Missing Thread

Chapter 1

Chapter 1Two days earlier, Wednesday afternoon

The plane dropped, tilted sideways and rose up hard. Coffee flew out of the cup in Georgia Charles-Dixon's hand, landing on the front of her white shirt.

“Damn.” She set the cup back onto the tray and dabbed at the stain with a napkin. The plane took another dive and she put the lid on the cup and secured it in the slotted tray.

The seat belt light bonged and flashed as the P.A. system came to life. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing some air turbulence. Please remain in your seats and fasten your seat belts. Thank you.”

Georgia glanced nervously at her husband in the seat beside her as she engaged the seat belt. She knew turbulence was a natural phenomenon and with all the air miles she'd clocked, she should be used to it. Fat chance.

Sean took a hold of her hand and squeezed it. “Relax. It's nothing to worry about.” His soft soothing voice made her feel better.

She looked through the window and saw nothing but forests below. They were somewhere over northern California. Soon they'd be landing in Los Angeles. Her thoughts focused on their trip. Sean would remain in L.A. for three days on movie business. She was catching a connecting flight to Houston, Texas to appear as a guest speaker at a Writer's Convention. She had come to enjoy speaking at events. They brought her to places she would never have visited and introduced her to many interesting people. But, lately, they'd become a chore.

The plane shuddered and shook as they hit another air pocket. “Uhh …” Georgia sucked in her breathe, her body tensing against the back of the seat.

Sean leaned closer to her and tightened his grip on her hand. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, of course. I'm being silly. I've never been fond of flying, but since I've become a parent, I'm more aware of my mortality.”

“I think parenthood does that to a lot of people, especially mothers.”

“It doesn't help knowing the girls were upset we left them with Grams.” Georgia thought about her daughters, Kaela and Shelby. They'd just celebrated their ninth birthday.

Sean loosened his grip on her hand. “It's the first time that we left them without one of us being there.”

Kaela was her birth daughter from a previous marriage. Shelby was Kaela's half-sister. The girls were born a couple of weeks part, the result of her ex-husband's affair during his marriage to Georgia. Both women became pregnant around the same time. Georgia adopted Shelby when her ex-husband and his second wife had both died only months apart. Two and a half years ago, Georgia married Sean and he adopted the girls as his own.

They were a family.

Georgia sighed. “I knew Shelby might be upset with both of us away. But it's been four years since she lost her birth parents.”

“We can't keep her in a cocoon forever, hon. Sooner or later, she needs to accept that we're not going anywhere.”

“You're right. I've been thinking that with the girls in school full-time, I'd like to get involved with something else part-time.”

“Like what?” Sean asked.

Georgia laughed, which turned into a snort. “I haven't a clue. But I'm thinking this will be my last speaking engagement to do with my past and my books.”

“I thought you loved all of this. You've kept it pretty low key since the girls started school.”

“I do love it. But I want to do something more meaningful. I'm tired of talking about me.”

“That I understand but what you've been doing has inspired other people.”

Georgia nodded her head. “I suppose. I guess I'm bored and I need a new challenge. My life needs to move forward as well.”

“Then you must find one.”

“Hmm … I'm not sure how.”

Sean brushed her hair out of her eyes and kissed the tip of her nose. “Then let it find you. When it does, you'll know.”

The turbulence stopped and the rest of the flight was without incident. Georgia watched as they flew out to sea and changed their approach back to the coast. Ten minutes later they departed from the plane at LAX and headed to the ticket counter to check Georgia in for her connecting flight to Houston.

Sean walked her to the security check point. “Call me when you're settled into the hotel.” “I will.” Georgia slipped her arms around his waist and placed her head on his chest.

He held her tight and whispered, “I love you.”

She lifted her head and looked into his eyes. “I love you too.”

Sean tilted his face and kissed her good-bye. “Have fun, hon.”

Georgia watched him walk towards the exit door to a waiting taxi. As if sensing her gaze, he stopped and turned. Sean gave her a wave and disappeared outside. She sought out the end of the security check line and took her place. It took her twenty minutes to get through the line and walk the distance to the waiting lounge. No sooner had she settled into a seat, when her cell phone rang. It was her grandmother's number in Gibsons. She smiled, knowing it would be her daughters.

“Hi Mommy.” It sounded liked Kaela but her voice sounded muffled.

“Hi sweetheart. How was your day at school?”

“Okay I guess. Darcy Brooks got caught throwing a spit ball at me. He's such a dork and …oops…Shelby, stop it.”

Georgia could hear both her daughters in a fit of giggles. “You there?”

“Yes, Mommy.” A crunching sound came through the line.”

“You're eating in my ear, Kaela. Do you know what that sounds like at this end?”

“Sorry. Grams made us chocolate chip cookies. Shelby made me laugh and a piece fell out of my mouth.” More giggles. “Where are you, Mommy?”

“I'm in L.A. airport waiting for my connecting flight to Houston. Won't be long now.”

“Is Poppy with you?” Kaela asked.

“No, he's on his way to his hotel.” Georgia smiled. The girls had decided when Sean became their adoptive father, they would call him Poppy. The name had stuck and Sean couldn't have been prouder.

“Okay. We just wanted to check in with you. Shelby wants to say hi. Love you, Mommy. Bye.”

“Love you too, sweets. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye.”

Georgia waited for her other daughter to say hello. Shelby took the phone, dropped it with a clatter. Another fit of the giggles came through the phone.

Shelby finally spoke. “Hi, Mommy.”

“Hi sweetheart. Good to hear you two are in happy moods. How was your day?”

“I got an A in my short story about my favourite animal.”

“Good for you, Shelby. You worked hard on that piece. I'm proud of you. So what are you guys up to tonight?”

“Grams is taking us out for pizza. Grampa Frank is coming too.”

Georgia's eyebrows shot up.“Grampa Frank? Sounds like fun.”

“Mommy?” Silence. “Are you and Poppy still coming home on Sunday?”

“Yes, hon. We'll be there Sunday.”

“I miss you already. Oh…Grams is calling us. Grampa is here.”

“You'd better go then. I miss you too. We'll talk tomorrow okay? Enjoy your pizza.”

“Love you.” Shelby blew a kiss in the phone.

“You too, hon. Bye now.”

Georgia put her book down and looked out the window of the plane that was taking her to Houston. A smile formed on her lips as she thought about her conversation with her daughters. Kaela hated talking on the phone and always kept it short. Shelby on the other hand would have talked longer if they didn't already have dinner plans. Further dialogue with her daughter would have brought the child's neurosis to the surface and Georgia knew she'd have felt guilty for leaving her. She was grateful that Grams and Frank were keeping the girls busy.

Shelby had come a long way since losing her parents at age five. Georgia was now Mommy to her and she adored Poppy. The sisters, two weeks apart in age, looked like their father and many people who didn't know the family thought they were twins. Georgia believed this had helped the girls bond and become close very quickly. Having to explain that her ex-husband had an affair and impregnated his legal assistant around the same time as his wife became pregnant always raised eyebrows and brought more questions. But then the pair had become ill and died and Georgia took custody of Kaela. New people in their lives assumed that the girls were twins and Sean's children. They didn't bother to explain unless something came up in conversation.

The thought of Grams and Frank made her smile grow wider. Grams was her maternal grandmother. Frank was Georgia's ex-father-in-law. It seemed to her they had been spending some time together lately. Hmm…no, what a ridiculous thought. Grams is at least eight or nine years older than Frank.

The seat belt light flashed and Georgia prepped for the landing. As they began their descent into Houston Airport, a nagging feeling deep in her chest that started small grew to a level of anxiety. A pounding at her temples caused her head to ache. The inside of the plane disappeared before her eyes. She envisioned darkness and the pounding water in a heavy rainstorm that bounced off the near invisible asphalt. As quickly as the vision appeared, it was gone. Georgia swallowed hard and took deep breaths to keep herself calm. They landed and taxied the runway but a feeling of dread stayed with her. She stood and followed the line of passengers off the plane.

Something's going to happen. A premonition?