Wild Heart - Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell

13. Wingman

Ice: I would really like to meet her.

Mav: Meet who?

Ice: What do you mean 'meet who'? Your Finley, of course.

Mav: She's not 'my Finley'

However, he did like the idea of her being his girlfriend, but they weren't quite there yet. Right now they were each other's special romantic person.

Mav: But I would really like her to meet you too, Ice.

Ice: Bring her over.

Mav: You sure you're feeling up to it?

Ice: I am. And Sarah's eager to meet her too.

Pete chuckled at this. Ice and Sarah, some of his biggest supporters.

When he asked her, Finley was excited by the offer. Since they had acted on their feelings they hadn't spent any time together with anyone else besides Penny and Amelia, so this was exciting.

After work and dinner Pete picked her up and they drove on his bike to the Kazansky home.  On the way he told her about Ice's cancer diagnosis years ago, and how it had recently come back more aggressive. Her heart squeezed in sympathy for this man she had never met but would soon meet and who was so important to Pete. 

"It hurts to speak, so the computer's become his voice," he explained. She nodded - during her studies and practicum she had worked with students who had used computers similarly for help with speech. 

They drove into a higher-end neighbourhood along the ocean and lined with towering palm trees. The sun was just setting and the view was spectacular. 

"I've watched many a sunset here," he said as they pulled into the driveway.  "Even when it felt like I had nothing I had Ice and Sarah."

"I can't wait to meet them," she said as he offered her a hand to help her off the back of the bike.  Though she was getting a little nervous as well. "I hope they like me."

"They'll love you," he assured her.

"They sound super cool, like totally badass."

"And so are you."

"I just don't want to be the awkward one out who's not all in with the navy stuff - oh!" she was cut off and gave a surprised cry when her feet lifted off the ground as Pete picked her up and spun her around, kissing her.  If he was trying to squash her worries it worked.

"Is it really appropriate to be kissing in your friends' driveway?" she asked with a laugh as he broke the kiss and set her back down.

"Trust me, this driveway's seen a lot worse." He winked, took her hand, kissed the back of it, and led her up to the front door.

Their knock was answered right away. "Maverick, long time no see." A curly-haired woman who looked to be between Pete and Penny's ages answered the door.

"Sarah, yes, thanks for having us." Pete wrapped her up in a hug.

"Of course, anytime." She turned from him to Finley.  "This must be the famous Finley."

"I don't know about 'famous', but I am Finley.  Sarah, so nice to meet you. Thank you for having us." She internally groaned as she realized she had literally repeated what Pete had just said, her nerves taking over, but Sarah just smiled warmly at her.

"You're very welcome, we're very excited to meet you." Sarah wrapped her up in a hug as well, and some of Finley tense nerves faded away with the kind gesture.  "Come on in, Tom's just setting up the computer." She could see deep pain behind Sarah's smile and couldn't imagine what she was going through, watching her husband, the man she loved, dying and in such pain. Her heart went out to her as well, to all of them.