Flying Backwards

by Jennifer W Smith

  “So what made you decide to come? Have you ever seen an animal give birth before?” Nora could not quite see his face in the darkness of the vehicle, but she could see the outline of his profile.

  “Actually, I have seen a live birth. The annual county fair in Pennsylvania had a birthing tent. I saw a cow give birth when I was nine. Even at that age I thought it was pretty cool. The fair runs for a week. It’s a big hit with the local kids. The schools in my hometown close for one day, appropriately named Fair Day, so local families can attend and support the community.”

  “It sounds pretty rural where you grew up. So you’re a country girl?”

  “Yeah, lots of farms. My parents still live there. It was a great place to grow up.”

  They pulled down the tree-lined lane; he stopped in the gravel lot. “Come on in. I’m going to change.” He was already tugging at his bowtie.

  He came back, his feet in socks, dressed in a white T-shirt, a flannel shirt over it. He wore the same kind of tan cargo pants he’d had on the other day. She followed him to a mudroom, where he slipped into work boots. “Okay, it’s show time.” He smiled up at her as he tied his boots.

  “Tell me about the mare.”

  Ben told her the horse’s breed and where she came from; she was a valuable show horse, and her name was Duchess. Inside the stable, Ben stopped at the stall and looked at the mare, apparently in an advanced stage of labor.

  Ben entered the stall. “How is she? Stats?” he asked the guy who was bent down, pressing his palms around the horse’s belly. The honey-colored mare was lying in the hay, her breathing labored.

  The other man stood, reached for a clipboard, and discussed the information with Ben. “Okay, good.” Ben nodded in satisfaction. “Ah, Keegan, this is Nora. Nora, this is Keegan, the assistant veterinarian.” He noticed Keegan smiling at Nora.

  “Hello,” Keegan said in a heavy Irish brogue, eyeing wide-eyed Nora, who hung back out of the way. “I can see why you attended the gala even with Duchess so near her time,” he remarked to Ben. “Did you kidnap this lovely lass from that fancy party?” He flashed Nora a smile framed in whiskers.

  “Something like that.” Ben grinned. He stepped over the mare’s front legs and squatted down beside her. “All right, Duchess,” he cooed. “I’m sure you are excited to meet your new foal. Take it easy.” He pressing around her distended belly like Keegan had been doing. “Good Duchess. Good girl.”

  Nora laid her sweater, unnecessary in the warm stable, on a nearby bench and stood watching Ben. “Nora, come here,” Ben encouraged. “Come feel.” Nora stepped into the thick straw lining the stall. Ben dropped a knee to the floor, leaning back so Nora could fit in the space before him. He circled his arms around her, clasped his hand over hers, and guided it over the soft coat of Duchess’s belly.

  “It’s in position. The head is facing down.”

  Duchess lifted her head and then laid it back down with a loud breath.

  “Wow. What do you do next?” Nora’s hands were splayed over the horse’s swollen belly, feeling something hard under them. She was fascinated.

  Ben stood and helped her up. He raised his thick eyebrows. “We wait.”

  It turned out they did not have to wait long. Soon Duchess was blowing through her nose, her body struggling to push out her new foal. Out ballooned a milky white sac. Nora could eventually make out two long legs and a head. Duchess’s belly contracted for several minutes. The sac tore open, and Ben assisted in uncovering the foal’s head when it was halfway out. Ben spoke to Duchess calmly while he pulled gently on the foal’s front legs. Nora held her breath, her hands clamped together. Duchess, obviously in pain, did not squeal or whinny. She just continued her labored breathing until, with one final contraction as Ben pulled, the foal slipped out.

  Nora let out a sigh of relief. Ben motioned her closer. She had tears in her eyes as she looked at the foal. “Remarkable.”

  Ben slipped the rest of the milky sac off of the foal. The slick foal flopped around until it suddenly stood on wobbly legs. Although slick with afterbirth, the foal was honey-colored, like its mother, a mini version of Duchess.

  Keegan stood nearby jotting something down on a clipboard. Ben and Nora hung back, watching the new mother clean her baby. It is beautiful, thought Nora. Once the mare was on her feet Ben examined her. He looked the foal over and smiled with satisfaction. “It’s a boy. We’ll name him Grand Duke. Everything went well.” Ben beamed. She followed him out of the stall. “I’m going to go clean up.” He looked down at his stained shirt with a crooked grin. “And change my shirt. There is a wash sink just there, at the end of the stalls.” He pointed it out to Nora so she could wash her hands. Other than feeling Duchess’s belly, she had stayed clear of the birthing mess.

  She waited for Ben outside the stable. The air was cool and refreshing. What an amazing night, she mused. First the over-the-top charity event, and then a birth. This is a trip to remember. Nora watched Ben stride toward her; she could feel the slight quickening of her heartbeat.

  “Sorry to have kept you waiting. It’s getting late, but of course the gala will still be going on. As I remember, usually a midnight buffet is served.” Ben wore jeans and a button-down shirt. The edges of his hair were wet from a thorough washing up. Apparently he was not planning on returning to the festivities. “Shall I take you home? Or can I interest you in a nightcap?”

  “I’d love a nightcap.” No sense going back to the party now, she thought.

  Nora and Ben entered the deserted kitchen through a back door. Ben swung the refrigerator door open and offered, “Beer? Wine? Apple cider?”

  “Oooh, can I have my cider heated?” It was early in the season for apple cider, but the thought of it took Nora back to her youth, when she and her sisters would drink warmed cider out by the backyard fire pit.

  “Warm cider it is then.” Nora watched Ben move easily in the kitchen. He gathered two mugs, poured the cider, and placed the mugs in the microwave. He then opened a cabinet and pulled out a mason jar filled with cinnamon sticks. All the while he was telling Nora that this cider was from a nearby orchard. The family, who had been friends of the Westboroughs since he was a boy, was trying out a new apple variety to produce an earlier crop, hence the early cider. He mentioned that he had always wanted to help with the fall harvest, when half the county worked for the orchard. He’d always had a full load at school and just could not swing the extra hours.

  Ben dropped a cinnamon stick in each mug and handed one to Nora. He slipped a tin of cookies off the counter and tucked them under one arm. She followed him to a cozy room down the hall, and together they made themselves comfortable on the sofa. “Hope you like oatmeal-raisin cookies.”

  “One of my favorites.” Nora took a cookie from the tin Ben offered her. “These are delicious. Who made them? Judy?”

  “Judy. She made them because they are my favorite,” Ben smirked.

  “She loves to mother you. It’s really sweet. And you are very obliging.” Nora admired Ben for always being gracious to Judy, even when she unwittingly stepped over the line.

  Ben chuckled. “You’ve noticed.” He feigned surprise. “Yes, Judy is a mother hen to a fault. But, honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a nicer stepmother.” Ben plucked another cookie and offered Nora the tin again.

  “No thanks. Ben, can I ask you something?” Nora asked. At his nod she inquired, “Why do you call her Judy and not Mom? Corrine calls her Mom–Mum,” she corrected herself.

  Ben was thoughtful and didn’t speak for a while. Nora was regretting her nosy questions, but Ben spoke as if remembering a fond memory. “I was seven when my mother died unexpectedly in a car accident. Corrine was almost five. She remembered our mother for a while, but her memories faded quickly.” He slowly scratched at his chin. “My father met Judy a couple years later. Corrine was elated to have a mommy, but it took me a long time to get over it. I felt if I called Judy Mom, I’d somehow be
betraying my own mother.” Nora realized he’d just revealed something very personal; it didn’t seem like he talked about it too often.

  Nora bit her bottom lip. One hand held the mug of cider and the other was braced over her heart. “That’s so sad. Do you still remember her? You were pretty young.”

  “I have some memories, but pictures really help,” he admitted.

  “Do you have a picture of her?”

  Ben smiled as reached into his back pocket to pull out his wallet. He slid out a well-worn photo and handed it to Nora. It was a studio picture of a woman with shoulder-length sandy-colored hair. She was seated, a young boy standing at her side and a baby in her lap. Nora noted the dated clothes and formal poses, but she also noted that the woman’s smile was broad. She had passed down the dimples in her cheeks to her son.

  Nora was concerned her nosy questions might have annoyed him or made him melancholy, but he seemed comfortable about sharing the picture.

  “She’s beautiful.” Nora handed him the photo. “You look like her.”

  Ben nodded as he tucked the photo away.

  Ben said no more on the subject, so Nora sipped the cider, wondering why she had come here tonight. “You were amazing tonight, by the way.”

  “Naa, Duchess did all the work,” Ben said modestly. “I have to admit I was surprised you agreed to leave the party to spend the night in a stable.”

  “I’m glad I did. I admire you for what you do, Ben.” She noted his modest smile and his adverted eyes, as though he was humbled by her comment. Before the silence stretched any longer, she added, “So you only work with horses?”

  “No, I work with other animals. I worked with domestic and farm animals during my training.” He told her about the school he had gone to in Scotland, where he’d delivered a lot of sheep. Their conversation roamed to include sheep, the English countryside, and Westborough’s horses.

  Nora hung on his every word. He was smart and well spoken. Yet he worked outdoors with his hands. She found the combination very sexy.

  “So how do you like being a flight attendant? Do you fly with Bree?” he asked.

  “I like it. I haven’t been doing it that long. I don’t get to fly with Bree, because I fly international and Bree flies domestic.” Nora paused in thought. “It’s been liberating.”

  “How so?” He sounded intrigued.

  “Well, I was a small-town girl living a small-town life. I was engaged,” she admitted. Ben waited politely for her to continue.

  “I just had this ominous feeling. Like that couldn’t be all there was in life…‌for me. I just knew there was something out there…‌and I had to find it. So I changed my life. I broke off my long engagement and…‌broke away. I left everything that was familiar and comforting.”

  “And now?” Ben appeared fascinated.

  “Now,” a beautiful smile stretched across her lovely face, “now, I’m absorbing everything. I’m embracing new places and experiences. I’m savoring this time of change, this time for myself. I’ve met so many great new friends. I’m happy…‌truly happy.”

  “Wow, that sounds brave. Good for you,” Ben said admiringly.

  She regarded his expression and thought, If only circumstances were different.

  They talked for a while about the places Nora had traveled so far. Ben had traveled in Europe some, and they traded airline stories.

  “Will you come back? I mean here, to visit–with Bree.” Ben tried to sound casual, but there was a hint of hope in his voice. “Of course you are welcome anytime without Bree, too, since you fly international and all. Bree is like family, and any friend of Bree’s… Well, you understand.”

  “I’d love to come back and visit. Maybe next time you can teach me to ride? Ashley suggested that I learn.”

  “That could be arranged.” Ben set his empty mug on the table. “Are you interested in learning? Really?”

  Is he personally inviting me back? “Yes, it’s on my bucket list!” she exclaimed.

  “Well, then, definitely give me a call when you are back this way.” He pulled out his phone, and they exchanged numbers. “What time do you leave tomorrow?” He glanced at the clock on the mantel. It was two o’clock. “Or should I say today?”

  “We fly out around four this afternoon.” Nora could not believe they had talked so long. She was tired and a little melancholy at the thought of leaving Ben.

  “Let’s get you back.” They stood and collected their mugs and the cookie tin. They dropped them off in the kitchen on their way out the back door.

  At the Andrews estate, Ben drove around the back, where he had parked before. It looked like the guests had all gone home; the clean-up crew was in full swing. Ben turned off his motor and turned to Nora. “I don’t think I’ll get a chance to see you off tomorrow. I’ve promised a friend I’ll come look at a stallion he wants to stud, but he’s presenting with… Never mind.” He focused on her lovely face. “I had a nice time talking with you. I hope you do come back and visit.”

  “I enjoyed myself too. Thank you for everything.” Nora took a deep breath, and Ben swallowed nervously.

  “Let me walk you to the door.” Ben jumped out, and Nora scrambled out the other side. Not a word passed as they walked to the back door. They stopped and turned toward one another.

  The door swung open, and Ashley called out, “There you are, Nora. You missed all the fun.”

  Nora gave Ashley a weak smile. She didn’t appreciate the untimely interruption, but Nora didn’t really think anything would happen with Ben. Truly, at this point she didn’t need it to. He was reserved, as the girls had warned her, and yet they insisted Ben was interested in her. She turned back to Ben, giving him a sweet smile. She didn’t even know if she would see him again. “Good night, Ben.”

  “Good night, Nora. I hope you find what you are searching for.” He spoke softly so only she could hear.

  His words touched her. Nora reached the door and turned back. They exchanged a wave good-bye before Ashley closed the door behind them, talking all about the events of the evening. Nora was lost in her own thoughts as they mounted the stairs to their bedrooms. Suddenly Ashley’s words caught Nora’s attention.

  “What did you say?” Nora stopped on the soft carpet, her feet sinking in where she stood.

  “Bree and Evan smooching! And not like brother and sister, I tell you! Yeah, they got cozier as the night went on, and then I accidently spied them kissing again out on a private balcony.” Ashley’s eyes were wild in her freckled face. The braid that circled her head was starting to unravel, and her shoes were missing altogether. She had obviously been drinking–a lot. Nora thought perhaps Ashley was mistaken. Evan seemed nice enough, but he certainly did not fit Bree’s type, by a mile.

  “Wow. Well, let’s get some rest. We’ll ask her about it in the morning. Is she already asleep?” Nora asked as Ashley swayed along beside her down the hallway.

  “I tucked her in myself. She’s passed out.” Ashley released a long sigh. “Everything go all right with you? You got back late. Did you have to wait out in the stables all night?” She made a face.

  “No, the birth was a success. Ben and I just got caught up talking. I hope you didn’t mind that I left with him.” Nora paused outside her room.

  Ashley gave a sweeping wave. “I don’t mind.” She started to stagger down the corridor. “It’s about bloody time the man’s interested in someone. Sleep tight.” Ashley then started to sing quietly, “Llllooove is innn the airrr.”

  “Night, Ash.” Nora suppressed a giggle as she slipped into her room.

  She washed her face, brushed her teeth, and slipped into her pajamas. Too tired to deconstruct the network of braids in her hair, she just crawled into bed and fell straight to sleep.

  She was sorry in the morning when her hair was all tangled and fuzzy. Some of the pins had slipped out overnight, causing one side to droop.

  Nora heard a light knock at her door.<
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  “Nora?” Bree’s voice called quietly.

  “Come in.” Nora had been lying there, wondering when she would see Ben again. He was in her last thought before falling asleep and the first thing she thought about in the morning.

  “Heeey.” Bree slipped in, closing the door behind her. Bree had unraveled her braid, and her hair was brushed into a smooth ponytail. “How did it go with Ben last night?” She sat on the end of Nora’s bed while Nora scooted back to rest against the headboard.

  “It was great. I’m really glad I got to see Duchess give birth–what a miracle. And Ben was so calm.” Nora sensed that Bree wanted to say something. “What about you? How did the rest of the night go?”

  “Well, this is probably going to sound crazy, but Evan, Ashley’s brother, who I’ve known forever, and I had this really great connection. We kissed.” Bree studied the lack of reaction on Nora’s face. “Ashley told you?” Nora nodded. “What did she say?” Bree nibbled on her thumbnail.

  “Basically what you just said. Is there more?” Nora inquired.

  “Humph, it’s funny. You know, when we were kids I had a mad crush on Evan. Then around high school graduation he became interested in me. By then I’d had several boyfriends. My interests strayed in a different direction. Each guy I dated was hotter and more badass than the last,” she smirked. “But last night, we started talking, and the old flames sparked for both of us.”

  “That’s nice to hear. Evan seems nice–from what I see of him so far. You deserve someone nice!” Nora told her friend wholeheartedly.

  “Yeah, Evan is nice. You deserve someone nice too, Nora.” Bree’s eyes flicked to Nora’s hair. “Speaking of being nice–would you like me to help you remove that rat’s nest from your head?” Bree said seriously as her eyes twinkled with mirth.

  While Bree deconstructed Nora’s braid she was silent for a while. “Nora, do you think I would be accepted if I applied for an international flight attendant position?”