Time Zones

If being on a plane for eight hours was the worst thing in my life right now, I guess I have a decent life. But the thing is, that’s not the worst thing in my life. My fear of flying has not been overcome by my years of travel. I think it has gotten much worse.
Now, I’m a high school graduate, I crave travel… just not the transportation part. My dad has been living in Paris since I was ten. He wanted to continue his art and my mom thought it was a pipe dream. So they divorced and he recently remarried a woman named Claire who is expecting my baby brother.
I was one of the first people on the plane waiting in my large seat and watching people herd into their seats and shoving large carry-ons in the overhead. The hostesses smiled so big, I’m surprised their teeth weren’t falling out of their heads. But something about it came off genuine, like they were happy to be on the plane, getting ready for an eight-hour plane ride, serving people for a living.
The seat next to me remained empty and I was hoping it’d stay that way.
Within seconds of that thought he sat down next to me. He was wearing a crisp white button down and dress pants. He carried a leather messenger back and he had messy hair. He got comfortable in his seat before turning toward me and looking out the window.
“Looks beautiful out,” He said to me with a smile. He had dimples that stuck out and piercing blue eyes. The sun was setting full of deep and illustrious colors.
“Too bad we are stuck here for eight hours,” I said with a slight smile.
“Ah, flying isn’t too bad. I’ve grown to love it,” He said to me as people were moving in the aisle.
“It can be, crashes and terrorist, those types of things,” I told him.
He laughed a little, normally people don’t laugh when the word terrorist is mentioned on a plane, but he did.
“I’m Finn Thatcher,” He said. That is his name and he was going to be my airplane buddy for eight hours.
“Lilah,” I smiled back at him.
“So what’s bringing you to Paris?” He asked.
“I’m visiting my dad and his wife,” I told him. “You?”
“My mom and aunt live there still,” He said. “I lived there when I was thirteen till I graduated high school.”
“That must have been wonderful,” I gushed.
“Eh, it had its perks. But being in a place where you don’t understand people was very foreign to me.”
“I can’t even imagine,” I told him.
“Where are you from Lilah Glass?”
“The city, my mom is a real estate agent so she will never leave the city,” I told him.
We sat there for a moment as the flight attendant went over the emergency procedures.
After they were done I turned a movie onto my screen and dozed off.

~*~

I woke up about two hours in and felt a pounding headache come on with six more hours to go.
I rummaged in my bag for some medicine but I found a deck of cards, a book, emergency make up, and some loose change.
I got up out of my cubby and went to the bathroom. I passed people who were sleeping, doing business work, reading, or watching something on their screens and then I got to the small bathroom. I splashed some water on my face and saw how pale I was, dark bags encircled my brown eyes. I forced myself out of the bathroom and headed back to my seat.
Finn looked up from his book and arched an eyebrow, “If you don’t mind me saying, you’re really pale.”
“I know,” I groaned.
“Are you okay?” He asked and I curled up on my seat and looked through my bag again to find medicine for this migraine.
“I can’t find my medicine,” I groaned.
“For what?” He asked.
“I have a migraine,” I told him.
“Do you feel light headed and dizzy?” He asked me.
I nodded my head and he beckoned the stuartist over.
“Can I get a glass of water for her? Thank you,” He smiled graciously. The stuartist scurried off for him and he went into his bag and got some ibuprofen.
“You’re dehydrated,” He said to me.
“How would you know?” I asked.
“I’m a doctor,” He told me as he gave me two pills and the stuartist came back with a glass of water in a glass. She handed it to him and he placed it in my hand. He then put his hand on my head.
“You’re a little warm but take these and drink that,” He said to me and I took the medicine and glass and took the medicine.
“Where are you a doctor?” I asked him.
“_____insert hospital in NY_________, I graduated from John’s Hopkins,” He told me.
I drank more of the water and with every gulp I felt a bit better.
“Thank you,” I told him.
“No problem, just drink the water and rest,”He smiled.
“So why did you become a doctor?” I asked him and he laughed at the question.
This one time an old woman who lived in the apartment next to us in Paris saw me and asked if I would give her a cigarette. Now here’s the funny part, I contemplated giving her one because she asked for it or impacting her health at such a fragile age and deciding to go against it,” he said to me.
“You didn’t do it did you?” I asked him.
“I did,” He laughed. “And that’s the reason I want to be a doctor. I want to be in a position where I can help people.”
“How is that woman now?” I asked him.
“Last I heard she had lung cancer,” He shrugged.
“Doesn’t that bother you?” I asked him.
He pondered it for a second, “Yes, I still think of it a lot but I don’t think my one cigarette made much of a difference to her health when she smoked at least two packs a day,” He said.
I couldn’t fathom aiding to someone’s pain but being a teenager and screwing up is aiding to someone else’s descend.
“What do you want to do now that you’ve graduated?” He asked me.
“That’s a good question. I want to travel right now and just write and take pictures, ya know? But my mom wants me to learn business and take over her company when she wants to retire,” I told him.
He looked at me intently for a moment, “Ah, there is your problem,”
“Problem?” I asked him.
“You’re a people please,” He said very matter-o-factly.
“What is wrong with that?” I asked him.
“You will never do what you want to do,” He said to me. I took offense.
“Well thank you for the medicine but I wasn’t looking for your opinion on my life,” I told him.
He looked confused. “I’m sorry if I offended but it’s the truth, Lilah,” He said defended what he said.
“You don’t know the first thing about me,” I told him as I reclined my seat into a laying position and put my earphones in.

5 and a half more hours to go….

The sun was rising as we were about to land and Finn was knocked out asleep. For being older than I was, he was really attractive but his opinions cancelled out all possibilities of him being something worth thinking about.
The captain came over the speaker and announced the plane was going to descend into landing. Finn woke up and his hair was slightly messy.
“Good morning,” He said to me with a smile.
I muttered something back as I gathered my belongings and got ready to leave the plane. I looked out of my window and saw the Eiffel Tower and smiled because I would be seeing my favorite person, my dad.
The flight attendants prepared for the cabin to be emptied and I was happy to get as far from this plane as I could.
~*~
As I walked away from Finn and that plane I got into the airport, captains were hustling, families were straggling, and my dad stood there with sunflowers in his hand. I ran to him and he smiled.
“Lilah! I missed you so much, Princess!” He said and I felt relaxed to smell his strong aftershave. “Look at you, your so thin, we need to feed you!” He said. I saw him a few weeks ago at my graduation but he said this every time I saw him.
“I missed you too dad, “ I smiled as I started to walk toward the baggage claim.
“Wait a second, Li, we haveto pick up Claire’s nephew,” He said as he searched for someone coming out of the terminal.
“Finn!” My dad yelled and Finn instantly smiled at him.
“That’s her nephew?” I asked.
“Don’t get any ideas, he’s 24 and you’re still a child,” My dad joked. I am eighteen but that would never matter to my dad.
“George, always a pleasure,” Finn said as he and my dad hugged… a manly hug.
“Finn this is my daughter, Lilah,” He said.
“We-“ I was cut off.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Lilah,” He smiled at me and pretended we didn’t sit next to each other on the plane.
“Your aunt Claire didn’t even realize you were on the same flight. Pregnancy really is becoming her,” my dad smiled as we headed to the baggage claim where the carousel was already dispensing bags.
“What color is your suit case, Lilah?” My dad asked and I walked over to it as it came around and tried picking it up, Finn beat me to it.
“I got it,” I said to him trying to take it.
“Don’t worry about it,” He winked to me and I tried to grab it but he obliged. His bag came around and my father got his and we headed to my dad’s car. The cat ride consisted of silence and some idle chatter. We drove through the city until we reached my dad’s townhouse, which had a full view of the city. Claire was waiting, big belly, and all. Her blonde hair was pulled up out of her face with a few pieces hanging. She was radiant in her pregnancy glow. As soon as she saw the car she started waving and smiling, one hand on her belly and the other in the air.
“Bonjour!” She said in her slight accent as soon as I got out she hugged me.
“Look at you!” I smiled. “How is my baby brother?” I asked her.
“He is so delighted knowing his beautiful sister is here!” She hugged me “You look so mature, Lilah!” She smiled then she saw Finn.
“Finn, I’m so happy to see you! You’re so handsome,” She said kissing him, “Isn’t he handsome Lilah?” She asked me smiling.
“Yea,” I felt myself saying before having to think about it.
“Hello Aunt Claire,” He blushed as he hugged her tiny frame.
We all moved inside and my dad took my bag upstairs to my room and I followed up the stairs in their house scattered with pictures, mementos from past travels, and lots of art.
In my room I had a king bed and a spectacular view with double doors that open to my personal balcony on the side of the house. Over my bed hung a piece of art my dad painted for me when I was born and he gave it to me as a present. This was a girls dream room.
“Thanks dad,” I said to him.
“No problem, kiddo, lunch is on the table,” He said as he left my room.
I unpacked my suitcase for my next month here before heading downstairs. As I was walking into the hall Finn was walking upstairs.
“They told me to come check on you,” He said.
“Don’t worry, I’m coming,” I told him as I passed him on the stairs.
“Lilah, I’m sorry about what I said on the plane,” He said to me.
“It’s fine,” I said as I headed to the kitchen to get some food.