Black Diamond

by Elisa Marie Hopkins

  This is absolutely ludicrous. The victims need justice here! “And he just waived off Anna Summers and the other dead women because he’s that incompetent?”

  “Because he’s the DA, Oliver. He can do whatever he wants. Trying a murder case with no bodies and no DNA is not easy. Anna Summers is still under investigation. Anyway, I’ll know more before they file the papers outlining the full scope of the change of plea. I’ll call you back.”

  Oliver hangs up and throws his phone across the car.

  “HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I have cancer. John is being exonerated,” are not the words you want to say to the love of your life on her special day. This isn’t exactly what Oliver had in mind when he decided he would give her a birthday gift she would never forget. He walks into the bedroom holding a martini glass with vanilla pudding and a sparkler candle, and hears the shower running in the bathroom. Careful not to make any noise, he sneaks in and sees Sophie’s silhouette in the stall. He sets the pudding down next to the sink and pulls off his shirt.

  “Oliver, is that you?”

  Then his pants. “Who do you want it to be?”

  “French repairman. I think there’s something wrong with the shower.”

  God, this woman. It’s her birthday, so what she says goes. He grabs the pudding and opens the Plexiglas door, starting up a conversation in French.

  She giggles, putting her hands over her chest. “Oh, Jean-Luc. I’m so glad you could come right over.”

  Getting inside with her, he says, “Joyeux anniversaire, mon amour.”

  “For me? Get outta town!”

  He continues spewing François and gesturing like the French do with his free hand.

  Sophie raises her eyebrow. “I have no idea what you’re saying, but oh, baby! Should I blow out the candle now?”

  “Oui.”

  Woe to her, the candle goes out on its own. The steam in the shower could’ve been the perpetrator. “Well, that was anticlimactic,” Sophie says, digging the spoon into the pudding. “Does that mean I don’t get a wish?”

  “Tell me your wish.”

  Oh, my God, it’s delicious. She puts the glass down on the marble bench where the water won’t reach it. “Jean-Luc, you know English?”

  “Un peu. Tell me your wish.”

  “Are you going to grant me my wish?”

  “Go ahead. If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?”

  “I have everything in the world. Come here, lover,” she says, grabbing his head and pulling it down to hers for a deep, passionate kiss.

  SOPHIE IS AMBUSHED by Aunt Peg, Uncle Pete, Lily, Gracie, and a staggering arrangement of white and pink roses at the dining table. “Happy birthday!” they yell in perfect harmony. Thea gives her a big, warm hug. Everyone is all smiles and laughter, and Oliver lets himself feel happy because Sophie is happy. As long as she is, cancer can piss off and John can stick it where the sun don’t shine.

  The birthday breakfast consists of an egg burrito, bacon with maple and Dijon glaze, a tower of homemade s’mores pancakes, and a banana smoothie. All Sophie’s guilty pleasures. Grinning like a fat cat, she says, “Is it my birthday or the day I become a diabetic?” She looks at the pancakes and strangely, thinks about Sarah.

  After breakfast, Oliver takes his leather jacket, flat cap, and scarf out of the coat closet and puts it on. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Go? Go where?” Sophie queries.

  “It’s a surprise. You’ll find out when we get there.”

  Sophie bundles up against the frosty New York winter and they troop out of the penthouse building where a black Audi and its driver are waiting outside.

  “What’s this?” Sophie asks.

  “A car,” Oliver answers.

  “Very funny. Where are we going?”

  “Sophie, you do understand the word surprise, right?”

  “You suck,” she says with a groan.

  “Don’t whine.”

  T H I R T Y

  * * *

  Happy Birthday

  “ARE YOU GOING to tell me where we’re going?” Sophie asks for the umpteenth time.

  Oliver can’t wait to see Sophie’s reaction. “You really want to know?”

  “Yes!”

  “To the stratosphere.”

  “The stratosphere? Is that like a club?”

  “You’re not afraid of heights, are you?”

  Excitement surges. “I’m not. Okay, how about this? Let’s play Ten Questions about the place we’re going.”

  “Ten what?”

  “You know, Ten Questions. Aunt Peg taught me this game when I was young. I always wanted to know what I was getting for Christmas. It’s supposed to be Twenty Questions, but I always figured it out before.” Sophie snickers. “You have to answer them as fast as you can. Say yes, no, irrelevant, sometimes, I don’t know, etc. Are you ready?”

  Oliver can’t resist a challenge. “Yes.”

  “Okay. Think fast. Is it located in the United States?”

  “No.”

  “Is it found in Europe?”

  “No. Do you want to go to Europe?”

  “Hello, I’m asking the questions here. Is it snowing there?”

  “In Europe?”

  “Now you’re just being facetious.”

  He pouts his lips in a smirk. “It’s irrelevant if it’s snowing where we’re going.”

  That makes her wonder. “Is it outside?”

  “No. Are you any closer to deciphering the place? You have six questions left.”

  “Six? I’ve only answered three.”

  “‘Are you ready?’ was a question.”

  She scoffs. “You cheater! I bet you were one of those kids who snuck downstairs to open presents early, weren’t you?”

  “Yes. And now you’re at five.”

  She rolls her eyes. “Is its official language English?”

  “Irrelevant.”

  “Irrelevant? How is it irrelevant? Do they not speak there?”

  “Only because it’s your birthday, I’m going to overlook those questions. Proceed.”

  She huffs a breath. “Is it noisy?”

  “No.”

  “Is it round?”

  “Unknown.”

  “Is it near water?”

  “No.”

  “Is it…uninhabitable?”

  “Yes.”

  “Phew, finally. Is it on this planet?”

  “Oh, sorry. Your ten questions are up. What is your guess?”

  “I don’t know. The moon?”

  He chuckles.

  The scenery changes from skyscrapers to fields of grass. They get out of the car.

  “Oliver, you are such a liar! We are in the United States!”

  “Look around you, babe. What do you see?”

  “Nothing. We are in the middle of nowhere.”

  “That’s because this is not our final stop.”

  “It’s an airfield.”

  “Yep.”

  “Did you just say yep?”

  Two men approach Sophie and Oliver. One wears a big coat over his flight uniform and the other is in a blue NASA suit.

  “Hello. You’re Jackson?” Oliver asks the pilot and extends his hand for a shake.

  “That’s right!” He squeezes his glove in return. “How are you folks doing?”

  “Jackson, I’m Oliver Black. This is Sophie Cavall, my girlfriend.”

  “Pleasure to meet you both and happy birthday, Sophie! We are all ready to make this the best day for you.”

  Sophie smiles and her eyes light up. “Thank you.”

  “This is Andrew Young.” Jackson waves to his side. “He’s a retired professional astronaut. We will both be flying with you today.”

  Andrew makes a salute over his eyebrow.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Sophie says, her voice getting higher and more panicked with every “whoa.” “Everyone hold up. Astronaut? Flying? What is going on here?”

  Oliver smiles sinfully. “You sa
id you weren’t afraid of heights.”

  Her heart thumps crazily. “Oliver, I’m freaking out.”

  “It’s all right. I brought diapers.”

  “This is not funny! Please tell me we’re not going on a space shuttle.”

  “What? You don’t like the idea?”

  “Oliver James Black!”

  He throws back his head and laughs. “We’re not going on a space shuttle, sweetheart. You need extensive training for that. We’re going on a helium balloon.”

  “Oh, thank God.” She exhales a relieved breath. “A balloon. I can do a helium balloon. Like one of those you ride in the air?”

  “No, that is a hot air balloon.”

  “I…don’t follow.”

  Jackson says, “Allow me to explain,” and holds out his hand to indicate the way.

  The four reach the launch site where a large balloon is being inflated. “All right, feel free to ask questions at any moment. This here is our ride up to the stars,” he gestures at a donut-shaped craft. “A pressurized pod with panoramic views. It’s hooked by a chain to the sail, which is basically the balloon you see filling up with helium behind me. Your safety is our main concern. No fuel. No propellant. No noise. Just Mother Earth and pure bliss. There’s no engine, so there is nothing to blow up.”

  “How does it come down?” Oliver asks, eyeing the preparation of the vehicle.

  “Ooh, great question,” Jackson says. “When we’ve reached the stratosphere, I will release gas from the balloon and it will start to make its descent. The sail will separate from the pod and a parafoil will deploy. I’m going to pilot us back to Earth at that point. Beneath the pod are inflatable cushions that will activate, making the landing as comfortable as possible for you.”

  “Uh, where is the balloon taking us?” Sophie asks. “Will we see New York?”

  Jackson gives her a look of thrill. “Oh, my dear, you will see more than New York. You will see our globe, Earth in all her beauty.”

  “I’m sorry. We’re going…to space?” Space!

  “Near-space. Andrew, why don’t you take it from here?”

  Near-space!

  “Gladly. Folks, you are about to experience one of the most extraordinary moments of your lives. I say that because less than one thousand people have travelled beyond the lower Stratosphere; myself included. That’s less than one percent of the world’s population. But, Andrew, what is near-space? I’m glad you asked. It’s that thin blue atmosphere, the curvature of our planet that sits against the blackness of space.”

  Somewhere along the stirring explanation, Oliver feels Sophie’s hand interlock with his.

  “It’s considered the edge of space,” continues Andrew. “The balloon ascends to around 118,000 feet. To put this into context, that is the height of eighty-one Empire State Buildings. It will slowly ascend over the course of two hours. Should you want to experience weightlessness on your way down, there are up to twenty-five seconds of the equivalent of zero-g.”

  Sophie finds herself gnawing on the inside of her cheek. “What does that mean? We’re going to float?”

  “Yes,” Andrew replies. “As a result of freefalling, not how far away we are.”

  “Are we going to throw up?”

  “No, you’re not. Don’t worry, Miss Cavall. It’s very fun and it’s up to you if you want to do it or not. Jackson here will ask you when we’re up there.”

  Sophie cracks a wide smile. “Are you kidding? Of course we want to do it!”

  All three look at Oliver. “You heard her.”

  “Awesome!” exclaims Jackson. “Let’s get this party started, shall we?”

  They don’t get on the pod for another two hours. Jackson has done flight prep, and Andrew has given a more in-depth scientific talk about space. Jackson says they will have plenty of time to enjoy dinner, drink wine or champagne, walk around, take pictures, and enjoy the epic voyage. “It is truly the most amazing view you will ever see.”

  Sophie and Oliver board the pod. The cabin is decorated with balloons and a champagne bottle sits on a table between two chairs.

  From hidden speakers, Freddy Mercury is singing “Somebody to Love.” Sophie puts her hand over her mouth, tears beginning to leak from her eyes. It’s the little things. It’s the fact that he remembered she hardcore loves Queen and the view of the stars at night. It’s the sparkler candle on the pudding and the way he sang happy birthday in French in the shower. It’s the morning kiss, the hug, and her favorite breakfast. It’s the most incredible man on Earth, and he is all hers.

  And they’re going to near-space!

  Each little thing is a raindrop adding up to a whole rainfall of joy.

  Sophie is losing her shit.

  “Why are you crying? For the record, this was not the reaction I was going for,” Oliver says, wrapping his hands around her waist.

  There is no exact way to word what it feels like to be leaving Earth. “Because I’m so happy. And happiness goes like this too.”

  Andrew gives a small explanation, and slowly, the pod begins to rise.

  “We’re really doing this?” Sophie asks.

  “Oui, mademoiselle.”

  She giggles. “Jean-Luc, how’d you get in here?”

  Laughing, Sophie and Oliver buckle up. She squeals loudly as, from her seat, she looks through the panoramic windows at the blue, brown, white, and green sphere with moving clouds covering it. It’s surreal. They’re certainly not in Kansas anymore.

  “What do you think?” Oliver looks at her, entranced by the view.

  “You know how we joke sometimes about what shade of blue your eyes are?”

  “That’s what you’re thinking about?”

  She indicates with her head out the window. “That’s it right there. That’s the color.” She meets his eyes. “Thank you so much, Oliver. This is a dream.”

  “Plato said that if you could see Earth from space, near-space in this case, you would recognize that this is the real heaven and the real light and the real earth.”

  “Some guy that Plato, huh?”

  Every concern is off the table, left back on Earth. The view is magnificent, and next to him, it is everything. Jackson and Andrew double as tour guides and bartenders. They even serve up dinner. Andrew points out constellations and planets, and describes his experience as an astronaut.

  First came the adrenaline. Then, two hours into the ride, comes peace. They are free to walk around, use the restroom, or have more champagne.

  “This is it, baby,” Oliver says. “We’re flying on the edge of space.”

  “No way!” Sophie excitedly pulls out her phone and snaps a bunch of selfies with him from the stratosphere.

  Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen comes on the speakers in a classical arrangement performed by an orchestra. There aren’t enough smiles in the world to show how happy Sophie is. “Oh, wow. Are those violins?”

  “Mmhmm.”

  Oliver holds out his hand. She takes it, and they come together for a slow dance.

  “I can’t believe we’re dancing inside a pod in near-space,” Sophie says softly. “It’s all amazing. What a day it’s been. You have no idea how much I love you.”

  “I love you too, Sophie.”

  Andrew instructs them to go to their seats. Jackson announces. “All right, folks. Here’s the part I trained for.” He begins to vent helium from the balloon for their descent. “Are you going to want to experience weightlessness?”

  “What’s it going to feel like?” Sophie probes.

  “You’re going to feel very light,” Andrew replies. “The most similar feeling is floating in water without the sensation of water on your skin.”

  “What do you say?” Oliver turns to Sophie.

  She nods. “Let’s do this.”

  And then it’s time. As the pod falls back to Earth, Sophie and Oliver go totally weightless. Sophie squeals, giggles, and shouts as she and Oliver are suspended in the air. Once floating, arms, legs, and phones drift e
ffortlessly in mid-air. Seconds later, they are back on their seats, all wide grins and laughing deeply.

  It was beyond thrilling. Neither can believe it just happened.

  Back on the ground, Sophie gets out of the pod and shouts, “That was amazing!” In uncontrollable excitement, she jumps onto Oliver and hugs him.

  Mission accomplished. She will remember the day she saw the world from near-space for the rest of her life, and so will he.

  T H I R T Y - O N E

  * * *

  What’s “Two” Come

  THINGS ARE BACK to their normal, unpleasant business the next morning and just in time for breakfast.

  “Bridges what?” Sophie almost spills her coffee. Across the dining table, she looks at Oliver as he bites into an apple with a hard crunch.

  “He was let out of prison on probation after confessing to your kidnapping. He was offered a deal by the Justice Department. If he pleaded guilty to a single count and paid cash, his other crimes would be overlooked and he could walk. Of course, the media isn’t saying anything.”

  News Sophie didn’t want to hear. Stress levels spike. “So he accepted a plea with open arms in a New York minute?”

  “Naturally. He just grabbed up whatever he could get away with. That’s what they do, Sophie. The government extorts guilty pleas. They prefer settlements to legal battles.”

  “That is not how it’s supposed to work! He’s supposed to be in prison! Goddammit, I’m going to have a stroke!”

  MICHELLE VARGAS, SOPHIE’S trusted OB/GYN, steps into her office with a folder in hand. Sophie is in the seat opposite her desk, hoping that the reason why her period is four weeks late isn’t too bad.

  “Lay it on me, Michelle,” Sophie says impatiently. “What is it? Is it my hormones? Cysts? What? I read about Ovarian Cancer on WebMD.”

  Doctor Vargas sits in her chair and looks over at Sophie.

  “Sophie, there is no need to worry. Nothing is wrong with you.”

  Sophie breathes out a sigh of relief before smiling at the doctor. “Okay, then why hasn’t my period come yet?”