On Cloud 9 (Closed for Opensesame54321)

[FireyIce]

Captain Matthew Harris https://www.thrillist.com/sex-dating/nation/why-are-pilots-tinders-most-right-swiped-profession was making his way to the plane. It had been a long day, not the first, nor the last he figured in his profession. He reflected back to the time that he has spent around all the other aircraft in his military days. He was fortunate enough to work at the age of 17 to get his pilot’s license before he joined the military. Now, at 45, he had more experience than many others and had no problem navigating the friendly skies.

As he got to the gate, he took the envelope from the security guard and thanked him. This flight wasn’t going to be a normal flight. Any other circumstances, he would be required to call it a day, but one of his friends needed a very last minute favor, which he was willing to do. He had just finished a flight from Seattle, to L.A. and now back to Norfolk, VA. Though he didn’t mind helping out, this was a route that he never really did, which meant a crew he never had before. Perhaps they wouldn’t be difficult to work with, he thought to himself as he approached the plane.

The first person he saw next to the door was an attendant. They looked very similar after a while. He wasn’t sure if it was the fact that most of the passengers liked the women with blonde hair and blue eyes, or if corporate encouraged them to look a certain way. The only thing he cared about was the name tag. “Elise?” He asked as he set his bag down. “Are you the head flight attendant for this flight?” Before she could answer, he interrupted her. “Well, regardless, you are now. Can you get the door open?” He watched as she punched the numbers into the door to the cockpit. As he got in he set his things down.

He opened the envelope and briefly scanned what he expected when he saw that it was 10:30 at night and most of the crew looked under 30. He picked up the headset and put one side to his ear. In the mouthpiece he said “Tower, this is flight 432, can I get an update?” He listened to the response carefully. “Thank you Tower,” He responded politely.

As he went out of the cockpit, he saw the door close and lock. “Is this everyone?” He asked to the gentleman in the semi-first class seat. There was nothing more than a nod. “Normally,” Matt began to speak, “I would give you a briefing over the radio, but we can’t have that. I’m Captain Harris, former Lt. Col. Harris of the Air Force. I served 3 separate tours in Afghanistan and 2 in Iraq. This is Elise,” He said as he pointed over to her, “She will be the main flight attendant. Do not give her or anyone else a hard time. I know what’s on this plane and where it’s going. You’re all service members so act like it and don’t give her a hard time, alright?” He asked rhetorically. “We’ll be taking off in five.”

With that he went back to the cockpit and sat down. He hit the button to have Elise come in. Again, before she could say anything he spoke. “This flight has a bunch of military on it, all of them in fact. We’re going to take them to New Orleans and then we will be heading to Miami. There’s a storm and we’re essentially going to outrun it. When we get to near cruising altitude, I’ll let you know. I’m expecting coffee every 30 minutes, alright?” He asked as he started to get the plane finalized for departure.

There was no understatement when, several minutes later, the plane had already been taking off. Less than half an hour later, he had told the plane that they were reaching cruising altitude and gave an update on the time frame. He pushed the button again, indicating he wanted to speak to Elise.

 

[Opensesame54321]

Bright blue eyes looked back at her from the mirror. Elsie Breakwater subconsciously hummed a tune though it was more of a random collection of notes rather than a definite song. She didn’t notice her “Significant Other” standing in the doorway watching her get ready.

“So, how long are you gone this time?”

“Just overnight. I won’t be able to pick up your cleaning. Sorry hon.”

“Yeah, I kinda figured that out. How much is there?”

“Three shirts and your charcoal suit. Honey, I’m really sorry. But one of the girls called in sick so I got called.” She was supposed to have the evening off but plans could always change at the last minute.

She turned to kiss Randall, hoping that it would ease the disappointment. She and Randall Moren had been living together for a little over three years. At 29 years old, she was becoming an old hand at flying. At least this job gave her a chance to see the US.

“See you tomorrow afternoon. Love you.” And she was out the door. It was a fairly quick trip from home to the airport. She had seen traffic much worse then this. Checking in, she found out that they would have a new pilot filling in for for the regular pilot. Not that she really cared. All pilots were basically alike and usually fell into one of two categories. Either they were supercilious and egotistical, thinking that attendants were glorified babysitters or maids, or they were oversexed men hoping to bed their way through the entire list of stewardesses.

Standing by the door, she was greeting the passengers when the pilot turned up.

Elise? Are you the head flight attendant for this flight? Well, regardless, you are now. Can you get the door open?

“Welcome, ‘Captain Harris’.” She raised an eyebrow before turning to punch in the code. Must be the supercilious type, she thought to herself. She waited as he personally came out and gave the welcome to the passengers once everyone was on. He made his speech before heading back into the cockpit. She started preparing for takeoff when the Captain buzzed for her to come in. Pamela, the other stewardess, looked at her and grinned. “Ain’t you the lucky one.”

As she entered the cockpit, Owen, the co-pilot, glanced at her before going back over his checklist.

This flight has a bunch of military on it, all of them in fact. We’re going to take them to New Orleans and then we will be heading to Miami. There’s a storm and we’re essentially going to outrun it. When we get to near cruising altitude, I’ll let you know. I’m expecting coffee every 30 minutes, alright?

Effectively dismissed, she left the cockpit and told Pamela that they were taking off. Soon they were in the air and she and Pamela were busy making sure that the passengers were taken care of. After a while, she glanced at her watch, noted that they had been in the air about 30 minutes and grabbed a cup of coffee as the call came from the Captain. A quick punch of numbers on the keypad and she entered the cockpit.

“Your coffee?” She held the cup out to him.

*****

Elsie Breakwater
https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/young-blonde-woman-with-blush-picture-id135558767

 

[FireyIce]

As the door opened Matt turned to see Elise bringing him his coffee. “Thank you,” He said somewhat politely. “I’m sorry if I come off as being short. It’s been a long day. I was heading back from L.A. when I found out this was going on.”

As he sat the cup down, he handed her a clipboard with some papers. “This is a standard Non-Disclosure Agreement we all need to sign,” He told her. “Officially, we were diverted to NOLA, while unofficially; we were going to be taking a straight shot there anyways. They have cargo that we can’t talk about, even if we see it. Usually weapons, vehicles, so on. So I just need you to fill this out and then get the other flight attendants so I can have them do the same.”

Matt watched as she did the paperwork and handed it back. “Thank you,” He told her. “And, Elise?” He said to catch her attention before she left, “Let your staff know if the passengers act up, to let me know right away.”

The flight continued with no real issues despite the storm that was coming. The flight was not as short as he wanted, but he wasn’t going to be as picky as he was right now. Once they landed and were taxied to the gate, he came out and greeted them as they left. It was nearly 11 at night eastern time when he saw the last person exit.

“OK crew,” He said as they were the only ones left. “As you all know Tropical Storm Pain-In-My-Ass is due to make head fall on the Gulf in a few hours. You have a few options. One, you can stay here in New Orleans overnight and try to get on a flight in the morning, or two, you can go with me to Miami - possibly through a storm - and stay there for most of the day and try to get a flight back home that night. Regardless, we have rooms available at the Holiday Inn’s at both locations. If you go with me, it will be with the military on one of their massive cargo planes. It will more than likely be a long and bumpy ride, but you would be able to spend the day in Miami, if you wanted to. Go get some food and let me know in an hour,” He said as he pulled out his corporate card and handed it to Elise. “All of our stuff will be waiting at the gate since this flight will be turned over for someone else to use.”

 

[Opensesame54321]

Thank you, I’m sorry if I come off as being short. It’s been a long day. I was heading back from L.A. when I found out this was going on.

She nodded. “I understand.” After all, what else could she say. Mr. Personality. Everyone has a bad day at one time or another. Next he gave a clipboard with yet another form. She had learned through the years to shut up and fill it out. And she knew that Pamela and the others would do the same.

Thank you. And, Elise? Let your staff know if the passengers act up, to let me know right away.

“Yes, Captain.”

It was late when they pulled into New Orleans. It had been a relatively quiet flight and everyone had pretty much been on their best behavior. Basically everyone wanted to get where they needed to be. Once the plane was left with just crew, he made the announcement.

OK crew, As you all know Tropical Storm Pain-In-My-Ass is due to make head fall on the Gulf in a few hours. You have a few options. One, you can stay here in New Orleans overnight and try to get on a flight in the morning, or two, you can go with me to Miami - possibly through a storm - and stay there for most of the day and try to get a flight back home that night. Regardless, we have rooms available at the Holiday Inn’s at both locations. If you go with me, it will be with the military on one of their massive cargo planes. It will more than likely be a long and bumpy ride, but you would be able to spend the day in Miami, if you wanted to. Go get some food and let me know in an hour.

She hated these flights where they were dragged all over the States. This was supposed to be her day off after all and she had a feeling the Betty, the stew that she was filling in for, had just wanted an extra day off. She was thankful that Randall was so understanding.

The Captain pulled out his corporate card as he informed her, All of our stuff will be waiting at the gate since this flight will be turned over for someone else to use.

She took the card and the crew headed for the gate, grabbing their stuff.

“I’ve got a ‘cousin’ here in the Big Easy. I’m gonna give him a call.”

Elsie rolled her eyes and looked at Pamela. “You've got a ‘cousin’ in every city that we find ourselves in. Must be a big family. Or maybe you’re just friendly.”

It was Pamela’s turn to roll her eyes. ”Not all of us have an SO. So, when are you two gonna get married instead of shacking up?”

“And when are you gonna mind your own business?”

“Touché.”

An hour later, only Owen and Elsie were waiting for Harris. When he seemed to look for the others, she told him, “Pamela, rather Miss Underwood, has managed to pickup a return flight from here after landfall of the tropical storm so she will be staying in New Orleans as have the rest. Just Owen and I will travel on to Miami.”

 

[FireyIce]

Matt looked at the group as they returned. He saw that it was only Elise and Owen. Once he heard that no one else would be joining them, he let out a quiet sigh. “Well, there’s nothing I can do to make them come, but thank you two for helping out,” He said with a sincere tone. He admitted to himself that it was times like this that he missed the military where no one would even think about backing down from whatever challenge he offered his fellow service members.

“We’re going to be helping out by ‘bumming’ a flight from the Air Force. It’s a Galaxy C-5M. Biggest cargo plane around. It can hold up to five helicopters, just to give you an idea,” He informed them as he got his bag and began to walk over to the small security detail. There was no doubt that he figured Elise wouldn’t really care, but he wasn’t sure. Most of the flight attendants he worked with only cared about doing their job and going home.

They made their way through the terminal and got into a small shuttle. The pitch black dark reduced visibility to a great degree. Between the lights on the runway, it was a good drive before they arrived at the hanger with the military plane. “It’s been retrofitted for supplies so there’s a lot of cargo and first responders. There shouldn’t be much to worry about,” Matt said to Elise as they got closer. “But if they need an extra pair of hands, feel free to help out. If they don’t need your help, try to relax and enjoy the flight for once. Owen,” He said as he looked over at him, “It’s supposed to be just less than five hours. You’ll switch out with the co-pilot half way through, so make sure you’re rested, alright?” He asked with no hindrance of a doubt that they would both help out.

As they got out of the vehicle and showed up to the plane, Matt shook the officer’s hand. “Col. Harris, retired, I’m supposed to be helping you with this trip,” He said as he heard the officer respond. “My co-pilot and main flight attendant. They’ve already been briefed on what to do. They answer to me, not you, got it?” He said with a stern look in his eyes.

“Fucking prick,” the officer said without trying to hide it as he was being talked down by a civilian.

“That’s right. The same fucking prick that spent years helping and testing out every part of this plane. If you got a problem with that, call your commander and tell him you want to retire. Or should I?” After asking that, he got on the plane and found two seats near the front for Elise and Owen.

He looked around and saw one of the higher enlisted people on the flight. “Hey, sergeant,” He said as he walked over. “Captain Harris, former Colonel Harris. I’m one of the pilots. If you need anything,” Matt began to say, “Feel free to ask my head flight attendant Elise as politely as possible. Owen,” He pointed to him, “Is my co-pilot and will be taking over at the half-way point. Got it?” Matt asked in an arrogant fashion as he headed to the cockpit.

Several minutes later his voice came on the speakers and announced they would be leaving in ten minutes and to expect a bumpy ride. He then also thanked everyone in advance for coming along. It wasn’t that much longer before the engines roared to life and they were ascending into the air.

 

[Opensesame54321]

Even not really knowing the Captain, she got the impression that he was somewhat put out by Pamela and the others backing out. But, after all, he had given them the option and though it impressed her that he thanked her and Owen for continuing on, she kept her thoughts to herself.

For the next couple of minutes, he proceeded to explain practically the entire history of the plane. They headed in the dark across the tarmac and soon were ensconced in the behemoth, ready to offer aid and assistance when needed. Some time later, she and Owen glanced at each other as the Captain and the officer in charge got into a pissing match. By the time that everything was said and done, she would say that the Captain won, leaving the officer standing there with a shoe full of piss and a wet sock. She was glad that it wasn’t her job and left him to fight the battles.

They were soon in the air and jostling their way to Miami. She and Owen and flown together for about a year. She had met his wife and baby girl before and they worked well together. Until he was called to relieve the co-pilot, they chatted comfortably, with him telling her all about the house that he and his wife were trying to buy.

“Well, be sure to let me know when the housewarming is. Randall has been looking for a reason to wear his new swimsuit.” They laughed.

The plane dipped and she automatically grabbed hold. It felt as if the plane was being wrestled from the mouth of the storm.

 

[FireyIce]

The flight had been like many that he had done before under less than ideal circumstances. Whether it was the elements, or fatigue, the experience Matt had gained over the years had a solid impact to a degree. He had been wide awake and alert the whole time. He requested an update and found that they would be heading straight into part of the storm.

Matt reminded himself that this wasn’t one of his tours overseas. The people that were on the plane didn’t sign up for some careless pitch-black flying. There was very little conversation being had for the first part of the flight. As he looked at the radar and saw the storm, it took him a moment to realize what he should be doing. Once he found a solution, albeit a not so great one, he called for Owen to come in the cockpit. Once he was there, he dismissed the other pilot.

As things got settled, he came across the intercom. “I would like everyone to know that we will be experiencing some turbulence and some aggressive flying very shortly,” He admitted to the whole crew. “Depending on how this portion goes, we should be in Miami at around four in the morning.” He knew a lot of the people were tired, and rightfully so.

“Are you ready, Owen?” He asked as he made sure his co-pilot was fastened in. Before there was much of an answer, Matt resorted to some of his old careless tactics that would’ve got him yelled at back in the day at flight school. He pushed forward on the stick, causing the plane to slowly nosedive. At the same time, he turned it, so the plane would start shifting to the right. Matt figured he would try getting low enough to where they could save some time. With turning to the right, it would take them into the end of the storm. There was no doubt in his mind that people would be getting mad for the roughness of this part of the flight, but he wasn’t too worried about it. He knew that his reputation could speak for itself.

The fact that there were no windows for the volunteers to look out helped with realizing they wouldn’t know how crazy this idea looked. Though there wasn’t any lightning, the rain did indicate that they were in the storm. About an hour later, the storm had completely passed, and they were still scheduled to arrive on time. The fact that a lot of people were probably awake from the roughness, indicated to him, that a speech or pep talk wasn’t a good idea right now. There was a while before the sun would rise, but first, Matt was looking forward to letting his eyelids set as he would crash in a nice, comfortable bed.

The flight ended on time and as they were waiting to be taxied, he got up and stretched out. Once out the door, he found the military pilot and told him that he and his co-pilot could take over for him and Owen. Once he saw Owen sit back down next to Elise, he asked, “So, who’s ready to pass out for a few hours? I’m going to get some sleep at the hotel and get up a few hours later. I’ll be helping running supplies, probably about two trips before heading back to Norfolk tonight. Anyone want to help?” He inquired as he made sure to let them know it was completely voluntarily, though the flight home that night would be a guarantee.

 

[Opensesame54321]

After a while, Owen was called up and Elsie only had to sit alone for a little bit before one of the Stews found her and asked if she could help.

“Certainly, what do you need?” Within minutes, the Captain had announced that it would be getting worse before it got better. Going through the bad weather, it seemed that all she did was pass out the air sick bags.

The sound of someone vomiting is like a chain reaction. Like a yawn, it is a reacting that appears to be catching. Whether it’s the sound of it, or the actual smell of it, once one person does it, you can easily have a whole plane full of vomiting people that probably never did it before. By the end of the flight, they seemed to have a white trash bag full of those little bags and a stench that seemed permanently lodged in her nostrils. She was never so glad to deplane before.

Right before landing, she got back to her seat. She was exhausted and really wanted nothing more than to sleep. Owen and the Captain returned to their seats, both looking thoroughly exhausted too.

So, who’s ready to pass out for a few hours? I’m going to get some sleep at the hotel and get up a few hours later. I’ll be helping running supplies, probably about two trips before heading back to Norfolk tonight. Anyone want to help?

“I’m so tired, I think that I could sleep on a bed of rocks.” She longed to say no but she really felt obligated to help out. After all, that was why she was here, right. “Just let me know when you’ll need me and I’ll help.”

Owen nodded too and they felt the bump and jostle as the plane landed. She saw Owen sniff the air before he asked, “You were busy too?”

“Yeah, the domino effect.”

He just shook his head and chuckled.

 

[FireyIce]

“Well,” Matt began to say as he heard that they were both willing to stay on to help, “There will be food if you want any when we get to the hotel. Other than that, we’ll be having our own rooms and we can pass out and get a good solid sleep before we meet up at noon. With this being special work,” He said knowing normal circumstances wouldn’t allow for it, “Feel free to show up in whatever clothing makes you feel comfortable. Uniforms won’t be required. Even for the flight back,” He added as he felt the plane start to stop from being taxied.

“I’ll find out the nitty gritty details and then we can get some rest,” He said as they got out, the sky still darkened from the night. He walked over to one of the people in charge and got some details. As he wrote down a few notes, he headed back to Elise and Owen.

He handed them their hotel keys. “Here’s your stuff. This afternoon, twelve o’clock sharp, at the hotel lobby. We’ll leave from there and do a few runs. I’ll let you know if there’s any other information you need to know later.” He pulled out the corporate card again and handed it to Elise, “In case you need to pick anything up between now and when we get back to Norfolk.”

After that, they were taken to the hotel and shown to their rooms. No quicker than Matt got in and began to charge his phone, was he asleep, ready to wake up in a couple of hours. Once he regained consciousness, he got cleaned up and headed downstairs. It was still a few hours before Elise and Owen would show up, but that didn’t stop him from making calls and getting more details before they arrived.

 

[Opensesame54321]

This Captain Harris may have the look of a scruffy daredevil, but his personality was anything but that. The guy came off as an arrogant bastard, used to doing things the way he wanted them and usually getting them done his way. Though she did have to admit that as a Captain, the man took care of the people under him, at least so far.

Case in point, once again he handed over his corporate card to take care of them. And, the man had first and foremost told the other crew as well as the passengers on the first flight, to treat her and the rest of his crew with respect.

As far as she was concerned, they couldn’t get to the hotel fast enough. She was exhausted. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been this tired. Since she had the room to herself, as soon as the door was locked and the chain on, she practically fell into bed. Then she remembered the noon call, setting her clock and calling down for a 10:00am call before plugging in her phone so it could charge while she slept.

She slept soundly and World War III could have broken out and she would have slept through the entire thing. She would call Randall in the morning when she woke up. He’d be at work but she would give him an idea if when to expect her home.

10am cane entirely too soon. Betty owed her big time after this two-day junket!! Stretching out in the bed, she reached over and answered the wake up call from the front desk. Then she turned around and called Randall.

“I was beginning to wonder what had happened to you! You still in the country?”

“I think so. We didn’t get into Miami until some time after 1:00 this morning!” She gave him a quick rundown as to how things were holding up before they hung up.

She had time for a nice bath before dressing. It was kinda nice for a change to be able to dress a bit more casual though she still worked to look pulled together. No need to be sloppy or grungy.

She managed to get ready and get down with 15 minutes to spare.

*****

Elsie’s outfit

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ef/72/e6/...-spring-professional-outfits-women-spring.jpg

 

[FireyIce]

Five hours of sleep is all it took for Matt to run on. The extra half hour was just some icing on the cake for him. As he spent most of the morning getting information and realizing that this was going to be an on the fly shit show, he decided to volunteer his “crew” for two trips. After that, he got to spend some glorious face time talking to one of the main VP’s of the company, the conversation not lacking for anything better than a world-class pissing contest.

“I understand why you guys are mad that I’ve been doing things a bit differently, but it’s not my fault you have allowed the company to have a bad image problem,” He told the VP as he looked directly into the monitor.

“We need people to be back and start having a normal schedule--“

“What you need is a better reputation, which I’m giving you!” Matt exclaimed, “I’m giving you a PR dream and you need to work with it. In the meantime, worry about fixing my crew’s pay and making them happy.”

The conversation lasted for a bit longer before it had finally ended. As it did, he had got a quick bite to eat and some caffeine in his system before Owen, then Elise arrived. “I hope you two slept well,” Matt said as he looked at them both. “Today is going to be an easy-ish day. We’re taking the C-5M to Pensacola, hopping on a flight back to here, and then getting on a flight to Tallahassee. After that plane gets the supplies taken off, we take off to go home. Our gear is going to be in first class on the non-military flights where you, Elise, get to sit back and relax. These are short flights, so they can suck up not having anything to eat or drink for a few hours,” He admitted in full honesty. “Owen can relax on those flights as well.”

His hand went into his pocket and he pulled out his notes. “If everything goes smoothly, it’ll be close to 10 tonight by the time we get back to Norfolk.” He looked at his watch to see how much time they had before they would be getting on the plane. “Also, both of you will be off the rest of the week, with pay, after today. Think of it as a nice bonus,” Matt said as he grabbed his bag. “Are you two ready?” He asked as they made their way to the employee section.

The trips to and from Pensacola weren’t as quick as Matt had hoped. The fact that the storm had passed, was good news in the sense that the ride would be a complete opposite than what they had to endure earlier. To say there wasn’t any pissing contest was also a huge understatement. It was clear that Matt wanted to have them home by day’s end. On the way back to Miami, he decided to take a break and went to sit down next to Elise. With it being a lighter aircraft, the flight would be shorter without a doubt. “So, are you enjoying your trip so far?” He asked as he began to make some small talk with her.

 

[Opensesame54321]

Listening to the Captain, she made notes on her phone but paused when he said, Also, both of you will be off the rest of the week, with pay, after today. Think of it as a nice bonus

Her eyes widened and she glanced over to see Owen with the same shocked look on his face but sporting a big old grin as well.

The rest of the week with pay? Sweet music to her ears. Randall would love that too!!

Are you two ready?

“Yes sir”

The first ride was basically short and sweet. No bumping around like last night but then again, the weather today was all sunny and nice. And surprisingly, the passengers seemed to behave themselves, which was a change. The landed smoothly and they fairly quickly deplaned the passengers and then filled it up for the trip back.

As she sat in the Stew seat, it surprised her when Captain Harris sat down beside her. For the whole 2-day period, the man had not actually sat down and talked to her until now. Granted, this was work and the man was ex-military and he had been busy most of the time.

So, are you enjoying your trip so far?

“Well, Captain, I have to admit that this is the most that I have flown in such a small period of time and yet work so little.” She gave a chuckle. “Is this how you usually work your stews?”

The man seemed nice enough, if a bit no nonsense.

“By the way, we appreciate the time off. And Pamela is gonna kick herself that she stayed in New Orleans.” She gave another little chuckle. She could just hear Pamela’s bitching when she found out that Elsie wouldn’t be flying till next week.

 

[FireyIce]

Matt sat back and kicked his shoes off as he listened to how grateful Elsie was. “You deserve it,” He told both of them. “Putting in demanding hours with very little rest is not something to be taken very lightly,” He said as he stretched out a little bit. He did notice that Elsie didn’t have a ring on her finger. The only reason he noticed it is because of what he said next. “Besides, Owen will get to spend more time with his wife and kid, and you-“ He looked at Elsie, not knowing her background, “Can do whatever you do in your free time.”

The only thing Matt knew was he would go home, get some sleep, come back to work and have a meeting with some of the higher ups and more than likely be back on his normal route. He pondered for a moment the statement that Elsie had made about not doing that much work. “I can give you a list of people that think I’m the worst boss ever and they would probably be happy to hear if I ever pass away. I can also give you a list of just the opposite. All of them had the same opportunity and same level of being treated,” He began to say, “It’s just depending on who decided to do what that determined how I treated them. If you do your job, take the initiative and go above and beyond, well, you get to reap the rewards. If not; you can figure out how people will react.”

When he looked at her, he noticed her blonde hair and blue eyes. “Besides, you might be having a nice change in fortune coming up, Elsie. I talked to the higher ups and, while they don’t like me, they do like it when people show their dedication. So you might have an opportunity arise soon. I won’t tell you, because that wouldn’t be fun, but I also can’t guarantee it. Hopefully you aren’t afraid of the spotlight,” Was all that he would say with a slight grin. “So how are you going to spend the rest of the week?” He asked out of general curiosity.

 

[Opensesame54321]

...Besides, Owen will get to spend more time with his wife and kid, and you- Can do whatever you do in your free time.

She smiled and glanced over at Owen. “Yes, he is very lucky to have such a beautiful family. Little Patty is growing up fast.”

There was some talk about work and how too many seem to expect to try and coast by with very little work. She knew what he was talking about. There was easily half a dozen stews that she could name that spent more time talking to each rather than taking care of the passengers.

Besides, you might be having a nice change in fortune coming up, Elsie. I talked to the higher ups and, while they don’t like me, they do like it when people show their dedication. So you might have an opportunity arise soon. I won’t tell you, because that wouldn’t be fun, but I also can’t guarantee it. Hopefully you aren’t afraid of the spotlight,

Her eyes widened in surprise but she couldn’t help the grin that broke out on her face at his words.

“Thank you, sir,” was all she managed to get out before he asked her.

So how are you going to spend the rest of the week?

She thought for a moment. “Well, my significant other, Randall, may have something special in mind. I’ll have to check with him.”

Owen joined in. “How are his classes this semester?”

She noted the questioning look on the Captain ‘s face. “He teaches business at the college level.” She turned back to Owen. “He claims that most of the students are lazy and don’t seem to want to do the work.”

 

[FireyIce]

Matt listened to the conversation that was being had between both Elsie and Owen. It was interesting to hear how they got along. Between the surprised looks and the light conversation, this was a rarity for him. Usually he didn’t get much of a break like this as he was always flying. Most of the co-pilots that he talked to were relatively uninteresting and usually felt like it was just a job and nothing more.

Without wanting to overstep his boundaries, he suggested, “Randall?” He began to say trying to make sure he got the name right, “Well, if he thinks they’re lazy and unmotivated, he should fail them. Make them realize that they can’t get anywhere without putting in work and effort.”

Matt figured he would spend most of this flight just listening and answering questions. Since he had no huge ties to them, he didn’t want to get too personal. His current route that he did had a problem with having a ludicrously high turnover rate, or just massive rotation of staff overall. It seemed like by the time he learned and connected with someone, they were either being transferred to other route or went to a different company.

As he listened to the pilot announce they were close to landing, he decided to chime in a bit. “Elsie and Owen,” He said as he sat up in his seat, “We’re going to have to change planes when we land. The staff will have food for us since we’re going to help with loading supplies and then head to Tallahassee before going back home. I’m hoping it’ll be less than two hours before we’re up and I want to be landing in Norfolk by 9 at the latest, got it?” He asked as he felt the plane start to descend. There was no doubt that he, and the other two, were all ready for a few days off.

 

[Opensesame54321]

The rest of the trip was busy. Actually, it was brief periods of down time surrounded with long intervals of utter chaos. Where the first day of this work period were relatively easy, today had made for a long day. By the time that they pulled back into Norfolk, she was definitely tired and couldn’t wait to get home.

She said goodbye to Captain Harris and told Owen to tell Gail and Patty hello. Traffic home didn’t help any. It was all bumper to bumper and by the time that she finally got home, she was tired.

Randall was happy to see her and was very pleased when she told him about her extra time off with pay. They made plans to get away for the weekend. By car.

Come Friday at noon, he got off from classes and within an hour of him getting home, they were off in the car to spend a couple of days in a B & B. For most of the weekend, they stayed in the room getting a chance to reacquaint themselves with each other. In other words, they had great sex and every time that they went downstairs, everyone seemed to smile and cut their eyes at them. They stayed until Sunday afternoon before driving back home.

She almost didn’t want to go to work Monday morning, but she was ordered in an hour earlier than usual by the powers that be. She wasn’t quite sure why, but then again, it wasn’t her job to question why.

They didn’t keep her waiting long and she was a bit nervous as they called her into the office of the assistant of Public Relations.

 

[FireyIce]

Though he was adamant about being forthright with Elsie, he figured it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make her step up her performance on the last few pieces of the trip. It started with what he initially told her, giving a concise, yet stress-inducing time frame. Though he had made both of them work a bit harder, he joined in with them. He had been of the mindset that he wouldn’t make others do that he also wouldn’t do. The final leg of the trip back was very rewarding and much deserving.

He wasn’t sure when he would see either of them next, so he simply thanked them for a good job and started to head home after they got their bags.

Though he wasn’t a fan of social media, the next morning was a bit of a surprise. For Matt, it was closer to the afternoon when he got in to talk to his bosses. He was not a fan of all the meetings and behind the scenes work that he had to do, but they wanted to talk to him. As he sat down, he asked his boss what was up. “How were your last few days?” Ryan, his boss, had asked him.

“Fine,” Matt answered simply. The conversation shortly turned to a tweet and instagram post about Elsie having her picture taken from one of her friends and mentioning the past two days of helping out. There were ideas tossed back and forth before he mentioned, “She could be a good change, a fresh face to help with showing how much we care.”

“That’s a good point,” Ryan added as he looked at his phone seeing messages pour in. “Somehow she’s become a viral sensation overnight.”

Matt was a bit surprised. He could see why it would be newsworthy. Even with the last part of their trip and knowing that Elsie had been worked long and hard, she still looked very fresh and energetic in the photo. “Have her come in on Monday and see about doing some promo work,” Matt offered as he got up to leave the office.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A month passed by and it was fairly crazy for the airline. Today wouldn’t be any less crazy from his experience. As he made his way to the plane, he was delighted to see the familiar face of Elsie. There was no doubt in his mind that she was enjoying the new attention. “Ms. Breakwater,” He said as he waited for her to unlock the door for him, “I’m sorry Owen isn’t going to be joining us today, though I hope you’re doing well.”

To say that she was anything less than stellar would be an understatement. Thru the past month she had been on major news networks and had several interviews about her social media post. Nothing that was bad, in fact it had put the airline in a positive spin, so to speak. He continued to speak, “So, non-stop to Miami now, huh? I guess if we’re going to be staying overnight it won’t be entirely bad. Any chance you’d like to catch up and grab some dinner when we go and check-in?” He asked out of curiosity, though he was sure it wouldn’t be a problem.

“This should be a simple flight, no issues,” He said as he referred to the last time they worked together. He got the paperwork and saw where they were supposed to be staying at for the night. “Holy shit! Is this for real?” He asked in a state of shock. “The Fisher Island Club? Isn’t that a private island?” There was no doubt that the price tag was anything short of abhorrent at places like these. “I hope corporate understands what the price will be. I also hope you brought something nice to wear if we’re going to be crashing here for the night,” He added as he tried to get the shock off of his face.

The flight had been smooth and simple as they made their way to Miami. The timing was good and they managed to get there a bit earlier than projected. The ride to the hotel was fairly long, though he didn’t mind. It had been too long since he had eaten at a nice restaurant. Once they checked in, he went to his room and took in the view. Thank god tomorrow is an afternoon flight, he thought to himself as he got cleaned up and ready to head down to dinner stopping by Elsie’s room first to see if she was ready.

 

[Opensesame54321]

Life became crazy!!! Even though Captain Harris had given her a sort of heads up, still she had not been prepared for what happened. One of the stews has tweeted a picture that she had taken of Elsie serving one of the servicemen riding on one of the flights. It was something so simple but suddenly she was being talked about. Of course she had no idea of all of this happening online as she was spending her time off taking it easy.

Therefore, when she arrived Monday morning to the office of PR, she was shocked to discover that they had plans to use her as a “face” for the Airlines. At least, that is what they called it. A “face”. She bit her tongue to keep from asking if they wanted to use her her body as well? Maybe her brain? Still, she kept her tongue still and smiled and nodded her head.

The increase in pay was certainly appreciated and once she broke the news to Randall, he teased her about living in sin with a celebrity.

She now had to schedule guest appearances and talk shows between flights. Her life became a whirlwind of being in front of the camera or working. Now, she started being noticed, have complete strangers come up to ask if she was Elsie Breakwater, or was she that spokeswoman for Hawk Airlines. She would be stopped and asked if they could get a photo together with her. Or sign their book. Suddenly her life changed.

*****

Yet another sun and fun trip. You can only fly to such destinations so many times before it becomes just another day at the office. She stood there waiting for the hoards of vacationers to start filing past. She had been surprised to see this familiar name on the roster. Captain Matthew Harris. She had not seen him since that two day trip that had changed her life. When she looked up to see him heading towards her, she smiled.

Ms. Breakwater

“Good day, Captain Harris.”

As she punched him in the door, he continued.

I’m sorry Owen isn’t going to be joining us today, though I hope you’re doing well.

“Oh yes, Captain. I am doing just fine. I’m looking forward to a pleasant flight.”

So, non-stop to Miami now, huh? I guess if we’re going to be staying overnight it won’t be entirely bad. Any chance you’d like to catch up and grab some dinner when we go and check-in?

“That sounds nice.” It meant nothing, really. After all, they were co-workers and since they were gonna be there together, it would be perfectly natural to get together. She and Owen had done so many times. She and Pamela.

This should be a simple flight, no issues,

As she finished prepping for the passengers, he prepped in the cockpit and she suddenly heard him exclaim.

Holy shit! Is this for real? The Fisher Island Club? Isn’t that a private island? I hope corporate understands what the price will be. I also hope you brought something nice to wear if we’re going to be crashing here for the night.

She paused in shock. “Fisher Island Club? Really? I hope I have something nice enough for a place like that.”

All too soon they were down in Miami and she and the Captain deplaned and were soon on their way to Fisher Island. They were both relatively quiet on the way to the place, perhaps in shock at being put up for the night in a place like where they were headed.

Stunning was putting it mildly. The place was breathtaking and must have cost a pretty penny even for one night. Her one stew bag looked looked lost being taken by the bellboy to her room. King size bed, ostentatious furnishings, small crystal chandeliers. The bathroom was an almost religious experience. The afternoon sun was heading towards evening and she pulled out the dress that she had packed. It wasn’t super fancy but it wasn’t a sundress either. Maybe it wouldn’t be too shabby. The dark green dress was not new but at least it looked nice.

There was a knock on the door and she went to answer it.

*****

Elsie’s dress

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1rkOL...l-Dress-1950s-Black-Red-Green.jpg_640x640.jpg

 

[FireyIce]

Matt looked at Elsie as she answered the door in her green dress. “You look very lovely,” He commented as he took a quick glance. He himself was wearing a charcoal suit with just a tie. Had he known where they would be staying, he would’ve packed a more formal suit. He was just hoping that the staff wouldn’t mind. “Are you ready?” He asked as he held her hand.

They started to make their way to the lobby. The whole set up was extremely nice and fancy. Aside from not knowing any huge name brand decorators, he looked at the designs and marveled in the beauty as they approached near the front desk. It was still relatively early in the evening and they had an afternoon flight, so he began to think as he saw the restaurant. Usually the places he dined at, the corporate card was higher than the normal price of the most expensive thing they could buy. He would have a hard time explaining the expense report to the higher ups. Though, now that Elsie was their prized possession, he might be able to get away with it.

As they got closer, there was a sound that broke his concentration. There was some laughter that he hard coming from one of the banquet rooms. He started to veer over towards that area while still holding her hand. “I’m curious as to what’s going on in here,” He mentioned as he gave her a look. “There’s been a few times in my past where I have crashed a party or two…” Matt admitted as he was hoping to not get any blowback from Elsie, “The key is to just act like you belong,” He added as he looked at her.

Before she could argue, he had already placed his hand on the door and opened it. He escorted her in the room with her and there was a slow stopping of sounds. Obviously, the idea of crashing the party kind of backfired at first glance. As he looked around the room, he didn’t feel too underdressed as he saw it as a more business type party than a formal one. “Well, this is embarrassing,” He said to Elsie under his breath. Matt watched as a redhead carrying drinks made her way over to them. The name tag read Natasha.

He took one of the glasses of champagne and handed it to Elsie as he let go and took a glass for himself. Then, he took a microphone that was on the tray and turned it on. “Good evening, everyone,” Matt began to say as he looked around the room. Though he wasn’t a fan of the spotlight, at least most of the time, he had agreed to do this. “Mr. Peterson, thank you for allowing me to have the introductions,” He said as he acknowledged the CEO of Hawk Airlines in the room. “Don’t worry, I didn’t tell Ms. Breakwater what was going on.” He looked at her and saw the shocked expression on her face. “As many of you know, Elsie was on the route with me during the last tropical storm and at the end of the trip, she became a social media celebrity overnight. Well, Elsie,” He said as he turned to look at her again, “On behalf of the airlines, it is my honor to announce that you will be the official face of the company,” He told her as the audience began to clap.

“This means you’ll get to go to more social events, meet and greet people, you know, all those famous things that you have been doing for the past month. You just get a lot of new perks and get to do things like be in commercials, talk to the higher ups, and so on and so on.” As soon at Matthew raised his glass he said “A toast to Elsie,” As everyone else followed suit. He was the only one that didn’t drink since he began to speak again, “I mean, the only thing missing is a ring on your finger,” He began to say before he was cut off by a familiar voice.

Randall slowly emerged from the side of the room and walked towards them. “Allow me to fix that,” He said as he lifted up the microphone he had. No more than a moment later, he was in front of her, down on one knee and pulling out a small black box. This was Matt’s cue to turn off his microphone and walk over to the side. He looked over for Natasha and handed her his microphone and his room key as he briefly talked about her getting a nice tip as Randall said the words he was hoping to ask for quite some time. “Elsie Bridgewater, will you marry me?” He asked, hoping that the answer was going to be yes.

It was about an hour later when Matt got a chance to talk to Elsie and Randall. “Obviously, we couldn’t have him flying on the same flight you were on. So we had to pay for him to go with a different company,” He added. “You won’t need your card to my room anymore, Randall. I got a feeling your sleeping arrangements are going to be more pleasant,” He said jokingly as he took the card from him.

Matt headed back to his room after talking to them and was less than surprised that Natasha was on the bed waiting for him. He figured that though it was her night to celebrate, it didn’t mean that he couldn’t have any fun of his own with his new redhead friend.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Matt had gotten up and felt the smooth skin of Natasha next to him. Though it was a bit later than normal, he was extremely grateful he got to have some more fun before showing back up to work.

Once he arrived at the gate, he gave Elise a very nice smile and asked how she had slept, though he figured there probably wasn’t much sleeping. “I may need some coffee shortly after we take off,” He told her as he made his way into the cockpit.

 

[Opensesame54321]

You look very lovely

She thanked him and was a bit surprised when he took her hand to lead the way downstairs. He himself wore a nice suit and tie but granted, neither one was dressed real fancy. She still could not figure out exactly why the airlines had booked them in such an expensive place.

The decor was obviously expensive and she was expecting the food to be 5-star cuisine. As they approached the front desk, she could hear some sort of celebration going on in what must be a banquet room. Suddenly, he veered off in the direction where she could hear laughter and tinkling glasses.

I’m curious as to what’s going on in here. There’s been a few times in my past where I have crashed a party or two…

She looked at him a bit shocked at him. Crash a celebration? They would obviously stand out as not belonging there. Yet he held tight to her hand.

The key is to just act like you belong

He strolled into the room, bringing her in tow and there was a slowing down of all activity as everyone became aware of the two of them. She kept her smile pasted on her face, mentally running through several possible excuses to give for crashing their party.

Well, this is embarrassing

He muttered under his breath and she muttered back.

“Definitely.”

A tall redhead approached carrying a tray with two glasses of what looked like champagne, which she offered to them. Matt handed one to her and then took one for himself before also taking a microphone on the tray. Was the man crazy? She could just imagine what he was going to say. “Good evening. I’m Matt and this is Elsie and we want to thank you for letting us crash your party.”

Good evening, everyone. Mr. Peterson, thank you for allowing me to have the introductions. Don’t worry, I didn’t tell Ms. Breakwater what was going on.

Her face slowly registered the shock that she was feeling as the man spoke. What? Mr. Peterson? She had never met the man in person but she had seen pictures of the CEO of Hawk Airlines. He was here? She looked in the general direction and sure enough, there he was raising a glass in their direction. She turned back to Matt.

As many of you know, Elsie was on the route with me during the last tropical storm and at the end of the trip, she became a social media celebrity overnight. Well, Elsie, On behalf of the airlines, it is my honor to announce that you will be the official face of the company

The audience began to applaud as she began smiling for real. But the Captain continued.

This means you’ll get to go to more social events, meet and greet people, you know, all those famous things that you have been doing for the past month. You just get a lot of new perks and get to do things like be in commercials, talk to the higher ups, and so on and so on. A toast to Elsie

She mouthed the words thank you as she looked around in shock. Everyone was toasting her! All smiles, she almost missed his next words.

I mean, the only thing missing is a ring on your finger

Allow me to fix that

She recognized Randall’s voice before she actually saw him. Her hand flew to cover her mouth as the man that she had left this morning back at home was standing before... no, wait, oh my God, he was kneeling on one knee, oh, my God, he’s proposing to me!

Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as he held up an open ring box and uttered what she had hoped to some day hear. Elsie Bridgewater, will you marry me?

As tears sprang to her eyes, smiling, she nodded and said, “Yes, oh yes Rand...” was all she got out before she was in his arms being kissed as everyone applauded. She whispered in his ear. “I thought that you would never ask.”

The ring was beautiful and suddenly she was surrounded by people that she didn’t know, people wishing her well and congratulating them.

The next couple of hours was a whirlwind of meeting the CEO of Hawk Airlines, various heads of departments of same, etc, etc, etc. Randall never left her side, his arm around her waist. A little later, they ran into Matt and she had a chance to discover just how they had managed to get him down there without her knowing about it.

That night was wonderful. Sex had never been so inspiring though she was not sure if it was the surroundings or the fact that she was engaged. Randall himself seemed inspired and as they ate breakfast in bed the next morning, he seemed to have all good things to say about Matt.

“You really never have said too much about him.”

“I don’t really know that much about him. Other than that weird long two-day job that got all this attention started, this is the only other time that I’ve worked with him. I know that he’s ex-military and I suspect that he does not suffer fools lightly when pressed though I never really saw it. And he stands up for his crew. I told you about him reading the riot act to that other crew.”

“Well, the guy has high praise for you. Course, that may be because it was me he was talking to. You know, your future husband.”

By the time that they were heading for the airport, she and Randall had made love several more times. Randall was flying back with them and he was waiting to board with the rest of the passengers.

When Captain Harris asked her how she had slept, she told him “like an engaged woman!” and smiled back.

The flight was relatively easy, keeping both the Captain and herself stoked up on hot coffee. Once she and Randall got home, their phones started ringing like crazy. Apparently there had been press releases about her being announced the “Face of Hawk Airlines” and her engagement to Randall Moran. Family and friends congratulating them, the next couple of days became hectic as she started getting calls for interviews about Hawk Airlines.

 

[FireyIce]

Matt let out a soft chuckle when she explained how she slept. The flight back home was relatively easy. The fact that there wasn’t anything new and exciting was a nice change of pace. The only mildly concerning thing was if Elsie would be professional enough while serving her now fiancée. It didn’t take long before he figured she wouldn’t try to risk doing anything crazy to make her, or the airline, to look bad.

After they landed and were taxied to the gate, Matt watched as they were both leaving the plane. There was no doubt the rest of the crew would help out with making sure everything was taken care of. “It was a pleasure working with you again, Elsie, and congratulations. And to you too, Randall,” He said as he waited for them to leave.

It wasn’t until a few days later that Matt was called to see how a new idea would work for the company. It was a mixture of both a promotional tour and an expansion tour. As he sat in the office of the CEO, he heard what Mr. Peterson said, “It would give us a chance to expand globally and have new and innovative routes.”

“I like the idea, Sir,” He said to Mr. Peterson. “I think a lot of the pilots would enjoy working more international flights. Why, though, are you asking me my opinion it? Just out of curiosity,” Matt added as he wanted to make sure he wasn’t saying anything offensive.

“Think of it as working with our new PR team. You and Ms. Bridgewater working and traveling. Both of you have been in the spotlight, so it would be more publicity,” He added.

Matt thought for a moment. This seemed like a wonderful idea, and he tended to not look a gifted horse in the mouth. “If Ms. Bridgewater doesn’t have a problem with it, I like the idea. Three weeks of domestic travel followed by one of international travel wouldn’t be bad. And I’ll be honest; I think she would be a wonderful choice for being a head flight attendant on any flight. But I wouldn’t mind if we were working together.” He got ready to stand up, looking just as fit as his military days. “I think she’s had quite a few surprises lately, though. So you may want to shy away from doing that,” Matt suggested as he shook the CEO’s hand and headed out.

A little over a week later, he was heading to his plane on his new route. The deal was good and he was hoping Elsie wouldn’t mind working with him. There was no doubt as he saw her again that the sparkle was still in her eyes. “So, I imagine you decided to take the deal?” Matt inquired as the door to the cockpit was opened for him. “Three weeks working on the normal Norfolk to Miami direct route and the last week of spinning the dice and seeing where we go internationally?”

 

[Opensesame54321]

Life became a crazy whirlwind of work, planning for the wedding, going on interviews and photo shoots, meetings with the powers that be of Hawk Airlines, plus more. The offer had been put to her about the new route and working with Captain Harris. She talked it over with Randall and he was certainly all right with it. The time that he had spent with Matt gave him a chance to kind of get to know the man. He seemed all right with him and she went back the next day and gave them her decision.

She was amazed that Mrs. Sarah Combs, the secretary for the head of PR, managed to book plenty of guest appearances between her flights. She was kept very busy. Meanwhile, her parents had wanted to come up for a quick celebration but she convinced them to hold off for a couple of weeks.

It was something like a fortnight before the first flight for the new route was to take off. She was becoming used to working with Matt. She greet him warmly and let him in

So, I imagine you decided to take the deal? Three weeks working on the normal Norfolk to Miami direct route and the last week of spinning the dice and seeing where we go internationally?

“Yes. I think that it should be exciting to open up a new route for the company.”

One of the stews under her came up with a problem and she quickly went to work solving it. By the time that they were in the air, she had already identified three passengers that might cause problems. She advised the others to keep an eye out on them.

She was advised that they had an Air Marshal flying with them and when she went in to give Matt his coffee, she informed him which seat G. Woolley was seated in.

“I suppose that they wanted to show just how on top of everything they are. So you know what he looks like, he has a mustache, blonde hair and wearing a blue pinstriped suit.”

One of the stews stuck her head in. “That man in the 18C is trying to cause trouble.” Betty rolled her eyes and went back out with the others, closing the door behind her.

“Sorry, Sir. I need to go put out a fire.”

She smiled and followed Betty out. The man in 18C was wanting another drink. She could tell that the man would be too far gone if he got another one.

“Mr. Bloom, I’m sorry but there is a limit as to how much alcohol we may serve you.”

She could tell that this flight would be interesting. It took her about fifteen minutes but she finally got him calmed down and eating some nuts.

 

[FireyIce]

Matt simply watched as Elsie dismissed herself to take care of whatever issue was transpiring. He was hoping that it wouldn’t require him to declare in in-flight-emergency. He hated those. His mind started to think back to the last time that he had to do one. The fact that an air marshal was on the flight as well didn’t make his confidence boost any higher. For the time being, he was just going to focus on doing his job. If they needed to make an emergency landing, he was sure Elsie would let him know.

As time went on, the flight progressed as normal. Matt continued to stay on course knowing that it would probably be a while before anyone stepped in to see either him or the co-pilot. It was getting close to the time that they were arriving in Miami. He came across the intercom and told people how long before they would be touching down. He looked and got an updated weather forecast. The fact that the winds were supposed to be picking up made it to where they looked like they may be staying the night.

The plane landed a bit later than expected and a bit rougher than Matt cared for. In his mind, he imagined that if he didn’t like it, there were probably a lot of people that didn’t like it as well. He did his announcements and waited as they were taxied to the gate. When they got there, he opened the door to see how many individuals were irritated, thinking that he was probably a rookie pilot. He stood by Elsie and asked, “Anyone severely pissed off?” as he gave a slight smile while thanking people as they deboarded the plane. “Care to get some dinner after everyone get off?” He followed up asking, knowing that they at least had a little over an hour before they would be heading back.

 

[Opensesame54321]

For a premier flight on a new route, this was not all peaches and cream. 18C was determined to cause as much trouble as possible. 15A threatened to throw up every time that there was the least imagined bobble in the flight. 5C was a five year old that wouldn’t stay in his seat and didn’t care about any stinky old pilot so he didn’t want to and didn’t get to visit the cockpit. And G. Woolley just sat there and grinned and shook his head as she tried to get the mother to control her child. All the woman wanted to do was take a nap.

The flight was a bit hectic so she didn’t get a chance to check on the Captain though she was sure that if he had really needed something, he would have buzzed for her. So when he came over the com announcing that they would soon be approaching Miami, she felt relief.

Several of the passengers had recognized her from one of the commercials that she had done and several others had seen the interview on Good Morning World and a couple of the other local tv shows. And an elderly man, about 90, that was sitting near the rear of the cabin had tried to slip her his room key. Beverly saw it and raised her eyebrow but Elsie just smiled and thanked the man and told him no.

“Well,” he replied, “you never know until you ask.”

She was glad when they finally landed and she could see the passengers off the plane and finish her work. She was suddenly aware of Matt standing beside her.

Anyone severely pissed off?

“I don’t think so.” She wanted to say more but not in front of the passengers. His next question took care of that dilemma.

Care to get some dinner after everyone get off?

“That sounds good.” Since they didn’t have long to eat it would have to be at a place there at the airport.

G. Woolley was one of the last to leave the plane.

“I wouldn’t want your job for anything. At least I can shoot them when they get out of line. You have to be nice to them.” He was chuckling as he deplaned.

Once they were through and off the plane, she and Matt walked side by side through the airport to one of the few actual restaurants in the place. Overhead the PA system seemed to constantly be announcing something, with Spanish being heard more often than English. The place was jam packed with all kinds and races of people, coming and going, arriving and meeting, laughing and crying, young and old. You could sit and watch the world pass by before you.

At the restaurant, the waitress promptly showed them
To a relatively quiet booth and asked how long the had. These places usually tried to get flight crew in and out pretty quick. She ordered a Cobb salad with grilled chicken added and tea.

“I’m strange. I really don’t like the taste of coffee though I sometimes drink it if I have to. I really prefer tea.”

 

[FireyIce]

“Yeah, that’s the thing I miss about the military,” Matt told the marshal. There was no secret that a good portion of the pilots were former military like Matt.

The walk to the restaurant was fairly short and the fact that they got seated quickly helped quite a bit. When the server took Elsie’s drink, he looked at her and said, “I’ll just have a glass of water for right now. And we have about an hour before we need to be back,” He added as he opened up the menu and started to take a look at it.

“So, how’s the fiancée?” He asked Elsie as he looked over the menu some more. Once he decided what he was going to have, he set it down. “I’m pretty sure the wedding plans and everything else are probably driving you nuts,” Matt added as he took a drink of his water. “Some advice,” He began to say as he set it back down, “Don’t feel bad asking for a pre-nup. You’re going to be pulling in quite a bit more and it makes you a risk.”

As he waited for her response, he pulled out his phone and set a timer for 45 minutes and pulled up the weather. “Just so that we don’t lose track of time,” He told her as he flashed a small smile.