The takeoff is pretty shaky, and the plane is still ascending. I give Marley time to catch her bearings, silent, but never letting go of her hand, which has a mean death grip on mine. If she squeezes any harder, I might lose feeling in my fingers.
Once we’re above the clouds and the seat belt sign dings, I ask her if she’s okay.
“Yeah,” she says, nodding, eyes still closed as she takes a deep breath in and a long one out.
“Sorry. I hope I didn’t freak you out. I just hate takeoffs.”
“Don’t apologize. The worst part is over,” I assure her.
“Well, we haven’t landed yet.”
“True, but let’s not think the worst.”
I watch her for a beat longer, my brain racing over what she might need at this moment. I come up with nothing. But a storysimilar to this moment comes to mind, and it’s the only thing I can think of that may get her thoughts off what’s happening right here and now.
“Can I tell you a story?”
She agrees, clearly still trembling like a leaf. I turn towards her, her hand still in mine. “Back in the day, my babysitter took me to the movies to watch this film calledAlive. I was traumatized. A rugby team’s plane crashes in the Andes Mountains. Half the team dies, and the other half are stranded in freezing weather. No food. I’m eight years old watching this shit like, yeah…there is no way in the world I’m getting on a plane.”
Marley’s shoulders drop, and she finally turns to look at me, her expression caught somewhere between disbelief and horror.
“Excuse me, but what is your point in this?” she galls. “You seriously think this is a good idea? Like,rightnow?” Her head turns toward the window, indicating the fact that we’re literally on a plane, in the air.
I can’t help but laugh.
“I’m getting to my point.”
“Well, can you make it quick?” she snaps, playfully.
“Right. Sure.” I shift in my seat. “Okay, so, not long after that movie date, we had to go to Cali for a family reunion. We were living in Georgia. My mom was scared of flying too and wanted to drive, but my pops shut that down real quick.”
She laughs.
“We got the tickets, and when I tell you I was scared out of my mind… I was at school saying bye to all my friends like it was the last time I’d ever see them.”
Her contagious laugh continues, and I keep on.
“But the pilot made it the best experience ever. My parents told him how scared I was, and he brought me up front and let me sit in the cockpit before we took off. Put these hugeheadphones on me, showed me all the buttons and gears, and everything.”
She smiles.
“But I just remember his encouraging words and reminding me that we were going to be safe. And I guess the point in me saying all this is that if you need a co-pilot, I’m right here.”
My story is done. I wait for Marley to say something, anything. But she just stares at me, face stoic, lips twisting, and it dawns on me that she is trying to hold in a gut-busting laugh.
I lift my chin, my expression deadpan, daring her to do it. And she does. Right in my face. The joy in her laughter is enough to make me smile, and before I know it, I'm laughing too.
Okay, yeah, the story was horrible. But it worked. I’d accomplished what I’d set out to achieve. The tension in her body is gone, and her mind is at ease.
“Never tell that story again,” she says, trying to control herself.
“Hell, I tried.”
“Too hard.”
“You know, that reminds me of something else I tried, and it didn’t work.”
“Yeah, and what’s that?”
