Read Online Blame It On The Mistletoe - A Novel of Bright's Pond by Joyce Magnin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Joyce Magnin
Tags: A Novel of Bright's Pond
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standing near the truck. "Is it Zeb? Is he still upset that I'm giving you flying lessons?"
I nodded. "Yeah, he gets so jealous and thinks if I wear his wedding ring I'll stop living or something and that I won't need to fly. But it worries me that even after we're married, he will still be jealous and I'll still want to fly."
Cliff grinned. "I would reckon so."
"I need to get to the library."
"How about later?"
"Later?" I said. "What about later?"
"Go flying. You said you wanted some more flights before your test."
I looked at the café and saw Zeb at the window. "Good idea. I can meet you on the Hill a little after three."
Cliff tapped the car door. "Sounds good."
Then he smiled, my stomach went wobbly and suddenly all I wanted to do was sit next to Cliff in the plane and fly through the clouds.
I wrapped up work at the library just before 3:30. There was only one student who needed a book. I couldn't wait for him to leave and practically shoved him out the door. I headed straight for Hector's Hill. The thought of going flying was the most exhilarating thing I ever experienced.
Cliff waited near Matilda.
"Did you already do the preflight?" I asked.
He nodded. He wore his leather bomber jacket, the one that made him look like he just walked off a 1940s movie sound stage. He had a day's worth of stumble on his face but that only made him more attractive.
"Yep. I did. But I want you to do it also. All part of the test."
I took the clipboard and went through the list. Everything checked out, except I thought the air pressure in the nose tire was a little high.
"What about that tire?" I said.
He smiled. "Good call. An overinflated tire can be just as dangerous as an underinflated one. Let some air out."
I grabbed the tire gauge from the toolbox and let some air hiss out until the pressure was where it should be. "There we go. All set."
Cliff and I went through the check inside the cockpit and all was well. I buckled my seatbelt and planned a course, this time away from Bright's Pond. Away from Greenbrier. I would have flown clear to Peru if I could have that day.
I don't think I will ever get used to or stop enjoying the feeling when the plane first leaves the ground. I leveled her off and set my cruising altitude and speed and headed straight for the Blue Mountains.
"I want to fly over them today, Cliff. Am I ready?"
"You're ready."
It didn't take long for the mountains to come into view. Gee, they were gorgeous in their autumn colors. Brown and rust, purple and gold and green. It was like flying into a needlework sampler. The closer I got, the clearer the scene—the leaves and trees.
"Pull back," Cliff said. "You'll need more altitude."
I pulled back the stick and Matilda climbed like a goose until we were directly above the mountain. I leveled her off.
"This is incredible," I said. "What city is that down there?" I could see an expanse of buildings spread out on a plain. Rows of houses, dotted with taller buildings and spires.
"That's Allentown," he said. "The Lehigh Valley. Isn't she pretty?"
"From up here, yeah. I guess most things are better looking at a distance."
"I agree. Perspective makes all the difference some time. Parts of that town are not so pretty close up. It's only when you get above it that you can see the potential and even see how it fits with the rest of the town."
"Look at you being all philosophical," I said.
"It's true, isn't it? Sometimes it's all about how you look at something. Like Zeb. He sees you wanting to fly as a threat for some reason."
"But if he could see it how I see it. If he could understand why I love it so much, maybe he'd see he didn't need to be jealous or worried."
Cliff and I flew until he told me to take Matilda back. "You better bring her back around and head for home. It'll be dark soon."
I brought her in for a landing with only a slight skip and jump and then stopped with her nose pointing out over Hector's Hill.
"Good job," Cliff said. "Now
I nodded. "Yeah, he gets so jealous and thinks if I wear his wedding ring I'll stop living or something and that I won't need to fly. But it worries me that even after we're married, he will still be jealous and I'll still want to fly."
Cliff grinned. "I would reckon so."
"I need to get to the library."
"How about later?"
"Later?" I said. "What about later?"
"Go flying. You said you wanted some more flights before your test."
I looked at the café and saw Zeb at the window. "Good idea. I can meet you on the Hill a little after three."
Cliff tapped the car door. "Sounds good."
Then he smiled, my stomach went wobbly and suddenly all I wanted to do was sit next to Cliff in the plane and fly through the clouds.
I wrapped up work at the library just before 3:30. There was only one student who needed a book. I couldn't wait for him to leave and practically shoved him out the door. I headed straight for Hector's Hill. The thought of going flying was the most exhilarating thing I ever experienced.
Cliff waited near Matilda.
"Did you already do the preflight?" I asked.
He nodded. He wore his leather bomber jacket, the one that made him look like he just walked off a 1940s movie sound stage. He had a day's worth of stumble on his face but that only made him more attractive.
"Yep. I did. But I want you to do it also. All part of the test."
I took the clipboard and went through the list. Everything checked out, except I thought the air pressure in the nose tire was a little high.
"What about that tire?" I said.
He smiled. "Good call. An overinflated tire can be just as dangerous as an underinflated one. Let some air out."
I grabbed the tire gauge from the toolbox and let some air hiss out until the pressure was where it should be. "There we go. All set."
Cliff and I went through the check inside the cockpit and all was well. I buckled my seatbelt and planned a course, this time away from Bright's Pond. Away from Greenbrier. I would have flown clear to Peru if I could have that day.
I don't think I will ever get used to or stop enjoying the feeling when the plane first leaves the ground. I leveled her off and set my cruising altitude and speed and headed straight for the Blue Mountains.
"I want to fly over them today, Cliff. Am I ready?"
"You're ready."
It didn't take long for the mountains to come into view. Gee, they were gorgeous in their autumn colors. Brown and rust, purple and gold and green. It was like flying into a needlework sampler. The closer I got, the clearer the scene—the leaves and trees.
"Pull back," Cliff said. "You'll need more altitude."
I pulled back the stick and Matilda climbed like a goose until we were directly above the mountain. I leveled her off.
"This is incredible," I said. "What city is that down there?" I could see an expanse of buildings spread out on a plain. Rows of houses, dotted with taller buildings and spires.
"That's Allentown," he said. "The Lehigh Valley. Isn't she pretty?"
"From up here, yeah. I guess most things are better looking at a distance."
"I agree. Perspective makes all the difference some time. Parts of that town are not so pretty close up. It's only when you get above it that you can see the potential and even see how it fits with the rest of the town."
"Look at you being all philosophical," I said.
"It's true, isn't it? Sometimes it's all about how you look at something. Like Zeb. He sees you wanting to fly as a threat for some reason."
"But if he could see it how I see it. If he could understand why I love it so much, maybe he'd see he didn't need to be jealous or worried."
Cliff and I flew until he told me to take Matilda back. "You better bring her back around and head for home. It'll be dark soon."
I brought her in for a landing with only a slight skip and jump and then stopped with her nose pointing out over Hector's Hill.
"Good job," Cliff said. "Now
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