Page 2 of A First Sight
“What happened?” I could hear the indignation in my question. “How could anyone consider doing that to a place like this? And two days after Christmas?”
She gave me a crooked smile. “Yesterday, I learned our bookkeeper has vanished with most of our money. Not only that, but there were a few bills she neglected to pay over the last few months.”
I could see where she was heading with this. While I usually detested being approached for money at a non-donation-related event, I made exceptions.
“I know you like to keep a low profile when you volunteer, and I’ve always respected that.” She twisted her fingers together, a clear sign of how this was bothering her.
“Don’t worry,” I said, taking out my phone. “How much do you need?”
Instances like this were when I was exceptionally grateful for technology. With it being Christmas Day, getting money from my account to theirs and then to the electric company in time would have been nearly impossible without various banking apps.
As I went through the details of processing a transfer, I reassured her it did not upset me she had come to me.
Five minutes later, I was on my way to the restroom when my phone buzzed with a text message. I didn’t check it. My family had been sending texts throughout the day, as they did every Christmas, and as always, I would wait until I got home to answer them.
None of them had ever taken my leaving Scotland and not returning personally. They never pressured me, and, though I rarely said it, I loved them for it.
TWO
MAGGIE
I rubbedmy ears and worked my jaw as the plane landed back at JFK. I never had a problem with airsickness, but my ears were another story, especially when taking four flights in a little over a month.
“You should chew some gum.” The older woman on the other side of the aisle held out a stick of gum. “That’s what I do, and it always helps.”
“Thank you.” I popped the gum in my mouth and tried not to grimace at the stale peppermint flavor.
“Were you visiting family in California?” she asked.
“I was.” I smiled at her. “Yourself?”
“My third grandchild was born on Christmas Eve.”
“Congratulations.” My mind flew back to the video chat my older brother, Eoin, had with our parents. “I found out on Christmas Eve that I’m going to be an aunt again.”
“That’s wonderful, dearie.”
Wonderful, yes, but also weird. Mostly weird because no one knew Eoin was seeing anyone, and he wasn’t just announcing a pregnancy. He was engaged, too. Aline Mercier.
At first, Aline and Eoin looked utterly mismatched. She was small and delicate, with a sweet face. Eoin was six and a half feet tall and had been intimidating even before receiving the scar that ran down the left side of his face. But then I saw the way they looked at each other.
It made my heart ache for him, but in a good way.
I wished I didn’t live so far away. I loved New York and playing with the Philharmonic, but I always missed my family.
I pushed aside the wistful sadness. While most of my family was on the West Coast, I had my older brother, Carson, and my younger sister, London, in New York. That was more than many people had.
That thought reminded me I needed to let my boyfriend Dale know my flight had landed.
I grabbed my phone to turn off airplane mode, when the latest picture on the lock screen made me smile. It wasn’t my entire family, but everyone in San Ramon was in it, and it was a good one.
As my phone reconnected to the network, texts from my parents came in, asking me to let them know when I arrived home. I told them I’d just landed, and then I sent the same to Dale. Within a few minutes, Mom and Da both responded. Dale didn’t. If he didn’t text me back or show up, I’d get a taxi or something. The great thing about living in New York, there were plenty of options for people who didn’t have cars. Icoulddrive, but when I moved here, I decided not to subject myself to the insanity that was city traffic.
By the time I retrieved my suitcase from the baggage carousel, I still hadn’t heard from Dale, so I headed straight to the exit. Luck was with me, and I got into the back of a beat-up cab after only ten minutes.
The driver complained about the weather as he drove through the slushy streets to Murray Hill, where Dale and I had a condo. They had decorated the bushes in front of our building with lights, but the recent snow was heavy enough that they were a muted glow. Still, they looked pretty, and I smiled as the car pulled to the curb.
“Have a glorious New Year,” I said as I added my tip to the fare.
