Page 116 of Sin City Lights

“What can you make?”

“Let’s see… There’slapskaus.”

She gave him a blank stare.

“It’s like a European sailor’s stew. Beef or lamb, with vegetables and spices.Soddis another one. That’s made of mutton with carrots and potatoes.”

“These are Norwegian dishes?”

He nodded.

“Can you make other things?”

“Breakfast. My grandmother had us in the kitchen, helping as soon as we were old enough to use a knife. Which, according to her, was six years old.” He chuckled.“Made for some very interesting situations, all four of us in there, with sharp utensils.”

An image of him as a towheaded boy, cooking with his brothers and sister, made her heart squeeze. How happy she was that he’d had that type of childhood, never experiencing trauma in his life.

“She was determined that we learn life skills early. Communication, cooperation, resiliency.” A fond smile played on his lips.“Timeliness was huge. Break the rules, and there’d be hell to pay. Don’t even get me started on how we were only allowed to address her in Norwegian.”

She looked at him in awe.“You speak Norwegian too?”

“Too?” He chuckled.

“In addition to your many other skills.” She tipped her head.“I’m willing to bet you’re fluent.”

He gave her an “aw, shucks”smile.“You’d win that bet.”

“It’s good to know a foreign language. I wish I’d learned one. Your grandmother sounds wonderful. And tough.”

“She is.”

He’d answered the question Eve hadn’t dared to pose: his grandmother was still alive.

Adam’s eyes turned thoughtful. Eve ate in silence, watching him. He looked as if he were pondering something serious. Perhaps his grandmother had health problems.

Eve decided to change the subject.“How is the 2024 project coming along?”

“We’re still trying to figure out some things. The most pressing problem I have at work right now is finding pilots to pick up some of the trips I’m flying.”

That was her fondest wish. She knew he’d been aggressively advertising for a while with no results.“Any prospects?”

“One.”

“Only one? I would think they’d be beating down your door.”

“Wouldn’t that be great? But there’s a shortage of pilots. Moreover, it’s difficult to find pilots who are rated on all three types of planes we fly.”

“They’d need to learn everything about each plane?”

“Yeah. Simulator, systems, the whole thing. Nose to tail. That takes at least three weeks for each. And then there’s the indoctrination period.”

“That sounds draconian.”

“It’s called an indoctrination course. Just means they have tobecome familiar with our rules and operating procedures.”

She nodded, trying to conceal her disappointment. It didn’t sound as if his schedule would change anytime soon.

He put down his fork, then sat back, wiping his lips with a paper napkin.“The worst thing is, they all want to work for the likes of Delta and United, so some of them stay with us a while, then jump ship.”

---