Love among the clouds

Tara's POV

“Good afternoon passengers. This is your captain speaking. First, I'd like to welcome everyone on Rightwing Flight 86A. We are currently cruising at an altitude of 33,000 feet at an airspeed of 400 miles per hour. The time is 1:25 pm. The weather looks good and with the tailwind on our side we are expecting to land in Los Angeles approximately fifteen minutes ahead of schedule...”

I turn off the mic and lean back in my chair.

“Wow, you sound like a real pilot.”

I turn to my co-pilot, a fresh-faced rookie with three flights under his belt that I did not want to be stuck with.

The flight is only five-hours, and the cockpit is spacious, but I’ve learned that no cockpit is ever big enough to fly with someone who thinks they’re better than you because they have an appendix hanging between their legs.

“Opposed to what? Someone who’s playing pretend?”

He chuckles and I can’t see what’s funny about what I ask but I figure he’ll tell me.

“No, no. I just didn’t think women really do this. I mean, aren’t you supposed to be better at handling the passengers? Making sure people have everything they need to be comfortable?”

He watches my face, no doubt trying to get a reaction out of me, but I simply shrug my shoulders. I’ve been in too much of these conversations to know that no matter what I say, no matter how much experience I have, some of these men will just never listen. When he notices I’m not going to answer him he goes about observing the dashboard and I do the same.

Usually, I refuse to fly with rookies. They make everything so much more uncomfortable than it should be. Older pilots can manage some sort of decorum and as long as no one is messing anything up there’s no need for unwanted comments.

If I didn’t need to be in LA for a couple of days, I would be taking the long-haul flight to London tonight. Avoiding this fresh-faced twenty-something year old and sharing a cockpit with Mark.

He’s one of the few pilots I can stand being around. Mostly because he reminds me of a grandfather, the way I envision one should be. Not my own. Lucky for me the flight goes off without a hitch and after a post-flight inspection I head into the airport, not at all looking forward to the family dinner we’re supposed to have tonight.

“Tara!”

I spin around just in time to brace myself for my sister’s hug. She’s the reason I have the courage to do most things in life, she never lets me quit when things get too hard.

“That was an easy flight.” She boasts, trusting the handle of her bag in my hand as we start making our way to the exit.

“For you. I had to share a cockpit with a co-pilot who was surprised I could fly. The boy has three flights under his belt, three, and he’s surprised I can fly?” I scoff at my sister’s giggle.

“This isn’t funny, Lizzy. Nothing about this is funny and I have to face grandpa tonight. Kill me now, please.”

“It’ll be fine. Besides, he’s not going to say anything you haven’t heard before.”

It doesn’t mean it’ll hurt any less. I want to tell her that, but I don’t. It’s off no use anyway. She doesn’t get it, she never will. She’s content in the body of the plane, wearing cute clothes, serving drinks to strangers she’ll most likely never see again.

It’s the life she chose, and she’s rewarded for that. I get nothing but condemnation for the life I chose. Snide remarks and a dismissive wave of the hand. It’s exhausting.

As we’re leaving the airport I look up at the giant poster hanging from the roof. A man with deep caramel skin is looking back at me, beard lined with sharp edges and soft corners, hair cropped close to his head in a neat fade and round eyes that makes me feel like they can stare right through me.

Lizzy mutters something about beating the traffic and my attention is taken away from the vaguely familiar looking face but I don’t miss the International Skies logo he’s posed behind.

The drive to my childhood home is not long enough for me but I’m glad when I finally park the car in front of the three-door garage. There’s only one other car parked outside and while I’ve never seen it before, I don’t have to guess very hard to know who it belongs to.

I hate facing my grandfather in my uniform, it takes away from the pride I feel when wearing it when he looks at me like I’m not worthy to be in it. Lizzy gets a nod of approval though.

In her stark white pencil skirt and sky-blue blazer how could she not? Blond hair twisted under her ever so carefully placed cap she’s everything my grandfather still hopes I’ll one day be.

“Tara, darling. How was your flight?”

Dad asks the second he notices me standing in the doorway. His gaze holds nothing but pride seeing his youngest daughter in the uniform he takes so much pride in. His approval makes up for every snide remark my grandfather could ever say.

“Clear skies.”

I walk past my grandfather and take the seat on the single couch next to the love seat my parents are seated on.

“Not a cloud in the sky and no bird in sight.” It’s a rare occurrence but it’s one I’m glad for.

While passengers might enjoy seeing a feathered master of the sky through their windows they’re cause for concern for us. One random bird to the windshield or a hit to the propellers is what makes the difference between life and death.

“That’s what I like to hear.”

Mom reaches out her hand towards me and I squeeze it briefly before letting go. Showing any emotion other than cool, calm, and controlled in front of my grandfather will lead to a speech I don’t have the energy for today.

“Um, I actually have something to discuss with you all.”

I frown at my dad. He removes his arm that’s been resting on the back of the couch behind mom and leans forward on his elbows, feet placed firmly on the beach sand colored carpet my mother insisted be placed in here to compliment the huge windows that let in so much natural light.

It’s because of this light that I can see the frown settle between his eyebrows and the way his lips tighten at the corners. Whatever it is it’s serious, especially when my mother is rubbing his back.

“Well, out with it.”

My grandfather demands, looking as impatient as I feel, but there’s something else too. Something that makes my stomach feel like it’s knotting in on itself.

“Well, I know the plan was that I retire from flying and run International Skies for a couple of years more at least, but I think I’m ready to retire all together.”

His words are much like iced water being thrown down my back, but I don’t move. Dread fills my stomach and when he says the next words everything erupts into chaos.

“I’m going to appoint Tara as the new CEO when I step down. I’ll announce it at my retirement party, and I would like for everyone to show their support.”

“Are you out of your mind?”

Grandpa’s voice is louder than I think I’ve ever heard it.

“You’ve let her run around and play pilot and now you want to leave my company in her hands? When is this madness going to end?” He glares down at me, like I’m the one who made my father do this.

“Dad, that’s enough. Tara is a capable pilot. The best we have. She’s more than ready to take over the company.”

“I wish being a capable pilot is enough. She doesn’t have the resolve to run a business. I could overlook her ambition in becoming a pilot.” Grandpa spits out the word like its poison.

“I will, however, not have an emotion driven woman bring down everything I worked so hard to build. If you go through with this, you will do so without my support.”

He leaves the room before I can point out that he’s never given any kind of support when it came to me. Silence falls over us as the front door slams shut and his car peels out of the driveway.

“It’s good to be home.”

I finally mutter, following in my grandfather’s footsteps and leaving the room as well, exhaustion sweeping over me.