Air to Sea by Tommia Wright

Inspired by a contest prompt, this ended up melding with a NaNo project.

Flight Risk

Alven Sydney wandered for almost an hour before he found his runaway. He called his wife from a pay phone, reassuring her that their eldest child was safe – angry, but safe. He watched as the sullen teen made her way from the pier towards the arts center, where she was expected to be, supposedly after working a job that didn’t exist.

“Amelia, I think a different detour might be in order. Don’t worry and don’t wait up.” He paused. “If she’s serious about taking a plunge, maybe I can oblige.”

“The kids would be jealous if they knew,” Amelia told him. “Fine, just don’t get yourself killed.”

Alven made one more call before he returned to the car, pulling up to the front of the center some time later as though nothing was wrong. Alejandra slammed the door with enough force to rattle the glass. “I hate work. That old bat-.”

“What did we say about-?”

“What do you care? You’re only married to my mother and-.” The teenager stopped the moment Alven turned off the radio.

“What have you been doing all this time?”

Alejandra picked at the stickers on her notebook.

He sighed. “ Fine. Tonight, we rewrite the rules,” Alven said. “If you want to jump, let’s make the jump worthwhile, shall we?”

She ignored him, ejecting the disc from the player only to find it blank. “Let me guess, ‘The Chipmunks’ Greatest Hits,’ right?” She spun it about on her finger a few times before returning it, then tapping the ‘play’ button. By the time the various ‘Flight’ symphonies finished, they had arrived at their destination.

Alejandra wrapped her scarf about her. “What-?”

Alven stretched himself slowly. “Didn’t you say you wanted to know what it was like to free fall?”

She shoved her hands into her coat pockets. “Dad ordered me never to jump out of a plane, not that Mom will let me take lessons.”

“Wrong. You have money enough for-.”

“I don’t want you paying for it, though. My dream, my savings.”

Alven nodded. “Fair enough.” He led the way to a tall, nondescript, windowless building, holding the door open for her before she could read the cardboard sign.

“Don’t expect me to be the miller’s daughter and spin straw into gold.”

“Then don’t expect me to be some boring professor who has only lived life through books. Let’s go. Bruce is expecting us.”

Three flights later, Alejandra’s eyes opened wide as she stood at the edge of the wind tunnel below, Bruce waiting for them nearby. “You’re afraid of heights. You’ve always said-.”

Alven said. “Here’s the deal – I jump; you talk. You up for the risk, or not?”

After the lesson, Alejandra dared to take the plunge.