AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I would literally do anything right now so Laurel could get back in the air and travel. Instead, in our similar retro-inspired outfits, we link arms and watch our kids giggling along with Cary while he reads them every plaque and sign.
“Bennett loves Emory,” my sister says in a whisper about her ex. “He’ll do anything for his daughter. But I’ll murder you if you let Cary get away.”
It’s at the same moment Cary looks at me. The grin on his face broadens, a distraction that warms me all over and makes it easier to ignore Laurel’s caution.
Our parents were the same age when they passed. I’m sure, if either of them survived the accident, the wait to get back to the other would have lasted an eternity. It’s another reason why Cary is my now. Forever is a long time for a young man to commit to.
He checks his watch, hustling Bhodi and Emory towards us, and beckoning to his mother who’s been strolling the perimeter.
“Did you see that?” Bhodi points to the sky.
I hadn’t paid much attention to the airstrip until the whirr of propellers broke through, capturing my other senses. A biplane emerges from beyond a line of trees.
“Cool with going over there?” Cary directs his question at Laurel, looking for her permission to take Emory with him.
She agrees and his short-lived seriousness dissolves. My boyfriend is back to being the excited kid. The man who restores the childlike wonder to the world and gives the impression that this was the way Bhodi was supposed to grow up; alongside a guy who encourages fun and laughter. Even though Rex Stanton did horrible things to his son, Cary hasn’t lost the ability to be enthusiastic.
There have been times my mind has traveled to before the holidays when Cary hadn’t been a part of our lives. Had Laurel and I brought this much joy to our kids? I hoped we had—we made our fun—but perhaps I was mistaken. Whatever this is, I like it more.
I was in my mid-twenties when I settled down with a baby. I was ready for a white picket fence, hearts and roses family. Yet I wound up a struggling single mom. I guess, having rapidly progressed through the stage of life Cary is in, that there is an appeal to his charm. I didn’t know very many men his age when I was his age, and I explored being twenty-something with trepidation instead of excitement.
I’m realizing as much as Bhodi needs Cary, I need him too to show me what decent men are like, and that you can care and be carefree.
I have so many regrets that my poor choices about who I trusted mean my son will never get the type of father who signs up as a T-ball coach, or root for him from the bleachers at a soccer tournament. Try as I may, I can’t replace what Bhodi missed out on. However, I’m still his one-hundred-percent-there-to-support-him mom. Having Cary along for the adventure with us makes me feel like I haven’t totally let Bhodi down and, selfishly, as if I haven’t lost out on as much as it seemed like I had.
In a long chain, Bhodi, Emory, and the man I love are skipping—skipping—the paved walkway to the airfield. Emory stops to pick a milk thistle and tries to blow the seeds off the top. They’re still purple. Cary tucks the weed into a ribbon loop on her top, pretending it’s a beautiful flower. My ovaries ache. He’s incredibly sweet with my niece.
She runs to catch up with her cousin and Cary jogs along after her. They wait for us in the shade of a tree. The heat has kicked up another notch and the moms meander at a steady pace, making small talk.
Cary holds up a hand, waving at a woman approaching them wearing aviator glasses. She greets him with a handshake. The next thing I know, a commotion ensues and the kids are jumping up and down, yelling, “Me!”
“No really, who is going to be my co-pilot?” the woman asks as we meet up with our group.
From behind, Cary puts both his palms on my sister’s shoulders. She glances at me bewildered.
“This is Laurel and she gets the hot seat,” he remarks with a breezy air.
“What? I can’t fly. Bennett flies!”
The pilot startles but is swift to recover. “Did you not want the controls during flight? It was what Mr. Cass requested. I’ve got thousands of hours teaching and was under the impression you’d flown before.”
“She has. Laurel’s not licensed, but we both flew under our dad’s supervision. He was a commercial pilot,” I say in reassurance. Turning toward Cary, my heart is about to explode. “This is why you’ve been taking calls and hiding texts since yesterday, isn’t it?” He’d been planning a surprise thank you for my sister.
She’s shaking, on the verge of tears, staring longingly at the line of aircraft.
Cary blushes under his trimmed beard. “You’re not scared, Laurel?” He thinks he blew it again.
What Cary doesn’t realize is for Laurel there’s no more fear in getting back in the air than there would be for anyone who lost someone in a traffic accident. Flying is in our blood. Laurel wasn’t grounded for any other reason than it was what was best for Emory.
“No,” she whimpers, hugging him and using the backs of her palms to wipe her cheeks. “This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you.”
“It’s the least I can do.” He rubs her back.
“Oh, God! Don’t say that. Else, I’ll expect you to top this at Christmas!” She bubbles with laughter and utter disbelief.
We move down the tarmac closer to the private planes and stop in front of an adorable prop. Exactly the way my dad did, the woman caresses the plane’s nose like it’s her most prized possession
Inside, it’s bigger than I expected. There’s ample room for all of us.
