The Return

Chapter Twenty Five

Holly Steinfeld was nose-deep into an article about the last non-governmental organization to pick up the Leighton case when the overhead bin rattled.

Her pulse quickened.

"It's going to be alright, Dearie, this is a sturdy plane." The woman by the window said. Her voice was warm, cracked. "I'm Natalie, Croft," She wore a firm smile.

The lights flickered. Scattered gasps erupted in the cabin.

Holly who was unfortunately assigned an aisle seat, shut off her tablet and observed the insistent tapping of the woman's foot.

"Holly," She said after a beat. "Oh, I'm not worried about the plane," 

The bumps and creaks in the cabin were the least of her concern. If she had to consider the price of the airline, she wasn't fit to fly. One of Georgia's many life lessons. Flying depended on more than the destination, the airline and its reputation mattered.

The intercom crackled. Holly didn't pay the pilot any attention. She did however pick up the words delay and weather.

She leaned forward and peeked out through the window over the woman's strawberry-blonde hair. They were flying into a cloud.

She slumped back into her seat and for the nth time, she reread the flimsy excuse the Young Adult Life Foundation had claimed for withdrawing the funds they invested in the case. In a public interview, the organization claimed the case was of no merit. The life of an eighteen-year-old girl who was found dead on her prom night was of no merit to a non-governmental organization that specialized in human rights cases.

"Wanna tell me what's on your mind? I'm no licensed therapist, but on a bumpy flight, a psychiatrist would have to do."

Holly put away her tablet. She was used to flying. She was the daughter of a countrywide renowned divorce attorney. Georgia's cases weren't restricted to her city of residence. She had clients from far and wide that would cover all necessary expenses to accommodate her and Holly. And even in Nigeria, Georgia was what the locals called; hot cake.

The flight attendants retreated to the back of the plane.

She wasn't going to mention the sour subject of Scarlett Leighton's unexplained death. She racked her brain for a middle ground.

"It's my Dad. We don't exactly have the best relationship." She drew a shaky breath. "And he's getting remarried to my Mom. It's been three years since the divorce."

The plane dropped. Holly's stomach flipped.

"He cheated on my mom, multiple times with different women and they were all victims... we were all victims to his selfishness. And I've watched him break our family apart once..." She drummed two fingers on the armrest. "I can't sit idly by when there's even the slightest chance, he could do it again." She pursed her lips. "He's tried to apologize to me and my sister, but he seems to be doing everything but proving to us that it was a one-time thing."

"And how can he prove it?" Natalie said softly.

Holly frowned.

"Sometimes we ask for things, not knowing what exactly we want. Is it a grand gesture of loyalty? And if so, what would that look like to you, Holly?" Lean veined hands quivered on the woman's lap, and Holly noticed a tiny scar.

Perspiration beaded on Holly's head.

The woman cleared her throat. "I asked because... well, let me put it this way," The seatbelt sign blinked. "Could it be you're the one that isn't ready to trust again?" That was a loaded question. One Holly didn't know the answer to. "There's a saying; once trust is broken; it can never be repaired. It's very wrong. Trust is like a bone, everybody is different and heals at a different pace, but once it's broken, it can be fixed, it might take a little bit longer."