Belly of the Beast Read Free Page A

worked out between us.”
    “I was sixteen. You were thirty-one. What did you expect?”
    Rob shrugged, “Sorry that Alex had to get sick to get us talking again.”
    “This isn’t about us.” Niki closed her eyes, then snapped them back open. The image of her son coughing red blood on white snow was too fresh, too abhorrent. She turned to the window.
    Terminal lights lit a silver commuter plane on the snowy tarmac. The pilot walked toward it, snow swirling about his feet.
    “Will you be warm enough?” Rob asked. He looked at Niki’s fern green jacket, nothing more than a thin nylon shell. Rob pulled an arm from his sleeve. “Here, take my coat.”
    Niki shook her head. “I’ve got a sweater in my pack. Besides, California’s a warm place.” She watched the rest of the flight crew as they opened up the door of the tiny plane. “I have to go,” she said nervously.
    “I know.”
    “I have to talk to them face to face. I have to get on that plane.”
    “I understand,” said Rob.
    “I don’t think so,” said Niki.
    Rob pulled a Ziploc bag from his pocket. “I do. These should help.” He removed a small white pill with a “V” punched through the middle.
    Niki stared at it, puzzled.
    “It’s Valium,” said Rob. “Lisa’s shrink said it’s the best thing for claustrophobia. Take one.”
    Niki hesitated, then swallowed the Valium with a sip of Rob’s coffee.
    “There are three more,” said Rob, “one for your flight to San Francisco, and two for your flights back. I wish I could take your place, but you know how Lisa is when I leave her alone. She needs three of these a day.”
    “She’s on drugs. And I left Alex with her?”
    “I’ll go straight back. Lisa’s shrink also said you should wish yourself to a happy place. Write down your happy thoughts in that little book of yours. Don’t think about being on a plane.”
    “I’m sure that will help a lot.”
    Rob dropped the pill baggie in an envelope and handed it to Niki. “I’m just trying to help. There’s some emergency money in the envelope. Not much. You know how things are. See you in three days.”
    “Flight 6042 now boarding.”
    Niki tucked the envelope into her pocket. “Thanks, I do appreciate it.”
    “The least I can do. You sure you’ve got everything?”
    “I’ve been taking care of myself since I was fourteen.”
    “I know. It’s just that you’re always losing things.”
    Niki regretted ever having mentioned that she had misplaced her truck keys, but smothered her urge to defend herself. Instead, she pulled a spiral-bound notebook from her jacket; Rob’s envelope fell to the floor.
    He picked it up and handed it back without a word.
    Niki tapped on the notebook. “I have the hospital and hotel information, and I saw the envelope drop. Just take care of Alex, and I’ll be fine.”
    Rob looked at his feet. “San Mateo isn’t far from San Francisco.”
    Niki shoved the notebook in her pocket. “I don’t have time for wild goose chases trying to find my mother. You checked every phone book within a hundred miles of San Mateo, and you filed a missing person report. You know there’s nothing left to do. What do you want from me?”
    “It’s just that you said you wanted to turn every stone. The doctor said your mother was the most likely candidate to donate bone marrow.”
    “She’s probably dead.”
    “I know you hate her, but—”
    “Last call for Flight 6042.”
    Niki turned and headed out the door.
    “He’s my son too,” Rob said after her, “like you said, this isn’t about us.”
    The agent latched the door.
    Niki sucked in cold air and crossed the tarmac. It’s no wonder we didn’t get along. No sooner had she thought it than she turned. She knew it wasn’t Rob’s fault.
    “We’re full today,” said an agent by the plane. “You have to check that bag.” He reached for Niki’s backpack.
    “I need to go back and tell someone something.”
    “Not if you want to fly to Denver with us.