Flying Backwards

by Jennifer W Smith

  Nora called her parents. They were thrilled with the good news.

  Chapter Five

  In March, Nora returned to her parents’ house a new woman, with a new career and a fresh outlook on life. Her mother remarked that she could tell that Eleanor had made the right decision just from the way she carried herself. “A mother knows her daughter,” she said proudly.

  Her father, a man of few words, treated Nora exactly the same.

  After Victoria filled Nora in on her pregnancy so far, she then wanted to know more about her sister’s future plans. Nora smiled; she knew that as the older sister, Victoria felt compelled to give Nora advice whether she wanted it or not.

  Lizzy just wanted to know if she could fly for free. Nora explained she would be able to request a buddy pass, but that was a free pass for a fellow companion who traveled on standby along with her. A spouse or her parents would use a different pass that enabled them to fly for free without her.

  No one spoke of Phillip, who was long gone in Boston by now. Nora did wonder about him. Had he moved into the townhouse he’d told her about? Had he spoken to her family? Nora could not bring herself to ask. It was over, and she did not want to look back.

  Nora took the beginning of the week to clean out her bedroom at her parents’ house. Purging and packing things away helped her shed her old persona, propelling her into her new identity. Nora got organized, feeling energized as she tackled her projects. First she revamped her wardrobe. After spending six weeks with Bree, the fashion guru, Nora reassessed her fashion style. She filled several donation bags with rejected clothes. By midweek, Nora was packed and ready to make the move to Philadelphia.

  She could not believe the airlines only allowed employees one week to find a place to live in a new city. New employees were expected to be packed, moved, and ready to work within that time. How could Nora have managed the feat of finding a place to live so fast without Bree?

  Bree’s father managed not only to get them into a townhouse, but he got them in immediately. Nora didn’t know exactly what he did for work. When she’d asked, Bree had mentioned something about acquisitions–apparently he had connections in high places. Nora packed her bags into her car and kissed her family good-bye once again. She promised this time it wouldn’t be as long as six weeks before she visited again. Being away from her family for so long had been hard for them all.

  Their townhouse, an authentic Philadelphian brownstone, was not far from trendy South Street, and shops, bars, and restaurants were within walking distance. When Nora met Mr. Royce he insisted the girls would not be paying for the place.

  “You girls aren’t going to start out making much money. Save it,” he said, holding up his hand against protest. “It’s the least I can do for my little girl.” There was no arguing with him.

  Nora was starting to understand how challenging it was for Bree to get away from Them. Bree’s father was overbearing, but he came through for his daughter. “You can’t fight City Hall,” Bree said in defeat, and her father nodded and chuckled.

  The brownstone was long and narrow. The front door opened onto a living/dining room combination. The stairwell ran up along the right side of the wall across from the front door. The kitchen was at the back of the house; a back door led out onto a small deck and patio surrounded by a fence. Bree occupied the larger bedroom on the second floor with a private bath. Nora’s bedroom was smaller, but the closet was a good size. Nora had the hallway bathroom to herself, unless company came. There was a washer and dryer in the upstairs hallway, next to her bathroom.

  Mr. Royce checked everything out to be sure things were in working order, and then he took the girls to dinner. Before he left that evening, he gave Bree a credit card and told her to buy whatever she needed for the house. The girls went shopping for essentials and splurged on a high-end television.

  Nora had purchased, with her own money, a full-size bed, pillows, sheets, and towels. The one window already had blinds. She chose bathroom essentials: a shower curtain and shower organizer. She added a framed pin board to hang in her room. She’d taken pictures with her new friends over the past couple months and wanted to hang them alongside pictures of her family. Nora selected a small desk that doubled as her nightstand, plus a chair. From her bedroom at her parents’ house she brought a spare quilt her grandmother had made, her laptop computer, her portable stereo and CDs, some photos for her pin board, and her personal items. It amazed Nora that she really didn’t need much stuff. It was like she was a vagabond, living out of her suitcase, she and her belongings fitting in one small room.

  * * *

  Her first working flight was scheduled in early March, a week after she moved into the townhouse. It would take her to London. After she’d dressed in her pressed uniform that afternoon, she looked at herself in the mirror and felt so proud. I did it. I am a flight attendant.

  Nora left for the airport and worked to recall all she had learned in her six-week crash course on the way. She found the crew room and checked in on the computer. She made her way to the gate; the gate-agent allowed her down the jetway. When she got to the plane, the pilots were making their preflight checks. The lead flight attendant introduced herself and eyed Nora suspiciously.

  Nora confessed this would be her first working flight. She remembered how embarrassing wearing the Trainee badge had been on her training flight. The smirks from passengers had been unnerving. She hoped she could harness her nerves and avoid an emergency visit to the washroom. Otherwise, vomiting each flight would prove disastrous, she thought with dread.

  “You’ll be in the coach cabin. The jump seat is just behind first class. Do you remember what equipment you need to check?” The lead flight attendant was stern but polite.

  “Yes, I’ll go do that right now.” Nora’s hands felt clammy; she discreetly wiped them on her uniform. The other flight attendants arrived just then. They were much friendlier. One of them walked Nora through all the checks, showed her where to stash her bags, and gave her tips. Nora was grateful.

  Nora’s smile was in place as the passengers filed on; she assisted them as needed. Before she knew it the hectic boarding process was over, and she was buckling herself into the flight attendant jump seat. The helpful colleague was buckled in beside her. They sat backwards, facing the passengers. She bounced along as the plane taxied out onto the runway. Over the continuous exhale of the air vents she could hear the plane engines rev. The aircraft sped up and lifted off the ground. Nora felt the seatbelt press against her chest as momentum pushed her forward. Here we go, Nora! She flew backwards, up, up, up into the sky.

  The first trip went off without a hitch. The flight left in the evening Philadelphia time and arrived in the morning London time. Working with the time change was challenging, but it was worth it. The other flight attendants told her to stay up until evening once in London; it was the best way to enjoy a layover. Even though all she wanted to do was nap when she arrived, she followed their suggestion. It paid off; she was able to take a city bus tour and do some shopping. The weather was cool and drizzly, so she invested in a lightweight raincoat. There was little space in her flight attendant roller-bag for souvenirs. While she was working she was only allowed the company-issue roller-bag and carry-on. Even her purse had to be stashed into one of those bags. She wondered how Bree would manage to travel so lightly.

  On the flight back she was careful not to burn her fingers on the hot food trays during dinner service as she had on the way over. During training, the trays had been room temperature and empty. She double-checked each supply cabinet latch to make sure it was fastened properly. She recalled the story the instructor told in training about leaving one cabinet unlatched; paper cups had launched themselves and rolled all over the galley and into the aisle during takeoff.

  When Nora returned to Philadelphia, Bree’s mother had arrived. Mrs. Royce had hired an interior designer to furnish the living/dining room and Bree’s bedroom and was here to over
see her pet project. Mrs. Royce checked into a high-end boutique downtown hotel, and she stayed for a few weeks. She made all the selections. She ran her choices by the girls, but if Bree disagreed it did not matter much. Her mother insisted the girls would like her preference once it was installed. Workers came and went all three weeks. The painters were the first to arrive. Furniture was delivered and drapes installed. When Nora returned home from a three-day trip there were new kitchen counter stools, new artwork hanging on the walls, new rugs, new kitchen pots and pans. The house looked amazing. Nora thanked Mrs. Royce. Although both girls were grateful, they were glad to see her finally go.

  Nora’s parents and sister Lizzy drove up to Philadelphia one Saturday in early April to check out the new house and spend the day with Nora. They were astonished by what Bree’s parents had provided for the girls.

  Bree was away on a trip. Nora’s mother was especially disappointed they were not meeting Nora’s new friend and roommate. Heidi made Nora promise to bring Bree home for a visit. Nora shared her travel stories throughout dinner. She had already been to London and Paris, and she was leaving for Madrid the next day.

  “The first thing I do is sign up for a city bus tour,” Nora said as she cut into her steak. “A flight attendant friend who’s been flying for a few years told me that’s a good way to start in every new city I visit. It gives a good overview. Then, each time I go back, I can tour buildings or museums or whatever caught my interest on the city tour.” As she chewed her meat she watched the three heads bob in agreement. Nora didn’t miss the glances her parents exchanged or the excited wonder in Lizzy’s praise.

  * * *

  Nora and Bree settled into their new routines once they finally had the place all to themselves; they were thrilled when they had the same days off. They got into the habit of leaving a notebook on the counter to write notes to each other. It came in handy when one of them was unable to call because she was in-flight or the time difference was crazy. Typically, notes would read something like: Help yourself to the leftover Chinese food–just got it last night… A repairman will be here sometime on Tuesday to fix the loose board on the back step… Sorry I ate the last yogurt– didn’t have time to go to the store. I owe you.

  As the months passed, Nora’s confidence in her job skills grew. She had gotten the hang of the scheduling system and enjoyed the long overseas layovers in Paris, Madrid, and Frankfurt. She quickly learned that she could work the bulk of her monthly quota of eighty hours early in the month by signing up for back-to-back trips. Each overseas trip averaged more than forty hours. So, she could time out after two trips as long as she had the required rest time in between, a minimum of twenty-four hours. To time out meant she would not be on call for the remainder of the month; she could enjoy some free time.

  Nora was planning to use her flight benefits to see destinations of her choice after timing out; additional discounts were available to flight attendants at hotels and some restaurants. Even if the overall pay wasn’t much, in Nora’s view the free-flight benefit couldn’t be beat. She could finally see the world–or at least the destinations Meade flew to.

  In late April Nora had successfully timed out. She decided that Rome would be her first adventure. She’d done her homework and researched some hotels, bus routes, and places of interest. She decided on a hotel that was off the beaten path but within walking distance to a city-tour-bus stop. That way she could save a little money. She did not want to blow all her income on one trip. She had big plans to visit as many places as she could, within reason. She had been hoping to travel with Bree that month, but Bree didn’t get the chance to time out early enough in the month. Nora felt kind of bad going about without her friend, but she could not miss out on her small window of opportunity. She only had about a week before she would be on call again.

  Chapter Six

  Nora checked into her budget lodgings at the Hotel Grande in Rome. It was small but clean. “Grande” seemed a misrepresentation. She had some time before lunch, so she decided on a stroll. Familiarizing herself with the area would be a great start; she would keep an eye out for a café where she could get something to eat. The dark-haired girl at the tiny lobby desk handed Nora a map, circled a few sites, and gave her directions to the bus stop in English. Nora smiled and thanked her and was off to explore. She felt a little jittery and nervous. She was actually in Italy–all by herself! She was making extraordinary things happen in her life. She was letting go of her safety net, putting herself out there, and embracing the unknown. She knew she was going to be just fine.

  Nora, lost in her thoughts, realized she had not arrived at her piazza destination. She unfolded her map and began to retrace her steps. The narrowing residential alley didn’t seem right. As she turned to go back, she was suddenly knocked backwards; she toppled to the ground. She felt a yank at her elbow as her bag was pulled free from her arm. The thief dashed away before she even saw him. She twisted around, yelling, “Heeeeyyyy!” only to see the pumping legs of his form retreating down the alley. She shook with panic as she thought, Oh no, my wallet’s in there…‌my money and ID!

  Nora blinked back frustrated tears several times. Then she saw a brawny man reach out and knock her assailant to the ground with one swift punch to his face. He reached down and pulled the guy up by the front of his hooded sweatshirt, twisting his fist for a thorough hold before he sent a second blow to his chin, dropping the assailant to his knees. The guy dropped Nora’s bag and mumbled something in Italian. The larger man shoved the attacker away, pointing and warning him in menacing Italian. The hooded guy scrambled up into a staggering run and was soon back at top speed, dashing from sight down another alleyway.

  Nora sat on the ground, stunned by what had just happened. Her rescuer scooped up her bag and jogged over to her. He squatted at her side and questioned her in Italian; she had no idea what he’d asked her. Despite her ordeal, all she could focus on was how attractive the man was. She stared at his face. His dark wavy hair was combed back and curled around his ears, resting just above his broad shoulders. His thick eyebrows framed hooded, dark eyes. His face was broad with generous lips… Oh, his lips.

  “Miss?”

  Nora snapped herself out of it. “Oh! Oh, thank you so much.” She shook her head and tried to focus on standing up. She winced in pain and grabbed her hip, which had taken the brunt of her fall. Nora could tell there’d be a huge bruise.

  His large hand clasped Nora’s elbow to help steady her as she stood.

  “Are you okay, miss?” he said in English, his voice was deep, smooth, and heavily accented.

  “Yes, thank you. Just bruised, I think.” She accepted her bag with a sheepish smile. She felt herself blush when he bent down to retrieve her map and hand it to her. She took that opportunity to notice the muscles that rippled under his T-shirt when he reached down. He was dressed in sweatpants and sneakers. Perhaps heading out for a run, she thought. He looked to be in amazing shape.

  “Do you need help finding your way? You are American?”

  “Yes, I’m from America. I’m lost. I got turned around somehow. I’m Nora, by the way.” She held out her hand. “Nora Clark. I can’t thank you enough.”

  “Hello, Nora. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He clasped her hand. His hand felt like a warm magnet pulling her to him ever so slightly. “I am sorry we met under these circumstances. This is a nice neighborhood, but these young kids will find every opportunity to prey on tourists. Please excuse the violence. I’d like to think a good scare, without police involvement, might make him think twice next time. His mama will want to know why his face is so bruised. You should carry your bag like this…” He let go of her hand and lifted the bag’s long strap over her head. “Across your body.” As he murmured the word “body,” his heavy-lidded eyes slowly shifted down to gaze at her body.

  Nora’s voice chirped. “Could I buy you a cup of coffee? It’s the least I can do…” She held out her hands, palms up.

/>   “Antonio.” He wore a knowing, crooked smile.

  “Antonio,” she repeated. Maybe her heightened senses lingered after the attack, but she was hyperaware of his all-consuming presence, and her pulse raced.

  Antonio stepped back, dragging the side of his index finger over his bottom lip, and gave her a considering look. He said, “How about dinner? And I will be taking you, to make up for what has happened to you in my city.”

  Nora’s eyes widened in surprise. “You don’t have to do that. I mean, it’s really nice of you. I’d love to. I’m staying at Hotel Grande.”

  “Then I will pick you up at eight o’clock at your hotel. May I walk with you to the end of this street?”

  “Yes, that would be nice.”

  Antonio directed Nora back to the corner where she had become turned around. They chatted about the city until they reached the corner, and Nora headed back in her original direction. Antonio tucked in ear buds and slipped an iPod into his pocket before he jogged away in the other direction. She could not resist looking back over her shoulder at him. She watched his broad shoulders sway as his body moved in rhythm. She noticed his torso narrowed at his waist and his butt appeared tight, though his pants were somewhat baggy. As he retreated he did not look back, so Nora allowed her eyes to linger.

  Wow! What just happened! Here I am, thinking I’m so adventurous, and I’m knocked on my ass and my bag is stolen–only to be returned to me by a gorgeous man! And I dared to ask him out for coffee! Which will now be dinner… Oh my! Nora swallowed hard. She needed to call Bree and dug around her bag for her cell phone.

  “Hey, Nora, how’s Italy?” Bree sounded glad to hear from her friend. Nora could hear her take a sip, probably from her morning latte. Nora realized it was still quite early there.

  “Bree! You won’t believe what just happened!” Nora didn’t leave out a single detail. “So I’m going to see him tonight for dinner. What do you think?”