⁎𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔗𝔯𝔲𝔱𝔥 𝔇𝔬𝔢𝔰𝔫'𝔱 𝔍𝔲𝔰𝔱 𝔙𝔞𝔫𝔦𝔰𝔥⁎

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 : 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈'𝐦 𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧' 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝

𝖇𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖎𝖊

Later, Henry and the kids dropped me at the airport and they were hanging out there with me. "Woah it's the first time I've been to a place where pilots outnumber the passengers," Alex said as we walked through the terminal.

"You can be a pilot someday," I told him.

I waved goodbye to the kids and told them I'd be back in a few days. I boarded the plane and headed straight to the cockpit.

Henry left with kids and I was sitting in the cockpit, on my phone. The plane was supposed to take off in five minutes and then the pilot came in.

"Oh hi Miss Eilish. You look lovely as always." The pilot greeted me with a smile as he came into the cockpit. "So, you're flying back to New York today, huh? The weather looks good, no delays in sight." He sat down in the co-pilot seat and buckled up.

"Yeah, just for a few days this time. It's nice to get away from the craziness, you know?" I replied, glancing out the window at the runway. "I hear you. This job can be quite demanding, can't it?"

The pilot nodded in agreement. "Oh, absolutely. But you know, it's worth it. There's nothing quite like the thrill of being up in the air, the wind in your hair." He paused for a moment, grinning at me. "Or maybe that's just me. So, you ready to take her out, Miss Eilish?"

"Yeah, let's do it," I said, strapping myself in. As the plane began to move down the runway, I felt the familiar rush of adrenaline course through my veins. It had been a while since I'd flown, but it was like riding a bike. The pilot turned the plane over to me and I took control, lifting us into the air.

As we climbed, I glanced over at the pilot, who was watching me intently. "So, how long have you been flying, Mr...?" I asked, trying to make conversation.

"Oh, you can call me Thomas. And I've been flying for about twenty years now. It's been quite the ride." He chuckled. "So, what about you? How long have you been a pilot?"

"Oh dang twenty years. I've been a pilot for about ten years now, but I started working in aviation when I was still in college. I did a bit of everything, really. Flew small planes, worked in air traffic control, even did some ground crew work. It's been a fun ride so far," I said, adjusting the course slightly. "So, Thomas, do you have any advice for a young pilot like me?"

"You seemed very experienced with the ground crew work. Did you ever consider staying in that area of the business?" Thomas asked. "I mean, it's a vital part of the operation, and there's always a need for good ground crew personnel."

I shook my head. "Well, I did enjoy it, but flying just always called to me more. I mean, it's just something about being up in the air, being in control of the plane. It's exhilarating. Plus, I really loved the challenge of learning how to fly. It's not an easy skill to master."

Thomas nodded, understanding. "That's true. Flying is a passion, isn't it? It's not just a job. It's a way of life. And speaking of which, we'll be coming up on New York in about an hour. Do you want me to take over for a bit so you can rest or something?"

"No it's alright." I assured him. "I'm not that tired. Besides, I've always found flying with someone else kind of boring. You know, I like to be in control. I like to make my own decisions." I smiled at him. "But thanks for offering."

"This is a Boeing 777 right?" I asked as I checked the instruments one last time. "I've always wanted to fly one of these. They're such powerful machines." I glanced over at Thomas, who was watching me with a look of amusement on his face. "What? I'm just saying."