Page 56 of The Upside of Falling
I flip the pages of my book, loving the stories about fighter pilots from the past, and take a sip from my water, the blankets on my bed keeping me warm in my perched position on my mattress. Snow falls lightly to the ground outside, coating the ground in white as I try to channel Dad.
He always loved it when it snowed, especially since Colorado was so off and on with its weather. Known for three hundred days of rays, the sun is almost always shining, so when we get a bout of stormy weather, we try to soak it all in.
Thump.
My heart stills, my ears perking up as I slow my breathing. Was that snow falling off the roof or was that . . .
Footsteps sound through the house, the slamming of cabinet drawers filling the empty house. Oh no.No. Not now. Not today.
I scan my room, looking at everything I have scattered around. Hopping out of bed, I scurry around my room, stuffing my book away and trying to hide Dad’s tools. My heart’s in my throat, a lump so large I’m having a hard time breathing.
Footsteps sound closer. Panic paralyzes me. My hands shake, my inability to hide everything fast enough scaring me. There is no way I’ll be able to hide the plane I’ve been working on beforehegets here.
Tears prick the backs of my eyes as the door to my bedroom swings open, slamming into my wall, denting the plaster.
“Where the fuck is my wallet?” Ted yells. “Did you take it?”
“What? No.” I shake my head. “I have no idea where it is.”
He steps forward. “I’m trying to take your mother out to get her mind off this day, and I just can’t find it. Seems coincidental, don’t you think, since your mom got yelled at by your grandpa today? Did you hide it to get back at her?”
I shake my head, trying to speak past the lump in my throat.Please don’t see my plane. Please don’t see my plane.“No, sir. I didn’t take it. Want me to help you look for it?” I step forward to help him just as he cocks his arm back. I flinch waiting for the blow . . . but it doesn’t come.
Looking at him, his gaze is focused at my window, where you can see one side of the Eaglet model plane my dad got me. I’ve been putting new colors on it to give it a fresh look.
“What the fuck is that?”
“Th-that’s my plane Dad got me a few years ago.”
“How come I’ve never seen it?”
Stuttering, working my way backward to protect it, I say, “I put it away. I know you don’t like clutter.”
“Why is it out now?”
I twist my hands together. “I thought since you and Mom were gone, and it’s my birthday, that maybe I could work on it.”
Ted shakes his head, walking toward it. “You didn’t get permission to work on this piece of crap. You need to ask for permission, Colby. How many times do I have to tell you that?”
“I . . . I . . .” He puts his hand on the plane, my heart lurching in my chest. “Please don’t hurt it, Ted.” A tear slips down my cheek, but I swipe it away quickly.
“Don’t hurt yourplane?” A maniacal smirk crosses over his face. “But you disobeyed me, don’t you think you need to be punished for that?”
“It’s my birthday,” I say, praying for some kind of reprieve from this tyrant.I hate this man. I want my dad back.
“That means shit to me. Your mom told me I can’t hit you anymore, so maybe I’ll take it out on your planes.”
I step forward, desperation in my voice. “Hit me. I don’t care. Hit me all you want. Please just don’t touch my plane. It’s from Dad, Ted. Please.”
He nods, and for a second I think he’ll listen to me. Until he picks up the wing of the plane and splits it in half over his knee, tossing the two pieces in front of me, the torn and splintered balsa wood falling to the floor . . . my heart with it.
“Happy Birthday.” With that, he slams my door just as Mom yells down the hall.
“Found your wallet, Ted. It was in your jacket.”
I crumple to the floor and hold the wing to my chest, tears falling from my eyes.
My plane.
