Stranded(9)

Rafe’s subsequent divorce to Angie had affected them both.

“Grant, I know she said some nasty things to you toward the end, but you’ve been through too much—we’ve been through too much to let her destroy us now. She’s out of our lives and it’s time to turn the page to a new chapter. I have a feeling this will be a memorable vacation and India Powers will figure heavily into it.”

Grant didn’t look so sure. “If you say so.”

“I do, my friend.”





Stranded





Chapter Three


India hadn’t been on many planes in her life, but she knew enough to know something wasn’t right. Granted this was a commuter jet, smaller than she was used to, with a maximum seating capacity of sixteen. Currently it only carried nine, including the pilot and flight attendant.

The clanging engine sputtered, then it made a whizzing noise. What the hell was going on?

She looked to the flight attendant for assurance, but was met with a look of worry. Okay, now was the time to get flustered. Sitting across from her on the other side of the aisle were the two men she’d met in the airport. “What’s going on?” She mouthed the words to them.

Grant shrugged. Rafe, on the other hand, kept looking out the window with a frown on his face.

It didn’t help matters that it had begun raining and she could feel every air pocket the plane hit. If only the captain would speak up and tell them everything would be okay, her heart wouldn’t beat so fast. It was as if someone had read her mind because the announcement finally came.

“Ladies and gentlemen of flight 2692, we’re experiencing some engine trouble. I ask that everyone remain calm. As you can see, the fasten seatbelt sign is on so please remain seated with your seatbelts securely fastened. Remember, in case of a water landing, your seat can be used as a floatation device.”

That did nothing to calm her already intense nerves.

“We’re all going to die,” a frantic passenger screamed from the seat directly in front if India’s. It was bad enough being on such a little plane, but when people started panicking, it only made the situation worse.

“Shut up, you ninny!” a man yelled at the hysterical woman.

India griped her arm rests. “Please don’t freak out. Please don’t freak out,” she chanted to herself.

Suddenly the coughing and sputtering of the engine stopped, followed by the feeling of falling.

Now she could freak out. India closed her eyes and said a silent prayer. From this height, no one would survive the impact. Just then the engine started to jerk violently, but it was too late—chaos had already broken out on the tiny plane. A few of the passengers were crying and screaming. She clutched the armrests, her heart beating erratically and nerves on edge. If this was how she was going to die, India didn’t want it to be without the touch of another human.

Perhaps it was the desperation of the situation, or it could have been that she had made a brief connection when she’d looked over to Grant and Rafe, but for whatever reason, India reached across the aisle and took Grant’s hand, his large palm engulfing hers.

Their eyes locked and then Rafe grabbed both of their hands, and squeezed.

A sense of peace settled over her. She never imagined her last moments would be spent on a plummeting plane while holding hands with two strangers. But she was okay with it.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the backup engine has kicked in and I’m going to attempt a water landing.” The captain didn’t sound so sure about his decision. A water landing…in the middle of the friggin’ Pacific? What if the water was infested with sharks, and how far away were they from land?

Who was to say the plane wouldn’t sink and they’d all drown? She closed her eyes tight, wishing she hadn’t spent her life trying to please her parents. When India thought about the choices she’d made in her life, they all revolved around them. She probably wouldn’t have gotten engaged to Steven. India had thought she loved him, but now she realized she had loved the idea of being with him because he represented the one thing that would make her family happy.

The plane jolted and jumped, but the plummeting had slowed down. India had a feeling the impact would still be big.

“Let me off!” screamed the man in the front seat of the plane.

To India’s horror, he unfastened his seat belt and jumped out of his seat.

“You can’t do that,” the crying lady behind her yelled.

The poor flight attendant, white as a sheet, looked like she’d pass out with terror.

With each bobble and jostle of the plane, India’s seatbelt tightened around her waist, cutting her air supply. Where were the oxygen masks? Shouldn’t they have fallen already? It seemed the engine wasn’t the only thing malfunctioning on this godforsaken hunk of junk.