Free Lost in Flight by Neeny Boucher Page A

going?” 
    Riley and some other investors had purchased a virtual ghost town with about seven historical buildings they were slowly fixing it up.  Steven welcomed having Nick living in close proximity and took it as an opportunity to stay connected to his brother.  Nick had lived all over the place and although Steven would never tell him:  he had missed him.
    Nick was a strange mix of creative and practical.  He holed up somewhere in the winter, grew a beard, and did creative works until spring, before heading back to New York.  Steven knew Nick was in town because of Gabby’s accident and had taken over fixing Lift from Jack Martin.  Steven was used to a semi-isolated existence, but he couldn’t do what his brother did.  Nick spent months away from just about everyone, in places without cell phone coverage or Internet access, to work undisturbed.
    Shrugging his shoulders, Riley said, “The outside’s nearly done.  I’ve got a few more days of work, but it’s all good.”  The two men went quiet for a bit, eating and drinking in companionable silence.  
    “So,” Steven said, “I went into town yesterday.”
    “Uh-huh.” 
    “And I ran into Johnny,” Steven continued.
    “Mmmm.” 
    “Agh, Dina was with him,” mumbled Steven. 
    The silence was deafening and the brothers didn’t say a word for some time.  Steven listened to the wind whistling through the trees and waited.  Nick had always been intense, but it seemed to magnify when he went off-grid to do his creative work. 
    Steven didn’t take it personally, but he could feel the tension.  He did something unusual for a Riley male.  He kept talking.
    “Agh, she said she’s leaving Monday… Tuesday… at the latest.  She looks different, but good.  Still pretty skinny, but her hair’s not black anymore.  She looks less like...”
    “A witch?” 
    Steven’s disapproval at his brother’s comments was clear on his face.  “Well, I wasn’t going to say that.  I was going to say Emo or Goth.” 
    Riley turned and stared at Steven intently.  “So she’s leaving early?”  When Steven nodded, Riley smiled.  “Good.” 
    Steven exhaled a breath he didn’t even know he was holding.  It had been a long time since they’d talked about Christina Martin and Steven didn’t know how his brother was going to handle it.  When Christina and Nick finally divorced, he’d chain-sawed the marital bed and set fire to everything that reminded him of her.  Steven would never forget watching his little brother drag everything out the front of the farmhouse, dousing it in gasoline, and throwing a match on it. 
    So, Steven had done the only thing he could think of.  He grabbed beers and went to help.  Their father came too.  Steven never wanted to see his brother like that again.  He’d never felt so helpless in his life.
    Nick looked at him curiously.  “I’m nearly finished here.”  He patted Steven on the shoulder.  “Don’t worry, big brother.  I’m okay.  I’m over her.  It’s just better for everyone, if I keep away until she’s gone.” 
    Steven watched Nick stand up and go to leave, saying over his shoulder.  “Tell Mom and Dad I’ll be back late next week,” then walked out of sight. 
    Steven watched his brother walk away and hoped like hell that everything he said was true.
     
    ********************
     
    Christina, Shanwick, The Past, Thursday 4 October 2012, (Three days ago)
     
    Christina genuinely believed her visit to Shanwick would end by Tuesday at the latest, but Dad had other plans.  They had worked non-stop over the weekend and were doing the final touches, when there was a knock at the front door.  Opening the door, Christina was surprised and genuinely pleased to see a smiling Mrs. Tessa Marsh standing there.  Mrs. Marsh was the first grade elementary school teacher and a living legend in Shanwick.
     “Christina!  How are you?  You look so well,” Mrs. Marsh beamed.  “Can I come