Page 21 of Reuniting with Lucy

“Where are we going?”

“Chapel Hill.”

“Oh, yeah?” she said with a smile, sensing where this was heading.

“I owe you a date,” he said. “I intend to pay up.”

“Better late than never, I suppose,” she said, and he laughed.

The New Bern airport wasn’t far, and within fifteen minutes, he pulled into a part of the airport she’d never been to. They parked inside a hangar next to a small Cessna.

They boarded and buckled up. It was only the two of them and the pilot. “I’ve never flown in such a dinky plane,” Lucy said. “Is it safe?” She whispered so as not to offend the pilot.

“Hope so,” he said. “It’s faster than driving anyway.”

After a slightly bumpy takeoff, they were in the air and moving along nicely. The plane was so small that every tiny dip or turn seemed exaggerated, and she was queasy in no time.

It must have shown on her face, because Jack grabbed a barf bag and handed it to her. “Damn it,” he said. “I meant to offer you a Dramamine. A lot of people get airsick in these little planes. Especially if it’s your first time. Are you okay?”

“I think so,” she said, clinging to the barf bag while praying she wouldn’t need it. “How much farther?”

“Not much. Hang in there.” He dug around in a small cooler at his feet and opened a can of Sprite. “Here, sip on this. I know it’s dark, but try to focus on a fixed point in the sky. Like a big star or something. Or close your eyes if that helps.”

“Distract me,” she said. “You never told me what happened with Curtis the other night. How’d it go?” Jack had returned to her condo, slipped into bed, and made her promptly forget why he’d left in the first place.

“I took him to the Dairy Queen to get ice cream.”

“Ice cream?” She laughed.

He shrugged. “I asked if he had any vices other than alcohol, and he said ice cream. I also helped him score a date with a single mother who was there with her kid. That seemed to lift his spirits.”

“I’ll bet.” Lucy had a sneaky suspicion there was more to the story but dropped the subject.

She made it to Raleigh without losing her cookies, but just barely. If they were flying back, she would definitely need some medicine first.

A car was waiting for them, but Jack suggested she let her stomach settle for a minute. The little office inside the hangar wasn’t all that comfortable, but at least the ground wasn’t moving. Once the nausea subsided, he helped her into the waiting town car.

She figured he was trying to recreate their first date but was still surprised when they pulled up to her old freshman dorm. He handed her a key. “Go to room 212 and wait for me.”

“You remembered my dorm room number?” she asked in disbelief.

“I did.”

“That’s sweet.” She smiled. “Um, what about the girls that probably live there now?”

“I took care of that. Just go.”

“Okay,” she said, getting out of the car.

Still leery, she knocked first, but when no one answered, she used the key he’d given her to open the door. It was the middle of October, so it didn’t surprise her to see unmade beds, clothes on the floor, and schoolwork strewn about on the desks. The room was empty, but she was nervous the occupants would return any second and call the police. Just as she was about to chicken out and leave, there was a knock at the door. She smoothed her hair and opened it.

Jack stood with a bouquet of flowers—who knew where they’d come from—and a big smile.

“Lucy Parker?”

She raised an eyebrow.

“You ready?” he asked, offering a hand. She slid her hand into his and closed the door behind her.

---