Page 4 of A Miracle for the Reserved Flyboy

“Nope. You’ve gotta stay.”

“Watch the twins for me? Please? I’ll chance a flight for this bit of fun…”

“Glory!”

“What? You know it’s gonna be a hoot – he’sshy…”

“Your husband, who is my brother, will have a heart attack—and family trumps this. You’re part of the Petersen clan now. You stay, so sit down, Mary Poppins, and have a little faith in Cajun’s machinations.”

“Phooey. You’re no fun.”

“I love you, too.”

Gary was sweating profusely as the conversations flew around him, the women ogling him like he was a prime cut of meat at a butcher’s shop. They spoke as if he couldn’t hear them, which only added to his discomfort.

He could hear them—loud and clear.

They were aggressive, outrageous, outlandish, and a little scary. Was this what Caboose meant by ‘gauntlet’? Because if so, he was ready to bolt.

“Hi,” Gary began weakly, tapping his watch as a nervous tic. “I’m looking for Harley and I’m due in Sweet Bloom by five. Could you point me in the direction of?—”

“Forget it, dude. She’s trying to wrestle something from Glory,” Caboose interrupted, waving him off. “They’ve gotten their fill looking at ya’, so let’s get you in the air. Valkyrie is in the hangar with Alpo. I’m sure they’re fueling the plane or something else. I’m willing to bet Houdini and Thumper are in classes. Do you remember Romeo? The man is a daddy now and visiting his family in Alaska. Small world, eh?”

“Gets smaller all the time,” he murmured, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling as he walked off after Caboose, only to hear a low whistle from behind him.

Yeah, he definitely felt like a piece of meat. These were not the shy, quiet, reserved women he had grown up around. Back home, decorum was everything; you acted as if you were at church or that your mother was watching. You represented the family name that had been passed down through generations. Bringing shame to the family was unthinkable; being the subject of being the subject of gossip was worse than death.

He didn’t know what to think of this new world.

A few minutes later, standing in front of the hangar door, Gary’s heart raced as the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the corridor.

“You made it,” Harley exclaimed with a bright smile that nearly stopped him in his tracks. Her golden-brown hair caught the light as a breeze pushed it around her face. She swatted it back like it was nothing.

“Y-Yeah.”

“I’m so glad you could make it! Glory wants to give you a pep talk before you leave, and I promise it’s all in friendship.”

“Uh, I’m fine, really.”

“Nope. No backing out now, mister,” she insisted, her voice firm yet playful. “We’re a tight-knit group around here, and you’re about to get a big dose of our love. You see, Cajun has plans.”

“Plans? What kind of plans?”

“F-U-N, that’s what!”

His stomach churned as the excitement on her face mirrored the vibrant chaos of the women at the runway. He sensed that he was about to become part of something far more intense than he had bargained for.

“Cajun knows exactly what he’s doing,” she continued, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “And you’re right in the center of it.”

That had been nearly three hours ago.

With a deep breath, Gary was out of the plane and shaking his friend’s hand in greeting a few minutes later. Cajun hadn’t changed much, and that was a little comforting to hear, no matter what those wild women said back in Yonder. His friend had invited him here for the holiday and he was planning on using this trip to get some rest and relaxation under his belt.

“Welcome to Sweet Bloom, Casanova!” Cajun called, reaching out with a roughened hand and pulling him into a bear hug as if they were long-lost brothers.

Gary chuckled, the camaraderie of the gesture bringing warmth to his chest. “Good to see you, man.”

“Oh, you know—same ole…” Cajun’s voice trailed off, his eyes crinkling in amusement.

---