The Future is in the Air Ch. 04

"Thank you," Leah said, requesting and receiving a hug from Peggy.

"We've all had way too much excitement for one day. Y'all come to the house and try to relax, okay?"

"I'm too tired, and I don't want to be in another plane today."

"We have a house here in the city," Peggy said.

"Oh. Okay."

Peggy lead Leah through the door, and I met Kevin and Eric in the hallway.

"Is she okay?" Eric asked.

"Yeah. Just shaken up."

"So is your plane," Kevin advised. "I can tell by the smell the brakes got too hot. The discs are possibly warped, too. I'll tend to it all and see to getting the interior … um … detailed."

"Ugh," I groaned when I realized what he was talking about. "Yeah. Thanks, man. I owe you."

"Nah, you don't. I've been padding your bills for years." He chuckled jokingly.

We met the ladies at the Reiter's Escalade and climbed in. Peg drove us to a house which was much like my own in Parker, small and conservative compared to the ones at their ranch and Orlando, Florida.

"Anyone interested in lunch? We could order pizza or something," Peggy asked.

"I'm not," Leah answered. "I only want a nap."

"I'll bet you do. Come on," Peggy said, leading Leah to one of the spare rooms.

I followed them and joined Leah as she sat on the bed.

"I'm totally wiped, Lance. I feel like I've been through the wringer." She removed her shoes.

"That's because you have."

"Please stay with me for a while?"

I nodded and settled on the bed with her and held her in my arms.

I remained quiet, running my fingers through her hair across her scalp. I stroked her back and shoulders until she fell asleep. I unfolded the quilt at the foot of the bed and tucked her under it, then left the room, quietly closing the door behind me.

"How's she feeling?" Peggy asked.

"She's sleeping."

We discussed the events of the day until pizzas were delivered. Peggy excused herself to the office right after they arrived, and I cracked open a Dos Equis long-neck and sat at the table across from my friend. After a few minutes, Peggy returned and pulled two slices onto a plate.

"Her examiner is okay right now. They're doing a cardiac ultrasound and an angiogram," Peggy informed us.

"How on Earth did you find that out?" I asked.

"I have contacts there, too, you know."

"Are you running afoul of HIPAA?"

"Shut up." She grinned, fanning her hand dismissively at me.

We finished our late lunch, and I settled into a recliner.

"Well, it didn't exactly go according to plan, huh?" Eric surmised.

"No."

"Are you still going to give it to her today?"

"Are you kidding me? No way. Not after all of that. Now I need to find another examiner and get her checkride rescheduled."

"No way what?" Peggy asked, settling on the sofa next to her husband. "What were you talking about?"

Eric stared at me.

"Okay you two, spill," Peggy prodded.

I rose from the recliner, went to the kitchen, and retrieved something from my flight bag which I handed to Peggy.

When she saw what it was, her eyes flew wide.

"Oh, wow !" she hush-yelled. "Ohmygosh , Lance!" She rose from the couch to give me a hug.

"No. No! Huh-uh," I warned. "Peggy, I know you. You have to keep this to yourself," I said, wagging a finger vigorously at her.

"You were going to ask her when she got back from her checkride, weren't you," she astutely concluded.

"That was my plan, but there's no way in hell I would want her to associate this with what she went through today."

"I can understand that," Peggy said, studying the item. "It's … it's fantastic , Lance. It's absolutely perfect . She's going to love it."

"I can only hope," I said, taking it from her fingers and secreting it right back where it'd been. "Seriously, both of you, don't spoil it, capeesh ?"

"Roger," Eric said. Peggy nodded.

It was about an hour later when Leah awakened.

"Something smells good," she said.

"There's pizza right here, babe," I said, opening the warming oven to remove the box.

"Oh, heck yes," she said, removing a slice, the end of which went right into her mouth. Another went onto a plate, then she sat at the table.

She looked at us in turn. "Whah ?" she said with a full mouth.

She finished chewing, swallowed, and said, "Why are y'all staring at me?"

Peggy's cellphone chimed.

"Good news. Mr. Smith is out of the cath-lab."

"What's that mean?" Leah asked.

"They placed three stents, and … well, Leah? His doctor tells me his patient has asked to see you. He says any time between five and seven o'clock is okay."

"Why?"

Peggy shrugged.

I drove Leah to the university hospital. We arrived around six o'clock.

We went to the visitors' kiosk where a volunteer directed us to Mr. Felix Smith's room.

I knocked before opening the door for Leah.

"Well, if it isn't my angel of mercy," he said in his patently identifiable voice when Leah stepped inside.

He sounded more energetic than he looked, with tubes hanging all over and monitors beeping and squawking nearby. There was a man a decade or two older than me, dressed in military utilities, in the room with him.

"Are you feeling okay, Mr. Smith?" Leah asked.

"Young lady, you've certainly earned the right to call me Smitty. And yes, I am, thanks to you and your nerves of steel."

"I can't tell you how glad I am to hear it." She smiled warmly.

"The doctor thinks it was the g-forces from the steep turn you were in the middle of which made bad things start happening. Something I've done thousands and thousands of times, and it's only how many gees?" he asked the other man.

"One point four, Dad." The man chuckled.

"And I used to do four or five gees all the time in the Navy, but I guess today was the last straw. I think you were doing well, but, quite frankly, I don't remember.

"If it were legal and all, I'd sign your ticket right this minute. You encountered circumstances most pilots will never experience, and you met them.

"And I also owe you both an apology. Miss Reynolds, I think I treated you unkindly this morning. I had what I thought was only a sour stomach and I wanted it all over and done. Mr. Marlin, I'm very sorry for making a mess of your plane."

"It's been taken care of already," I assured him.

"Miss Reynolds, there's an envelope over there on that table. It's the money you gave me this morning."

"Don't worry about it, sir. I'll come do a retake as soon as you feel up to it. You hang on to it."

"I'm afraid not. I have to hang it up. I'm grounding myself. Given what happened, it'll be an uphill battle for me to renew my medical, and I don't think I have the energy for such a fight. I've had a good sixty-year run, though."

He looked to the other man in the room and said, "Pat, introduce yourself, would you?"

"Ma'am, sir, I'm Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Smith."

Leah shook his hand first, then he offered me one, as well.

"Pat is attached to the Oklahoma Air National Guard, and flies ERJs for a living," Smitty chimed in again.

"Oh?" Leah asked.

"Yes, ma'am," the younger said. "But what my father isn't saying is that I'm also a designated examiner, which is what I plan on doing full-time when I retire in a few years. I do checkrides when my time permits. It would be my absolute privilege to finish yours."

Leah looked at me. All I could offer were raised brows and a shrug.

"I guess this envelope belongs to you, then."

"No, it doesn't. With all due respect, I won't accept it. I'll waive my fee. I won't take a dime."

"Not a dime?" Leah asked.

"Not one red cent." He smiled and shook his head.

"That's very generous of you. Thank you, Colonel." She smiled back. "Where are you based?"

"The airline has me based at DFW. My wife and I live in Grapevine. My daughter graduated from SMU with her master's last May, and my son graduates from UTD next spring. I'm on reserve this week, so I was only a half hour away when the hospital called me. How about you?" he asked.

"I live in Wylie. Lance lives in Parker."

"We're neighbors!"

"Small world," I agreed.

"If you both live in the Dallas area, why were you doing a checkride here?"

"I did my flight training out of Rogers, and your father was the examiner for all four of my checkrides. It was a natural choice for me to sign Leah up with him. I began working on and off in Richardson about a year ago, and Leah is my first student."

"That makes sense. Dad taught me to fly when I was fifteen. It became a passion in a big way, as you can tell."

"When do you think we might be able to meet?" Leah asked.

"I'm still on duty the rest of the week. I'll be back home on Friday. Saturday or Sunday work for you?"

She smiled. "I'm certain I can make it work."

They exchanged contact information, and we said our goodbyes.

Neither Leah nor I felt like traveling that night, so we stayed with the Reiters and flew back to Texas the following morning.

---

Late June.

At 8:00am, I parked myself in the FBO's lounge while Leah and Colonel Smith conversed for the oral portion of the exam for almost two hours at a table in the pilot briefing room.

As they passed by me on the way to the apron where my plane was already chocked and waiting, Leah grinned and gave me a subtle thumbs up. I blew her an equally subtle air kiss.

Of course, I listened in on the radio calls.

They were airborne for exactly forty-seven minutes.

My heart was racing as I saw my Skylane taxi back in front of the building, but I forced myself to stay out of the way.

The expression on Leah's face as she stepped out of the plane indicated her outcome. Her examiner was exhibiting similar ease as he stepped out, as well. I watched her lock up the plane as a marshal chocked its wheels.

She darn-near sprinted into the building, finding me waiting near the doors. She embraced me tightly.

"Thank you," she whispered into my ear then gave me a warm, tender smooch.

"Dr. Marlin, I hope you call me when she's ready for her instrument checkride," Colonel Smith smiled.

Yeah. He addressed me the same way few people on the "outside" would address him. It was an appreciated gesture.

"She did a hell of a job, thus so did you. Miss Reynolds, give me just a few minutes in IACRA and you'll have your temporary license in your hand."

He went back to the briefing room which had a couple of internet-connected PCs and a printer.

"I'm so proud of you, Leah," I said, sincerely.

"You have every reason to take pride in yourself, too. I mean … Jeez, Lance! If anyone asked me a year ago if I was a pilot, I'd have said, 'fat chance of that!' You made it all possible."

"I really didn't, Leah. You did the hard work. This is all yours."

"No! Do not sell yourself short! I couldn't have gone on WikiHow to learn what I was tested on today. This was all … it was both of us."

"You're right," I said as I hugged her tightly. "Feel like celebrating?"

"Are you kidding me? Yes !"

"Good, because I have a little something-something for you to show the world how I feel about you."

"Oh?" she said with anticipation showing in her brows. The glints in her brown eyes quickened my pulse. I almost dropped the box as I drew it out of the pocket of my bag.

"Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh," she said, her eyes conveying deep anticipation as I offered her the dark green velvet box.

She opened it very slowly, giving the appearance she was extending her anticipation.

"Oh. Uh … Oh! I don't know what to say!"

She looked and sounded briefly disappointed, which made my heart flutter even more.

"It … Oh, Lance. It's beautiful . I love it. I absolutely love it, baby."

"You do?"

"Of course!" she said. "Why would you ask me that?"

"Well, you know. I'm still a little uncertain because it was just a bit spendy."

She embraced me in full view of every individual in the building, offered her tasty tongue, and squeezed my ass.

She smiled and turned her back. "Put it on me?"

I lowered the white gold chain to her chest. It held the custom pendant. It entrapped a brilliantly cut 1.5-carat gem. She held her hair up and away from her neck. I couldn't resist the urge to give her nape a little nibble after I hooked the clasp. She giggled and shimmied at the tickle.

"Oh, wow! That's here, isn't it!" she said, pointing across the parking lot to her workplace.

"Yeah. And the gem is your birthstone. It represents you."

"That's so thoughtful, Lance, and it is so, so beautiful."

I remained quiet as she studied my gift.

"That's a gift to commemorate your accomplishment," I said before I took a deep breath and withdrew from the pocket of my pants what I'd shown Peggy and Eric the week before.

"Leah, I'm done. I can't wait anymore."

I showed her what was between my thumb and forefinger.

"From the first day I met you face to face, you grasped onto me. I feel hollow when we're apart and whole when you're near. I can't stand the thought of you not being the best part of my life. Forever.

"Leah, will you marry me?"

I watched her for several moments as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes and descend along the crook of her nose to the corners of her mouth. She stood still and silent for so long I became woefully uncomfortable, fearing I'd made a horrible error in judgment. I was scared to death the first woman who I thought truly loved me in whole … would decline.

"From the first day you met me?" she whimpered.

"Yes. That very first day, Leah."

She cried, "I can't believe it! Yes, Lance! Yes !" She wept into my shoulder as I held her close to me.

"Gimme, babe!" she cried, holding out her left hand.

I slipped the ring onto her finger, and she embraced me again, still weeping.

I would have started shedding tears of joy myself had we not been interrupted.

"Here you go, Miss Reyn⁠—Uh... Oh. Um, isn't this supposed to be a happy day?" Colonel Smith said when he returned, seeing Leah crying and me holding her tightly.

Leah wagged her ring-bearing hand toward him.

"Oh, my! Would you look at that!" He laughed. "Then congratulations on two fronts!" he said, presenting her temporary license.

"Colonel Smith, please give our regards to your father," Leah said with a sniffle.

"I certainly will. Congratulations, again. Both of you," he said, and left the facility.

---

We went to Leah's house and celebrated. We celebrated vigorously and amorously.

"I just now realized how big a moron I've been." Leah said, lying next to me, spread-eagled and stark naked.

"Why?" I asked.

"Your plane. Lima Mike. Your initials, right?"

"You're telling me you just now figured that out?"

"Well, I hadn't put any thought to it before because tail numbers are just … numbers to me."

"And why's it funny?"

"Because it'll be my initials, too!"

"That's true!" I said. "But that's assuming you're going to take my name."

"Of course I will, Lance," she smiled. "Leah Marlin. Leah Valerie Marlin. Just … wow. In love even more," she said, grinning broadly.

"Lance David Reynolds. Yeah … no."

"You're such a dork." She chuckled and smacked me playfully. "Why's your middle name David?"

"My mother told me that, as soon as she held me in her arms, she thought I'd slay giants. Just with a sword instead of a rock, hence 'Lance.'"

"That's so beautiful. Many giants you have slain," she whispered.

"It's not as beautiful as yours. Valerie comes from the Latin root valor , which means strong and courageous."

"Can I ask you a very personal question?" she asked, studying her ring again.

"Sweetheart, we're way past those boundaries, aren't we? You can ask me anything."

"Yeah. You're right. Why'd you pick this? I mean … it's absolutely beautiful. It's totally … perfect."

"Are you asking me why it's not a huge-ass rock?"

"I guess I am. I'm glad it isn't, but I'm only wondering⁠—"

"I figured you wouldn't want anything like that. I know you're reserved and conservative, and I picked something … well, like you," I answered honestly. "But if you want a boulder, we can go pick one out tomorrow."

"No !" she yelled. "No way , dude. This is perfect. You've figured me out."

She looked at me so tenderly and sweetly. "We've come a long way, haven't we?"

"We have. And I can't wait to see where we go next."

"I'm wondering what people are going to think when they see me with this awesome engagement ring on my finger instead of that fake wedding band."

I laughed. "I wish I could be a fly on the wall for that."

"Nah, I'll say you swept me off my feet before I even met you, and the other ring was a placeholder."

She made me smile. "That's awesome, Leah. I love you so very, very much."

"I know," she said in a delightfully feminine attempt to mimic the Han Solo-like line.

---

Leah and I flew out for hundred-dollar hamburgers a number of times, exercising her pilot privileges while I was along as a simple passenger.

One fun-fly was to the Reiter's ranch. It was the first time we'd all gotten together since the big day, and we landed just before six o'clock.

"Oh my gosh! Show me. Show me!" Peggy said excitedly as Leah stepped out of the plane.

She displayed the ring I'd spent weeks agonizing over the month before.

"Oh, Leah, it's so beautiful!" Peggy exclaimed. "Jeez, Lance, you big galoot! Congratulations, you two!"

"Whoa, Peggy! Be nice to my fiancé!" Leah laughed.

"She is being nice. I'm a ginormous galoot."

Eric gave me double fist-bumps and a sturdy handshake.

"Good flight?" he asked me as we loaded into their truck.

"Of course it was. I haven't acted as PIC when we're in the air together since she earned her license. It's fun to just sit back and relax and enjoy the ride."

"Right? I thought the exact same thing after Peggy earned hers. Just so you know, I was overjoyed to hear the news, man! Tell us everything!"

As we drove to the house, Leah related the manner in which I proposed to her.

Peggy said, "You're such a romantic!"

I thought about arguing with her for a few seconds, but decided she was right. After we'd taken our bags into our room, we joined the Reiters in their den.

"Been meaning to ask. How's things at work?" Eric asked.

"Haven't been there in a week. I'm on final leave."

Peggy coughed, and Eric simply stared at me, mouth agape.

"What on Earth have you done?" he asked.

"Monday morning two weeks ago, I turned in my resignation."

Peggy and Eric both looked over at Leah. I suppose they were expecting the information to be news to her. It wasn't. Leah and I had discussed it at length.

"Why?" Eric asked.

"Does it matter?"

"No, not really, I'm only curious."

"I'm drawing a paycheck and not getting anywhere. I notified Signore Reggio of my resignation, and he basically told me there was no reason to wait. He told me to write my own press release."

"What a prick !" Peggy said.

Eric looked at Peggy with wide eyes. Leah only laughed out loud.

"You need to be able to say it in Italian," I suggested. "So, yeah, I wrote up a blurb earlier this week. It'll be made public after the closing bell next Friday. I wish I could tell the folks in Oklahoma before then, so they don't read it in the papers, but you know how the FTC feels about insider information. I've called an all-hands meeting for 2:30 that afternoon at the Oklahoma City campus with a very vague agenda. As soon as my watch reads three o'clock, I'll give them the news."