Paper Planes Back Home

DEPARTURE . FOUR

"Anna, I need your help."

A fleeting deer-in-headlights expression is her first response when she looks up and sees a swollen bump right on Aaron's left cheekbone. "Oh, Jesus...did you run into that man's fist?" she asks, referring to Ricky, who had been on the receiving end of Aaron's outburst just that morning.

"I've been banned from—"

Anna holds a hand up to shush him. "Tell me something I don't know yet."

A sigh escapes Aaron's lips when he lowers his head, his posture now fully hunched, with both hands digging into his coat pockets. For hours, he had been restlessly pacing around the hospital lobby, a result of being welcomed with a punch on his face when he tried to visit Gianna again. Helpless, he approached Anna as soon as he saw her come in for work that evening. It wouldn't hurt to ask, he figured.

The nurse casts him a sympathetic look. "Listen, Aaron. If you don't want a couple of security personnel dragging you out of here, I suggest you don't try whatever you did again. We honor patients' requests, or in this case, the family's."

"I just want to know how she's doing." Aaron reaches for Anna's arm and pleads, "Couldn't you...at least give me updates? You get to see her every day."

Anna doesn't reply right away, but in her heart, she has already decided. She just takes a moment to absorb the multitude of words this man in front of her could say with his bright-blue, albeit imploring, eyes.

"Please," he says, "I'm desperate."

"One condition."

"Anything."

Anna's face turns stern, and then she has her index finger pointed to his face. "No more causing trouble in the premises, or so help me..."

* * *

Gianna clenches her fists to keep her hands from shaking, but her knees still feel unsteady, afraid she's going to fall into the blue abyss underneath her cloud should she make the slightest misstep. Repeatedly calling Skylar's name had not worked so far, and it frightened her when it seemed that his cloud had slowly begun to ascend.

She wonders how big of a time window she has to be able to climb onto Skylar's cloud, drag him into her own, and pull him on to her completed ride before he completely drifts to deep sleep. It's true that she had been lucky with Jesse, but he was just a small boy, and it was easy for her to carry him. She doubts her ability to do the same with a fully grown man.

This is no time for second thoughts, Gianna! she tells herself, and she takes a deep breath as she moves one, two, three steps back before taking three wider, quicker steps forward and launching herself onto Skylar's cloud. With little difficulty, she mounts her friend's cloud and quickly gets to him. His skin being warm to the touch brings temporary relief to her frantic heart, and she rests her palm against the soldier's cheek, slapping it gently. "Skylar...hey. Can you hear me?"

She can tell he is struggling to open his eyes, but apart from the obvious REM, he doesn't show any signs of response.

"Okay...it's okay, Skylar. We'll be home soon," Gianna says encouragingly, more for herself than him. Taking a deep breath, she lifts his upper body and slides her arms underneath his armpits, grabbing firm hold of his shoulders.

Gianna counts in her head—one, two, three—and hears herself grunt under Skylar's weight when she drags him along with her. She gathers the rest of her strength and tries again.

And again.

And again.

And when she finally finds herself at the edge of Skylar's cloud, she trembles at the thought of falling. It's okay, G. It's going to be okay. For a brief moment, she gathers strength from someone whose face she sees as soon as she tries to compose herself by closing her eyes.