The next thing I knew, someone was tapping my shoulder. I opened my eyes looking for the source of my disturbance. A cheery looking air hostess was the cause.
"I'm sorry to bother you. Would you like some dinner?"
I nodded and reached over to pull the curtain open enough for her to offer me a menu. After glancing through it and picking the vegetarian dish, she disappeared and in moments was back with my choice.
I murmured my thanks as she walked away. I peeked out from my seat and saw that everyone either had headphones on or was asleep. Grateful for this I closed the curtain shielding me and my still sound asleep companion from view.
At the thought of Decklen, I looked down and saw that he had fallen over and was resting his head on my shoulder. One arm had snaked behind my back and the other was resting on my legs his fingers splayed over my knee. His breathing was still deep and even.
Once more grateful for the curtains, I shook him slightly. In response he shook off my hands, pulled me tighter into his arms and turned his head further into my neck. His breath tickled my collarbone and I ignored the butterflies that passed through me.
I shook him again and I felt him smile into my neck as he started to wake. He brushed his fingers against my cheek as he leaned away.
"I'm awake." He murmured.
He pulled his arm out from behind me as he slowly sat up. Staring at me, he reached over and placed the food in front of me. As the smell hit me, I realized I was starving. I started to eat as Decklen got up and left me behind the curtains, most likely to explore the cockpit.
I ate only half before nerves hit me and I lost my appetite. I pushed the tray away just as Decklen reappeared. He frowned down at my uneaten food.
"You should eat more, you probably need the energy." He said to me.
I groaned inwardly, his words meant I looked like hell. I made myself finish and when I was done, I stood and opened the curtain. The air hostess appeared and took my empty tray as I stretched.
Making my way to the bathroom, I splashed my face a few times and looked in the mirror. My eyes were heavy, and I had a slight bags under them. Usually bouncy curls were limp and lifeless looking. I pulled the limp locks into a high bun, splashed my face once more, decided I didn't travel well, and left the room.
Opening the curtain, I saw that in the time I was gone, Decklen had sat up and was staring out of the window. I sat down in the seat.
"What are you looking at? It's night." I asked.
"The stars are gone." He said simply.
"Probably can't see them because the lights on the plane. Or we may be to high up." I replied.
He looked at me thoughtfully then grinned wickedly. "I could turn them off."
"I'm sure that’s a terrible idea." I said as he moved so I could see out the small oval.
I looked out at the sky, it was dark, but he was right, there were no stars. I leaned back in the seat and Decklen watched me thoughtfully.
"Are you feeling better about this?" He asked.
"Not really."
"Why not?"
"I don't know, I keep going through it all in my head, and it just seems too good to be true. Like its some joke."
"Seems like an expensive one. We did as much searching as we could, I don't think it is."
I shrugged in response.
We spent most of the long flight in companionable silence, neither of us talked much, not that we really could, most of the people were asleep and talking might have woken them up and gotten me stared at for sure.
But as I stared out the window I couldn't help a small gasp come out.
"What?" Decklen asked instantly alerted.
"It's the Eiffel tower." I replied softly.
He looked out and a small smile formed, "So it is. I never thought I would see that again." He murmured.
I frowned. "You've seen the Eiffel tower."
"Something like that." he replied looking away from it.
The tone he said it in told me to drop it. But something else came to mind, something that had been in the back of my mind since the letter arrived.
"Isn't this place in southern France?" I suddenly asked.
"Yes according to your letter." Decklen answered.
I frowned. "Then why are we landing in Paris? There's an airport that’s much closer to Provence. I remember seeing it when we were looking this place up."
"That, is odd."
I felt my stomach knot at the information and Decklen seeing my fear immediately wrapped his arms around me.
"Don't panic, everything will be fine." He soothed, "Just breathe."
I didn't move as I tried to listen to his assurances. But too soon, the overhead came on and we were landing. The plane coasted, and I was eventually standing and grabbing my things.
Taking my hand, Decklen led me off the plane and to customs, a torture that took forever.
I was agitated, I wanted to get there and get this over with. A part of me, a rather large part of me wanted to be home.
But instead, I was here grabbing my bags from baggage claim and heading towards a busy door that would lead me outside.
"Rheya." Decklen said.
I looked at him and see that he was pointing at a woman who held a sign with my name on it. Decklen led me towards her and she smiled at me warmly. She stuck out her hand.
"Hello, Rheya? My name is Jackie, and I will be your driver to your aunts estate, please follow me." She said pertly.
Remembering the P.I mentioning this, I nodded and followed her towards the doors.
I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I walked outside, but the air wide smell of cigarettes was not it. I grimaced, and Jackie smiled.
"You get used to it, and I promise it goes away."
I didn't answer as I followed her to parking.
After storing my suitcase into the trunk, I opened the door and climbed into the backseat with Decklen following me. As the door shut, Jackie climbed behind the wheel and after starting the engine, was driving out of the lot and onto the highway.
"I do have to make a pit stop in Caen. Is that alright?" She asked me after a shirt while.
"That's by Omaha Beach isn't it?" I replied.
"Yes, it is. Would you like to see it?" she asked.
"Yes." I answered feeling myself get excited at the thought of the famous beach.
Jackie smiled warmly, and I felt myself start to relax for the first time. I liked her I decided. And she hadn't given off a crazy vibe so for the moment I decided to enjoy the ride.
I still however turned the GPS on my phone on.
Two hours later, Jackie pulled off of the road and down a paved one. I was on the edge of my seat, true to her word my GPS showed us minutes away from the famed beach.
And then it was there, the silver statues came to view and when Jackie parked I leaped out of the car and walked down towards the site. The waved crashed onto the shore as I looked at the monument. We walked the shore while Jackie went off to run her errand.
"What is this place?" Decklen wondered out loud.
"It's a memorial site. Soldiers landed here to free the French from German soldiers in world war two." I knelt down and touched the sand.
"A world war?" Decklen asked me. "Two?"
I looked at him, he stared at me in loss. "I'm missing so much time." He murmured.
I didn't speak, "There's a cemetery off over there. There's graves for all the lives lost. The ones with the stars are for the Jewish people." I said pointing away in the distance.
Decklen didn't speak.
"Do you want to go see it?" I asked him.
"No." He said, and his voice was biting.
At once I realized my mistake. A place like this was torture for Decklen who didn't even know if he was alive or dead.
Who didn't even know if he had a grave.
"Let’s go." I said dusting the sand off me.
In the quiet we walked towards the car and saw Jackie was sitting at a table under an umbrella enjoying a drink. Seeing me she smiled.
"Are you ready?" She asked smiling.
I nodded and Decklen and I climbed into the care.
"Make yourself comfortable dear, it's a very long drive until we arrive."
"Which is where exactly?" I asked.
"Provence dear." She replied.
I heard a breath from Decklen and I turned to him.
"It's nothing, I thought I saw something." He said to my curious gaze.
And it was there, my fears were confirmed.
Decklen was hiding something from me.