Flight (5 page)

Weekend mornings were the only time when Charlie could sleep in. Most weekends, she goes to work a few hours and spent the rest of the time with her family or friends. This morning she decided to go visit Mandy’s floral shop. It’s in downtown Linwood. She parked her motorcycle in front of Joe’s Café and went inside to pick up some coffee and muffins.

There were a dozen or so tables inside the café, and it was most filled with elder people having breakfast.

“Hey Joe,” Charlie walked up to the counter where Joe was making coffee.

Joe
was a good looking man in his mid-thirties. Although he was always in worn T-shirts and jeans, his demeanor seemed more like a professional businessman. He had moved into town two years ago to open his café, no one knew much about him except that he had an aunt who lived in Linwood. He seemed friendly enough to his customers, but he usually kept to himself and was sometimes gruff and remote. Nevertheless, despite the gruffness, his café was becoming a local favorite for coffee and breakfast. Charlie preferred the simple gourmet coffee to those of the trendier big name coffee shops that was trying to take over the town.

“
Hey Charlie,” Joe greeted her with an easy smile. He seemed to be in a good mood today. “What can I get you today?”

“
I’ll have a large French roast and a Butter Toffee.” She said. She selected some muffins from the trays of fresh baskets behind the counter. One of Joe’s part time girls, a pretty redhead, was already putting the order together as Charlie made her selection. “Oh and a cup of warm milk. Not steamed, just warm please.”

“
Warm milk?” Joe asked rather dubiously, but shrugged. “Warm milk coming up.” He said, taking a container of milk from the fridge and pouring it into a little pot to heat it up.

“
Thanks Joe.” Charlie said, balancing the paper tray and the bag of muffins as she walked out the door.

The door opened as she approached it, the man stepped back and held it for her to pass first.

“Thank you…” Charlie stopped abruptly as she realized it was Ryle.

“
Someone is hungry this morning.” He commented, his eyes twinkling.

She gave him a mocking little smile.
“Yes.”

“
Need any help with that?” He asked, watching as she shifted and the paper bag slid precariously on the tray.

“
No, thanks. I got it.” She said firmly.

Charlie
walked by. She was conscious of his eyes on her back as she crossed the street. The floral shop was just a few doors away, and she used her shoulder to push the door open to go inside. She was tempted to look back at the café to see if he was still watching her, but she managed to resist it.

“
Hey,” Mandy was sitting behind the counter playing with her daughter.

“
Hey,” Charlie put down the tray on the counter.

“
Charlie, you’re a darling. I was just thinking about getting a mid-morning snack.” Mandy said.

“
I got your favorite Butter Toffee coffee and Joe’s famous zucchini muffin for my favorite little girl.” Charlie said, walking around the counter. “Hello sweetheart,” 

Little Megan seemed to remember her, holding her chubby arms out to be picked up by
Charlie.

“
Well, at least she hasn’t forgotten you.” Mandy grinned, watching as her friend cooed over the adorable toddler.

Mandy took out a muffin, breaking it off a small piece and handing it to Megan as
Charlie held her.

“
Mmm…this is just what I needed, thanks.” Mandy sighed happily, taking a deep drink of her coffee.

“
The small one is warm milk for Megan.” Charlie nodded towards the small cup.

Mandy poured the milk into a
sippy cup and handed it to her daughter. “So, what are your plans today? Where are you and Jeff going?”

“
We’re catching the play Freedom and then we’re heading out to a late supper at Voltare’s.”

“
Voltare’s? Wow, we’re certainly living it up.” Mandy teased. “I read that it’s one of the top restaurants. When Becky tried to make a reservation, they were booked up for months in advance. How did you manage to get in?”

Charlie
shrugged. “I guess Jeff had his way.”

“
Okay, you have got to take a picture of your food so I can post it on my blog.”

Charlie
laughed. Mandy wrote a blog about her daily experiences as a mother and owner of a floral shop.

“
I’ll probably never get a chance to go there, but at least I could say my friend went there.”

“
Okay.” Charlie laughed.

“
So, is tonight going to be the night?”

“
Mandy, you’re as bad as Becky.” She shook her head.

Charlie
stayed the rest of the morning at the floral shop to keep her friend company and play with Megan. Although she enjoyed playing with her goddaughter, she was still feeling disturbed about last night. And it didn’t help that she saw
him
this morning. But although she and her two best friends are always honest with each other, telling each other everything, she couldn’t discuss this with Mandy.

Her date with Jeff went very well. She enjoyed spending time with him. This time when he said goodnight, he held back. She knew he was trying to give her space and she appreciated his thoughtfulness. Although his pleasurable kisses ignited a passion in her that seemed long forgotten, she found herself holding back still. Jeff didn’t pressure her, merely giving her a long deep kiss before saying goodnight at the door and leaving.

She went into work Sunday morning, and spent a good part of the afternoon helping her mom prepare for dinner. Dinner was set for five couples, including friends of her parents, Charlie and Jeff, and Becky and her date Eddie.

“
Thank you, Mrs. Brison; dinner was very delicious, as usual.” Jeff said as desserts and coffee were served.

Everyone agreed. John
Brison silently held his wife’s hand, a warm appreciative look in his eyes as he watched his wife. He was not a man of many words except when it was about aviation, but he showed it with his gestures. He lightly caressed his wife’s hand as he held it. Charlie caught the silent affection whenever her parents looked at each other, and wondered if she would ever share that kind of complete love and trust.

“
Eva, your pork roast was divine. I must get the recipe from you.” Mrs. Hamlin said.

“
Yeah, Mrs. Brison, I’ve never had pork so tender.” Becky agreed.

“
Thank you,” Eva Brison smiled graciously. “But I can’t take all the credit here, Charlotte helped with the cooking.” She directed this more at Jeff than anyone else.

“
Yeah?” Jeff grinned at Charlie, “You’re a woman of many talents.”

She scoffed.
“Hardly. I helped peel the potatoes and boiled the water.”

Becky, sitting beside her, snickered.

“I’m afraid I don’t have any of my mom’s cooking talents.” She added.

“
That’s not true dear,” Her mom defended her. “She makes the best chocolate cheesecake.” She told Jeff.

Charlie
pulled a face. “My only cooking talent. No-bake cheesecake.”

“
Chocolate cheesecake, huh? You have to make it for me some time.” He said to her, his eyes frankly caressing as they rested on her.

In front of her parents and friends, she didn’t mind his obvious affection. But she
didn't want to give her parents the wrong impression. She and Jeff were just casually dating, she didn't want her parents, especially her mom, to think it was any more serious than that, not at this early stage. But she knew they were anxious for her relationship with Jeff to work out.

“
Grandfather, should you be up?” Ryle walked into his grandfather’s Wateridge study to see him at his large imposing desk, looking over some papers.

“
I’m not an invalid.” Marcus dismissed. “When did you get in?”

“
Just now. Your whole staff is running around, setting up.” Ryle commented. “Are you up for a party?”

“
It’s a small get together with a few friends.” Marcus said. “But you’re stalling, boy. Come, tell me about Linwood.”

“
It’s interesting.” Ryle said, thinking of Charlie Brison.

Marcus snorted.
“That tells me nothing.”

He was sure he wouldn't be telling his grandfather anything he didn't already know.

“The people at the Linwood plant are hard-working and dedicated. There’s a lot of knowledge and talent there. And their passion for their work is contagious.” He said. Especially Charlie, he added to himself. He could watch her work all day. Actually, he could watch her all day, regardless of what she was doing.

“
So what are you doing there?”

“
I’m doing cleanup duty with the maintenance crew.”

“
Starting from the ground up, huh? Good plan.” Marcus said. His eyes, the same azure blue as his grandson’s, albeit faded, twinkled in amusement.

Ryle shrugged, he didn’t mind providing amusement to the old man, even something as small as this.
“It gives me a chance to float around different areas and observe.” He said. “But in all honesty, I don’t have the education or the knowledge to do much else at that plant.”

“
Hmm…I wouldn’t say that.” Marcus said dryly. “If you wanted to, proper education or not, you could step in there and show them a thing or two.”

“
You’re saying that because you’re biased.”

“
I’m saying that because I know you.” The old man corrected.

Ryle spent part of the afternoon playing chess with his grandfather. In the evening, there was a small dinner party for a couple of dozen of his grandfather’s friends.
Ryle had no qualms about mingling with the guests.

“
Ryle,”

Ryle turned to see Vera Stewart standing beside him at the bar.
“Vera.”

“
It’s been a long time.” She said, her eyes sparkling as she smiled at him.

“
Yeah.” Ryle murmured, and leaned toward her to kiss her on the cheek. 

Vera was the
granddaughter of a family friend. Ryle knew her since they were teens. In those summers, when Ryle was in Chicago, he had spent his days at the country club or at the yacht club. Vera was often at the country club, usually playing tennis or riding. She was always very shrewd and precocious and they had lots of fun together. He remembered all those lazy summer days, when they found some secret place to hook up. They were both fifteen that summer, and Vera was a virgin, but she learned quick. Ryle had a girlfriend back in Manhattan, but summer were the days when they were open to anything. During those summer days, they often sneaked away to some remote area of the country club and had sex. Other than sex, they liked spending time together, playing tennis, talking about school and everything else. For several years, they hooked up whenever Ryle was in town.

The last time he saw her was eleven years ago, at a memorial held for his mother. They were both nineteen and Vera was growing up to

be an extraordinary beauty. She looked more beautiful now than ever; tall, elegant and sophisticated.

“
So, I heard you’re a big shot architect now.” Vera said.

“
Where did you hear that?” Ryle asked lazily.

Vera shrugged.
“You’re the only one who didn’t get into the family business.”

“
Let me guess, grandfather?”

Vera grinned.

“What are you up to?”

“
I went through law school as I said I would and joined the family business, running the law department.”

“
Good for you.” He smiled. He knew she would do well.

“
Are you here for a long visit?” She asked him.

“
Just a day.”

“
You know, we should get together, for old times,” She said.

Ryle’s eyes dipped to her low cut neckline.
“We should.” He agreed.

It
had been more than a month since the last time he had sex. Although there were several very good looking women at PAL, he didn’t feel right getting involved with them. He would rather stay away from any entanglement at PAL. Of course, there was one exception. Charlie Brison. But she was strong willed and strong minded, and he didn’t think she would give in that easily.

“
Maybe you can show me the gardens.” Vera said, open invitation in her eyes.

Ryle laughed softly.
“We’re a little old now to be fucking in nooks and crannies.”

“
Maybe.” She laughed.

Ryle drove Vera home later that night. Vera invited him up to her penthouse condo. He spent the night with her.