Page 17 of My All American Girl

“Our first official meal,” I said.

“Let’s hope they’ve got a decent chow line,” Kylee responded.

We entered the large cafeteria and were met by a bustling crowd of people from all walks of life. Pilots, mechanics, air traffic controllers, ground staff. Everyone was here. Their uniforms identified their roles on the base.

Kylee and I made our way to the back of the line. We each grabbed a tray and slowly inched forward. There was everything from hamburgers to salads and desserts.

We carried our food to a table near the window and settled in to eat.

“So, what do you think of the base so far?” Kylee asked between bites of her burger.

I shrugged, taking a sip of my drink before replying. “It’s different from what I’m used to, but I think I’m going to like it here. I’m not going to lie, my dad made sure this was where I went. It wasn’t my first choice.”

“Really?” Kylee’s eyebrows shot up, “Why not? Seems like this place is top notch. It’s got a good program.”

I took another bite of my sandwich. “It is,” I assured her. “And that’s exactly why my father wanted me here. I wanted to go somewhere new, somewhere different. Somewhere exciting. This is one of the perks of being my father’s daughter. He gets to decide where my career takes me. It isn’t about where I get sent.”

“I can understand that.” She nodded. “Wanting to carve out your own path.”

“That’s really all I want.”

“Is your dad going to be retiring soon?”

I laughed. “That’s the rumor, but that’s been the rumor for a long time. My mom always asks when he’s going to retire, but I think she would feel a little crowded if he did stay home.”

“He’ll need a hobby,” she joked.

“Besides wanting to babysit me,” I joked.

“Where do they live?”

“Colorado Springs,” I told her. “If and when he retires, that’s where they plan to stay. I think it’s because he wants to stay close to the action.”

“He’ll probably be invited for guest speaker roles and stuff,” she said.

“Yes, that’s exactly what he wants to do. He likes the prestige. I don’t blame him. He worked his ass off to get to where he is.”

“Is he three or four stars?”

“Four stars,” I replied.

“Damn.” She shook her head. “That’s impressive.”

“It is.” I nodded. “And I’m proud of him.”

“Do you aspire to that?”

I thought about it. “I don’t know. All I know is I want to keep flying for as long as I can.”

As we finished our meal and cleared our trays, I felt like I was on the brink of something big. Huge. I could only go up from there.

Columbus Air Force Base was full of possibilities, and I couldn’t wait to explore every inch of it. It might not have been my first choice, but I would sleep in a cardboard box and eat bread if it meant I got to pursue my flying career.

We walked out of the cafeteria into the humid environment. I looked up at the cloudless sky. A fighter jet was ascending, leaving behind a trail. We went to the commissary and loaded up on toiletries and a few snacks before going back to the dorm.

We checked our schedules and settled in. There were a few different community gatherings but Kylee and I chose to stay in. Tomorrow was our first official day and we wanted to be rested.