Page 32 of Now and Forever

“Who with, Mother?” asks Marta.

Sonia sits with us, ready to confide.

“He’s a very handsome man, Trevor Gerver.”

“Trevor Gerver?” asks an astonished Marta, and Sonia nods.

“That’s right, my girl!”

“Wow, Mother! Trevor is hot.”

“Marta, I already told you that man looks at my legs too much,” says Sonia, touching her hair. “In fact, the day I went skydiving, I noticed that ...”

“You skydived?” I ask, aghast.

“Not a word to my brother, or he’ll be all over us, OK?” Marta says.

Amazed, I nod.

“If my son finds out either one of us took skydiving classes, he’ll be insufferable,” says Sonia. “He’s been very strict about our safety since my precious Hannah’s fatal bungee-jumping accident more than three years ago.”

“I know ... I know ... I’m into motocross, and the day he saw me, he just about ...”

“You’re into motocross?” asks Marta, surprised.

I nod and Marta claps.

“Wow!” says Sonia. “Hannah used to do that too. And my son hasn’t gone into a rage?”

“Yes, he did,” I say, “but I’ve made it clear motocross is a part of me, and he can’t do anything about it.”

They both grin.

“I still have Hannah’s motorcycle in the garage,” says Sonia. “You can take it whenever you want. At least you’ll use it.”

“Mother!” protests Marta. “Are you trying to make Eric mad?”

Sonia sighs. “Eric gets mad just being looked at.”

“Well, you’re not wrong about that,” says a jovial Marta.

“And even though he wants us to live in a bubble so nothing will ever happen to us,” says Sonia, “he needs to understand life is to be enjoyed. That riding a motorcycle or skydiving doesn’t mean something horrible will happen to you. That’s what Hannah would say to him if she were alive. So, if you want the motorcycle,” she says in my direction, “it’s yours.”

“Thank you. I’ll keep it in mind,” I say, delighted.

As we continue laughing and sharing stories, I learn that Trevor owns a skydiving school on the outskirts of Munich. I’m terribly curious. I would love to learn to free-fall. As Sonia is talking about her trip to Switzerland, I realize it’ll be New Year’s Eve in four days.

“You’ll be back by New Year’s?”

“No, my dear. I’ll be in Switzerland with Trevor.”

“Eric and Flyn will be alone?”

The two of them nod.

“Yes,” says Marta. “I have plans, and Mother does too.”

I must be giving something away in my expression, because Sonia feels obliged to explain. “Since my daughter died, that night has ceased to be special for us, especially for me. Eric understands, and he usually stays with Flyn.” And then, quickly changing the subject, she turns to Marta. “So, what should I take with me to Switzerland?”

---