Dropping to land woke them up. Jimmy couldn’t believe how the time had flown bye, without much notice. They were stiff and Julia yawned, and Lena stretched, and Jimmy did a funny stretch that got both the girls to smile. He twisted his body in three different directions, causing them to laugh. “What did you do?” Julia asked. She looked at her daughter and was still smiling. “Did you loose anything?” She said, still smiling from ear to ear. Jimmy was glad she was in a good mood. “I’m just making sure the asleep parts are still there…” He spoke.
Then he looked around to make sure they had everything close by. He became focused on drawing their attention away from the door, thinking they wouldn’t be expected like Jack would be ready to see him more quickly. They had to be prepared to be on the move when looking to hop another plane going to Georgia. He expected to see Jack like he did before, but he would be surprised to see he was still alive, still breathing in air. I wonder how he would be treated now. Jimmy thought. He wasn’t nervous but was just checking to see if they would be under dressed, sitting to the inside of the road, bringing in his mean jeans when facing him again. Jimmy couldn’t believe they were set-up from the get-go, but having credentials already they would have the upper hand. And Jimmy wasn’t worried about Lena not making the grade for her city had been destroyed of recent history. Then Julia knew they had an edge with Jimmy feeling strong and rested.
The plane stopped as the engines stayed on for now, as Jimmy wondered if the doors were to open. He looked at Julia and wondered if they were getting out. It could be a plane heading back to the states, as he pondered their journey might take them further than he just thought. There were four pallets of supplies aboard the C-130J super hyper plane with 13 hours across water to go. Fuel and checking the engines would all be the left-over course they were taking. He grabbed a headset wondering of the chatter left on the box. Jimmy wanted to find out where they were going. They had to find an island to land to refuel. I wonder where would that take them? He thought. He put the headset on and listened to the chatter speaking Spanish, mentioning Georgia in the conversation, giving a flight pattern to the airport in Atlanta. His house was just five hours away from Atlanta going south. Jimmy wanted to swing by and check his land anyway to see if he had any damage to the trees or cleanup, he might experience of recent history, since the nuke was set off. He had no idea what he was facing. Screen doors wasn’t anything that Jimmy was worried about, since he had none to replace. He was more worried about foundations, about his well springing a leak, or wires hanging from trees, or broken windows to replace.
The girls we’re staying there…he wouldn’t take them across country for sure. They would be safer staying in his house than going with him, Piglet would keep away any intruders coming their way for the house, it was a given. Traveling across country on his own. He knew there would be less stress facing him. Plus, he would be targeted by those creatures coming to greet him. Jimmy got up for a minute to stretch. Lena was wondering where the bathroom was, and so was Julia. Holding it for almost 12 hours had her dancing in the aisles of late. Lena looked at her mother, wondering the same thing. “Where’s the bathroom on this big plane anyhow?”
She was looking for Jimmy to get him to tell her. “I think up toward the cockpit for sure, I’ve never been on this type of plane, but guessing you would maybe look for signs or a red light showing where to go.” Lena just looked at him being timid and close to almost peeing her pants. Jimmy got the que and went with her. He didn’t want her to have any trouble with other members wondering about. She was nervous and shy, but kept close to him when turning a corner, she saw it from the corner of her eye. “Thanks.” She said as he waited for her to take care of business. Jimmy knew they had about a half hour before taking off again, giving them a minute to stretch their legs. Then Julia decided she needed to use the restroom too. Keeping the noise down like a small church mouse looking for cheese or a crumb that escaped some humble mouse from further searching.
Jimmy pretended to be like a bouncer in the latest club, keeping all the young ladies from being taken advantage of. Lena came out of the restroom looking a little lighter and feeling closer to normal than she had before going in there. She was still wiping water on a paper towel that she had in her hands. The crumb Jimmy saw on her face earlier was now gone, after seeing herself in a mirror she caught it in time and removed it. Jimmy only smiled when seeing of her recent discovery. Julia was in there twice the time her daughter was…wondering if she had fallen in the hole. Jimmy thought she had to do another number he was thinking of or her time of the month after sitting there all night. She looked tired after coming out of the bathroom, but a little fresher than when going in.
Then it was Jimmy’s turn to use the bathroom. The ladies went back to their seats and Lena was feeling hungrier than usual and looked to finish off her burrito. Julia looked in the pack and forgot she had packed a box of double stuffed Oreo cookies and thought she struck gold. “Owyhee, Oreo’s” she said, “All I need is a glass of milk.”
“I have some in my pack.” Julia looked at her like she was smarter than usual.
“You do? Goodie!” she said. Lena dug in her pack and took out a small thermos with cold milk in it. She felt like she was in middle school at the cafeteria. “It’s whole milk though, I know you like 2% better.” Julia smiled, “It’s okay dear that will be simply fine. I’ll suffer the inconvenience.” She spoke. Lena looked to her and smiled a smile only mother and daughter would know how to share of hidden secrets of how they complimented each other. Julia bit into the first cookie, it was fresh and sweet just as her memories had remembered them being. Crunchy cookie of black and creamy white soft frosting somehow made the world taste a little better and the comfort was lasting for only the soul to complete. Memories. Jimmy was curious about what they were chewing on, and Julia smiled a smile showing black on her teeth. This made Jimmy understand completely. “You want an Oreo?” Jimmy didn’t answer he just reached into the box like they were his, as if Julia was willing to share, this was their moment of sharing in paradise. Sharing a box of Oreo’s and cold milk from a young girl brought some comfort back into their life’s quite efficient. It was the smallest of things in life that brought about comfort as they would begin to relax and wait for the plane to further adventuring.
The night flying across water was smooth until they got about the center of the ocean. Jimmy kept the headset on in case of emergencies unexpected. Six hours into their flight the pilot said to his co-pilot. “The water, look what it’s doing.” The oceans currents had built up a wall and was headed for the land off the east coast, and the waves were high as anything they had ever seen. Still two thousand miles away. Jimmy was worried where it would land and how big it would get.
Even the air felt different from the pilot’s gauges showed different readings than they weren’t used too. Jimmy almost wanted to get up and look himself. The more he thought about it, the more he worried. Then he had to just let it go and know that God had his hands in the works, as he pondered what they were to face in a few days from now. After a while Jimmy went back to sleep and joined the girls in a restful slumber.
The time was complete as the C-130J was dropping from landing to re-fuel. Jimmy got up and walked around the other side of the plane while the girls were busy talking about everything under the sun, as the sun came up to brighten their day. Then he noticed a port window halfway down the plane with light flooding in…looking around Jimmy walked toward the window to get a better view of their future wouldn’t be tied to a plane drifting towards home. They would know of a plan Jimmy was getting ready to map out. And they would have to listen and listen well. The sky was clear from the view of the window, it was clear even though there was a limit to what it would show. Jimmy felt like the window was showing him a vision of how his life would turn out. The scene would only show the limit of where he was at, and nothing more, it had to be imagined before ever living what he thought was only a dream. Taking the right road would lead to his destiny. Courage and confidence would get him there, but not from his own making, he needed God watching over him, and he had to have faith in whatever he was doing, learning to forgive himself for all that he had been through. A tear rolled down his cheek. Memories. Scars and wounds of a different life were burned in memory for what had been his life had not turned out like he had wanted it too. Forgiving his self for everything that he had been judged for in life, everything that metastasized had come full circle and Jimmy needed to let go of everything that left deep wounds that wouldn’t heal. The land was like nothing Jimmy had ever seen. It was bright and green and full of flowers where they had been, and bees and birds were busy sorting the chores of the day. And life felt fresh and clean even though the bombs were dropped. Nothing would take this moment away, as Jimmy knew somehow there was hope on the beginning of another day. A way he could take what he had and turn it into something great, something more magnificent that he ever wanted it to turn out. Finding beauty where there was none, and moving forward when he thought there wasn’t a way to go on. He needed strength of mind and heart, but he didn’t know where it would come from. Julia came around the corner and saw him staring…staring in the eyes of a future he would live. She felt the subtle awakening from the emotion he was reflecting was real. Her silhouette came around the corner. Her heart was fragile when approaching. Jimmy broke his stare away from the window, like he was looking at a future he couldn’t live just yet. Julia felt the emotion and walked over humbly to greet him. Jimmy saw the look and while in the moment he kissed her soft and sweet and tasting Oreo cookies to complete its meaning. She smiled, a gentle softness glazed her eyes, a thankful brush of a hand across his shoulder when coming closer.
She put her heart in the middle of what she was feeling, and Jimmy felt love flowing from her like sprinkled candy leaving an impression of a silky string of gold lining, enjoying the moment. She kissed him and Jimmy pulled her close, lost in the emotion, a taste of his future was filling his soul with what he was missing from life. She kissed him repeatedly as he soared beyond the ordinary window wasn’t where he would stay, furthering his life where it would land, as his mind would wander to a new future. Jimmy let her go slowly as he looked into the eyes of his future, to treat her well, to love her with his everything, to give, to get, to stay no matter what. Her whole face glowed from what she was feeling. Her eyes smiled and lit his face up with something unexplainable was poring over him like warm honey, to make him sweet, to love him completely, to look at him with anticipation, a longing, a need that held meaning. Julia felt what he was feeling as this moment would always be remembered.
He held her hand and felt a connection as a dream come true. She looked up into his eyes while playing with her hair. He knew. A gentle smile crossed his lips as warm memories made his heart stir. Then the plane began to roll as their future was around the next corner.
Just then, Jimmy realized confronting Jack Johnson again wouldn’t happen. No one knew they were on the plane. He thought they were dead, MIA missing in action.
Lena wondered why they were gone so long. Forbidden love, was her thinking turned around from looking their way. Why was my mother involving herself with a guy with wings…nothing would be local like having a home on earth. A world she couldn’t go back too. What would be a heavenly home for sure was her thinking.
“Hi there…I thought I was going to have to hunt you down,” she said a little disheartening, to say the least of what she was thinking. Her mother looked at her kind of sharp. Eyes unblinking while staring at her. What is she doing? “Found a window on the other side of the plane and we were just looking out to get a feel from where we were at, that’s all.” Like not sharing anything on the heart. Julia sensed she was playing the role of mother. She wasn’t a silly teenager not knowing what she was doing. “Jimmy knows what he’s doing, he would never lead us into something outrageous, would you Jimmy?” She looked at him wanting his support. Jimmy sensed Lena wasn’t on the same page as they were on. She had motives of a different kind.
“Yeah, we are doing what kids thank we’re not doing.” He smiled while looking her direction. “I won’t lie, we have feelings for each other or there wouldn’t be a reason to be together as you can tell. What’s got you spooked?” Jimmy said. Lena just looked at him but appreciated him being honest. “I’m a little scared that’s all, no home to go back too, a mother driven by emotions. I can’t cope with that.” Like she was really playing the role of mother. “Who shot your mother and gave you the lead role of her life?” Jimmy said with eyes piercingly. “What?” Lena said a little courage from saying anything more. “I wasn’t prying if that is what you’re insinuating.” Lena crossed her arms, rolled her eyes, and looked at him sheepishly. “I’m not playing the role of my mom…she does a bang-up job herself without me.” Jimmy didn’t know if he should say anything else since she was mad, and obvious temper like her mother, he didn’t want this blowing up in his face, no pun intended. She was beside herself knowing what to say next. Jimmy smiled and said, “I’m just playing with you…” while smiling to get her to cool off.
“Not funny…” she said while shaking her head. “Don’t need you telling me how to act and live.” She said after finishing him off after making that statement. “Why are you so sensitive about everything?” He said, “I know life was hard for you growing up as a kid, but it’s not acceptable to be saying anything you want to say without realizing there’s a cost of speaking emotional, beyond the means of making sense to the average Joe crossing the street.” Jimmy was still smiling but she was being defensive to say the least. He was getting to her. “Well, I’m sorry I’m not myself today, since you’ve taken the lead role in all this mess, and I can’t be myself?”
Jimmy was at the point he wanted to pretend he had fallen asleep, and this was just a dream. “Why the attitude?” Lena was pressed to say more but she felt she was being pushed, and Jimmy was looking at their future life together and wanted to get this over before getting any further down the road. Lena knew he was trying to draw something out of her, that she didn’t want it to ever come to the surface again. She already dealt with that pain, and she didn’t ever want to share. “Me…I, it’s all just a formality of a life we use to have. My dad wasn’t right for Julia, she was so fragile and forgiving, and she would hold things so long and not tell him how it would hurt her.” Lena’s eyes got watery. And she crossed her legs and threw her hair behind her shoulder. Then crossed her arms while looking at him. “I don’t ever want to see or think of him again if I live a hundred years. Nothing can draw me to want to even know how is doing in life. He left behind scars and tears we’ve already shed. I don’t want her hurting again, from a man that’s made mistakes can’t happen to her again…understand?” Jimmy reached up and wiped the tear out her eye, while staring into her eyes. “I always wanted a daughter my whole life, and it never happened. I wished, I prayed, I would watch other families with little girls, and I admired father’s who’ve been so lucky to hold them when they were crying or tucked them in at night. I wanted to be the one they needed when they were confused about life, about if they would go to college, or be with them when they were alone or scared about a major decision they were to make. I would have given my life if it was enough for them to keep. I would have given anything to make them feel comfortable or happy. Experience the good and bad with them.” Jimmy said.
By now Lena was crying as the first tear ran down her face. She sensed Jimmy was touching at the right chord, then she stood up and hugged him and cried. Jimmy stood there not knowing what to do next. Julia was crying too, and thankful while Jimmy made a connection with her daughter that she hadn’t been able to do for quite some time.
When they got to the USA Lena was always looking at Jimmy like he was the best thing since ice-cream hit the open market, which had come in thirty-one flavors, with toppings in a cup with a spoon, with a heart full of love would be plenty to share, in the dark of a day when evil strikes, or in the light of facing life on her own, she felt stronger for all the right reasons she didn’t have before meeting him.