Page 80 of Fly with Me

Esther gave her wife a sweet smile that clearly said she had eyes only for her.

Olive grinned. “I like your pin, Esther.”

“Thank you.” She smiled. “Stella wears a pronoun pin on her uniform too when she flies. Ever since I transitioned, she made it a point of being a supportive friend to me. Don’t tell her this because it will inflate her ego, but she’s my favorite copilot.”

“That sounds like her.”

Esther rifled in her purse and produced a business card. “You text me if you ever get serious about conquering your fear of flying. I might be able to help. I’m not too far from where y’all live.”

“Text you?”

“I take Margaret up in my plane, and it made her more comfortable. I’ve even given her a few flying lessons.” She gave the offer with an intense gaze. It wasn’t politeness. She was serious.

Margaret nodded. “Understanding things made it better for me.”

“You fly in a little plane too?”

“Yes.”

“How did you—”

The lights flashed, indicating the ceremony was going to begin soon.

“Call us if you ever want to talk about it. Fears are very real, but Margaret figured out some good strategies.” Esther patted Olive’s shoulder and then took her wife’s arm and led her to a table.

Stella returned and pushed a wineglass into her hand. “Sorry, there was a line.”

“No, that’s fine.” As the stage light lit up, she sucked down two-thirds of her wineglass. “Thank you.”

Stella gestured for them to walk up to the front table. Stella’s name was printed on a small card next to her own.

Olive reached for a roll from the bread basket and put it on her plate, buttering the pieces and chewing slowly. Karaoke was on Jake’s list because he had stage fright like she did. If she successfully walked across a stage in front of one hundred people, would that count? She hadn’t been on a stage since her mom forced her on them as a child.

“Are you okay?” Stella whispered.

“I’m fine. I didn’t eat much today, so the wine’s going to my head.”

“Oh okay.”

She couldn’t admit she was afraid, because that would be pathetic. She’d have to explain that she didn’t attend her graduations because walking in front of people made her nervous. Stella already knew about the flying thing. How many fears were too many?

Stella was rifling through her purse. She broke off a piece of what looked like a protein bar and stuffed it in her mouth.

Olive gave Stella a curious look. “Isn’t there going to be a full dinner?”

“They don’t ever remember my food restriction.”

“That’s not righ—”

“It’s fine. I’m not super hungry anyway.”

“I—I brought you something for afterward because I knew half the time there isn’t very much food at these things. I thought we could eat it on the way back or something.”

“What?”

Olive pulled a small Tupperware out of her bag.

“You didn’t?” Stella’s eyes glittered.

---