"I hate to say this, bro, but we still have work to do."
"Yeah, it's okay, Red. Time and tide wait for no one. I know."
"And impatient directors don't wait for anyone, either. I called to let him know we'd be late. He's a little hungover since last night, so he was grumpy but amenable."
"Yeah."
"You'll see her again, bro."
"I know, Red. But dammit I just found her!"
"I can't say I know how you feel. I don't. But I'm here."
"Thanks, man."
"I'll shut up now." Red grinned and punched Cole in the shoulder.
"I'd hit you back, but you're driving my car," he remarked. "I like my car."
Cole went through the rest of the day on automatic. He was funny, charming and did his job well. At the end of the day, he went home and opened a bottle of vodka, another of Kahlua, and drank Black Russians until he fell asleep.
Mara's flight was long and tedious. Even in first class, she felt cramped, claustrophobic and irritable. She cried softly, face to the window, until the flight attendant stopped beside her. The woman was probably in her mid-twenties, she had a kind face and long blonde hair pulled back in a bow.
"You want something to drink, Miss Cross?"
Mara started to say no, but her throat was a little dry, so she asked for a Coca-Cola. The young woman handed it to her and then sat down in the empty seat next to her.
"I know it's none of my business," she said quietly. "But I've been doing this flight for five years and I've seen people too drunk to stand, singing and throwing up, sleeping off a bender, but I've never seen anyone who came back in tears. Are you okay?"
Mara's lip started to tremble. Tears started to fall from her eyes again. The attendant handed her a clean cloth napkin.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Mara nodded. "My mom got sick while I was away. I don't know how she is." She started to sob quietly.
The flight attendant, whose name was Andi, put a comforting arm around her. "I'm so sorry. I know how scary that is. My mom got sick the first flight I took down here. I had to turn around and come right back. She's okay, and I'm sure your mom will be fine."
"I hope so."
"There's more, though, isn't there? You look so miserable, there has to be more."
"Yeah." Mara tried to hold her mouth still, but it kept falling into a pout.
"It's a man, huh?" Andi was remarkably perceptive for such a young woman.
Mara nodded. "He's fantastic. He's the best thing that ever happened to me, and I have to leave! And I just found him!"
"Oh, honey. It's okay." Andi hugged her again. "Once your mom gets better, just get back with him."
"It's not that simple," Mara said.
"Why not?"
"My job...his job.... Life!"
"It's only as complicated as we make it, that's what my mom says. She's always telling me, "Andrea Michelle, life's only as hard as you make it for yourself. If you build a mountain out of a molehill, you deserve to be stuck up top." She smiled sweetly. "I know it sounds kind of silly, but when you stop building that mountain, things have a way of working out."
"Thanks, Andi. I hope you're right."
"We're going to be landing in about fifteen minutes. Can I get you anything else?"
"I'm better now, thank you."
"Sure thing, Miss Cross." She walked up to the front of the cabin and made her announcement concerning the landing.
Mara obediently fastened her seat belt, put her seat in the upright position and locked her tray in place. The plane landed on time and her oldest brother, Toby, was waiting for her at the baggage pickup. He looked tired, worried and harassed.
His smile was warm and welcoming, his arms a comfort. He was always the one she turned to for strength. He was the one who pulled them all through after their father's death, and he was doing it again with their mother's illness. Mara promised herself he wouldn't do it alone, this time. She had to get a grip.
"Hey, baby sister. Good flight?"
"No, miserable. How's Mom?"
"Better. They're running more thorough tests, but she had a small heart attack. They think she might need a pace maker. She may need angioplasty for the blockages, but they aren't absolutely sure yet. We knew you would want to be here if she had surgery." He put his arm around her and led her from the airport.
©2021 Dellani Oakes
To Buy Dellani's Books https://www.amazon.com/Dellani-Oakes/e/B007ZQCW3A/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
No comments:
Post a Comment