Free Lost in Flight by Neeny Boucher Page B

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    Mrs. Marsh was a petite, 50 something year old, with wavy brown hair and golden highlights, large dark brown eyes and an infectious smile.  Although she’d lived in Shanwick for a long time, you could still hear remnants of Mrs. Marsh’s native Georgia in her voice. 
    “Sure,” Christina smiled back.  “Where are my manners?  Please come in.”
    The two women stood smiling at each other, until Tessa murmured.  “Is your father home, dear?”  
    Before Christina could respond, the man himself appeared.  Then, something strange and horrible happened.  Dad moved toward Tessa and took her hands, and they stared intently into each other’s eyes.  They didn’t say anything to each other for a while.  They just looked like they wanted to be alone, so they could do things that Christina’s mind blocked for self-protection.
    Johnny had followed Dad out and stopped when he saw what was going on.  He ran a hand across his face and stared first at what was before him, and then at Christina.  They shared “ewww yuck” looks, but dropped them fast when Dad turned around. 
    “Johnny, Christina, you remember Mrs. Marsh, right?” 
    Johnny nodded and smiled.  “Of course, we do.”
    “Oh, Jack.  Kids, please call me Tessa,” she laughed.  “I think we should all be on a first name basis.” 
    Johnny flashed Christina a look and they gave tight smiles to one another. 
    “Tessa and I are going out,” Dad blurted.
    Oh god , thought Christina.  A part of her was really happy that her father had found someone as wonderful as Mrs. Marsh and another part fixated on whether ‘going out’ was the appropriate phrase to use when you were over 50.
    Dad grabbed Tessa’s hand and drew her closer.  He was completely oblivious to anything other than Tessa, staring at her like she was some rare Beatles album he’d found at a market.  Tessa looked at Dad through hooded eyes, like he should receive a gold star for god knows what.
    Tessa whispered something in Dad’s ear and he nodded.  “We’re going away this weekend.  You two can finish up, can’t you?”
    Neither Christina nor Johnny said a word.  Their childhood memories of the lovely Mrs. Marsh had just become horribly sexualized.  They just stared as their father rushed a breathless, and giggling Mrs. Marsh out the front door.  
    Christina knew more things from that exchange than she wanted to, but the most important was a) her father was getting more sex than she was and b) her plan for an early exit was toast.
    Johnny came and stood beside her.  “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” 
    She turned to her brother.  “Well that depends.  If you’re thinking Dad is having old people sex, which is really, REALLY, fricking disgusting, then yeah, we’re probably on the same page.” 
    Johnny threw his head back and laughed.  “Yep.  That pretty much covers it.” 
     
    ********************
     
    Riley
     
    Riley arrived back in Shanwick late Thursday evening and slowly drove past the Martin house to see if there was any sign of life.  There was one light on and the garage wasn’t open, so he made his way back to his parents’ property, and unloaded his truck.  He never stayed in the big house with his parents when he was home.  In fact, he’d moved out when he was 17. 
    He’d taken over his grandparents’ farmhouse, after his grandmother had died.  Giving unlimited freedom to their wild child teenaged son was something his parents came to regret, but he’d moved in for one reason.  He’d started dating Christina and wanted her all to himself. 
    Riley got into the shower and washed the grime off, then caught sight of himself in the mirror.  He looked like a caveman, or someone on a wanted poster, with his beard.  When he was working off-grid, one of his rituals was growing a beard until he was finished.  It had only been two weeks, but the beard was impressive and it was time it came off.
    He woke up late on Friday, but