“Your mother, well…she does the best she can. I know she loves you. She just doesn’t express it well.” Her hands rub up and down my arms as she smiles half-heartedly. As I look into her kind face, I can see even she doesn’t believe her own words.
“Right,” I say as a big fat tear rolls down my check.
Elise raises my chin, peering into my eyes. “Now, chin up. Take this opportunity, and embrace it. You need to leave all of that horrific ugliness behind. If you stay here, well, I worry you’ll never move on.” She hugs me harder, stroking my hair with her hand.
I hug her back, thanking God once again that I had her growing up. Relaxing into her arms, I breathe in her scent of clean laundry, baby powder, and flowers. It is the scent that reminds me of home, of the woman I always wished were my mother. This sweet, gentle soul who I loved with all my heart.
Sniffing softly, she turns and says, “Look at the time. You better get upstairs. Arthur will be in at seven sharp to drive you to the airport. You know how he is about staying on schedule.” Her face beams, as tears rim her eyes. “You are going to do great! Study hard and stay out of trouble, and you’ll do fine. Now, you better get going, little one.”
The nickname she gave me so long ago brings a soft smile to my face. I remember when I had first met this incredible woman who gave that special name to a frightened, shy, four-year-old girl she had only just met. I put my arms around her shoulders and squeeze. She pats my hand and turns to wipe the counter, brushing away a tear.
I hug her tightly. “Thanks, Elise. I love you…so much. I’ll miss you. I’ll call you once I get settled in.” I walk out of the kitchen and climb the stairs, trying to be hopeful that this can be a new beginning for me.
Chapter 2
“Ms. Turner, we’re landing soon. You asked me to wake you when we started our descent.” Lisa spoke softly through the door. Lisa has been on staff for the last five years. She was nice enough...your typical flight attendant. Tall, long legs, model good looks….a real beauty queen. She’s friendly but discreet, knowledgeable in how to be available, but transparent when unneeded.
“Thank you, Lisa.” I rouse myself begrudgingly out of bed to meet my Aunt Patty. Checking my makeup and hair in the mirror, I stare at my face with dread, my skin is pale and taunt from my fitful sleep. My light pink hair is holding up, it’s short and spiked into a punk style. As I reapply my charcoal eyeliner, my stone cold blue eyes gaze back, hardened since leaving Illinois.
I don’t know why I expected anything to change. Now that the campaign is over, she doesn’t need me. From what she said last night, apparently that was the plan all along. Serves me right for thinking anything would change.
Padding to my seat, I sit down and buckle in. Lisa glides to my seat, asking if I require anything. Ordering juice, I settle back for our landing and grimace at the idea of spending the rest of the day with my aunt with her “Suzy Sunshine” routine. It wears thin after a while.
With the bump of the landing gear, I survey the Ohio airfield. The sun is bright, and the sky is clear. It’s the usual concrete and grass.
Pulling up to the tarmac, Lisa opens the cabin door, and the stairs descend. I glance over the airfield as my aunt walks out of the terminal toward the plane.
Pulling her suitcase behind her, she is dressed in jeans and old Nikes. Her hair is tied into a ponytail, golden blond and bouncy...so different from my mother’s ashy white blond hair. It’s hard to believe they are even sisters. Her George Strait t-shirt from his last concert is old and frayed. Her jeans flare over her pair of running shoes, worn with age. I chuckle at the glaring second difference…my mother would never be caught dead in that outfit.
“Hi Sweetie!” My Aunt Patty hugs me as she enters the plane.
“Hi Aunt Patty. How are you?” I say flatly. I remain in my seat, swiveling it to pat her hand as she hugs me tightly. She takes the seat opposite me, lowering into it gracefully. Same old Patty. Despite any changes to her financial