"Just in case, what?"

"Oh, I don't know. Who knows what might happen down the road? I just thought you might want to check with an attorney. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise, and please keep us in mind if...well, you know."

"Uh, yeah."

"You have a nice evening. Goodbye now."

Jon stared at the desk. "Unbelievable...un-fucking-believable!" He slammed his fist on the desk and Rocky jumped. After a few minutes he started pacing in the living room. Luke was back a short time later.

THE INN -- Chapter 26

"Hi, babe! Miss me?"

Jon spun around. "Wait'll you hear this..." Jon told Luke about his conversation with the charter company.

Luke raised his eyebrows. "Then I might be off the hook?"

"Luke, it's not funny. We might not be married!"

"Damn! Well then, just to be on the safe side, I think one of us should sleep on the couch until we find out."

"Stop it--that's not fair."

"It'll be fair, we can take turns. We'll flip to see who's first."

"Aren't you upset about this? We might have to go back to Iowa and get married again. Then the date will be different. Even the month will be different. It'll screw everything up!"

Luke could see Jon was on the verge of tears. He took him in his arms and gave him a lingering kiss. Luke wanted it to last--he wasn't sure how long it would be before Jon kissed him again.

"Jon, do you remember that promise I made to you some time ago? When you freaked me out about putting my cast-iron in the dishwasher?"

"I don't think so..."

"You don't remember my solemn oath?"

Jon was too upset to think. "No, I don't."

"As I recall, I said something like, 'Watch your back, because one of these days I'm gonna get you good.'" Luke was grinning like a fiend.

Jon looked at him in disbelief. "You didn't...you wouldn't...how could you do this to me?"

Luke burst out laughing. "I couldn't resist. It was just the kind of crazy thing you'd come up with to worry about. I think you're slipping." Luke leaned over to kiss Jon, but he pushed him away.

"Oh, no you don't. You'll be lucky if I don't file for divorce for mental cruelty."

"Lighten up, Francis. How 'bout I make chili for dinner? You always like my chili."

"You might as well so you can get used to it--it's going to be plenty chilly in the bedroom. When I played a joke on you, it was only about your stupid cookware. But you were messing with our lives."

Luke put his fingers on Jon's chin and turned his head toward himself. He gave Jon his best "sad puppy dog" look, which he knew Jon couldn't resist.

"I'm sorry. Am I forgiven?"

"No. You're not sorry, and I'm still too upset. Go make your chili."

A while later Luke was finishing preparing the chili and it was ready to simmer. Suddenly he heard and felt a firm smack on his ass.

"Ow! That hurt!"

Rocky attacked Jon's ankle with his ears back and was trying to bite him through his jeans.

"It was meant to hurt. You've been a very bad little boy."

"I know," pouted Luke. "Spank me again, daddy."

"No. You'd probably enjoy it too much. By the way, just who is 'Maureen'?"

Luke laughed. "Can't tell you; my lips are sealed. Was she convincing?"

"Yes, she was convincing," said Jon in a mocking tone. "That was really mean, and I don't find it one bit amusing. You can't believe all the shit that's been going through my head the past half-hour."

Luke was desperately trying to suppress a smile. "I have a pretty good idea. I know you too well."

"If you know me that well, why would you do something you knew would upset me so much?"

Luke put his arms around Jon and kissed him. "I didn't think it through. I really am sorry you got so upset. It just seemed like such a great joke. If I'd thought about it more, I probably wouldn't have done it."

"The next time you get a bright idea like that, think about it."

"Okay, okay." Luke clasped his hands behind Jon's neck. "I really am sorry you flipped out. I thought you'd realize it was a prank, at least after a few minutes. So am I forgiven?"

"You didn't say you're sorry for doing it. You said you're sorry I was upset."

"Oh, Christ! All right, I'm sorry for playing a joke on you, I'm sorry I almost gave you a stroke, and I'm sorry in advance for anything stupid I might do in the future. Okay?"

"That didn't sound very sincere, but I suppose I'll let you skate this time."

Luke hugged Jon. "Hey, even if our marriage isn't valid here, it's rock-solid as far as I'm concerned. And it will be valid here someday--we might be celebrating our silver anniversary, but it'll happen."

Jon kissed him. "It won't take that long...maybe five years. But since we're already married, I can wait."

"So can I. Oh, I'll be about an hour late getting home Friday--I have a doctor appointment."

"Is something wrong, Luke?"

"No, I have to see a Flight Surgeon for a physical to get my medical certificate. I can't solo until I have it, and Charlie said I can solo this weekend. He was able to get me an appointment with a doctor he knows who's semi-retired. All he does is these kinds of exams now."

"THIS weekend? I thought I had more time before I had to worry about that."

"Charlie says I could do it now, but he doesn't sign off anyone with less than ten hours. On Saturday I'll fly with him for an hour, then fly another hour solo. I'm only the second person he's let solo with only ten hours."

"Are you nervous about it?" asked Jon.

"I'm just excited right now. But when that door closes and I'm alone in the cockpit, I'll be scared shitless. Will you go to the airport with me?"

"Like anyone could keep me away! I don't know which of us will be more scared. You know, ever since you first said you wanted to fly, I had a feeling you'd be good at it. Charlie must have a lot of confidence in you."

"From the first time I flew with him, I knew it was what I wanted to do. I should have started a long time ago, but I guess I couldn't afford it then. I wish it didn't take so long to get the license."

"You're one-fourth the way there--40 hours, right?"

"That's the minimum, it'll probably be more than that."

"I don't know--the way you're going, I'm gonna bet it'll be closer to 40 than 50. And anyway, you're having a blast all the way."

"I sure am, but I'm dying to take you flying with me. That's going to be one of the best days of my life!"

"And it'll be one of the proudest days of mine. Let's take Rocky for a walk while the chili is cooking--maybe by then I'll have my appetite back."

The next morning Jon was looking over his reports and he was pleased with the work. With the new equipment their throughput was up substantially while most of the staff had more time to do their jobs. It made for happier employees and a more relaxed atmosphere. Jon read an email from Fran, one of the secretaries. She had scheduled an interview at ten, one at two and another at three. She told him he could use Connie's office because Connie was going to be out all day. Jon had forgotten about the interviews and he was glad he had worn a nicer-looking shirt and slacks today. After refilling his coffee, he sat as his desk with a legal pad and made notes about what he would ask the applicants. He wouldn't take the notes with him, but just writing them down and reading them over would help. Jon was just a little nervous--he had never hired anyone before. He reminded himself the applicants were going to be a lot more nervous than he and they'd never notice it in him. He began to look forward to the interviews.

The first applicant arrived ten minutes early. Jon spent about 25 minutes talking with the young man and was favorably impressed. Jon escorted the man out, then made copious notes for himself. He left Connie's office and headed back to production when Fran called to him.

"Hey Jon-Boy, you have four more tomorrow. I'll email you their times."

"Oh, man, how many after that?"

"That should be it, I weeded out the obvious flunkies for you."

"Okay, thanks Fran."

If anyone other than Fran had called him "Jon-Boy" he would have quashed it immediately, but for some reason it didn't bother him when Fran said it. She'd used that name for him from day one, but no one else tried to get away with it. Fran had helped Jon a lot, both professionally and personally, when he first started with the company. He had the utmost respect for her knowledge and tact. And she was able to shmooze a client with the best of them.

The next day Luke was getting ready to wrap things up when Donny's voice came over his walkie-talkie asking him to stop in the office before he left. Luke finished up what he needed to do and walked into the trailer.

"Have a seat, Luke. Hey, that's a nice looking ring."

"Thanks. I got married last weekend."

"Well congratulations! Oh shit."

"Gee, I'm glad you're so happy for me."

"No, no, it just makes it harder for me to tell you this. We'll be done here just after Thanksgiving and they're not scheduling anything new for a while."

"I was expecting it, but not this early. How long do you think we'll be off?"

"They're sayin' three or four weeks, but I think it's gonna be more like six. I just wanted to give you a heads-up, no one else knows yet and I'd like to keep it that way for a little while. You'll be one of the first to be called back because of your seniority and you're a supervisor."

"I understand, it's not the first time. I'll be okay, but would it be okay if I tell George? We've become good friends, and I'd like to give him some warning and advice."

"If you think he can keep a lid on it. I hate to not tell the guys, but I have to make sure things keep running smoothly."

"I know you do. Thanks for letting me know."

"All right, try to have a good weekend and I'll see you Monday."

Jon arrived home to find Luke playing with Rocky on the living room floor. He kissed Luke and scratched Rocky's ears.

"Ask him to shake your hand," said Luke.

Jon looked at Luke, then extended his hand. "Shake, Rocky." The kitten put his paw, the right one, in Jon's hand.

"When did you teach him that?"

Luke praised Rocky and petted him. "When I got home. Next I'll teach him to play dead." Luke noticed the folder Jon was holding. "Oh, no--you're not working this weekend, are you?"

"It's just notes from my interviews. I thought you could help me decide who to hire."

"I don't know how much help I'll be, but I'll try. Any ideas for dinner?"

"I thought we'd have baked chicken, mostaccioli, roast beef, vegetable casserole, corn on the cob and salad."

"What have you been smoking?"

"It's The Inn's anniversary party and they're having a buffet. It's not home cooking, but it's usually pretty decent and the price is right--it's free. Is that okay with you?"

"Why not? Joe and Cathy will probably be there--it's not like Joe to miss something like that."

As they expected, Cathy and Joe were at a table. Joe had a plate of chicken bones in front of him and he wiped his hands before patting the guys on the back.

"Aren't you eating, Cathy?" asked Luke.

"Oh, I ate. This is Joe's fourth helping."

"Third!" countered Joe. "But I might have a little more chicken."

"You should have seen him at my mom's," said Cathy. "My mother practically buried Joe in food. She loved how enthusiastic he was about eating, and they got along great."

Joe said, "Cathy, that's not what it was all about. I liked your mother--she was very nice. I didn't eat that much."

"You sure made her happy. She likes nothing better than to see a guy enjoying her cooking, and you certainly made points. She's crazy about Joe."

Mel, the waitress, arrived with a vodka tonic and a beer.

"Oh, sorry Mel, I'd like a diet."

"That's okay," said Joe. "One of us will drink it. You must be flying tomorrow."

Luke nodded and Jon said, "It's more than that--Luke's gonna solo tomorrow."

"Oh, that's great!" said Cathy. She got up and hugged Luke. "I'm surprised you're doing that so soon. If your husband wasn't here, I'd kiss you."

Luke smiled and gave her a kiss. "He won't mind."

Saturday morning Jon made breakfast and they sat around reading the newspaper. Luke kept fidgeting and getting up to attend to some trivial thing or another. Jon understood his nervousness and even Rocky decided Jon's lap was a more comfortable place right now. Finally Jon had had enough.

"Okay, let's go to the airport before you wear a trench in the carpet. I'll drive. Why are you wearing that old shirt?"

"You'll see."

Luke had his hand on the doorknob and stopped. "Oh, damn! I almost forgot the most important thing." He went to the closet and took out his bomber jacket. Jon smiled when he put it on.

"God, I'm glad I got that for you," said Jon.

Jon parked the car at the airport and as Luke started to get out Jon put his hand on his thigh. "Don't worry. You know what you're doing, you'll do great! I'm right behind you all the way."

They went into the office and Darlene greeted them. "Charlie isn't here yet; want some coffee?"

"No, thanks." said Luke. He thought coffee was the last thing he needed right now. A few minutes later Charlie came in.

"Hi, Luke. Am I late or are you early?"

"I'm a little early. I was having a hard time sitting still at home. Oh, this is Jon."

"Hi, Jon, Luke has mentioned you; it's good to meet you. Do you fly?"

"No, I'm just his cheering section."

"Well, you have a lot to cheer about. Ready to go, Luke?"

"Any time."

The three of them walked out to the plane. Jon watched as Luke did the pre-flight inspection and they got on board. He stepped back a few paces when the engine started and watched as they taxied to the strip. Jon waited until they had taken off and the plane disappeared from sight. He walked back to the office and found himself pacing back and forth, constantly looking out the windows.

"Will you sit down?" asked Darlene. "They're going to be a while."

"I know. I don't know why I'm so nervous."

"I do. If my husband was going on his first solo, I'd be the same way. If I had a husband."

Jon looked at her and felt an immediate connection. Her casual manner struck a chord with him. He smiled at her and looked back out the window.

After about 45 minutes Darlene picked up her microphone. "Base to 2-2-bravo. What's your ETA?"

There were several seconds of silence before Jon heard Luke's voice. "We're about ten minutes out."

"Roger." Darlene turned to Jon. "Walk out to the east end of the runway. Luke will drop Charlie off and then he'll do his solo."

A few minutes later Jon found himself staring at the sky, looking for Luke's plane. He spotted it and felt a twinge of excitement. The plane landed and proceeded back toward him on the taxiway, stopped, and Charlie climbed out. He waved and closed the door, gave it a couple raps with his knuckles, then walked over to Jon. He watched as the plane paused at the threshold, then turned onto the runway. The engine revved and the plane was accelerating down the runway. Jon didn't take his eyes off it until it was well into the sky.

"Luke is going to be a good pilot," said Charlie. "He has a natural feel for it--not just the flying part, but he understands the mechanics of flight better than just about anyone. By the way, that's a very nice jacket you got for him."

Jon just smiled and said "Thanks." He was too involved with trying to keep track of Luke.

"He's going to do three landings and takeoffs, then he's on his own."

Jon followed the plane as it flew the pattern, eventually lining up for landing. Luke was approaching the runway.

"Oh, jeez," said Charlie. "He's coming in a little low. He used to always be too high. I'm going to have to talk with him about that."

Luke's plane touched down close to the threshold of the runway, bounced a couple of times, then settled and continued to the turnoff for the taxiway. He headed back toward Charlie and Jon.

"Not the best landing he's made," said Charlie, "but he's nervous."

As the plane approached them Luke smiled and waved. Jon waved back and before he knew it Luke was in the air again. Luke's next two landings were perfect, and he took off again for some more-relaxing flying.

"Let's head back to the office, it's a little cool out."

"I'll wait here until Luke gets back."

"I don't think you want to do that. Knowing him, it will be a while. He knows the plane isn't booked, so he'll probably fly until he's out of fuel. Come on inside--Luke's having the time of his life."

Jon reluctantly followed Charlie back to the flight office. Charlie had some things he needed to take care of and Jon was left alone. Darlene looked at him.

"You look like you're about to have a fit. Luke's a good pilot--he's Charlie's favorite student. Are you always this up-tight?"

"No! It's just this is something new. I know Luke's good at it, I just have to get more into it."

"If Charlie has faith in Luke, you can go to the bank with it. And he does. He likes flying with Luke."

"I have faith in Luke, too. I'm just real keyed up right now."

Jon tried to relax and flipped through a few magazines while he waited for Luke to return. Nothing was able to distract him and he stood and gazed out the window again. An hour and a half passed and finally he heard Luke's voice on the radio.

"Two-two bravo to base. What's your active?"

Darlene glanced at the wind speed indicator. "Active is 2-7, Luke, south crosswind about 8 knots right now, gusting to 12."

"Damn...Oh, I mean, roger."

"Why did he say that?" asked Jon.

"The crosswind. It just makes it a little more of a challenge, but don't worry. It's not that big a deal."

Jon went outside and watched as Luke made his landing. Jon strode to the tie-down area in anticipation of Luke's arrival. As Luke approached he smiled and waved at Jon, then pointed off to the right. Jon didn't know what he meant, then realized he was heading for the fueling area. Jon trotted after the plane and was just coming up to it as Luke cut the engine. He climbed out of the aircraft and Jon grabbed him in a bear hug, kissing him firmly. He gave him another hug and rested his head on his shoulder.

"This is overwhelming!" said Jon. "I'm married to an aviator! I'm so happy for you I can hardly stand it!"

Luke took a deep breath and exhaled. "Neither can I. I've dreamed about this for years, and finally I did it. I can't believe I actually did this! Oh, Cathy and Joe waved 'Hi'."

"Huh?"

"I called them and told them to look for me. They were in the courtyard and waved like crazy."

"Should you be talking on a cell phone when you're flying?"

"I don't know...no one said not to. I didn't think a cop was going to pull me over."

Jon laughed and squeezed him again. The attendant was finishing topping off the tanks and Luke turned to Jon.

"Come on, I'll give you a lift."

"Don't you have to pay for the gas?"

"No, it's included in the air time. They charge it to the flight school. Hop in."

Jon followed Luke into the aircraft. Luke started the engine and they taxied toward the tie-down area. Jon could hardly contain his pride in Luke.

"Hey, why aren't you steering?"

"I am. You steer with the rudder pedals when you're on the ground. Rest your feet on the pedals and you'll see how it works."

Luke pulled the plane into its place and shut down the engine. He showed Jon how to tie down the aircraft and they walked to the office.

"Just a minute," said Darlene. "Don't move, we have some unfinished business."

Luke smiled and Jon was unsure what to expect. Charlie walked up and shook Luke's hand. Darlene took a couple of pictures.

Charlie said, "You did okay, Luke. I never had a doubt. Darlene, hand me the scissors."

Jon didn't know what was going on as Luke pulled out his shirttail and Charlie proceeded to cut it off. He put it on the counter and used a marker to write Luke's name, the date and the identification number of the aircraft. He handed the scrap to Darlene who stapled it to the wall. Jon hadn't noticed the other scraps of material before.

"Thanks for re-fueling the plane, Luke," said Darlene.

"I thought we were supposed to do that."

"Yeah, well, some people don't. Anyway, thanks."

They started walking back to the car and Jon asked, "What's the deal with the shirt?"

"It's a tradition. After you solo, you don't need an instructor tugging on your shirt any more. It goes back to when the instructor sat behind the student and they were in an open cockpit. The instructor tugged on the student's shirttail to get his attention. That's why I wore an old one today."

As they were leaving the airport Luke's phone rang. It was Cathy.

"Hey, fly-boy! Are you back on the ground?"

"Yeah, we're on our way home."

"Stop at The Inn. You deserve a drink."

"Okay, we'll be there in about 20 minutes or so."

"See you then."

When Jon and Luke got to The Inn they were surprised to see so many of their friends. Cathy had a table set up with a cupcake and a single candle in it. She hugged Luke and forcibly sat him down at the head of the table. After kissing him she produced a costume jewelry "captain's wings" trinket and pinned it to his shirt. Luke laughed and hugged her again.

The group had a good time, and everyone wanted to know about Luke's flying. He loved talking about it, but after a while he tried to shift the topic to other areas. He didn't want to monopolize the conversation. There seemed to be an endless number of beers in front of Luke, and he was having a great time. He especially enjoyed the fact that so many friends had come to congratulate him.

After a couple of hours Jon could tell Luke was fading--it had been a long and exciting day. He asked Luke if he was ready to leave. Luke was, so they began walking home. Luke was walking slower than usual but Jon didn't mind, and he put his arm around Luke as they walked. Luke wasn't wasted, but he wasn't stone cold sober, either.

When they got home Jon gave Luke another long kiss. Luke slouched into the couch and Rocky came up to him. Luke put his hand on him, but Rocky soon realized Jon was making his dinner. When Jon returned to the living room he sat next to Luke and gazed at him.

"What?" asked Luke.

Jon smiled. "I just love looking at you, and you look better than ever. You look happy or content or something."

"I feel better than ever. Soloing today was--I don't know--it was mind-altering. I did this on my own, and it's something most people don't do. I feel like I'm the king! I actually flew an airplane by myself, I have the most wonderful man here with me, our friends were there for me today--I'm a pretty lucky guy. I guess I'm worth something after all."

Jon wrapped his arms around Luke. "I'm glad you're realizing that. You are my hero, you know that? I was so proud of you today and when you took me with in the plane to the tie-down area I practically exploded. Even though it was on the ground, I loved it. Why don't you call your parents and tell them?"

Luke hesitated a moment. He shrugged and pulled out his cell phone. When Luke's father answered Luke told him the good news and they talked for a couple of minutes. He told Luke to hold on for a minute because his mother wanted to talk to him.

"Congratulations, Luke! You must be very proud! I know you've been wanting to do this for a long time."

"Thanks, mom. I'm in seventh heaven right now."

"You should be, that's quite an accomplishment and something to be proud of. We were wondering, would you and Jon like to join us for Thanksgiving? Your sister and Don will be here."

"Sure, mom, that sounds nice." Linda was pleasantly surprised at how readily Luke accepted.

"Shouldn't you check with Jon?"

"No, he'll be fine with it."

"Okay, wonderful! Plan on around three, but you're welcome to come earlier if you like."

"Thanks, mom. We'll see you then. Tell dad I said bye."

Jon looked up at Luke. "What will I be fine with?"

"Thanksgiving with my parents." Luke rolled his eyes. "Ruthie and Don will be there, so they will probably make it easier to stomach."

"Will you stop already?"

"At least the food will be good. My mother is a very good cook."

"Now all we have to do is see if my parents invite us for Christmas. I'll call in a couple of days and feel them out. I thought of inviting them here to see our place, but it would be a little crowded."

"I'd rather go there," said Luke. "It's a nice place, and you don't get there that often. I know you enjoy it." Rocky climbed up and took his place on Luke's lap.

"Yeah, I do. We'll see how things work out. We have one other thing to work out. Now that you've soloed and it doesn't seem like you're going to stop flying, what about the proposal we talked about--you going full-time with flying?"

"That's pretty much a moot point right now. I'll be laid off after Thanksgiving and it sounds like it'll be for longer this time. So at least for a while I'll be able to fly as much as I want. I'm thinking I won't be called back until after the first of the year."

"Oh, gee Luke, that's a long time. But at least this time you'll have something to keep you busy." Jon was elated at the news, but he tried not to let it show. He'd enjoy the holidays more knowing Luke wasn't working out in the winter weather.

"Maybe it's for the best. If I push myself, I might be able to get my license by the end of the year. What a way to start the New Year, huh? I think I'll go flying tomorrow so I can log another hour or two."

"I thought Charlie didn't work on Sunday."

"Who said anything about Charlie? I said I'm going flying. Just me."

"I might be seeing less of you when you're laid off than I do now. But that's okay."

Luke stood and pulled Jon to his feet. "Come on, I gave you a ride today, now it's your turn to return the favor."

By Monday Jon had made a decision about which candidate he would hire to be his assistant. After poring over his notes and going over the interviews in his mind, he decided he'd just go with his gut instinct. The one he selected wasn't the most experienced as far as working in an office, but Jon was impressed with his enthusiasm and cheerful manner. He seemed to be casual, confident and at ease during the interview. He would be starting on Wednesday, provided his background check came back clear.

Luke asked George to join him for lunch so they could talk about what was coming up. The layoff was a surprise to George, but Luke assured him it was temporary. He explained what he should do as far as claiming benefits and managing his money. George told Luke he was getting to be friends with the guys he had met at the wedding and he had met a few more guys. Now that he had some guys his own age he could relate to, Luke was becoming more of a friend--almost a big brother--rather than a sex object to him. That worked well for both of them.

Jon got to work a few minutes early on Wednesday and stopped for a cup of coffee before heading to his desk. He was momentarily surprised to see a young man working at his computer, but he realized it was John, his new assistant.

"Good morning, John."

"Oh, hi Jon." John stood and shook his hand. "I hope you don't mind me looking through your computer, I wanted to see what kinds of apps and stuff there is. Fran said it would be okay."

"Of course, help yourself. It's not my computer, it's the company's. I wanted to have you all set up with your own desk and computer by now, but something's holding it up so in the meantime feel free to use mine."

Jon spent the next ten minutes chatting with John, just getting to know each other. Jon was becoming comfortable he had made the right decision, and when the subject of Jon being married to Luke was broached it turned out to be a non-issue. Jon had wanted to make sure there would be no surprises later on. He spent the next half-hour familiarizing John with the morning routine.

Jon said, "There might be some confusion around here with our names."

"I know. In my fraternity there were four 'Johns' and one 'Jon.' We solved the problem by giving each other nicknames; I was 'Cecil.' Okay if I use that?"

Jon smiled. "Cecil it is, then. Why don't you start out by sending an email to the company introducing yourself?"

Friday after work Jon met Luke at The Inn. He put his arm around Luke and gave him a quick peck on the cheek as he sat next to him at the bar. "Did you feed Rocky before you came here?"

"Of course I did--what kind of parent do you think I am? You look like you're ready for a couple of days off."

"I am. I'm not used to doing my work and keeping an eye on someone else's work, too. But Cecil's doing real well and we get along great."

"Cecil? I thought you hired John."

"I did, it's his nickname so people don't get us confused. When I got to work this morning he was sitting at his own desk with his computer all set up. I knew the stuff came in yesterday, but I didn't think Maintenance would have it set up so fast. Turns out Cecil heard the equipment was there, so he came in at the crack of dawn to assemble the desk and get everything running. Needless to say, I was impressed. He even had the network printer connections all squared away and his email going."

"Sounds like a good guy."

"So far I couldn't be happier. He's a little over-zealous sometimes, tackling something and trying to do it without asking for help when he should. But he's sharp and I think he's going to work out."

Thanksgiving at the Sorensen's turned out to be pleasurable. Jon enjoyed talking with Ruth and Don; he liked getting to know Luke's sister, partly because he had never had a brother or sister but mostly because he found it interesting to hear her slant on what Luke was like when they were growing up. Luke's father was very interested in hearing about flying--it was something he had wanted to do, but there was never the time. He and Luke talked for quite a while, and for the first time Greg realized his son was a bright young man he could relate to. It was almost as if the fact he was gay didn't really matter that much. Almost. It would take some more work.

The next morning the men enjoyed sleeping in after the holiday. After their shower they had a leisurely breakfast.

"I think we should get my folks a computer for Christmas," said Jon. "I know it's hard to believe they don't have one, but they don't think they need it."

"That's a good idea. I know they'll like it once they start using it."

"Wanna go shopping for one today?"

"On 'Black Friday'? I don't think so."

"I guess not. Okay, you go online and pick out a computer; I'll see if I can arrange for a cable or DSL connection. I hope we don't have to go with satellite."

It took Luke about 30 minutes to find a nice computer at a good price. It took Jon another 45 minutes of wrangling with the phone company in Rockford. He was eventually able to order a DSL line and have them charge it and the first year of service to him.

Luke went for his flying lesson on Saturday and Jon decided to stop at his condo and check on his tenants. They were quite happy there and expressed an interest in buying. Their grandson would be starting at North Central College in the fall and it would be great for him. Jon told them he would think about it. When he left he walked down to Cathy's.

"This is a nice surprise," said Cathy. "I don't see nearly enough of you since you moved out."

"Oh, come on. We see each other at least two or three times a week."

"I know, but it's not the same. I don't get a chance to feed you as often. Then again, there isn't too much left after I feed Joe."

Jon laughed. "I can believe that!"

"So how are the newlyweds doing?"

"We're doing great. Next Friday is Luke's last day of work for a while; he's being laid-off again. But that's not a problem, and he's going to do a lot of flying while he's off."

"That's good, it will keep him from going into his hibernation mode."

"I wouldn't let that happen. Cathy, you wouldn't believe how different he is lately. He's like a new man!"

"You mean since you got married?"

"That's probably part of it, but I think the real difference is flying, especially since he soloed. He's happier, more confident in himself, and he's even talking to his parents. I even notice it when we make love. I think he's found something he's passionate about and it gives him a sense of purpose and pride."

"That's great! I know how worried you were. What do you think he's going to do--become an airline pilot?"

"I don't know, I don't think he's decided where it will go. As long as he's this happy, I don't care what he decides to do. Even if he quit now, I think the positive changes would stay with him. But I don't see him quitting, he's hooked!"

"Oh, that's wonderful, Jon. I knew things would work out with you guys."

"I just wanted to share the good news with you. I bend your ear often enough with my problems."

"No you don't!"

"I feel like I do sometimes."

"You'd better not think that way. I love you like a brother, and don't ever feel like you're burdening me. I should slap you for the very thought!"

Luke was just over halfway through his lesson. Charlie had him practice some more-advanced aerobatics and precision flying.

"Okay, Luke, I want you to do a climbing turn to the left to about 6000 feet."

Luke began the procedure but within several seconds he felt the plane slow and begin to sink. The red Stall Warning indicator on the instrument panel flashed frenetically, accompanied by a loud alarm. The propeller was spinning at an idle and the cockpit was suddenly very, very quiet.

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