacted me while you were in-flight stating that Juanita has been accepted for enrollment. I've taken care of Juanita's paperwork and homestay already, all I need is for you to help her pack and bring her to the airport by tomorrow"

She cuts in "An international school, All of a sudden?"

"Help her pack and bring her to the airport tomorrow" he replies.

Ariella is astonished that he is telling her all of this so suddenly, but Paulo simply points out that she wasn't there when the school called.

"Have you spoken to your daughter, what was her reply to all of this? Ariella asks

He scoffs "She doesn't have a choice, I have the final say. It's all for the best. I was disappointed her previous school didn't work out. We can't leave her with a nanny either and since you decided you must go back to work; she has to be where she'll be taken care of".

He tells Ariella to just get Juanita to the airport in time and hangs up before she says anything more.

Ariella turns and hurries home, where she finds Juanita wiping the floors with a rag, apparently to prove that she's more useful at home. Juanita is clearly a dramatic but bright kid, and she's got lots to say about her Dad's decision; she rattles "Aren't I a good girl? Did I get in trouble when Abuela looked after me? You tried to send me off to Dad's sister after she died. Did I say I wanted to learn Mandarin? I don't care about global perspectives or learning Mandarin. Dad is being inconsiderate".

Her mother lets out a deep sigh, "I just found out myself. Dad notified..."

"Exactly!" Juanita cuts in, "Why all of a sudden? That's what I don't get".

"I'm sorry Nita, but.." Ariella says. "So you're just going to send me anywhere?" Juanita replies.

"It's not just anywhere, you know how picky Sarah is, she knows someone there. It's a nice and safe place".

"Mom. Are you on Dad's side? Do you want me to go so you two can work? How can you send your only daughter away like this? And you call yourself a mom" She says, as tears began rolling down her cheeks.

Ariella, looking frustrated, tries to comfort her, noting how much Juanita hated her school after her aunt got injured and she couldn't go to New Zealand. It would be embarrassing to have to go back to her old school right after going through all the tearful goodbyes. None of Ariella's comforts succeed even after she assures her she will fly there at least once a week to see her.

Juanita mournfully accuses her and Dad of being eager to send her off just so they can work. She sobs that she's scared, but Ariella only sighs as if there's nothing she can do. That night, Ariella packs Juanita's things until dawn.

Maxwell Stone is also up late at his office working on his architectural designs, but when he receives a call from his teenage daughter, Carol, he immediately heads outside, grinning at the dawn sky.

They banter cutely over the phone while he drives a scooter over a bridge overlooking the River, holding his phone camera up to the sunrise in a landscape manner for her to see.

"Hurry Dad, go faster. I miss and think about this view every day" she says.

"Think about your grandma who's eagerly waiting to see you. Will you visit this year?" her dad replies.

"I'm sightseeing, can you speed up a bit?" she says, as she avoids the question. Carol marvels at the image through the camera, squealing that Texas's sky is totally different from Malaysia's.

She tells him that she thinks her long-awaited roommate is arriving soon. "I have to clean the room and everything. It's not for free though, Mary said she'd give me fifty dollars daily to tidy up, but I'm going to use it to buy a new iron to replace Mary's ancient one that got broken. It was 10 years old" she adds.

"I can't scold you for being thoughtful," he says, smiling. What a sweetie she is, he thinks.

They went on and on and she says how sorry she is that she won't be able to visit him and Grandma in California again this time, but she promises to be there next time, especially for Grandma's birthday. He smiles, hangs up and stares at the sky for a little while before driving off.

After Maxwell hung up, Carol sat on her bed replaying the video from the call with her dad.

She gets another phone call shortly, this time from Mom. Interestingly, she looks much less excited than when she was talking to her Dad, Maxwell.

"I already told him I wouldn't go," she says, as she sadly assures her mom that she told her Dad she wasn't coming. She lets out a sigh of relief after the call ends, wondering why her mother always insists she shouldn't come home.

In the morning, Maxwell drives back to Point-one Interiors, a Firm that specializes in interior décor and makes handmade traditional decorative accessories, situated just in front of his residence.

An assistant outside working on some decorations informs Maxwell that the director stayed up all night preparing for the exhibition. "we're prepping for the exhibition. "Mrs Madison was here all night," she says.

He goes straight to his residence to freshen up. On getting close he sees Madison working through the window and lets out a warm smile. He gets in and walks straight into the bathroom to have a warm bath. Madison walks in while he is preparing breakfast, she walks up to him and pulls the towel from his neck, "that smells nice. Good morning" she says as she kisses him.

They sit comfortably together at the table. When he tells her that Carol won't make it to Texas again, she wonders why he keeps wanting her to come; "Don't you think she's too independent?" he says.

"Okay?, I thought you liked that about her," she replies. She told him to stop giving his mom false hope about Carol's coming to Texas and went on to surprise him with an invitation to go to Malaysia with her as she had already looked through his schedule and confirmed that he wasn't teaching a class today, so she knows he's free. She plans to check out the gallery for the exhibition there while he visits Carol.

In the morning, Ariella and Juanita loaded her bag into a taxi to the airport. The driver warns Ariella that her bags feel too heavy for the airport's weight limit, but Ariella lifts them and says assuredly: "Nope. 24.5 kg!". Amazingly, when they checked in Juanita's baggage, it was exactly 24.5 kg.

Paulo meets Ariella at the airport to help with check-in and asks her whether Juanita is still upset.

She tries to take their daughter's side, "She isn't angry, she's just scared. You should go talk to her. She came this far at least"

"Did she have a choice? I don't think you get the picture here. You of all people know how important this is" he replies.

"All I'm saying is you should try to be more understanding of her emotions" she warmly says, but Paulo only tells her that this is an incredible school where she'll be free to express herself and Ariella of all people should be more understanding and appreciative.

He buys Juanita a glass of juice before the flight, and they snap at each other in annoyance.

"Be nice to Mom while I'm gone" Juanita says,

"Be nice to me first," he replies.

"Is that all you can say to your daughter who's leaving? Mom wouldn't have sent me if you hadn't made a fuss. You always complain about my grades"

"You'll thank me for this for the rest of your life. Ensure you study hard and don't dare say you'd rather stay here" he warns.

Juanita thinks he's being irrational and mean, she glares at him, but when a pair of Air hostesses greet him as they pass, he laughs heartily and pinches her cheek as if they're a loving father-daughter pair.

Juanita tells him flatly: "I hate you". She ignores her father's hand and takes her mother's instead, and they head to board the plane.

Paulo receives a call from one of the crew members who called to inform him about a woman who was making a delivery to Mexico; "she's forced to run and seek refuge somewhere else because her drug-dealing boyfriend was murdered in Mexico" he reports. "She wasn't able to make the drop then was she?", it is silent at the other end of the call. Paulo asks how much loss that was and storms out angrily on getting a reply.

On the plane, Ariella turns off the overhead light so Juanita can sleep in peace. Just a few rows ahead, Maxwell is seated on the same plane to Malaysia, working on his laptop.

When they arrive in sleek, energetic Kuala Lumpur, Maxwell heads to work, while Ariella and Juanita head to her new homestay. At Juanita's new homestay, Mary offers them juice and snacks.

"It's tasty," She says, Mary smiles and tells Ariella "Kids love these things".

Mary tells her that she's very lucky her roommate is the nicest sister in the world and that she even sets up all the decorations around the house to welcome her specially. Juanita looks much cheerier already, and Ariella seems happy as well.

After school, Carol leaps out of class excited when she hears her dad has come to visit. Maxwell stayed in the lobby waiting for her downstairs. She runs into his arms when she sees him.

"Are you surprised?" he says while smiling.

"What brings you here?" she replies.

He explains that he's only here for a short while for the art exhibition, where her uncle and grandmother will be showing off their hand-crafted work used as décor in traditional homes.

Carol pulls out a small spherical bead from her pocket and shows it to her Dad, telling him that Grandma gave it to her, and she carries it around everywhere she goes.

At sunset, she pulls him to a bridge overlooking a river in the middle of the city. She tells him it looks just like the one back at home, and points out all the city landmarks that look just like theirs. He reminds her that if she misses home so much, she's free to come back with him right away,

"You don't know anything dad, it's good to miss something or someone. You just have to wait a while, then we'll meet again. I'm hopeful" she says as she shakes her head and lets out a warm smile.

"That's new logic. You just taught me a huge lesson" he says, nodding and smiling at her. They stood side by side, pretending they were gazing at the River back in Texas.

Juanita is in much higher spirits after checking out her spacious new home but still tears up when her mom has to head back to the airport for work. Her mom promises to come back to see her on the next plane to Malaysia.

"See you. Don't be too long Mom" she says, shakily as tears begin rolling down her cheeks.

At the airport in Kuala Lumpur, Ariella's friend and coworker Sarah walks assuredly toward her crew of attendants. She's charismatic and strict, making sure the rookies on her team are properly uniformed and following proper protocol.

Ariella arrives last, "I'm sorry for arriving late".

Sarah tells the team she'll be replacing one of their team members on the flight back and asks the team to be welcoming. They made their way to the plane. The team observes the routine plane checks before the first passengers start to arrive. Ariella and one other team member stand at the entrance to greet the passengers warmly and professionally as they board the plane. Maxwell runs to catch the plane but makes it just in time; he and Ariella smile at each other as he boards. On the way, Ariella watches a mother-daughter pair, remembers her daughter and holds back her tears.

On arriving at Heart Airport, Sarah and Ariella lead the crew through the terminal, chattering about their flight. On the moving walkway, they pass Chairman Paulo going the other direction with his own team, and both Paulo and Ariella look away while the other crew members greet each other.

As soon as he's out of earshot, the rookie crew members squeal about Paulo "he's as cool as the rumours say", "He's really handsome. I heard his wife's a flight attendant", "Ah, who? Or maybe it's just a rumour", "Maybe, but I heard she's average-looking and unimpressive".

Ariella cringes as Sarah halts in place. Ariella quickly excuses herself before Sarah gives them an earful. Sarah sighs that there's no point in scolding them, and when they guess that perhaps Sarah is Paulo's rumoured wife, she gives them an affronted glare and practically spits out her denial.

Ariella waits while Sarah gets ready to attend a celebration party for her friend's business. Sarah clarifies "I'm not mad because they called you average-looking, but because they thought Paulo was cool and handsome, hah". She pushes Ariella to take one of her dresses and come drink at the party with her, but Ariella refuses, saying she's waiting for a call from her daughter.

"Ariella'' Sarah Calls, "It's because you hide that nice body of yours that there are rumours about you being average. Stop being melodramatic and get a dress from my suitcase",

"I'm waiting for a call from my daughter," Replies Ariella.

Sarah tells her it won't do her any good to wait at home as she walks out of the dressing room, "There's so much dazzle I might go blind. You look breathtaking my friend", "Stop being boring and let's go get drunk. They only sell 150 glasses of handmade beer a day. It's the place to be ''.

They're interrupted by a call from Ariella's mother-in-law, who expresses no reservations in her relief that Juanita has been sent away "Children are a hindrance" she says

Ariella politely denies it, while her mother-in-law tut-tuts at a group of grandmothers picking up their grandkids from school, declaring that she would never live like that.

Sarah successfully convinces Ariella to come to the party with her, who now spots a form-fitting maroon dress that makes her feel really awkward.

Sarah picks up two beers from the restaurant owner and seems to recognize him, but he doesn't answer. When she gives Ariella her drink, they run into another one of their younger coworkers who recognizes Ariella as Paulo's wife.

He's full of rumours, asking Ariella if she knew about Chairman Paulo's clubbing habits and secret meetings with different crew members, and also asking Ariella if their daughter arrived safely at her new school. "You must be so free. Look at what you're wearing" he adds, with a look.

He wondered if they sent their Daughter Juanita away to lead a freer lifestyle. Guess there are no secrets in the workplace.

Sarah's friend finally arrives and explains that the party is hosted to celebrate her getting her first commission.

Sarah still can't remember where she knows the restaurant owner from, and her friend reminds her that they all met before. Sarah finally remembers, recalling how she flirted with him before finding out that Maxwell was not only married but had a daughter as well.

Ariella can't stop worrying about Juanita. However, she tells Sarah that she's going to head out early. Sarah urges her to stay, introducing her friend as the person who set up Juanita's homestay in Malaysia. Sarah's friend knew Juanita's roommate's family (that is, Madison and Maxwell.

Ariella is embarrassed that they're meeting like this before she even gets a chance to thank her properly, but Sarah doesn't see the big deal: "Are older ladies not allowed to have fun?" she says as she laughs

When Maxwell pulls up to the front of the restaurant, Sarah recognizes him right away as Maxwell Stone, Juanita's roommate's father. Ariella, of course, is mortified at the thought of meeting yet another person in her tight dress, and refuses to introduce herself.

Maxwell isn't interested in joining the party anyway, and only brings a drink upstairs to his office to get right back to work.

But Sarah follows him up to say hi, asking if he remembers her "We met five years ago". It doesn't seem to ring a bell, so she tries again "I was the one who asked about Carol's homestay through our mutual friend".

Maxwell asks if Sarah is Juanita's mother, then, but Sarah assures him that she's not. "Juanita's mom is elsewhere, hiding in her dress," she says.

So instead, he gets Ariella's phone number from Sarah and calls, heading out to the roof. Maxwell catches sight of Ariella walking home as he talks, introducing himself as Carol's father and inviting her inside. She sighs and tells him it's a little inconvenient at the moment, her awkwardness palpable through the phone.

Maxwell finally breaks the long pause, hitting right what Ariella is concerned about: "It's hard, isn't it? Sending your kid abroad alone"

Ariella agrees, saying that she just feels so sorry that Juanita is out there scared and alone, and Maxwell relates: "You even feel bad when she's sick and you're not." He tells her "If it's any comfort, my daughter seems to prefer it there, and rarely calls or visits Texas".

It does make Ariella feel a lot better until she suddenly realizes that she forgot her handbag inside. She hurries back to the restaurant to pick it up, and Maxwell follows, looking through the window to find her. Ariella notes a man speaking on a phone from across the room and waves, mistaking him for Maxwell; the man waves back and promptly hangs up. From outside, Maxwell watches the whole thing through the window, equally confused as to who she's talking to.

Maxwell calls again as Ariella heads back outside, telling her that he just spoke with Carol and Juanita's host mom, Mary. Mary told him that Juanita is adjusting very well and that she and Carol are getting along like longtime friends, so Ariella has nothing to worry about. Ariella can't hold back her emotions anymore and sobs, thanking Maxwell for his kind words through the phone. She quickly excuses herself from the call, telling him her taxi is here, even though Maxwell can see from his place on the balcony that there is no taxi. He watches quietly as Ariella drags her suitcase through the street, sobbing in relief.

Two months later, Ariella speaks to a much happier Juanita through a video call; she just got an A on her report card. She's clearly doing very well, and although Ariella is planning to arrive in Malaysia again soon, Juanita tells her that she doesn't have to. She notes that it's weird that the two of them see each other more than Ariella sees Paulo.

Ariella starts to respond, but when Carol tells Juanita that she's heading out, Juanita picks up her backpack and leaves the house while her mother is still mid-sentence on the video call.

After Juanita leaves, Ariella hears a male voice in the room, and looks closer to see that Carol had also left her computer open on her desk on the other side of the room. Maxwell is filming the rain falling from the roof for her, which Carol apparently asked for as a part of her homework.

"Carol? Are you there?" Maxwell calls out, Ariella laughs, realizing that both of their daughters went off after saying only what they needed to say. She turns to discover it's raining where she was as well. Ariella leaves for duty after putting some food in the refrigerator for her husband, who comes home after she's long gone. He takes the refrigerated food out and wonders dryly if it's an in-flight meal.

Ariella arrives in Malaysia to meet Juanita at the Art ornament gallery. The traditional knots catch Ariella's eye, and Juanita tells her that Carol's uncle and grandmother made them. But Juanita is in no state to appreciate the exhibits, she's worried that Carol is going to return to Texas for her grandmother's birthday today, and she has to stay nearby to say goodbye in case she does.

She finally convinces her mother to call Mary and ask whether Carol has decided to go. When Mary reports that she's not going, Juanita practically jumps with joy.

At Carol's grandmother's ornament store, Madison joins Grandma in working outside, expressing her regret that Carol won't be here for Grandma's birthday again this year.

Surprisingly, however, Grandma tells her that Carol is coming. She informed her that she was at the airport a short while ago. Madison looks mightily displeased about that.

At the airport, Carol tries to ignore the repeated phone calls from her mom, but finally gives in and picks up before she enters the gate.

Through the phone, Madison tells her: "Do not come, Please do not come. Do as you promised. Why do you think your dad sent you to me?"

Carol tears up and runs back outside out of the airport, running into Ariella and dropping her grandmother's bead. Ariella picks it up, but Carol doesn't even notice in her hysteria. She runs blindly outside and into the street and is abruptly hit by a car.

Maxwell is teaching a class when he gets the phone call. He texts Madison that he's on the way to the airport; Carol was in an accident. Madison reads the text and calmly returns to her meeting with her clients.

On the plane, Ariella comforts one of her co-hostess; who had witnessed Carol's bloody accident, she is traumatized and can't stop thinking about it.

Ariella helps her breathe to ease her anxiety, comforting her professionally and kindly. "Inhale, exhale. I take deep breaths whenever I feel anxious and short breaths afterwards" she says as she comforts her.

Chairman Paulo's special cell phone rings; "She died and I heard she gave up your daughter, Juanita's location."

He hangs up immediately and calls Ariella with his main cell phone asking about Juanita. She tells him she's good and she was about to call her before his call came in.

"Bring her home" he whispers and hangs up. She looked at her phone for a while confused, frustrated and speechless.

Back home, Juanita calls her mom, telling her that something weird is going on. Carol isn't home, and the police keep coming by". Ariella calmly tells her not to worry "I'm sure you'll figure it out. If Mary said not to worry then do not worry" She hangs up just after she lets Juanita know she'll ask around to find out what's going on then get back to her.

She calls Sarah for Carol's parents' phone number, but suddenly thinks of something: Maxwell Stone's name is awfully similar to the name shown on her flight ticket, "Carol Stone", who was recorded as a minor.

Unable to shake the feeling that Carol might be her daughter's roommate, she turns straight around to buy the last direct ticket to Kuala Lumpur. In the booth next to her, Maxwell runs up and asks for the same flight, when he's interrupted by a phone call.

His face goes pale as he listens, and then stutters "She's... She's dead?". He grips the side of the counter, trying to gain balance. Ariella stands for a while looking at him and decides to give up her ticket and asks for it to be transferred to Maxwell.

He looks at her, but she quickly turns away before he could see her. She walks away and immediately dials his number but no matter how many times she tries to call Maxwell and Mary, they won't answer. She calls Sarah instead. Sarah, however, reminds her that there's nothing she can do anyway, and Ariella finally gives up.

Maxwell arrives at Carol's homestay. He sits in her room and stares at the iron his daughter bought to replace Mary's ancient one then lays on Carol's bed in mourning. He reminisces about their last outing where Carol told him it was good to miss something "we'll meet again, I'm hopeful" her voice echoes in his head. Maxwell lets himself feel the hurt as he wails out in pain and Agony. Ariella is in her room pacing while trying to get a hold of Mary and Maxwell. When Ariella goes ahead to video call Juanita, she hears a glimpse of a man screaming in her room before her computer runs out of battery.