Between me and you

Chapter twenty six

Sheri Murphy
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Chapter twenty six

For some reason the flight home seemed to be a little nerve wracking. The turbulence was a little much for Dukes liking. The stewardess seemed to be a little nervous herself. Although she played it off well when she offered him a drink.

He felt okay other than that. He sure did miss everyone though. He didn't think he would miss them as much as he did. He missed the parties. The late night walks. And the early morning wake up calls that aggravated Dakota so bad.

He had a semi good time at his dad's. However, he had no one to talk to when he got depressed. He had cousins there, but it just wasn't the same as being at home. He had a tendency to walk over to Brian's or Dakotas on those nights.
When he would feel upset or aggravated.

They both have a tendency to dwell more on the good qualities. They also had a tendency to in force the pep talks, more than the rest of the group did. Everyone else always seemed to want to point out what he did to cause whatever it was that was bothering him. He always tells them.

"I know what the hell I did. I'm not talking about what the hell I did. I'm talking about what I feel like about the situation. I'm talking about my feelings here."

Dakota just laughs at him. So does Brian most of the time. At least when he starts in on that subject. Sometimes Dakota will point it out. However, not as bad as the rest of them. It's only on extreme crucial moments. When Duke is really not seeing the other side of the situation. When he's not realizing how it made the other person feel first. For Duke to get the reaction he got from them.

He finished his drink and sat and looked out the window. Reminiscing about his last beach visit. Being from Ohio and all, it kind of amazed him how clean the water was. They visited the beach all the time when he was at home. However, It's nothing like it was at his dad's house. He'd miss those late night bomb fires with his cousins. On those nights while the parents were talking and drinking their normal Budweisers. His cousins and him were walking down the beach or sitting in their own secluded place drinking their bud lights, smoking their smokes and shooting the shit. With someone constantly feeding the fire.

The turbulence made Duke shift his weight. He felt his heart flutter with a small rush of blood to his brain. He gripped the seat with his right hand. While reaching over to steady the stewardess. Before taking his drink from her hand when they steadied once again.

"Thank you!" She said, she was a small women with wavy blonde hair with ringlets. Wore small wire framed glasses and the usual uniform. Her eyes were green. Really, really green like small emeralds. Duke couldn't help but wonder if they were real.  She was pretty enough Duke supposed.

"Does this happen all the time?" Duke asked. Lowering his lips to his drink. Before setting it aside in a cup holder on the arm of the chair.

"Yes! But tonight seems to be a little worse than usual. We are flying through a storm right now. Hopefully soon it will be over." She pointed out where his face mask was and what he would have to do if something went wrong. He thanked her and blushed a little bit when one of his hands brushed her leg by accident when she leaned over to show him. On further inspection Duke hadn't noticed any signs of contact lens. They must be her own.

Dukes heart rate returned to normal once a few minutes had gone by with no turbulence. He remembered, which he had tried to forget every time he took a plane ride. His uncle Trevor fondly. He was his favorite uncle on his mothers side. They rode dirt bikes together. They played a game they made up together. They'd take whatever change they had. Divide it up equally between each other. Flick one at a time to any object they chose. Whoever came the closest or landed on it, won all the change. If they were tied and they both landed on it. They took one more shot to see who came the closest. That's how Duke and Trevor started their coin collections. Duke always did have a sinking suspicion that Trevor allowed him to win more than not. They also traded coins with each other. They'd look at coins for hours with each other. They'd both get excited when they'd find a rarity. When Duke spent the night. Duke liked to call it spend the night. Trevor on the other hand called it babysitting.

It was a Friday night Duke recalled. It sure did feel like it was yesterday. He'd been anticipating uncles Trevor's  return later on that night.

To pass the time Duke went to a school football game. Two of the biggest rivals were playing tonight. He couldn't miss this one. He'd never hear the end of it. Plus he'd get sick of hearing about it without being able to add his own hype to it.

As he sat and watched the game. It was what looked to be the last play of the game. The crowd was on their feet. The ball was at the ten yard line. They think their putting a field goal. Just as the kicker swung his foot. The ball was reflected into the same teams hands that kicked it. They ran it in for the touchdown.  As the crowd went wild. The whole team lined up to do their victory dance. At least the ones on the field. However, Trevor had a weird feeling out of the blue. He dismissed it as nothing and carried on with the rest of his buddies.

Duke told his buddies he'd pass on the party. He had to go see his uncle. Of course leaving them with the possibility that he might return later if nothing was going on.

When Duke ran in the door. His mother and step father sat at the kitchen table, talking to an officer. Duke recognized him as Billydean. Trevor's old school buddy and chum. They hang out every time Trevor comes to town.

Dukes shoulders relaxed and the tension seemed to disappear. Until he saw his mothers tears. His dad's bloodshot eyes and Billydean wiping his nose.

"What happened?" Duke asked. Surprised that his step dad was here. He was supposed to be at work tonight.

"Why don't you sit down?" Billydean said, instructing Duke and guiding him to the couch with his hand on his shoulder.

Dukes mom came to the chair next to her son on the couch. Duke looked from his mom to his step dad than back to Billydean.

"Maybe your mother outta be the one to tell you." Billydean said.

She wrung her hands together and tried to fight the tears that streamed down her face and fell on her lip. "I'm sorry!" She said, standing up. Walking into the next room. "I can't tell him."

Duke watched her walk away. Feeling a little confused. "Hey! Look! If this is about uncle Trevor not being here. I'm okay! What happened? He have something better to do? I mean come on mom. It can't be that bad. I mean can it?" He asked with his eyes filling with tears.

Nobody had told him anything. Yet! There's no way this was gonna be a good ending.

"What happened?" He finally said with a little bit of force.

"Your uncle Trevor, is in the hospital Duke. He's been in a plane accident. The front wheel was loose. They managed a halfway decent landing. But a lot got hurt. None killed as of yet. But his injuries are extensive. They don't know if he's gonna make it through the night.

Duke flew out of the door and hopped  on his dirt bike. The trails that ran next to the tracks would get him close to the hospital. And his bike is street legal. So he can go the road the rest of the way. The tracks would be faster for Duke. No lights, no speed limits.

He walked into the room where all the machines were. He could smell the familiar smell or sterilants. The same way his aunt Gretchen used to smell after her shift at the hospital. Man! That smell still burned his nose. He made a face just as he walked past the machine that just went off. He remembers thinking. That he must of been in the wrong room. Because the man on the bed, sure didn't look like his uncle. He stayed for a few minutes than went into the bathroom to vomit. Right after he left the staff came and took Trevor to surgery. He woke up in the waiting room with the news from his mother. His uncle didn't make it in surgery.

The plane shifted once again and woke Duke up from his memories. The rest of the flight went well. His plane landed perfectly at 4:35am at Cleveland airport. His mother was waiting for him asleep in her seat.