that had nearly robbed him of his sanity.
Then, suddenly, Rex’s words from the dream popped into his head. “Don’t let your fear blind you, get busy!” It must have been his subconscious using the dominate thoughts from that day to bring life to his dream characters. After all, dreams are based on the past, not on the future. Everything in our dreams originates from people, places, and words from our past. “Get busy.”
Doing what ?
“You’ll find answers in the here.”
Where is “ the here ”?
Keri lifted her head and wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks. “Ryan, don’t you understand? Next time it could be you—us?”
He pushed his fears aside, reaching for words that might calm her. “There are always risks, but the government and the airlines are doing everything possible to keep these kinds of things from happening. We’ll be fine.” Again, he knew what he said was not true. The government and the airlines only did what they had to do, not always what they should do.
Keri did not respond. She appeared to be in a trance. Perhaps the visit to the cemetery had been too much—too soon. The silence weighed heavy as they drove away from the cemetery, leaving behind the bones of those who sleep eternal and their whispers of satisfying remembrances of life.
CHAPTER 6
Heading north on Interstate 5 toward San Clemente, Ryan sat quietly focused on the road ahead. Keri wanted to scream, but the constriction in her throat made it impossible; partly due to grief and partly due to fear.
Since the funeral, everything related to the crash had been pushed into the remotest corners of her memory. She should have left it that way—buried and forgotten—but her guilt had forced her to return to the grave site, hoping for closure—promising never to return again. Seeing Rex and Emily’s names etched into the granite had removed every ounce of denial.
She would never mention it to Ryan, but there were things about Rex she would miss. He was funny, playful, and in his own way, caring and sensitive. Disregarding the fact that he had deceived her and broken her heart, she believed that deep down he was not all bad. Death had a way of bringing to surface his good traits.
Years ago, when she had lost Ryan to Emily, Rex had been there for her. Even in his twisted way, he had provided the companionship she needed to work through her heartbreak. Who better than Ryan’s best friend. There were moments when she believed her marriage to Rex might last. If Emily had not left Ryan, who knows, she and Rex might have had a life together.
The idea of her name being chiseled in the granite marker next to Rex sent a cold chill up her spine. She pondered a flurry of what ifs . Every choice in life ignites a separate set of consequences propelling us down a particular path filled with unique life experiences. When she looked back, she thanked God that her life had been spared.
Her thoughts returned to the present, but held tight to the image of the grave markers. A fresh wave of grief ambushed her, but it could not compare to the chilling fear that wrapped her in a death squeeze.
Ryan would be dead if Rex had not flown that trip . Emily was murdered because she was the wife of the pilot . I would be dead , and possibly the children , too .
The freeway blurred as cars droned toward unknown destinations. Ryan sat quietly beside her. He was alive. She was alive. The children were alive.
I need to hold the children . We need to get home , fast !
They were safe. But that was today. What about tomorrow and the next day and the day after that?
She quickly raised her hands to her mouth to silence a scream.
The children !
“What’s wrong?” Ryan asked. “What?”
She gasped in jerky breaths as tears streamed from her eyes uncontrollably. She couldn’t respond.
“Keri! What is it?”
She shook her head.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded, wiping her eyes, looking for a tissue.”
“What’s going on?”
She
Then, suddenly, Rex’s words from the dream popped into his head. “Don’t let your fear blind you, get busy!” It must have been his subconscious using the dominate thoughts from that day to bring life to his dream characters. After all, dreams are based on the past, not on the future. Everything in our dreams originates from people, places, and words from our past. “Get busy.”
Doing what ?
“You’ll find answers in the here.”
Where is “ the here ”?
Keri lifted her head and wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks. “Ryan, don’t you understand? Next time it could be you—us?”
He pushed his fears aside, reaching for words that might calm her. “There are always risks, but the government and the airlines are doing everything possible to keep these kinds of things from happening. We’ll be fine.” Again, he knew what he said was not true. The government and the airlines only did what they had to do, not always what they should do.
Keri did not respond. She appeared to be in a trance. Perhaps the visit to the cemetery had been too much—too soon. The silence weighed heavy as they drove away from the cemetery, leaving behind the bones of those who sleep eternal and their whispers of satisfying remembrances of life.
CHAPTER 6
Heading north on Interstate 5 toward San Clemente, Ryan sat quietly focused on the road ahead. Keri wanted to scream, but the constriction in her throat made it impossible; partly due to grief and partly due to fear.
Since the funeral, everything related to the crash had been pushed into the remotest corners of her memory. She should have left it that way—buried and forgotten—but her guilt had forced her to return to the grave site, hoping for closure—promising never to return again. Seeing Rex and Emily’s names etched into the granite had removed every ounce of denial.
She would never mention it to Ryan, but there were things about Rex she would miss. He was funny, playful, and in his own way, caring and sensitive. Disregarding the fact that he had deceived her and broken her heart, she believed that deep down he was not all bad. Death had a way of bringing to surface his good traits.
Years ago, when she had lost Ryan to Emily, Rex had been there for her. Even in his twisted way, he had provided the companionship she needed to work through her heartbreak. Who better than Ryan’s best friend. There were moments when she believed her marriage to Rex might last. If Emily had not left Ryan, who knows, she and Rex might have had a life together.
The idea of her name being chiseled in the granite marker next to Rex sent a cold chill up her spine. She pondered a flurry of what ifs . Every choice in life ignites a separate set of consequences propelling us down a particular path filled with unique life experiences. When she looked back, she thanked God that her life had been spared.
Her thoughts returned to the present, but held tight to the image of the grave markers. A fresh wave of grief ambushed her, but it could not compare to the chilling fear that wrapped her in a death squeeze.
Ryan would be dead if Rex had not flown that trip . Emily was murdered because she was the wife of the pilot . I would be dead , and possibly the children , too .
The freeway blurred as cars droned toward unknown destinations. Ryan sat quietly beside her. He was alive. She was alive. The children were alive.
I need to hold the children . We need to get home , fast !
They were safe. But that was today. What about tomorrow and the next day and the day after that?
She quickly raised her hands to her mouth to silence a scream.
The children !
“What’s wrong?” Ryan asked. “What?”
She gasped in jerky breaths as tears streamed from her eyes uncontrollably. She couldn’t respond.
“Keri! What is it?”
She shook her head.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded, wiping her eyes, looking for a tissue.”
“What’s going on?”
She
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