Meet My Characters!

Enjoy my third character feature for Meet My Characters! Want to find out what's going to happen? Are you wondering more and more about his past? Stay tuned for more to come ...

Dan Atherton

The growing warmth enveloping his chest awoke him. Shaking off his sleepiness, Dan twisted the air vent just above his head, allowing more cool air to blow in his face. He reached up to his tie, jerking it loose from his sweating neck. A large sigh escaped his lips gradually. Pressing his eyelids together, he wished he was in New York by now.

A soft, little figure graced his fingers as he dipped his right hand inside his suit pocket. He smiled slightly to himself as he pulled it out and placed it into his right palm. Covered in pink fuzziness, it was just the size of a quarter. Loosely attached to the back was a silver clothes pin, which had gotten a little tarnished over the years. He could still remember the day she placed it in his hands. It had only been a brief moment shared between them with few words to say. Not a feeling of sadness or the realization had hit him that this could be the last time he would see her. It was difficult to recall, what day was it, what were his last words? Did his little girl cry as he left? The ferocious words from Mora were the only thing that never left him.

He slipped the little trinket back into his pocket as the flight attendant stopped the drink cart right next to his seat. Sitting back up, he managed a smile in her direction. No doubt a very attractive woman, he admitted, his attention fully taken by her presence. Looking closely for a couple seconds, he realized she was just a kid, maybe 21 years old.

“Good mornin’ to ya!” The young girl’s affable greeting was quite overdone, her Irish accent sharper than he had expected at first. She tucked a couple tendrils of red hair behind her ear. “Somethin’ to drink?”

Dan hesitated, taking his time to consider it. His mouth was expectedly dry from his long slumber. Something to drink, perhaps, before I have to meet them at the gate. His mouth opened for a split second, but then he changed his mind. Second chances, he said to himself. This is the only one you get. “No. Um, no thank you.” He smiled again, and then looked away towards the uncovered window as she moved on to the next row of passengers.

Until now, he hadn’t thought of the looming meeting he’d have with Mora. Her heart held no forgiveness, not for him. Her face appeared in his mind, he saw her eyes narrow down at him. Nothing could possibly matter to her, not what he had been through or the things he wished he could take back. “Nobody can really change,” she said to him more times than he could remember.

“I changed my mind,” Dan grabbed the stewardess’ arm gently. “I’d like a few Absolut.” Falling into his lingering gaze, she traded a small handful of miniature bottles for the folded cash he offered to her.

TO BE CONTINUED ...