Don't Marry Your Contractor*

Chapter 21 - The Plane Ride

Present Day:

One late fall morning, Justin and Charlotte were enjoying a late, leisurely breakfast. He had lavishly prepared his special Huevos Rancheros to his girlfriend's delight. "Justin, these are fantastic and like ten bazillion calories. We definitely need to take a walk or something later to work off this mega-calorie experience."

Justin smiled at his tall, lean and very fit girlfriend. " 'Fraid I'll get fat Char?"

"No, I was just saying. You know, all I usually have is a cup of coffee and a granola bar for breakfast."

He topped off her coffee. "Right, because you get up at one of the small numbers on the clock and then go to work and fly planes. But on these nice lazy days, we can indulge a bit. I'm thinking that next weekend, you show me again how to make your Janssen family Aebleskiver recipe with buttermilk, apple slices and a side of thick sliced bacon. It's a pretty awesome late weekend breakfast and like my Huevos is also just a bit more calorific than our usual light fare."

"Yeah, just a few more calories than my usual granola bar and coffee."

As Justin topped off her coffee, Charlotte smiled at the memory of making the Scandinavian delicacy for the first time for Lena and her kids. It went over very well and the next time it became a family holiday tradition. MJ had pronounced it his favorite meal ever. Charlotte gestured to the leaves turning outside of the large kitchen window. "So, J, my weather sense tells me that we are going to have another glorious Idaho fall before we get an even more glorious ski season."

He looked out the window and then into her beautiful eyes. "How's that Char?"

She shrugged. "You know, that whole El Niño, La Niña thing, plus the doves have already arrived in pure gray plumage. Anyway, you can always depend on fall here. So, I how about we take a trip together? I was thinkin' we could go up to Lake Coer d'Alene. You know and stay at the big five-star resort on the lake and the floating golf green?"

"Sounds great Char, as long as you don't make me play golf. Anyway, and I'm not sure if NASA checks the color of the birds to predict the weather, but if you and they say Fall will hold on and it won't snow, I'm in. Hey, now that I think of it it's like an eight or ten-hour drive up to Coeur d'Alene right?"

Charlotte smiled and touched her chest where her pilot's wings were during the week. "I can rent a little plane and we can be there in less than two. I'll make sure to get a nice one, way better than Gramp's old Cub that I took you up in when you were almost 14."

Justin reached over and held her hand. "Charlotte, that plane ride, in your grandfather's old plane with just you as the pilot and me as a completely lost 14-year-old boy... My gods I loved you that day so confident smart and you, just flew me around in an airplane. I mean, I didn't believe anything like that was possible, even in the movies. And then you just did it."

Charlotte smiled. "J. I hope that your feelings won't be too hurt if I say that I gave like 12 other kids rides that day and don't really remember?"

He smiled. "No, not at all. Because I woke up with you this morning."

She squeezed his large hand and smiled. "Right, back to my plan. You know that we sold Gramp's plane after Gram died, so I'll have to rent one."

"Is that a pain?"

Charlotte shrugged again. "No, not too bad. You just have to fill out a pile of government forms, provide a logbook and medical certificate and then fly a ride with an instructor to prove to them and their insurance company that you can actually fly. Once I do that, we can rent a plane and go on a flying holiday anytime we want."