Oceans Apart

Oceans Apart Copyright © 2004 by Karen KingsburyThis title is also available as a Zondervan audio product. Visit www.zondervan.com/audiopages for more information. Requests for information should be addressed to: Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Kingsbury, Karen. Oceans apart / Karen Kingsbury. P. cm. ISBN 0-310-24749-7 1. Air pilots-Fiction. 2. Air pilots spouse-Fiction. 3. Illegitimate children-Fiction. 4. Fathers and sons-Fiction. 5. Mothers-Death-Ficiton 6. Birthfathers-Fiction I. Title. PS3561.I4873O28 2004 813''.54-dc22 2003025491All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other-except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.Published in association with the literary agency of Alive Communications, Inc., 7680 Goddard St., Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80920Interior design by Michelle Espinoza Printed in the United States of America04 05 06 07 08 09 10 /. DC/ 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Fear was an owl that rarely lighted on the branches of Kiahna Siefert''s heart.Especially in the light of day.But it was nine o''clock on the sunniest morning of spring, and Kiahna couldn''t shake the feeling-the strange gnawing in her soul, the way the skin around her neck and chest felt two sizes too small."What is it, God . . . what are You trying to tell me?"No answer echoed back at her, so Kiahna kept busy. The passenger briefing was nearly finished, and the pilots were in their seats. She anchored herself against the service wall and found her smile, the one she used every time she flew.Flight 45, Honolulu to Tokyo, was a nine-hour flight. With a layover in Tokyo, the roundtrip gave Kiahna eighteen flight hours. Five times a month she made the two-day turnaround, and after a decade with the airline, her pay was better than any she could get anywhere else. Out the door at seven and, with the time change, home before dinner the next day. Kiahna had earned the route after ten years with the airline, and it was perfect for one reason.It allowed her most days to be home with Max."Movie today?" The man was a light traveler, briefcase and a carry-on, a regular in first class. Whatever his worn leather bag held, it took him to Japan at least once a month."Yes, sir. Mel Gibson''s latest.""Good." He smiled and kept moving. "Gets me over the ocean quicker."One by one the passengers filed in, same as always. But still she couldn''t shake the feeling.It took fourteen minutes to seat the cabin, and Kiahna worked the routine. The flight was nearly full, which meant the usual readjusting to make people and bags fit comfortably in the cramped quarters. She greeted passengers, sorted out seat assignments for confused travelers, and poured a drink tray for first class.A family with four children was seated over the wing, and already their baby was crying. Kiahna found a package of crackers and coloring books for the couple''s older children. With every motion she tried to sort out her feelings."Kiahna?"She jumped and turned to face her partner. Stephanie was working the back part of the cabin. "We''re waiting."The announcement. She''d completely forgotten. A quick breath. "They''re all in?""For two minutes now."Kiahna snapped the drink tray into place on the small service counter and edged past the other woman. The announcement was hers that morning; she should have remembered. She took hold of the microphone and began the routine."Welcome aboard Flight 45. We''re expecting a full cabin this morning, so if you have two carry-ons with you today, please store one of them in the space beneath tKingsbury, Karen is the author of 'Oceans Apart', published 2004 under ISBN 9780310247494 and ISBN 0310247497.