The Great Divide a novelette

by J.E. Ocean

  “Jacob, I—“

  “Look up.”

  Helicopter noise threatened their conversation. She dropped her head back to peer at the sky, shading her eyes from a strong breeze. And when she did, others followed. Some pointed.

  “Are you kidding me?” she laughed aloud.

  “Isn’t it great? Put Dad on.”

  The chopper came closer and grew louder. Everyone watched, including Aldo, who seemed annoyed that he was being handed a phone amid the noise. He covered one ear in a vain attempt to hear.

  “Hello?” he yelled into the phone. He looked at Jorie and shook his head. “I can’t hear them.” He started for the door when Jorie grabbed his sleeve pointing to the sky.

  “Who is this? Wait! I can’t hear ya, some moron’s trying to land a chopper in my yard!”

  Aldo handed the phone back to Jorie, and watched helplessly as the helicopter landed. He shielded his eyes, squinting against the dust, and the trees leaned away from the rotors. The band had stopped playing, unable to compete. All eyes were set on the bird as the rotors slowed. Finally the pilot’s door swung open.

  A lean man in uniform and mirror sunglasses stepped out. Aldo recognized him immediately and chuckled aloud. Keeping his head down, the pilot hurried away from the helicopter toward Aldo. He bear hugged Aldo and for laughs, kissed him on both cheeks. The crowd laughed and applauded.

  “Jacob! I should have known!”

  “I couldn’t miss you crossing the half-century mark, Dad.” Jacob turned to the gathering. “Was that a perfect landing?” They applauded again. The giant blades had stopped. “Looks like I got here just in time, this party’s dead!”

  Everyone laughed. Jorie handed Jacob a beer and the band resumed.

  “You graduated top of your class to give me and the gang chopper rides?” Aldo asked.

  “Funny. You guys wanna take a look? Come and check this thing out.”

  The three crossed the yard, Aldo breathless with excitement. He loved flying. He leaned into the cockpit his eyes shone like a child surveying an ocean of candy. Jorie stood next to him. Although the bird was older, it had been well taken care of.

  “It’s beautiful,” Jorie said.

  “A Robinson Beta II?” Aldo asked.

  “Yeah, why?”

  “They fitted it with a Lycoming oh three sixty jay-two-ay piston engine. It’s a much more powerful engine,” he said.

  “With lots of bells and whistles… Cabin heater and defogger, of course a fire extinguisher, an artificial horizon and vertical card compass. Two top of the line headsets.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yep… Didn’t you train in one of these?”

  “Well, not a Beta II. You gotta have a light touch with these, don’t you?”

  “True that.”

  “Some of my best memories were flying…”

  “Dad, climb up in the pilot seat.”

  “Nice! Leather interior. I like this, a GPS?”

  “Cool huh?”

  “Very cool, Jake.”

  “It’s fantastic,” Jorie agreed.

  “Dad, reach down there to the side. There’s something for you.”

  Jacob winked at his mother. Aldo found the package, a flat box wrapped in aeronautic paper.

  “What could this be?” He shook it. He tore through the packaging. A grin spread across his face. “A leather flight jacket?”

  “Just like the one you used to have in the Air Force.”

  “Look, it’s got your name on above the pocket,” Jorie said. “Put it on.”

  “You were in on this?” Aldo let the box slide to the floor, while he slipped his arms into the sleeves and pulled it over his back. He tapped the pockets and felt something. He pulled out a pair of mirrored aviator glasses and put them on.

  “How do I look?”

  “Like you did when I met you.” Jorie said.

  “Thanks you two. It’s great. It brings back a lot of memories.”

  “You look like a pilot now, Al. So, can you still fly this thing?” she asked winking at Jacob.

  “Like riding a bike, right?” he said, eyes roving over the control panel. “I’ve always thought one of these would be nice to have.”

  “Yeah, I was hoping you’d say that,” Jorie said.

  Jacob handed Aldo the keys.

  “Happy Birthday!”

  “What? You guys got me a… Come on! They’re so pricey how did you—“

  “We found it on E-bay. Want to go for a spin?” Jacob asked.

  “Let’s go!”

 

  Chapter Four

 

 

  In the recreation room, Aldo and Jacob stretched out on overstuffed couches watching a NASCAR race on the television. Jorie hummed in the kitchen, while she wiped the counter and hung the sponge cloth on the faucet to dry. She pulled a stack of dishes from the dishwasher and set them on the table. The coffee burbled in conclusion while Jorie cut thick wedges of birthday cake and laid it on plates. She had just set three mugs on the counter when the doorbell rang.

  “You expecting anyone, Al?” she called. Aldo kept his eyes glued to the race.

  “No, you want me to get it?”

  “It’s alright,” she said, waving him to sit. “Tell me if anything exciting happens.”

  Jorie opened the wooden door. Gordon Haslow stood before her in a freshly pressed uniform. He looked grim holding his hat in one hand. He grimaced more than smiled when he saw her.

  “Well, hello, Gordon. We missed you yesterday.”

  “Sorry I couldn’t make your shindig, Jorie. Duty calls.” He shifted uneasily under her sunny demeanor. “Is Aldo around?”

  “He is. Come on in. We’re about to have cake. Can I cut you an extra big slice?”

  “I’d like a rain check on that. I’m here on official business.”

  Aldo appeared at Jorie’s side.

  “What sort of official business, Gordon?”

  “I’m here about your son.”

  “Jacob? What’s he done?”

  “Not Jacob… Your other son.”

  Aldo and Jorie traded glances. A lump formed in Aldo’s throat. He noticed a look of hope in Jorie’s eyes. They spoke simultaneously.

  “Aleksander’s been found?” she asked.

  “You have news about him?” Aldo focused like a laser on Gordon’s face.

  “Got word from New Mexico State Police. They were chasing a stolen Maserati through the desert.“

  “A Maserati?”

  “You saying our son stole a car?”

  “They’re still trying to put it all together. He had no ID, no social, no registration.”

  Aldo frowned, his eyes dulled. He knew where this was headed. He wanted to spare Jorie the anguish of having to hear it.

  “Go inside, Jorie. I’ll handle this.”

  “I have to know. I’ve missed him every day for twenty five years.” She didn’t budge. She tightened her grip on the door handle. “Whatever Gordon has to say, I need to hear it.”

  “Jorie...” Aldo covered her hand with his. Gordon looked to Aldo for a cue. Aldo sighed and nodded slightly. He braced for the worst.

  “He’s not alright is he?” she said with a note of resignation.

  Sheriff Haslow shook his head.

  “The police had clocked him doing over well over a hunderd and thirty,” the Sherriff said. He hated these types of house calls. “The car rolled when he hit some debris on the highway. Your son didn’t survive the crash.”

  The Sherriff stuck his jaw forward and stared past Aldo. They both watched Jorie. Her eyes stopped mid-blink and, for a moment, looked as if she might faint. Aldo had seen the look before; she was holding off tears, or trying to.

  Gordon let out a long slow breath letting that last bit of info settle. Aldo knew there was more, he’d delivered messages like this enough to know how much the Sherriff didn’t want to be doing this. Maybe Aldo’s time with the US Marshals had pre
pared him, or both of them, in some way. Or maybe time had. Aldo had been expecting this call for years. The relief was that there would be no more agonizing over the whereabouts of their son. He had hoped it would never come to this. No one was ever really ready to hear bad news about a child.

  “When did this happen?” Aldo asked.

  “About six weeks ago. He was a John Doe. They were backlogged at county due to budget cuts. When they ran his DNA we traced it back to you.”

  “Where is he now?

  “He’s in Santa Fe County, New Mexico.”

  “I want to see him.”

  ”I really don’t think that’s a good idea. Like I said, it’s been six weeks. Here’s the number. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.”

  Jorie took the number and leaned against her husband; the new reality still sinking in. Aldo clenched his jaw.

  “Thanks for driving up. I guess we knew something like this…”Aldo’s voice trailed off. He turned away and coughed. He blinked his eyes but the rims reddened. Jorie’s tears slid shamelessly over her cheeks. Sheriff Harlow cleared his throat and pulled out a photo.

  “Aldo, one other question. I hate to bother you at a time like this…”

  “What is it Gordon?”

  “Aleksander had been seen with this man.” Gordon held up a photo of the youngish-looking dark haired man. “Do you recognize him?”

  Jorie squeaked out an anguished cry and ran into the house and up the stairs.

  “Yeah, I know him,” Aldo’s nostrils flared. “He’s out?”

  ~*~