Page 43 of Nine

“How are we supposed to get through the checkpoint with all of this damn cash?” I whisper back.

“For one. Stop freaking out. You look suspicious.”

I look over at Trig who looks really uncomfortable.

“How’s your arm?”

“Hurts like a bitch,” he says.

“I can maybe carry another bag.

“I got it,” he replies, almost as if the offer was an insult.

It feels like forever when we finally reach the front of the line. I look up to see the woman from the bathroom checking bags. I start to panic. She waves us forward.

“Is this the new guy?” she asks, as she points to Trig. She gives him an ugly stare.

Trig looks confused. He looks at me for answers.

“Yup,” I say.

“Throw your bags up here, please.”

We toss all four bags up. She opens them one by one and peeks inside. Her eyebrows raise. She motions for me to come closer. Trig takes a step forward.

“Why do you have all of this money?”

Worry fills my eyes and I have no idea what to say.

“She cleaned out her husband’s checking account. He was banging the housekeeper. The asshole beats her too. Look at these marks.” Trig points to my face. “I’m taking her away from here.”

“What the–” I say.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed,” she whispers.

The TSA worker looks at me. She shakes her head in sympathy.

“Mine was doing our nanny. Go on, get out of here. Take it all and leave. I didn’t see a damn thing,” she says in a hushed tone.

She waves a metal detector over us and then points us toward the terminal. I release a sigh of relief as we pass her.

“Really? My husband beats me?” I repeat quietly.

“It worked. What are you complaining about?”

We make our way over to notice that our plane is boarding, so we line up. The line begins to move quickly, and before I know it, we are packing into the plane. We find our seats and settle in. Trig looks at me and then he pulls his wallet out. He hands me a picture from inside.

“I thought you might want this.”

I take it and unfold the picture. It’s of me and Jenny when we were about eighteen. I close it and hold it against my heart. I immediately look outside the window. I need a distraction to hold back these tears. I understand why Trig didn’t tell me, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt just as bad knowing that she isn’t here in this world anymore. I unfold it again and look down. My chest starts to heave, but I won’t let it. I place one hand over my mouth. I drop my head, close my eyes, and pray silently. I pray that her body is laid to rest and that wherever her spirit is that it looks after me. I can’t hold back anymore. I can feel my eyes watering up. I shoot up from my seat. Trig reaches out and grabs my hand. I look down at him.

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” he says again, as if I didn’t hear him earlier.

I let the storm in my chest settle before I respond.

“I’m not mad at you, Trig. It’s exactly like you said to me before. I’m mad at the situation.”

I see a flight attendant coming our way. She’s smiling and perky and I hate it, because I know she’s having a wonderful day. You can see it on her face.

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