—Nathaniel—

The flight to D.C. was the longest I’d ever endured. Silence stretched, a cold reminder of what I'd lost.

“A bottle of whiskey please,” I ordered the flight attendant with me.

“Yes, sir.”

She left and reappeared with an ice bucket and a tumbler.

“Sir?” she asked.

I nodded, and she filled the glass before lowering the bottle and stepping away.

Yanking my tie, I picked up my drink and gulped half the glass—then everything. The sting burned down my spine, but not ...