Taming the Telomeres, a Thriller

by R. N. Shapiro

  "This is Natalee Spalding, reporting on the Hemispheres crash aftermath. There have been a number of funerals held around the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and in New York by families mourning the loss of those who died in the crash. We are specifically covering the funeral for the parents of the sole survivor, Amanda Michaels. A joint funeral is being held today in Loudoun County, Virginia.

  “I want to turn to our legal correspondent, Jeff Rossman, for an update on identification of the passengers who died in the Hemispheres crash. Jeff, what can you tell us about identification issues?"

  “Forensic investigators had the difficult task of finding remains of the victims and comparing them with existing records, such as dental records. After a lot of painstaking work, all passengers and crew members have been identified.”

  "Thank you, Jeff, I may come back to you in a few minutes. We have not been told whether or not Amanda Michaels will attend her parents’ funeral. Up to this point, the lone survivor has not made a public appearance.”

  * * *

  Angie grabs the remote and turns off the television. After zipping up her black skirt, she reaches for her phone and texts Myra: "Just saw news story on the Michaels funeral. Meet at corner of Wisconsin & Oak at 10 a.m.? Will be tough day."

  Angie finishes getting ready, pausing to read Myra’s response:

  Agreed. What R U wearing?

  Black skirt, white blouse, black jacket, black shoes.

  K

  Chapter 22

  Joint Service

  Angie accelerates onto the ramp entering Interstate 66 West.

  "You don't have to haul ass, we have plenty of time.”

  "I'm not speeding, I just have a fast car."

  "Where is the service being held?"

  "Temple Beth El, on the edge of Reston. I don’t know about you, but this is going to be one of the worst days of my life." Angie adds, just thinking about Andy's eulogy.

  "I stuffed half a box of tissues in my purse. I've never been to a Jewish funeral. Have you?"

  "Never. But I called a friend of mine who's Jewish and asked what to expect. She couldn’t think of anything that would be that different. I asked her about the service inside the temple and she said there usually isn't one."

  “Amanda’s going to be there, right?”

  “Andy said she would be. He asked if she wanted to speak and she said ‘no way.’”

  They slowly pull into a large parking lot, guided by men in black suits. "Oh my God, I've never seen so many people," Myra says.

  "What’d you expect? It's all over the news."

  They find a seat about a third of the way back on the left side. Angie recognizes several D.C. lawyers as she scans the sanctuary.

  Angie flips open the funeral pamphlet and scans through the names of those delivering eulogies. An organ begins playing at a barely audible level. Myra can’t see where it’s hidden. The rabbi, in a long traditional robe not unlike a judge’s, speaks:

  "We come here today with heavy hearts and in sadness with regard to the passing of Ron Michaels and his wife and soul mate, Rochelle Michaels."

  Angie tries to let her mind wander to avoid breaking into tears. She knows that once there is a crack in the dam, it will turn into a flood. She tilts her head to the left and sees Andy's head and Amanda’s halo from the rear.

  Andy walks up to the lectern. “We try to make sense of this tragedy, but it’s impossible. How could people so good, that we respect and love so much, be taken from us this way? Ron was a wonderful brother. We were born only a year-and-a-half apart, as many of you know, and we were the ultimate competitors. We competed in skiing, triathlons, squash and tennis. He found Rochelle during college, and I remember the first day I met her I had a feeling she was the one. We've made so many wonderful memories…”

  Tears are rolling down Angie's face behind her dark sunglasses.

  "Here, more tissues." Myra whispers.

  “Amanda, you’re a survivor,” Andy continues, “and you’re my inspiration. Even though you have suffered terrible injuries, we know that you will make a great recovery.”

  Andy leaves the podium, and the congregation watches him return to the front row with his family members. The pamphlet indicates Andy was to deliver the last eulogy. Then, there is a rustling from the front of the temple. Myra and Angie crane their necks. They see Andy slowly walking Amanda up to the podium. The rabbi steps up to the other side, assures that Amanda is okay, and adjusts the thin gooseneck microphone down to her height. Once she is steady, Andy backs away a couple steps.

  “Hi. My name is Amanda Michaels. I wasn’t going to speak, but something changed my mind. First, I want to say my aunt and uncle have been great, really great. They have given me scrapbooks and mementos and even videos of my parents. And I am sorry, really sorry if I have seen you and didn’t remember you or things we did. I can’t do anything about it but wish I could. Anyhow, I read over everything about my family and I found one birthday card my mom gave me. It says on the cover, ‘13th Birthday.’” Amanda holds the card up for a moment. “And I know this was before I had my bat mitzvah, because of what she wrote: ‘Amanda, I have never seen someone more dedicated and focused than you. I have listened to you singing the prayers over and over outside your bedroom. You are going to succeed not just at your bat mitzvah but in everything you put your mind to in life. You inspire me every day. Love, Mom.’

  “This is what my mom did to inspire me. My dad probably didn’t write gushy things like this, but I can tell he was happy in all the pictures and videos we have.

  “So, on behalf of my family, my aunt and uncle, and on behalf of Justin, thanks for being here.”

  Andy walks back over to the podium but Amanda waves her hand, indicating she wants no help. She walks down the five carpeted steps from the podium, turns, and pauses to run her hands over each of the two closed caskets. She then takes her seat with Andy on one side of her and Barb on the other.

  Myra notices the rabbi is again speaking.

  "The Michaels family invites all of you to their home at 121 Rock Place, Reston, Virginia, after 4:00 p.m. where the family will sit Shiva today, tomorrow, and the following day. The address is printed on the back of your pamphlet. The graveside service is for immediate family only."

  The funeral home representative softly shuts the door of the limousine after Andy. They have really done a nice job, he realizes. There was nothing about this whole thing that had not been painful for Andy, but meeting with the funeral home director was high on the agony list. Ron and Rochelle had never bought cemetery plots, and working out the language on the tombstones with Barbara was surreal. Barbara and her husband Steve were also selfless, handling most of the arrangements since he was fairly overwhelmed with the legal details of the lawsuits.

  The rabbi delivers very brief remarks at the grave. As soon as he finishes, the funeral home representatives slowly turn some sort of pulley that lowers each casket in cadence. Andy can hear sobbing but looks straight ahead, hiding behind his dark sunglasses. He looks over his right shoulder and sees Amanda, with the ubiquitous halo, still standing beside the black limousine about 25 yards away. She had refused to walk with him over to the grave insisting on staying away, over beside the limo. The rabbi then explains the symbolic custom of taking a scoop of dirt and dropping it into the freshly dug holes.

  Andy counts the times that he has had to do this in his life: his mother, granddad, and one uncle. He takes the first scoop of dirt and pours it gingerly right beside the casket of his brother. And he takes a few steps over and does the same into the open hole beside Rochelle’s casket. Struggling to compose himself, he then stabs the shovel back into the mound of dirt where the rabbi has gestured. One by one, other family members do the same, including Rochelle’s parents and Andy’s father.

  After softly plunging the shovel back into the dirt mound his father walks over and touches Andy’s shoulder.

  “That was a beautiful eulogy,” his dad says in a whis
per.

  “Thanks Dad.” Andy can’t think of anything else to say without breaking down, so he decides not to try. Since his mom’s death years ago, his dad had been on kind of a wild streak, acting more like a bachelor than a widower. Barbara and Andy are glad that he came up from Naples, Florida, and that he came alone.

  As soon as he is back beside the limousine, Andy talks to Amanda, while Becca stands a respectful distance away.

  “Are you okay?” he asks.

  “Yeah, that’s the problem.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Don’t worry about it. I don’t know really…”

  “But I do worry about it, we are all worried about you.”

  She has something folded up in her right hand that she is nervously tapping along her right thigh. He looks down and notices the cover of the birthday card. At that moment he understands exactly what Amanda is saying.

  Chapter 23

  Shiv-er

  “How many blocks away are we? There’s already cars parked on both sides,” Angie says as they inch through the residential neighborhood to get to Barb’s house.

  “Just find a parking space, we’re not far,” Myra responds. “Hey, who is this Justin that Amanda mentioned?”

  “I have no idea,” Angie says.

  Andy and Barbara each face the full range of emotions greeting family and friends near the front door.

  As soon as Alex walks through the door and faces Andy, their eyes lock. He embraces Andy while his wife hovers a few feet away.

  "We’re so sorry. I don't know what else we can say."

  "There really isn't anything…," Andy whispers.

  Then Alex’s wife, Denise, hugs Andy in silence. Andy breaks the embrace, asking “How are your kids?”

  "We didn't bring them. We decided that they were too young. They had enough trouble seeing Amanda in the hospital with that halo, especially since she didn’t remember them.”

  “I agree.” Andy nods. “Why subject them to this.”

  "How are you holding up?" Alex asks.

  "As good as can be expected."

  Alex leans into Andy and touches his upper arm. "Andy, if there is anything we can do for you, for Amanda…”

  "Thanks guys, I appreciate it." Several other couples are hovering nearby to pay their respects.

  Alex leans closer to Andy. "I checked with the human resources manager at work. She can call you and go over Ron's insurance benefits."

  Alex was not only one of Ron's longtime friends, they also worked together at Biological Blood Services, or BBS for short. The CEO, Michael Jacoby, attended the funeral.

  "I also talked to folks at the office about getting Ron's things, and I can help get them to you whenever you want," Alex offers. “We’d been training together for the next Ironman event…" he says, his eyes welling up with tears.

  Andy notices the sudden surge of emotion and consciously turns the subject to happier memories. "I have the picture behind my desk of all three of us in our first triathlon together. Ron was so proud of doing the Ironman and he trained so hard, particularly for the swim under Memorial Bridge. He bested both of us every time, remember?"

  "Of course I do, although I hate to admit it.”

  They are standing at the rear of the room near the open doorway and their attention moves to the large TV playing a slide show of Rochelle and Ron. At least 20 other people occupy the room, nibbling on food and watching the photos.

  “Do you remember that it took them, what, a year and a half of in vitro for Rochelle to finally get pregnant?” Alex asks Andy.

  “Yeah, it seems like ancient history now.”

  A slide showing Ron and Rochelle standing side by side on a strange-looking rocky coastline appears.

  “I love that picture,” Andy says.

  “Yeah, that was when they visited the Galapagos Islands. Rochelle loved nature and exotic plants and animals. She was fascinated with the Blue-Footed Booby. I think it’s only found there. I’m sure you need to talk to some other folks. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”

  Sarah, his ex-wife, has been in the house talking with a number of Andy and Barb's relatives and finally works her way over to Andy. Becca has been watching her every move, though unobtrusively, from the kitchen area. Sarah reaches out to give him a heartfelt hug, which she holds a couple extra seconds.

  "I'm so sorry, Andy." She whispers in his ear. "I’d really like to see you again soon. I'll call you."

  Without waiting for an answer, she then respectfully moves away to allow someone else to greet him.

  “My condolences to you,” Angie says when she finally gets her face time with Andy.

  “Andy, so sorry for your loss.” Myra says.

  “Thanks both of you. And thanks for coming today. We have all kinds of food, so help yourself.”

  “We’ve had three different families call who want to meet with you. I set up appointments for the day after tomorrow. Is that okay?” Angie asks.

  “I guess so. Sitting here every day would probably be worse.”

  Angie and Myra say their goodbyes, leaving Andy to accept more condolences, and help themselves to a fruit tray in a different room.

  Myra asks Angie, “Is Amanda going to live here?”

  “It’s the obvious choice. They’re a lot closer to Middleburg Academy than Andy’s place in Georgetown.”

  Andy looks for Becca, and as she walks past him toward the kitchen she whispers, “Did you really need to be that friendly to her?”

  Andy wheels around and follows her into the kitchen, where they are momentarily alone.

  “Look,” he whispers back while she puts some dishes in the dishwasher, “it’s not like she wasn’t part of my life before. I wasn’t going to be nasty to her for coming here. But please, Becca. That was then. Now, it’s you and me that matter, not her. And I mean that.”

  As Andy says this to Becca, he can only hope that Sarah knows this too.

  Chapter 24

  Viral Video

  Just about all of the soccer players are surrounding Amanda’s wheelchair. David Owlsley is also hovering, along with John Parkinson.

  Kent Perless enters the den and slowly walks over. David notices that he has a suit on with a light blue shirt, but unlike the rest of them he is not wearing a tie.

  “Amanda, I wanted to come by tell you how sorry I am.”

  “Thanks. These are friends from school. I’ve been meeting them all over again. Everyone, this is Kent from the hospital.”

  “I’m Amber Fields. I’m one of the forwards on the soccer team.” She shakes Kent’s hand.

  The remaining girls each introduce themselves.

  “Didn’t you go to MA a few years ago?” Amber asks.

  “Just for part of a year. Things didn’t work out, so I transferred to Loudoun High, where I graduated.”

  David pulls Jonathan over to a quiet corner of the room.

  “That’s the guy that did the viral fox hunt video! It’s hilarious!”

  David opens YouTube on his phone. He types in “red fox hunt spoof.” Moments later a video comes up with 1,000,600 views, and he holds the phone so John can see. Riders wearing traditional fox hunt attire galloping on horses across a large, open pasture fill the screen. The camera view moves in front of the galloping horses. Running for its life is a tiny hamster, furiously scampering away from the horses. Crafty video editing shows a close-up of the desperate hamster as it runs around trees and even leaps over a brick half-wall. The riders appear baffled in their attempts to capture the small critter.

  Several comments accompany the video. One is by Kent, the lead horseman, who exhorts his posse in a faux British accent: “He’s turned, we must re-double our efforts!”

  “This is crazy!” John says. “How did he come up with this?”

  “I don’t know, but look, it’s gotten over a million views. A complete spoof on the traditions of Middleburg, and it went viral. He won’t win any popularity contests in M
iddleburg with this. Hey, let’s ask him about it.”

  They find Kent over at the dessert tray eyeing the Napoleons and brownies.

  “Hey, I was just talking to David here. We just realized that you were the fox hunt spoof guy.”

  “I figured someone would bring that up.”

  “It’s hilarious! Where did you come up with the idea?” John asks.

  “I don’t know. I guess you could say I like to swim upstream.”

  “It’s so funny when all of a sudden you realize these serious riders are chasing a gerbil,” David says.

  “It was a hamster actually, but no hamsters were harmed in the making of the film,” Kent jokes.

  “Well, it’s pretty twisted. I heard you were the first one to actually talk to Amanda,” David says.

  “Yeah, I was just changing some bedding during my rounds when she woke up and asked me a question. Actually, it completely freaked me out, but I’m looking forward to getting to know her better,” Kent says, glancing over at John.

  Chapter 25

  NTSB

  Several hours before the official NTSB announcement, Andy's source leaks the information to him. Andy tells Angie to expect a news release from the NTSB giving its official preliminary findings relating to the crash. Angie pulls up their website.

  NTSB News Release:

  Hemispheres Flight 310 Crash, Quarryville, PA

  Washington, D.C. — The NTSB, based on its preliminary findings relating to the circumstances of the Hemispheres Flight 310 crash, has found no evidence of sabotage or a terrorist act. NTSB investigators continue to work to find the cause and are analyzing the black box data, the voice recordings, and all forensic evidence recovered from the crash site. At this time the NTSB is ruling out any type of bomb or explosion as a cause of the crash. However, NTSB investigators caution the media and the public that no official conclusions have yet been reached on the precise cause of the crash.