Chapter 2: Lena

"¿Qué pasa? Oh, no, I must have fainted again." Lena then focused on Allen, and his arm around her, as he withdrew it. "No, it's okay. I know you will keep me safe." Lena then sat up and felt between her legs, and let out a sigh of relief. "Gracias Dios, I did not wet myself this time."

"Do you mind my asking why you have such a fear of flying?" asked Allen.

"Because I am not in control, and if the plane crashes, I can do nothing to stop it." Lena took a deep breath, and then let it out slowly. "I have this dream that the aeroplane I am on falls apart, and everyone dies."

"We all die, someday, at least in this life. I don't fear death, nor do I challenge it." Allen smiled reassuringly. "God has prepared a better place for us, and He will return to take us there."

"Why did you leave your country, if I may ask?"

"It's not the death that scares me; it's that it could take a long time. My own son was threatening to turn me in for a reward. They round up those who disagree with the government and put us in prison camps, and some simply disappear."

"Chile was that way in the past under Allende and Pinochet. Pinera is much better, but he does not like your Lucien."

"Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

"So, why did you choose Chile?"

"While it used to be a socialist dictatorship, it has emerged into a freer country, while the US is turning into Soviet Russia, the USSA."

"We have a long way to go, but I agree. I was very surprised to see the resemblance to our country under Pinochet, in the Obama regime." Lena looked around, and then whispered, "Even our president has called him the antichrist of Revelation. He is a Christian, you know; he lives his faith, and sets an example. Yours sets a very bad example."

"He is what not to be like; a negative role model. Most of us believe he is secretly a Muslim."

"We have very few Muslims in Chile, and not many Jews."

"No, the military goose-stepping to Prussens Gloria tends to bring back bad memories for them, I'd imagine."

"But the era that Chile allied with Prussia to train our armed forces was before the Nazis took over. The Nazis were more closely allied with Argentina."

"I have to learn more about the history of Chile if I am to live there."

"I am from Coyhaique, and as you see from the photos you printed, it is very nice."

"It looks pretty."

"It is." Lena replied, pointing to one of the data sheets of a place on a wooded stream. "This property is especially nice. It is so peaceful there, and you said you wanted water."

"Is it a trout stream, truchas?"

"I believe it is," Lena recalled, "It flows into one that is well known for big truchas. I love this one especially, but it is not up to me."

"You're okay now, right?"

"Si, you took my mind off of my fears; thank you."

"I was worried about you there for a few minutes. I'm not sure what made me put my arm around you, but it's not something I normally do."

"I felt comforted, and reassured because you did, but you said you are married?"

"No, she got her divorce through eight years ago and she married Dr. Jekyll as soon as the ink was dry," Allen explained. "She poisoned my kids against me, too."

Lights dimmed throughout the cabin, as the other passengers prepared to sleep. There were clouds below, and they were over water, so there was nothing to see. The flight attendants passed out blankets and pillows so Allen tried to get some rest. After an hour of fitful sleep, he felt a small, feminine hand on his chest, and smelled Lena's scent. She was nestled beneath his arm, and her blanket lay partly over his. Lena gasped, looked up at him, and quickly sat up.

"I am sorry," said Lena, "I did not mean to take liberties, but you were asleep, and I did not take my pill. It was gone when I looked for it. Then I remembered the TSA people took all of my personal items when I refused to go through the naked scanner."

"I won't ask, but the alternative is sometimes worse. The internet is full of videos where they single out pretty women, and young children to fondle, and sexually violate."

"I think that is why I am so tense, and with you, I feel safe. That is unusual for me, for I do not trust most men I know, never mind strangers."

"I could get used to having a woman to cuddle with, so I should be careful. I would hate to ruin your marriage, just because mine fell apart."

"I have no husband. He died on a military transport flight in 1991, just a few weeks after we married. Men consider me bad luck."

"No, bad luck is my ex-wife. She got her divorce because the judge doesn't believe in the biblical reasons to stay together."

"So, do you want to talk about it? You were very upset until I touched your heart."

"I'm not comfortable sleeping on planes, either. That's probably all the sleep I'll manage until we get off." Allen thought a moment, and said, "She met me at the door with a shotgun one day, and told me to agree to the divorce. The muzzle was almost on my nose. I started to argue, and heard the safety click off."

"Was this when you said she tried to kill you?"

"Yes, but I swatted it to my left. In the daylight you can see stippling on my left ear from the powder burns, and I can't hear on that side anymore."

"You would not leave because you still loved her?"

"No, because The Lord says we have to work it out. Maybe I was being punished for my sins from when I was younger."

Lena laughed, prompting the person in the seat behind them to kick or punch it, and several tell her to be quiet. Allen put his finger over his lips to reinforce it. She quit laughing and patted his hand several times.

"I like your sense of humor, Allen, right?"

"Yes, it's Allen, if I may call you Lena? So, tell me about life in Chile; I'd love to know about your customs, and your lovely little town."

"It sits near the border with Argentina, in the Andes," Lena began. "A lot of Europeans settled there, mostly Germans, and they are tri-lingual."

"I speak about as much German as I do Spanish, which is just enough to get me in deep trouble. A lot of the buildings look European."

"Yes they do, and the home on the property with the arroyo running through is like a Bavarian chalet."

"I noticed that. It looks really nice."

"It is wonderful, but the Baron went back to Germany when he inherited a castle."

"Ah, no wonder. How long has it been vacant?"

"I think 10, maybe 12 years, so he is in no hurry to sell, and when he smells a buyer, the price goes up." Lena took the sheets from the pouch, and stretched to turn the overhead back on. "This one may as well not be for sale. I have had buyers offer twice what he asked over the years and he still has not sold."

"I'm more captivated by the stream, than the chalet," Allen admitted. "Supposedly, there is land to be had that is not even advertised."

"Yes, but you have to be careful not to build where it will flood in the rainy season. Often the low prices are to get away from badly planned building."

"Usually you can find grass, or driftwood clumps where the high water comes to."

"I have seen where some are desperate enough to scour far up the hill to clear it away. Then you see the neighboring property with the debris still there." Lena yawned, covering her mouth. "I am so worn out from that conference. There was a company from Colombia that had bikini models there trying to sell mail order wives. That is not all they were selling."

"More like renting if you mean what I think you do."

"That is a marketing ploy today; make them think they will get fabulous sex, to attract the customer. This is why I always let Papa handle the men customers unless I know I am safe."

Lena yawned again, and turned out the light. "I am sorry; I do not mean to be rude."

"I make a good pillow, I suppose."

"You do, if I may borrow you? I'll be okay now, thank you."

"I'd like your card or a brochure before we get off the plane in the morning."

The first light peeked over the jagged peaks of the Andes when Allen awoke. He reached for his camera, and then saw Lena, her eyes tightly closed, and trembling. He reached out to comfort her, but she jumped at his touch.

"We cannot do that, for you are a stranger, whom I will never see again, and I do not wish to be pining away for you. I have to deal with this myself."

"But I plan to come to Coyhaique to see you about a place, and I'll need a site for my business. You need to get over this, and I think I can help."