Margaret?”
“Margaret was shocked awake by the turbulence but still a little dazed. There was an aisle between us, and the noise was unbelievably loud, so we couldn’t talk. But until Kent told us to brace for impact I held her hand. I tried to tell her I loved her, I told her we’d be okay. Dave was in front of me. I couldn’t see him.”
“And then Theresa, what was she doing?”
Theresa. Once, almost three months after returning home, Lillian was on a flight to California when she thought she saw her. The flight attendant had glided up and down the aisle taking drink orders, her wheat-colored hair covering the side of her face.
Lillian had been half asleep on the Valium her psychiatrist prescribed for her first plane trip since the crash. It had been hard to leave Jerry and the boys behind, but he couldn’t take off any more time. Jill sat beside her instead.
That’s when she had heard Theresa’s voice.
“Hey there, hon, what can I get’cha?” The knowing Southern drawl was unmistakable.
“Theresa?” her drugged voice rasped. “Is that you?” In that moment, she almost drowned in a flood of hope and confusion, until the smooth face came into focus.
“No, hon, I’m Jen. But you can call me Theresa if you want to.” The flight attendant winked playfully.
“I don’t want anything to drink,” Lillian slurred. Jill apologized and ordered her some apple juice anyway, and Lillian drifted off to sleep, sure she’d just seen Theresa’s ghost.
Lillian shook the hazy memory out of her mind and put on a brave face, preparing for the impending drop on her own personal roller coaster. It was coming, she saw it up ahead, that drop that everyone else seemed to love but her. To Lillian it wasn’t invigorating or exciting. It just felt like falling.
“Uh, Theresa was up in the cockpit with Kent, but after the announcement she came back to get buckled in like the rest of us.”
Genevieve leaned forward, mock concern on her face. “Lillian, I know this is difficult but please tell me how Theresa died.”
CHAPTER 6
LILY-DAY 1
Flight 1261
The flight attendant stands at the front of the plane running through a little spiel about seatbelts and floatation devices but I’m not listening. I’m watching Dave Hall. He leans against the window, staring. I can’t see his face. But once, as Theresa mimes putting on an oxygen mask, he rubs his temple and then his face like he’s wiping away tears.
Concluding her presentation, Theresa sits down in front of me and buckles her seat belt for takeoff. No one speaks. Dave Hall remains frozen, slouching against the window and staring out into the ocean as we ascend into the sky. The force of takeoff pushes me into the seat and I surrender willingly, taking in one last look at Fiji, the glowing white beaches tracing the rich green center like a strand of pearls. Then there’s only water, shimmering sapphire blue.
When we finally level out, I pick up my book again. It’s a romance, not my usual, but I only had ten bucks in my pocket and it was the cheapest one there. I’m in the middle of one of those steamy love scenes. Blushing a little, I flip through the chapter, searching for a page free of throbbing body parts.
All I hear in my head, though, are Dave Hall’s words on repeat: Those could have been our babies. How could you forget? Slapping the cover closed, I sigh and run a hand through the tangled strands of my unbrushed hair. This is going to be a long flight.
A sharp ding sounds. The flight attendant unbuckles and faces our seats.
“Y’all can use your electronics again if you want. Just no phones.” She glances at Dave like she wants to say more but instead tiptoes toward the galley.
Time to be distracted, finally. Shoving my backpack out of the way I yank the heavy black laptop bag onto my thighs. Normally I’d never lug a computer with me on a beach vacation but Jerry downloaded some video chat software. I saw the boys on their first day of
“Margaret was shocked awake by the turbulence but still a little dazed. There was an aisle between us, and the noise was unbelievably loud, so we couldn’t talk. But until Kent told us to brace for impact I held her hand. I tried to tell her I loved her, I told her we’d be okay. Dave was in front of me. I couldn’t see him.”
“And then Theresa, what was she doing?”
Theresa. Once, almost three months after returning home, Lillian was on a flight to California when she thought she saw her. The flight attendant had glided up and down the aisle taking drink orders, her wheat-colored hair covering the side of her face.
Lillian had been half asleep on the Valium her psychiatrist prescribed for her first plane trip since the crash. It had been hard to leave Jerry and the boys behind, but he couldn’t take off any more time. Jill sat beside her instead.
That’s when she had heard Theresa’s voice.
“Hey there, hon, what can I get’cha?” The knowing Southern drawl was unmistakable.
“Theresa?” her drugged voice rasped. “Is that you?” In that moment, she almost drowned in a flood of hope and confusion, until the smooth face came into focus.
“No, hon, I’m Jen. But you can call me Theresa if you want to.” The flight attendant winked playfully.
“I don’t want anything to drink,” Lillian slurred. Jill apologized and ordered her some apple juice anyway, and Lillian drifted off to sleep, sure she’d just seen Theresa’s ghost.
Lillian shook the hazy memory out of her mind and put on a brave face, preparing for the impending drop on her own personal roller coaster. It was coming, she saw it up ahead, that drop that everyone else seemed to love but her. To Lillian it wasn’t invigorating or exciting. It just felt like falling.
“Uh, Theresa was up in the cockpit with Kent, but after the announcement she came back to get buckled in like the rest of us.”
Genevieve leaned forward, mock concern on her face. “Lillian, I know this is difficult but please tell me how Theresa died.”
CHAPTER 6
LILY-DAY 1
Flight 1261
The flight attendant stands at the front of the plane running through a little spiel about seatbelts and floatation devices but I’m not listening. I’m watching Dave Hall. He leans against the window, staring. I can’t see his face. But once, as Theresa mimes putting on an oxygen mask, he rubs his temple and then his face like he’s wiping away tears.
Concluding her presentation, Theresa sits down in front of me and buckles her seat belt for takeoff. No one speaks. Dave Hall remains frozen, slouching against the window and staring out into the ocean as we ascend into the sky. The force of takeoff pushes me into the seat and I surrender willingly, taking in one last look at Fiji, the glowing white beaches tracing the rich green center like a strand of pearls. Then there’s only water, shimmering sapphire blue.
When we finally level out, I pick up my book again. It’s a romance, not my usual, but I only had ten bucks in my pocket and it was the cheapest one there. I’m in the middle of one of those steamy love scenes. Blushing a little, I flip through the chapter, searching for a page free of throbbing body parts.
All I hear in my head, though, are Dave Hall’s words on repeat: Those could have been our babies. How could you forget? Slapping the cover closed, I sigh and run a hand through the tangled strands of my unbrushed hair. This is going to be a long flight.
A sharp ding sounds. The flight attendant unbuckles and faces our seats.
“Y’all can use your electronics again if you want. Just no phones.” She glances at Dave like she wants to say more but instead tiptoes toward the galley.
Time to be distracted, finally. Shoving my backpack out of the way I yank the heavy black laptop bag onto my thighs. Normally I’d never lug a computer with me on a beach vacation but Jerry downloaded some video chat software. I saw the boys on their first day of
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