Miri looked at Tiny.
“I won’t be asking Mr. Royer’s permission for any more stories,” she said.
“But what about your job?” Miri asked.
Tiny shook her head. “There are other jobs.”
Elizabeth Daily Post
CRASH PROBE REVEALS TWO ENGINES FAILED
Extraordinary Release of Preliminary Findings
By Henry Ammerman
FEB. 28—Both of the right engines failed on the National Airlines four-engine DC-6 that crashed into the Janet Memorial Home’s yard on Feb. 11.
The CAB investigator also announced that the DC-6’s radial 18-cylinder Pratt & Whitney “Double Wasp” engines are being disassembled piece by piece and nut by nut at the facilities of Pacific Airmotive Co. in Linden. This is the same type of engine that powered the Convair 240 that crashed near Battin High School last month and the C-46 that crashed into the Elizabeth River in December, when an engine exploded. The “Double Wasp” is one of the most widely used engines in aviation, with a reputation for reliability earned during the adverse conditions of World War II.
Crowds continue to gather at the crash site, which has taken on a carnival air, with a hawker selling bags of popcorn and families taking their children to see the remains of the devastation.
26
Christina
Christina’s period was late. She was beside herself with worry. Jack said to give it another two weeks. It was probably the stress of the crash. He swore he’d pulled out in time. She was distracted at school but everyone knew she’d been at the scene of the third crash, everyone knew she’d tried to help the injured. Even Mama and Baba were kind. Athena said she was getting too much attention, that the family was babying her, that staying at the crash site that night might not have been the best decision she’d ever made. But the aunts and uncles threw a family party for her. Really, it was Jack who rushed into the burning plane. Jack and Mason and Mason’s friends from Janet. But she couldn’t tell them that. She didn’t want to bring up the subject of Jack.
Finally, when they were alone in the kitchen, Mama asked, not unkindly, “You were out on a date with that boy?”
“Not so much a date,” Christina tried to explain. “We’re just friends. We went to Twin City, the roller rink.”
But Mama was more interested in Jack than skating. “So who is this friend? He’s a Greek boy?”
“His name is Jack McKittrick.”
“McKittrick?”
“Yes.”
“He’s Irish?”
“Half, yes.”
“And he’s not a boyfriend?”
“No. But what if he was?”
“A boyfriend?”
Christina nodded. “I’m not saying he is…but just suppose…”
Mama sucked in her breath. It felt like she was sucking in all the air in the room. Christina felt dizzy, like she might faint. She steadied herself against the kitchen table.
Finally, Mama spoke. “Baba and I would be very disappointed, very concerned. And your Yaya and Papou—they would kill me for letting you have an Irish boyfriend.”
“His mother wasn’t Irish.” Christina blurted this out, digging herself in deeper and deeper.
“She was Greek?”
“She might have been. She had dark hair and dark eyes. And I think her name was Eleni.” Lies and more lies. She had to stop.
“Eleni,” her mother said quietly. Christina knew Jack’s mother’s name was Elaine but that was close enough. She was probably Italian. Didn’t Jack once tell her his mother made spaghetti sauce from scratch?
Christina’s anxiety was showing up not just at home, where she left the cap off the toothpaste, and one time forgot to flush the toilet, leading Athena to give her hell, calling her disgusting—but at work, where she tried to be extra careful, not letting her mind wander. Still, Daisy sensed something was wrong. “Whatever it is, if I can help in any way, let me know.”
“Thank you, Daisy.”
“You know you can trust me.”
“I do know. It’s just that…” She was that close to confiding in Daisy.
“You’ve been through a terrible time,” Daisy said. “The death, the destruction—once was bad enough, but you’ve seen it twice, Christina. That would be hard on anyone. Dr. O has a friend, a patient, you’ve probably met him…Dr. Reiss?”
“Yes, I’ve seen him at the office several times.”
“You could talk with him. I know Dr. O would be glad to set it up for you.”