When she sees the tiny aircraft on the heat-drenched runway, Beth almost does an about-turn. It was Hannah’s idea to charter a plane from Vegas back to L.A., and although Gary protested it was a waste of money they didn’t have, he gave in and Beth didn’t wanted to spoil Hannah’s big day.
By way of a wedding present, Doug the pilot insists on showing them around the cockpit before take-off. The confined space with its multitude of dials was claustrophobic, and Doug’s enthusiasm and sandalwood aftershave are giving Beth a headache. When Gary starts asking technical questions, no one notices her slipping back to her seat in the tiny cabin.
They’re flying over the Arizona desert when the engine splutters and the plane dips, losing altitude. Beth’s stomach does an abrupt somersault. Hannah laughs it off with one of her wisecracks: ‘All part of the service, guys.’
Beth grips the armrests, shoulders rigid, lips pressed tight. Sweat is sticking the back of her dress to the leather seat. The engine coughs and the plane lurches sideways, losing more height.
‘Holy shit.’ Gary’s looking out the window. ‘The engine’s on fire.’
Beth begins to hyperventilate, clutching at her throat, fighting for breath.
Hannah reaches across the aisle, grabs Beth’s bag from her lap and rummages for her inhaler.
Beth clutches it as if it were a parachute. Her gasps subside into jagged sobs.
Gary unfastens his seat belt and tries to clamber over Hannah.
‘Sit down.’
To Hannah’s surprise he obeys.
A crackled announcement comes through from the cockpit.
‘We’ve got a bit of a problem here, folks, but bear with me.’
‘Yeah, right.’
‘Shut up, Gary. You OK, Beth?’
Beth shakes her head. ‘I don’t want to die.’
Hannah grasps Beth’s hand. ‘Neither does Doug. He’s going to land this plane safely.’
Doug’s voice comes over the intercom, a pitch higher, his Southern accent stronger: ‘Prepare for a crash landing, y’all. Brace. Brace.’
At first, all Hannah can remember is thinking how absurd it is to die on her wedding day, face between her knees, arms protecting her head. She doesn’t remember the impact of landing or how Doug got them out, just his voice shouting ‘Run’ and the exhilarating shock of being alive and unhurt as she ran behind Gary, pulling a dazed Beth along with her, Doug’s footsteps pounding behind them, fire-engines and ambulances appearing like mirages, Beth begging her not to leave her, then the cool quiet of the hospital room, with Beth sedated in the other bed.
Hannah hardly sleeps that night, vivid flashbacks disturbing her sleep and peace of mind like bad dreams. She doesn’t see Gary until next morning in the deserted family waiting room.
‘Great start to married life, huh?’ His attempt at humour sounds rehearsed.
‘It’ll be downhill all the way now.’
‘I knew it was gonna be different, but not–’
‘How’s Doug?’
‘He’s good. Aren’t you going to ask how I am?
‘I can see you’re OK. Aren’t you going to ask how Beth is?’
‘Sure.’
‘Pretty shaken, since you asked.’
‘Hey. No need to be like that.’
‘Sorry.’ She looks out the window at the sprinklers watering the lawn. Rainbow colours dance among the droplets. ‘They’re keeping Beth in for a day or two. I’m going to stay with her. You should get back to L.A.’
‘Without you?’
When she doesn’t answer, he looks away, scuffing the carpet with his foot.
‘I’ll keep you posted about Beth’ she says. ‘Shouldn’t be more than a couple of days.’
Next morning there’s a dramatic double-page spread about their “miraculous escape” in the local newspaper. Doug has the lead article to himself, with a picture of him standing next to the aircraft carcass, like a big game hunter showing off his trophy. There’s a smaller photo of Beth and Hannah huddled together in the ambulance. The report saiys the newly-wed husband abandoned his bride and her bridesmaid in the burning plane. He then rushed back to L.A. while they’re still in hospital.
Beth manages a laugh when she reads it. ‘Doug must have talked to them.’
‘They’ve got it all wrong.’
‘Have they?’
‘What are you saying?’
Beth shrugs. ‘It was Doug who got us out of there. Gary hightailed it as soon as Doug got the door open.’
‘I thought you were too–’
‘Too panicked to notice?’ She shakes her head.
Hannah would never know for sure if the marriage could have survived if the national press hadn’t picked up the story and made them front-page news. On balance she thinks not.
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