Best Friends Come and Go. And That’s Okay.
This story was originally written for Stranger Stories, RI’s ‘flight’ theme. Then the pandemic happened.
I felt some apprehension as we lifted off in the two-seater. But, as I have obnoxiously told others wary of flight, it is more statistically probable to die in a car crash than hurtle into oblivion on a plane. So up we went.
The pilot was my best friend’s new partner, and he had already exhibited abusive tendencies. He knew I was wary of him. And, in his eyes, I was a threat to their relationship. My friend, who I will call B, wanted us to try to make amends or at least learn to tolerate each other. We both begrudgingly agreed to spend a few days together with her in New York.
I gazed at the 360 degree view of clouds, greenery and blue blending around me. Supplemented with a rush of adrenaline, the lushness of it all made up for the bad company.
As we descended, he was awfully quiet.
“Good thing we had a second engine,” he said as we hit the ground. “The first one completely lost power. That’s never happened before…I didn’t want you to panic while we were in flight so I didn’t say anything.” In hindsight, I had noticed his face drain of color, his sneer demeanor shifting.
