Delayed

by Daniela Reyes

  His dad had called him that morning, asking for him to board the next flight out to Boston. They could talk on the ride over to Glensford.

  Nick didn't want to talk. That's all anyone had wanted to do for the last two weeks, talk. Family members and strangers alike made promises of how the difficult time would pass, and how he needed to be strong, for the sake of his sister.

  “You’re the oldest one, Nicolas. Your dad needs you to set an example for Milagros,” his Abuela had said before he flew out to Shepton, almost a week before.

  Mimi was nine. She didn’t need him to be strong. She needed her mother. He could feel the tears pooling in his eyes.

  Someone tapped his shoulder. Nick opened his eyes.

  Olivia stood over him, blocking his view of the bathrooms.

  “Thanks for watching my bag,” she said. “My flight’s boarding soon.”

  “Oh. Okay,” he said sitting up. “Where are you flying to?”

  “Boston,” she said.

  He could feel a bit of hope rising in his chest. Maybe he wouldn’t have to be alone on his flight.

  “Me too. What time does your flight leave?”

  Olivia didn’t even stare down at her boarding pass. “Noon.”

  Nick sat back. “Oh.” His flight left half an hour later.

  She nodded again. “I should go.”

  He picked up her bag and handed it to her. “Have a safe flight.”

  “You too.” And with those final words she walked in the opposite direction.

  Nick let his eyes linger on Olivia until she disappeared behind a crowd of people. The silence returned. He hated the silence. It made room for the thoughts he wanted to bury deep within himself.

  It'd been two weeks, and he still didn't think it was real. It didn't feel real. Every time he woke up, he would tell himself that his mom was on a short trip, one of her weekend escapes. She'd taken him on a couple. Her favorite spot had been Shepton, Florida, the setting for her childhood.

  Nick felt his phone vibrate. Crisis averted.

  “Hello?” he cleared his throat twice.

  “Nick I found a picture.” It was Mimi. Her voice trembled.

  “What picture?”

  “The one of mom in the hospital, the day before she shaved off all her hair.”

  Nick swallowed down the urge to cry. He couldn’t, not with Mimi holding on to his every word.

  “I remember taking it,” he said. His mind raced back to that a day, almost two years back.

  “I miss her. I miss mommy,” Mimi took a breath. He could hear her sniffling on the other end. “I miss her so much.”

  He couldn’t handle this. Not right now.

  “Don't cry Mimi. Think of a happy memory.” Nick could hear his sister starting to choke back tears. He could feel his own eyes watering. A woman, a few seats down, was staring at him with the same pitying eyes everyone had been giving him for the last two weeks.

  He blinked away the tears.

  “Happy memories make me the saddest,” Mimi said.

  Nick could feel himself breaking down again. How could she be gone? His mom had seemed so full of life at his birthday party. Then a few days later she’d just collapsed. The cancer had come back, and it was too late this time.

  “It’s okay to be sad,” he said. “Cry until it feels better. I’ll be in Boston soon.”

  He could hear his sister trying to talk past her tears. “It hurts when I cry, and it hurts when I don't. When is it going to stop hurting, Nick?”

  He let the ball of tissues in his hand fall to the floor.

  “Mimi I love you. I’ll call you when I land, okay?”

  Mimi slowly caught hold of her breathing. “Okay.”

  He hung up before his sister heard him break away from the facade he tried to keep around her. Nick got up, left his backpack on the floor, and ran to the bathroom.

  He didn't try to reach a stall. The moment he stepped inside he let himself break down again. The tears fell automatically for a few minutes. It was just like Mimi had said. It hurt when he cried, but it hurt even more when he didn't.

  Nick was able to compose himself sooner than before. He splashed cold water on his face then stuffed a wad of clean tissues into his pocket. He ran back out, remembering the lecture the unaccompanied minors agent had given him about unattended luggage.

  Someone was sitting in his seat. Olivia gave him a short wave as he approached her.

  He tilted his head. “I thought you had to board your flight.”

  She had his backpack on her lap. “It got delayed, something about malfunctioning motors. I got moved to the next available flight.”

  Nick hesitated before finally taking the seat next to her. “Thanks for watching my stuff.”

  “We’re even now,” Olivia said. She tossed him his backpack. The silence returned.

  He scratched the back of his neck. There had to be a way to keep some semblance of a conversation going. “Why are you going to Boston?”

  Her eyes widened at the question. A quick flash of something passed over her expression, before disappearing.

  “I’m spending the summer with my dad,” she said coolly. “What about you?”

  “I live in Boston. I’m coming back from visiting my grandparents,” Nick said. Technically it was the truth. He was in Shepton to help his Grandma Joan sort through his mom’s childhood things. His dad wanted to have pictures and keepsakes at the funeral. At least, that had been the cover up story to get Nick to fly out to Florida.

  “Oh. Small world.”

  He could feel the conversation fading away. “Why are you in Shepton?” he asked.

  It took him all of a second to realize he’d asked the wrong question. Nick tried to backtrack.

  “Nevermind.”

  "My parents are getting a divorce. My mom wants a new start, so she got a job here in Shepton, fifteen hundred miles away from my dad. Now I'm stuck flying back and forth until the court decides who gets primary custody of me."

  “Oh.”

  Olivia leaned back in her chair. “I’m sure it’s not as bad as whatever you’re not telling me.”

  Nick froze. Was he supposed to tell this strange girl everything now? How could he summarize everything he felt, everything he’d been through, into a few sentences?

  My mom died.

  My mom passed away.

  There was no way of putting it together without sounding completely morbid.

  “Don’t tell me. I’m better off not knowing,” Olivia said. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Let’s just wait for our flight to board.”

  Nick nodded. He didn’t mind the short bit of silence that followed. Soon they were boarding their flight. Olivia didn’t say anything while they waited in line, or even when they ended up sitting right next to each other in the back of coach.

  The two of them sat in silence until he could no longer tolerate it.

  Nick turned to the girl who was still a complete stranger to him and without hesitation he said, “I’ll tell you, if you're willing to listen."

  3

  June 3, 2004

  The flight passed by in a second. Olivia didn’t have the energy to look up when Nick finally finished telling her everything. It was her fault for having agreed to listen. She’d opened up Pandora’s box.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, please prepare for landing,” a flight attendant announced in the background.

  “I said too much, didn’t I?” Nick asked. His voice remained a whisper.

  She could feel herself giving into the pity. Olivia knew what the polite answer would be, but she didn’t force herself to say it.

  “Yeah. You did.”

  He bit his lip and leaned back, taking a moment to enjoy the view from his window seat.

  She didn’t know what to say. There sat a strange boy, who had just told her his story of woe, mixed in with the happy memories he had of his mother. He’d also shared his mother’s favorite quote.

  All that is lost in lo
ve is never truly lost.

  Olivia had to disagree with that one. All that a person lost when in love, their hopes, their dreams, and ultimately their unwavering trust, none of it could ever be regained. She fought away her cynicism, in favor of her gentler side. A parent’s death was a valid reason to cry. Even then, she wasn’t sure she would let herself cry in front of anyone like Nick did.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  “For what?” she asked.

  “For listening. No one’s been willing to talk about her.”

  “No one likes to talk about death,” Olivia said. “It makes them have to think about their own.”

  Nick sat up. His dark eyes reflected the distant city of Boston. “I made you think about your death?”

  She shook her head. “I thought you were weird before you said anything.”

  Then out of nowhere, the hint of a grin appeared on his face. The wheels of the plane touched the runway underneath them, pulsing their seats forward. Olivia reached out and without thought, she clung on to the armrest, not realizing there was an actual arm resting upon it.

  Nick jumped up at her touch. She pulled her hand back onto her lap.

  The two of them didn’t say anything for the rest of the landing process. Olivia rushed out into the aisle at the first chance, hoping she could finally leave him behind. Luckily, as an unaccompanied minor, airport staff collected her luggage for her. They would give it to her when her dad showed up to pick her up.

  As soon as she turned on her phone, she realized it might be a while before he did. She redialed the source of her missed calls.

  “Dad?”

  “Olivia. Hey. Why weren’t you picking up?”

  She sighed. “I was on a flight. We landed a few minutes ago.”

  “I thought you wouldn’t land for a few more hours.”

  “Nope. I’m here.”

  Olivia could hear her dad stalling. A brief silence followed. He was the one that had booked the flight. How could he not know when she landed?

  “I can’t pick you up yet. Jocelyn is finishing up some things in Glensford and it might be a while before we finish.”

  She felt her heart tear at the mention of the name. Jocelyn, the other half of the divorce catalyst, she was ten years younger than her dad and a nurse at his practice.

  “You’re with Jocelyn? You can’t pick me up because you’re driving your mistress around?” The impulse to feign any sort of courtesy passed.

  “She’s not my mistress,” he said, through what resembled a hiss. “Did your mother tell you to call her that?”

  There it was, the start of the blame game. For the past few months, whenever Olivia did or said something wrong, the responsibility was thrown directly upon her mother’s shoulders.

  “No. She didn’t. What am I supposed to do, dad?”

  His anger subsided. “Wait for me at the airport. I’ll try to be there in four hours.”

  “Four hours? Glensford’s half an hour away.”

  “You can’t expect me to drop everything to come get you. This is you mother’s fault. She can never communicate anything without yelling.”

  Olivia took a breath. Then another. She held in every curse word she wanted to blurt out at her dad.

  “Don’t bother coming to pick me up. I’ll find you.” And with that she hung up. She left a message for her mom, telling her everything was settled. Then she turned off her phone.

  There seemed to be an endless line of traveling families. A man helped his wife pull a stroller through a crowd. Another one held his wife’s hand, and his little girl’s in the other. The amount of familial happiness was suffocating.

  Olivia stood in the middle of the crowd, watching every stranger and wondering. What secrets were those men keeping from their wives? How long would it be before they became another divorce statistic?

  “You lost?” a familiar voice asked.

  She made a sharp turn. Nick stood right behind her, his backpack over his shoulder.

  “No. You seem to be though.”

  He shook his head, the small glimmer of light in his eyes dimmed. "I'm headed for the pickup area. My dad's getting my suitcase before we drive over to Glensford."

  Olivia’s ears shot up. “Glensford? I thought you were going to Boston.”

  “We have to make a bit of a pit stop,” Nick said.

  She had two options, the mature one, and the ever-tempting childish route, which had just presented itself to her.

  “Take me with you.”

  “What?”

  She sighed. “Take me with you. I need to go to Glensford too.”

  Nick’s eyebrows rose. “I thought you were going to Boston.”

  Olivia pushed her fingers into her pocket, hoping to find cash for a taxi. Instead, her hand brushed against the palm tree key chain.

  He waved his hands in front of him. “It’s not about the money. I mean you can ride with us if you want, but we’re headed to a direct destination. We would have to drop you off afterward”

  Olivia felt her sudden plan forming. “I’ll go. I can wait.”

  “It’s not what you might think…”

  “I’ll go with you. It doesn’t matter where you have to stop first.” She was losing her common sense. Yet, something urged her on. She wanted her dad to worry. It was immature, but she wasn’t fourteen for another hour. Thirteen was supposed to be the age of rebellion.

  “Do you have permission from your parents? You need to tell the unaccompanied minors agent.”

  “My dad already called in. His car broke down. I was going to take a taxi, but I left my wallet in my suitcase.”

  “They didn’t give you back your luggage?”

  Olivia felt herself being cornered. She hadn’t thought all the answers through. “My dad wants them to keep it, until he can come pick it up. He didn’t want me to carry it by myself.” Yeah right. Like her dad would ever be that concerned.

  She noticed that Nick was scanning her carry-on bag. “I really don’t have a wallet. You can check.”

  He stared up at her. “No. It’s fine. I can give you a ride. You’re sure, though?”

  “Are you a fourteen year old serial killer?”

  “No.”

  “Then I’m sure.”

  He nodded. “Okay.” Nick waved at someone. A man that looked to be in his late thirties returned the gesture. He was tall and broad-shouldered. His black hair matched Nick's, but his eyes were a lighter shade of brown.

  “What did you pack Nick?” the man asked. He kept his hand on a black suitcase.

  “I brought what you asked for,” Nick said. He turned to Olivia. “Oh. Dad. This is Olivia. We met on the plane. Is it okay if we give her a ride to Glensford?”

  The man’s eyes widened as he realized she was standing there. Olivia gave her best, I’m not lying, smile.

  “Um. Did you tell her we have to go somewhere beforehand?”

  Nick nodded.

  His dad hesitated before offering out his hand. “Nice to meet you Olivia. Do your parents know that we’re giving you a ride?”

  “My dad wanted me to take a taxi out to where he is. I’m sure he’ll be okay with this.”

  Nick's dad scanned her over again as if he were waiting for her to tell the truth. Olivia could feel her regret trying to surface. She could still turn back. What if one of the agents from the unaccompanied minors program saw her?

  “Okay. Let’s get going.” Nick’s dad led the way forward.

  No one in the airport gave them a second glance. It made Olivia feel even guiltier. She was tricking the system. What if Nick’s family got in trouble? Could this be considered kidnapping?

  All the questions were pushed to one side as she took a seat in a gray Camry. Nick rode in the front with his backpack spread across his lap. He turned his head toward the back.

  “Where exactly do you need to be dropped off?”

  Olivia shrugged. “Just in the general Glensford area.” She would have to call her dad soon.
The rashness of her choice was slowly creeping over her. “Where are you going first?”

  Nick’s eyes shot to the floor of the car. “To the beach.”

  “Why?”

  His eyes darted up to her. His expression was worn, more so than before. “For one last goodbye.”

  4

  June 3, 2004

  They got to the beach house a half hour later. Olivia hadn’t said anything. Nick was thankful his dad hadn’t asked any further questions. They both knew she was running away from something, but neither one cared to ask.

  “I’m going to find parking. Why don’t you two join everyone else inside?” his dad suggested.

  Nick turned his head to the back seat. Olivia was resting her cheek against the glass of the window. She had a tiny palm tree shaped keychain looped through her index finger.

  “You can wait in the car if you want,” Nick said.

  She stopped playing with the keychain and returned from whatever thoughts had held her attention.

  “No. I’ll go. Unless you don’t want me to; I mean it is sort of private.”

  He shook his head. “I want you to come.”

  That may have been too forward. Olivia was giving him a strange look.

  “I wouldn’t want you to get heat stroke in the car. It takes too much gasoline to…”

  Her expression softened, and the lines on her forehead disappeared. “I get it.”

  “Okay.”

  The two of them opened their car doors simultaneously. The Glensford heat struck Nick all at once. It was milder than the daily furnace he’d had to face in Shepton, but powerful nonetheless.

  White clouds gathered in sparse clumps through the early afternoon sky, playing beautifully against a light blue background. There were cars already parked outside the beach house, most of them he recognized. There were license plates from states thousands of miles away.

  Nick waved his dad off before taking a spot next to Olivia. He caught her stuffing the keychain back into her pocket.

  “What’s that for?” he asked.

  She stopped the action midway. “It’s just a keychain.” Then she paused and took another look at Nick. “It’s supposed to bring luck into your life.”