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‘Only if you want to.’ He looks slightly disappointed. ‘Why? Are you having second thoughts?’
I hesitate, but only for a split second. Given the tumours inside my head, flying in an open cockpit biplane is a walk in the park.
After carrying out a thorough check of the plane, he wheels it out into the sunshine.
‘You’ll want to wear these.’ He hands me an ancient flying helmet and goggles. ‘I hope they won’t be loose. Joe had an inordinately large head.’ As I put them on, he’s quiet for a moment, studying me. ‘OK.’
After helping me into the cockpit, he fastens the straps over my shoulders. I can’t help smiling. After his hi-tech car, the cockpit layout is basic. I look at him. ‘You and your car make perfect sense. But this…’ I gesture to the instrument panel.
‘Ah. So you’re about to see another hitherto unknown side to me.’ He passes me a headset. ‘Here. Put these on. They reduce the noise and mean we can talk to each other.’ Plugging in the lead, he stands back. ‘OK. Now don’t touch anything.’
The engine has a throaty sound and as the propellor starts to rotate, I feel a quivering sensation, as though the plane itself is coming to life.
From the back seat, Forrest’s voice comes through the headset. ‘Give me a thumbs up if you can hear me.’
I oblige, and suddenly we’re moving forwards. ‘We’re going to the far end of the runway,’ he tells me over the intercom. ‘I need to carry out power checks. Then we’ll be off.’
It’s like nothing I’ve experienced before. After bumping across the grass, a few minutes later, from the far end of the field, we begin our take off roll. In what feels like seconds, I watch the ground fall away below us as the plane lifts effortlessly into the air.
As we climb higher, he makes a brief radio call detailing our position. Gazing at the sky, there are no words to describe how I’m feeling. When there are so many days I wouldn’t be up to this, being here, now, is the very definition of seizing the moment.
This little plane was made to fly, no question. I can feel the movement of the air, each variation in the wind as the plane banks smoothly towards the coast.
Forrest’s voice comes over the intercom. ‘You OK?’
Unable to speak, I give him another thumbs up. Up here, the air is cool on my skin, while I can’t take my eyes off the view. We miss so much from the ground, I can’t help thinking. Loseourselves in the tiny bubbles our lives become, while up here, you can see fields that stretch for miles, a sea that seems to merge with a sky that goes on forever.
It’s the closest I’ll ever get to being a bird, I realise, forgetting about my illness. Instead, I’m invigorated, swept up in the magic of this breath-taking experience, feeling more alive than I’ve ever felt.
It’s the most glorious morning, the faintest horizon visible, the sea below us a sparkling blue, the fields multiple shades of green. Losing track of time, I want to stay up here, to follow the ocean, to soar high above the clouds, to swoop like a bird over the water; but too soon, we turn inland and start to descend. As the ground comes closer, I take in the detail of the trees, the roads, the houses, before the plane sinks down and we’re on the ground again.
After Forrest taxis towards the hangar and switches the engine off, I sit there for a moment. After the experience I’ve just had, I don’t want it to end.
As Forrest unfastens my straps, his face is pink from the wind, his eyes elated as he looks at me. ‘Are you OK?’
‘You have no idea how OK,’ I tell him, gazing into his eyes. ‘Thank you,’ I say quietly. ‘I can’t tell you how much that meant.’
‘I didn’t want to overdo it.’ He looks anxious. ‘It wasn’t too much?’
‘It was out of this world…’ I take the hand he offers and climb out, still euphoric as I take off my goggles. ‘I didn’t want it to end. I so understand why you love this.’ I’m struggling to find the words. ‘Honestly? Even if I never do this again, I will die happy.’ Looking at his face, I realise what I’ve said.
‘I know what you mean. And you will do this again.’ Forrest’s eyes are earnest. ‘I’m going to make sure you do.’
I gaze back at him. ‘I’m going to hold you to that.’
Stepping towards him, I put my arms around him, hugging his promise to myself, knowing Forrest has given me an extraordinary gift. The gift of wings.
As we walk back to his car, he stoops to pick a single rose out of the hedge. It’s a wild white rose with delicate petals tinged with pink. He passes it to me. ‘For you.’
By the time I get home, I’m exhausted. Slipping off my shoes, I lie on my bed, the same elation coursing through me as I remember how flying felt. Asleep in no time, I wake much later when the doorbell rings.
Going downstairs, I open the door to find Rae standing there.
Blinking, I stifle a yawn. ‘Sorry. I’ve just woken up. Come in.’ Closing the door behind her, as I think of the flight, it feels like a dream. I’m yawning again as I turn to Rae. ‘Cup of tea?’
‘If you’re sure you wouldn’t rather go back to bed?’
‘I’d much rather see you,’ I tell her. In the kitchen, the rose is where I left it, on the table. Picking it up, I inhale its delicate scent.
