"Jon, I really don't expect anything to happen, but be prepared. I'm going to land as slow as I can. Tighten your seatbelt, but be ready to get out if we have to."

Jon just nodded. He wanted to grab Luke and kiss him, but he knew Luke was concentrating. They approached the runway and Jon became even more nervous when he saw emergency vehicles flanking the runway with their lights flashing.

THE INN -- Chapter 32

Luke lined up with the runway and they crossed the threshold. Jon held his breath and put his hand on Luke's thigh as they touched down. It seemed to be a more gentle landing than he'd ever experienced. As they rolled to a stop they looked at each other.

Luke smiled at Jon. "I told you nothing would happen."

"I never doubted you. Now I think I have to puke."

Luke put his hand on Jon's. "Okay, you can stop strangulating my leg now."

Jon gave him a sheepish look as he raised Luke's hand to his lips and kissed it. Luke radioed the tower for taxi instructions but was told to stay where they were and they'd be towed. He and Jon rode in one of the ambulances to the terminal. Luke talked with a mechanic for a few minutes.

"They're going to look it over, but unless it's something simple we might have to figure out some other way to get back to the airport. Let's get a Coke or something while we wait. I'm going to call Darleen and let her know we're okay."

They found a cafe and got some refreshments while they waited. Luke smiled at Jon.

"That was interesting, wasn't it?"

Jon looked at him. "About as interesting as I ever want to go through again."

"What were you thinking when we were landing?"

"I don't know, a lot of things. Mainly I thought if we're gonna die, at least we're together. Believe it or not, I even thought about Rocky. I wondered who'd take care of him."

"Jeez," said Luke, "even I didn't think about that. All I was thinking was I can land safely. I knew I had to, you were next to me."

Luke's phone rang and he stood and walked a few steps to a more quiet area. After a few minutes he returned to their table.

"The plane's ready, it was just a broken switch--we were never in any danger. If we leave soon we can make it back before dark--unless you'd rather not fly after all this."

"If you're flying, I'm flying. I'm your co-pilot, remember?"

Luke and Jon finally arrived home and snacked on some of the food Peg had given them. They relaxed on the couch, with Rocky sprawled across the two of them.

Luke asked, "Do you really think your parents are going to like having a dog?"

"Oh God, yes. I don't know how they've gone so long without a dog or cat to keep them busy. I'm going to wait a day or two before I call them, but I know this is going to be great for everyone."

"I'm still worried someone's gonna call and say he's theirs."

"If it hasn't happened by now, I don't think it will. And if they're that careless about a puppy, I don't think we'll hear from them and they don't deserve him."

Just before Jon left work on Tuesday he received an email from his parents. He chuckled as he read the note, forwarded it to himself at home, then turned off his computer. When he pulled up to the condo he was glad to see Luke's car was there. He kissed Luke and took the beer he handed him.

Luke said, "Sorry, we're out of tonic. I'll get some in a little while."

"Let's both walk to the store when we're done with our beers. I'll tell you what mom said about the puppy."

"I passed my Instrument Rating today."

"That's great!" said Jon as he kissed him again. "I didn't know you were doing that today."

"I didn't plan on it, but I was ready and Charlie had the time so I went for it. He said he could tell I've been 'cheating' on him with another instructor because I'm doing some things a little differently. I didn't realize I was. Now the next step is the Commercial Rating. That's going to be a lot of hours of flying and some of it has to be at night. I know I told you I'd fly when you're at work, but I have to do some of it at night and I have to do several cross-country trips."

"That's okay, just let me know in advance." Jon drained his beer. "Ready?"

Luke stood. "C'mon, Rocky. Let's go shopping."

They began walking to the Pantry. Jon said, "I'll show you the email from mom later. But they love the puppy and dad is crazy about him. They already named him--'Frisbie.' The puppy found an old Frisbee I had and he plays with it. Dad's going to teach him how to catch it when he's a little older. And he seems to be housebroke already; only one accident right after we left, and he's been fine ever since."

"That's good to hear," said Luke, "too bad we couldn't keep him, but we'll be able to see him a lot. I'm glad it's working out."

They came up to the Pantry door and Luke said, "Stay here, Rocky."

He needn't have bothered; Rocky knew he had to wait next to the door. The men picked up what they needed and were waiting to check out. Suddenly Jon dropped what he was carrying on the counter.

"Oh, shit!" Jon yelled as he ran toward the door.

Luke turned and looked. Rocky was nose-to-nose with a pit bull.

"Jon, it's okay. They know each other--they're friends."

The guy standing in line behind Luke laughed. "Everyone thinks she's ready to kill, but she's a wonderful dog."

"I know; she plays with Rocky in the courtyard. The first time I saw him run up to her the other day, I panicked, too. I'm Luke, I'm sorry I haven't been by to welcome you to the neighborhood."

"That's okay, I haven't had a chance yet, either. I'm Gary, and that's Avis. I named her after my grandmother."

Jon walked back in holding Rocky. "I can't believe you're so cavalier with him. He could be dog food by now!"

"I knew he was safe. Jon, this is Gary--he lives at the end of our building. His dog is Avis and she already knows Rocky."

Jon and Gary shook hands. "I'm Jon. I've never seen your dog before, and I didn't know what would happen. Rocky has no fear."

The three guys walked back home together, Avis on a leash and Rocky running ahead, then stopping to look back and wait until they caught up. Jon invited Gary in and they sat and talked while Rocky and Avis entertained each other. Avis found Rocky's food dish, but Rocky put a quick stop to that. Luke mixed a vodka tonic for Jon and retrieved beers for himself and Gary.

Jon asked, "How do you like it here so far, Gary?"

"I've always loved this place. I had a friend who lived here, so I'd visit often. I like all the activities and amenities. When my lease was up I decided to move here. Most the people are friendly, and Avis likes all the dogs there are around. She's still almost a puppy and everything is a game with her."

"She sure is well-behaved," observed Luke. "She and Rocky really seem to like each other."

"She likes all animals, and she gets frustrated when the ducks and geese don't want to play. Rocky teases her sometimes, because he knows exactly how far she can go when she's on her chain."

Jon and Luke laughed, knowing how Rocky liked to push the envelope. Avis sat next to Gary and Rocky sat next to her for a while, then decided to relax on Luke's lap. Avis rested her head on Luke's knee and Rocky kept a close watch. He seemed to be okay with her so far, but he wasn't about to let her get any friendlier with Luke. Avis eventually moved over to Jon and licked his hand. Rocky was fine with that.

"How long have you guys lived here?"

Luke said, "I've been here about two years, and Jon's going on almost five. We both like it, and we're not planning a move. Jon still has his condo, but he lives here now and he's renting his place out."

Jon said, "It's a good thing we're comfortable here. I don't think either of us could sell now with the way the market is and the number of condos that are for sale. But we might get a house someday."

"I understand you guys are a couple, or married," said Gary.

"Yes, we've been married almost a year now; we were married in Iowa," said Jon. "Our anniversary is coming up the end of October."

"Oh," said Gary, "so you really are married. Then it doesn't matter for you guys that it looks like Illinois is going to have civil unions soon."

Luke said, "When the law goes into effect in June, Illinois will automatically consider us in a civil union because we're already married. The State still won't consider us married, though."

Jon added, "I don't think it'll be too long before Illinois at least considers us married, even if they don't have gay marriage here. But they will sooner or later."

"I hope so for you guys."

"What do you do for work?" asked Luke.

"I manage hazardous materials handling for Argonne, a lot of radioactive stuff. I'm a glorified garbage man. What about you guys?"

Jon said, "I run production for an aerospace company, and Luke's a pilot."

"Cool! What kinds of planes do you fly, Luke?"

"So far, just single- and twin-engine small planes. I'm still learning but I hope to get my Commercial Rating soon and then we'll see what happens."

"Awesome! Some of us have to go to seminars a couple times a year. Maybe I could get them to fly with you if the cost is comparable."

"I'd be happy to talk about it, but I can't fly passengers until I have the Commercial. I'd probably be able to get you there with a lot less hassle and closer to your final destination. I'll let you know."

"Anything's better than having to deal with the airports. I can't promise anything, but I can float the idea."

The men continued talking until Avis started to become restless; she was getting hungry. Gary stood and Avis excitedly trotted to the door. Once they had left, Jon and Luke relaxed on the couch again.

Jon said, "Gary seemed like a nice guy. We should ask him over the next time we have a get-together."

"Sure, I liked him. Maybe Gary and Joe know some of the same people with both of them working at government labs. But probably not, those are big places."

Jon mixed himself another drink and got a Coke for Luke; he didn't bother to ask, he knew Luke was flying the next day. He placed his glass on the coffee table and sat next to Luke, snuggling against him. Luke leaned back into the corner of the couch and rested Jon's head against his chest with one hand on his shoulder and the other cradling his head. He turned Jon's head toward himself and leaned down to kiss the top of his head.

Over the next couple of weeks Jon and Luke became good friends with Gary, and Rocky and Avis had become pals, too. Avis seemed to have a motherly instinct toward him and whenever they were together they'd roughhouse or relax and groom each other. In the beginning Avis was unnerved when Rocky climbed the tree, but she became used to it; she'd just wait at the base until he decided to come down. Luke taught Rocky he could play in the courtyard if Avis was there; otherwise he had to stay on the patio. Avis was the most dedicated babysitter they could ask for. Even though Rocky could probably defend himself, there were some big dogs and questionable wild animals in the area.

On a Saturday, Luke cajoled Jon into taking Rocky for a plane ride. Jon thought the idea was crazy, but if he didn't go along he knew he'd never hear the end of it. He bought a carrier and they went to the airport. Rocky happily trotted with them to the office.

"Who's this?" asked Darleen as she petted Rocky.

"This is Rocky. I want to see how he likes flying," said Luke.

Jon gave her a pained expression.

"This is a first," said Darleen.

They walked to the plane with Rocky following, taking some time to explore things of interest. When they got to the plane, Luke did the pre-flight, then climbed into the cockpit and called Rocky. Rocky looked up, gauged the maneuver, and jumped inside. Jon followed him and took his seat, picking up Rocky and placing him on his lap.

"You're staying here--Luke is busy."

Rocky freaked a little when the engine started--it was louder and vibrated more than he was used to in the car. He stood on Jon's lap with his front paws on the edge of the window as they taxied. As they accelerated down the runway, Rocky watched. He looked down as they began their ascent, watching the ground give way. Rocky turned to Luke and meowed. Luke scratched his ears.

"Don't worry, Rocky, everything's fine."

Rocky took another look out the window, and then sat on Jon's lap. He seemed to be thinking, "I don't even want to know what happens next."

After Rocky's successful maiden flight, Luke began taking him flying a couple of times a week. They both seemed to enjoy each other's company and it got to the point when the word "flying" came up, Rocky perked up and was ready to go.

Luke achieved his Instructor Rating and his Commercial Rating, which meant he could fly passengers and cargo for hire. There wasn't a huge demand for charter flights at the small airport, but there was at least one a week. Luke hadn't flown one yet; he was happy to let Charlie fly them until he had more hours and experience. He knew he could do it--the fact he had the rating was all he needed, but he wanted to take things easy after having pushed himself. The holidays were coming up and he wanted to spend more time with Jon.

For their anniversary the men decided they'd take a long weekend and spend it at the B&B where they'd stayed for their honeymoon. Gary volunteered to watch Rocky and assured them that between himself and Avis, Rocky would be in good hands. They drove to Dubuque and checked into the same suite they had on their honeymoon.

They flopped on the bed and embraced each other. "Can you believe it's been a year since we were here?" asked Jon as he hugged Luke.

"No, it seems like we were just here on our wedding night. You were so fucking hot that night."

"What about now?" smiled Jon.

"You're even hotter now. Maybe it's because I love you even more than I did then, but I don't know how I could. The first time we kissed I knew I'd never kiss another man like that."

"I know," said Jon. "I felt it, too."

"I want to make love to you all night, Mr. Addison."

"I don't have any other plans..."

They hardly slept all night and wound up practically running the gamut of their sexual activities and positions. Close to dawn they ran out of steam and slept for a brief while until the sun came up. Luke took Jon's hand and pulled him out of bed and into the whirlpool tub where they relaxed and played for the next hour. Neither wanted it to end.

They drove around Dubuque for a while and decided to have brunch at an out- of-the-way restaurant they stumbled upon. They ordered their breakfasts and after a few minutes Jon became aware of Luke looking at him. He looked at Luke.

"What?" asked Jon.

"I was just thinking how different things are now. What would we be doing if I had stayed in Chicago, and we never met?"

"We did meet, and it was meant to be. No matter what happened, or where we were, I think somehow we would have wound up together. I can't imagine not being with you."

Luke winked at him. "Me neither. Let's start heading back home and stop at your parents' place on the way. I'd like to see them, and we can see how Frisbie is getting along."

"Sure, let's take the back roads. It'll take longer, but it's a nice drive and I'm sure mom will want to feed us. Maybe we'll be hungry again by then."

Jon drove back toward Rockford and Luke enjoyed seeing the rural landscape. He'd only taken the highways before and had never seen the two-lane roads with farms and farmhouses every mile or two. They were nearing Rockford and Jon slowed and turned onto a gravel road. Luke had noticed a hand-lettered sign that touted home-baked goods.

"This is Mrs. Gray's," said Jon. "She makes awesome pies, we can get a couple for mom and dad."

"Why, Jon Addison! Where have you been?" called Mrs. Gray as she walked into the yard. "You look better than ever!"

"Thanks, Mrs. Gray. This is my friend, Luke. We wanted to get a couple of your pies to take to my mom and dad."

"You wait just a few minutes, I have a fresh apple and a rhubarb pie just about ready. I know your mother loves rhubarb."

Mrs. Gray bustled back into the house. Luke asked about getting a cake, too.

"No," said Jon, "she makes delicious pies, but her cakes leave something to be desired. Let's just say you wouldn't want to drop one on your toe. I'm sorry I just said you're my 'friend,' but I didn't want to get into it."

"Don't worry, I know all about that. Sometimes you have to cave in. I've been doing it most my life."

When they arrived at the Addison's Jon wondered whether the puppy would remember them, but the minute they got out of the car Frisbie ran to Jon, whining and wagging his tail like he had just found a long-lost friend. He saw Luke and ran over to him, jumping up on his leg. He alternated between Jon and Luke for a few minutes and ran back to Jon's father when he came out of the house. Frisbie was delirious and seemed to understand they were all family. They headed into the house and relaxed in the living room.

Peg asked, "Did you two have a good time in Dubuque for your anniversary?"

Luke almost choked on his sip of iced tea. Jon said, "Yeah, I don't think the honeymoon is over yet."

"It isn't for us, either," said Bill. "As long as you love the person you're with, you'll always be happy."

Luke asked, "How do you like Frisbie? He seems happy to be here."

"If he isn't with me, he's with Peg. He's a very good puppy."

Peg said, "I think he knows everything we say. The other night I told dad he should put on slippers. A few minutes later Frisbie came up with one of them. Dad told him to get the other one, and he did. He's amazing!"

Jon smiled as he scratched the puppy's ears. "I knew you'd love him and that he'd be a good dog. I just got that feeling right out of the box with him."

"How are you doing with flying, Luke?" asked Peg.

"I'm doing okay, I have my commercial and instructor ratings. But I don't know about it. I've done more than I ever thought I would, but I'm still spending more money than I'm making. I'm not sure this is what I should be doing."

"Give it some time," said Jon. "Once you have a few students and are flying charters, you'll be getting paid to fly. Stop worrying about the cost. It's not like you can't afford it."

"I know, but I hate not bringing home a paycheck regularly. I feel like I'm not doing anything."

Bill said, "Luke, you can't expect to make money right away. You're just starting. It takes time to get to the point where you're making a profit."

"I'm thinking I'll give it another six months or so, and then see what it looks like. I don't think I'll quit flying no matter what happens, but I might start looking for other work."

Jon looked at him. "Don't tell me you're thinking of going back into construction. I didn't even know you were considering anything but flying."

"I doubt I'd get back into construction, at least not the way I was. I don't have any ideas yet, but I'm not sure flying is going to support me and I have to think of the future."

"Luke, don't worry about that. We'll be okay, and you have plenty of time to see what you want to do."

"We'll talk about it later. Right now I just want to relax and enjoy being here."

Peg put her hand on Luke's. "We love having you here, too. Dad and I are so happy the two of you have been spending so much more time here lately. We loved it when you and Joe came up that afternoon. We're happy you feel you can do something like that, Luke. We love seeing you. Why don't you two spend the night here tonight?"

Luke's phone rang and he stepped outside to answer it. He saw it was from the airport at home.

"Luke, it's Darlene. I hate to bother you, but a student flew 7-6-Tango to Belvidere yesterday and now he has the flu and can't make it back for a couple of days. We need the plane before then. Can you fly out there with someone and bring it back?"

"I'm in Rockford right now. Where's the plane and is it ready to go?"

"I'll make sure it is. Oh, that works out great! When will you be there?"

"Let me check with Jon, but we'll be driving right past there on our way home. I'll call you back."

Luke told Jon about the plane and they decided they'd spend the night and get an early start in the morning. Jon would drop him off at the airport in Belvidere and with any luck he'd only be a half-hour or so late for work. Peg and Bill were happy they were spending the night. Bill and Peg's house was becoming so comfortable to Luke that it seemed like a second home.

Peg woke up early and made breakfast for everyone. Jon and Luke were on their way shortly after six and Jon dropped Luke off at the airport near Belvidere.

"I think I'll go straight to work; I'll see you at home tonight. How are you going to get home from the airport?"

"I don't know, I'll find someone to drive me. You might be back before I am...7-6-Tango is a Cessna 152, a two-seater and it's not that fast."

"Okay, call me when you get home."

Jon and Luke kissed as Luke got out of the car. Luke went to the flight office, asked for the keys and got into the plane. When he landed at Midwest he found Darleen in the office.

"That worked out great, Luke. I hope it didn't put you out too much."

"No, it was fine. I just have to find a ride home."

"I'm sure someone can do that. If you're not in a hurry, Charlie's running late and he has a student waiting. Do you want to take him?"

"Sure, if Charlie doesn't mind."

"He won't, I'll call him and let him know he can take his time. He'll appreciate it. Oh, I have a charter on Saturday to Memphis--it's yours if you want it. It's a family of four going to St. Jude Children's Hospital, so you'll have to take the Aztec."

"Sure I'll take it--that'll be my first charter flight. Do I have to stay overnight there?"

"No, you'll drop them off and come back. It should be an easy trip, and they're returning at some point. They don't know when yet, it could be a couple of days or a week. Their kid needs a battery of tests."

"That's too bad, it sounds serious. What time Saturday?"

"They want to leave by six a.m."

"I won't be partying Friday night, that's for sure. Okay, you can fill me in on the details later."

Luke turned to greet his student, who was about Luke's age. They talked for a few minutes so Luke knew at what stage he was in flying. He was friendly and Luke found him attractive, especially when he smiled.

Luke was able to get a ride home from one of the mechanics. He walked into his condo and noticed how quiet it was. He walked to Gary's to see what Rocky was up to. The minute Rocky saw Luke he ran up to him. Luke picked him up and Rocky nuzzled him.

"He seemed to like staying here," said Gary. "He and Avis are great together. It's strange how they get along. But when he was outside, he'd go over to your condo and meow at the door. I think he was looking for you."

When Luke and Rocky were back home, Rocky took his place in the corner of the couch. He seemed to be glad Luke was there and things were once again back to normal. Luke took a nap and Jon was home a little earlier than usual.

"Oh, hi," said Luke. "I was just resting my eyes."

"Go ahead and sleep if you want. I'll make dinner. How'd things work out today?"

"I had my first student. Come to think of it, I flew half the day today and I got paid for it."

"Good! I told you you'll be making money soon."

"It was a fluke, but it was fun--I liked instructing. If I can get a couple of students it'll be great. And I have a charter flight this Saturday to Memphis. I'm sorry, I'll be gone most of the day but I should be back Saturday night. I can't pass this up."

Jon smiled at him. "I'm happy for you, Luke. Maybe things are falling into place with your flying. What's happening in Memphis?"

"I'm flying a family to St. Jude. Their daughter has some kind of problem they're trying to diagnose. I just have to fly them there, then turn around and come home."

The men eased into their usual routine the next week. Luke took Rocky flying a couple more times and he seemed to be fine with it. Mostly Rocky relaxed in the co-pilot seat or Luke's lap, but he spent a surprising amount of time looking out the window. Luke wondered what he found interesting. He also wondered whether Rocky had any concept of them being up in the air.

Luke got up at four Saturday morning, showered and ate a quick breakfast. It was still dark outside as he climbed into his car and headed to the airport. When he arrived at the flight office he turned on the lights and started the coffee. While he was waiting for that, he went outside and did the pre-flight inspection on the Aztec. When he had finished he went back inside, poured himself a cup of coffee and went over his flight plan. Thirty minutes later a Mercedes pulled up and four people got out--two adults, a boy who looked to be about 15, and a little girl, maybe eight. They walked into the flight office and seemed to be unsure of themselves.

"You must be the Carlsons. I'm Luke, I'm your pilot. Have a seat."

They all introduced each other and Luke could see that Wendy, the patient, was uneasy.

"Wendy, are you nervous about flying?" asked Luke.

"A little. But I'm worried about Smoky. She's my kitty. I wish she could come with me."

"I'm sure she'll be fine, and you will, too. I take extra special care of passengers like you."

Luke looked at Wendy's parents. "Mr. and Mrs. Carlson, can I talk to you for a minute?"

The three stepped to the side. "I know your daughter is a little nervous and she has a lot going on. I was thinking maybe she'd like my cat to fly with her. He flies with me a lot, and I think he would help take her mind off things."

"Your cat flies with you?" asked Mr. Carlson.

"Yes, he likes it. If it's all right with you, I can have him here in a few minutes."

Mrs. Carlson smiled. "I think that would be wonderful. I know Wendy would like it--she's afraid of what she'll go through at the hospital."

Luke said, "I think so, too. And he'll keep me company on the way back."

Luke excused himself and went into the hangar. He called Jon.

"Jon, I don't have a lot of time to explain. Bring Rocky to the airport, he's going with us."

"Why?"

"I think he'll help this kid feel better. Can you do it?"

"I'll be there in 20 minutes. Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"I hope so."

Jon dropped Rocky off and Luke introduced him to Wendy. The little girl's face lit up like a Christmas tree. Rocky seemed to be comfortable with her.

"Is Rocky really going to fly with us?" asked Wendy.

"Yes he is, he's an old pro at flying."

"Awesome!" said Wendy as she hugged Rocky.

Luke noticed that Evan, Wendy's brother, stayed off to the side. Luke figured he felt somewhat left out with everyone fussing over his sister. They walked to the plane and were getting ready to board.

Luke stood next to Evan. "Let's let everyone get settled in, and then you can sit next to me in the co-pilot's seat.

"Really?"

"Sure, I can always use some help."

"But I don't know anything about flying."

Luke patted him on the back. "Then this will be your first lesson. I'll show you how it's done."

Wendy sat in the right-side middle seat and when her mother began to sit next to her, she protested.

"Mom, I want Rocky to sit there. You sit in back with dad."

Rocky stretched out on the seat and seeing him appear so relaxed reassured Wendy. She rested her hand on Rocky as they took off. During the flight Luke explained a lot to Evan and let him take the controls when they were at altitude and cruising. As they neared Memphis Approach Control Luke took over.

"Let me take it from here, Evan. You watch out for other aircraft and let me know how I'm doing."

Evan smiled at Luke. He knew Luke wasn't completely serious, but he also felt honored that Luke had let him fly the plane a little.

When Luke landed in Memphis he was directed to a transient area. They were soon met by a limo. The Carlsons thanked him and asked if he'd be their pilot on their return trip. Luke wasn't sure he could be, but he told them he'd be happy to fly them if it worked out. Wendy wanted Rocky to go to the hospital with her.

"They won't let him in the hospital, Wendy. But if I'm your pilot when you come back, he'll be with us. He has to help me on my way back."

"Thanks, Captain Luke, for showing me how to fly," said Evan.

"You did great, Evan. Next time we'll do some more stuff."

The family got into the limo and headed to the hospital. Luke couldn't help but wonder what might lie ahead for them--especially Wendy. He knew they were looking at a lot more than what he had gone through, especially considering how young she was. He hoped everything would go well for them.

Luke looked around and saw Rocky had found a grassy area where he could relieve himself. He put Rocky back into the plane as they finished refueling it and went into an office to get some coffee and a sandwich. He bought a bottle of water and asked for a couple of paper cups.

When Luke climbed back into the plane he shared his chicken sandwich with Rocky and gave him some water. He started the engines and radioed for taxi instructions. They were soon in the air heading back home.

The following Wednesday Luke got a call.

"My name is Maryann Jenkins, I'm a reporter with WBKB-TV. My boss, Mr. Carlson, wants me to do a feature story on you. You flew his family to Memphis last Saturday."

"How is Wendy?"

"She's doing all right. But Mr. Carlson was very impressed with you and how you took care of them. He wants me to interview you."

"Oh, well, there isn't very much to tell. I just flew them there."

"Let me decide that. Can I meet you at the airport tomorrow?"

"I'll be there most of the day. What time?"

"I should be there by one. It should only take an hour or so. Oh, will your cat be with you? That might be a good human-interest angle."

"I guess he could spend the day with me. I'll bring him."

"Okay, good. I'll see you tomorrow, then."

Luke was a little late getting home and Jon was already there. He kissed him and sat on the couch.

"Jon, this is weird. I have an interview tomorrow."

"For a job?"

"No, for a TV news thing, I think."

Luke told him what he knew about the interview. Jon was flipping out.

"Damn, Luke, couldn't they have given you more time? You should get a haircut. No, your hair's fine, I'll just touch it up. What are you going to wear? I'll look into that. Maybe a nice pair of dress pants. I'll pick out a shirt for you. I wish we had time to get you a new suit. And don't shave; by tomorrow your beard will be perfect stubble length."

"Jon, relax. You know I'm not that big on clothes. Evidently they liked me the way I was before, so I'm not going to put on a show. I'll just be me."

"Okay, but let me help you. You always look good, but it can't hurt to dress up a little. You never know--someone might 'discover' you." Jon paused a moment. "Come to think of it, maybe that isn't such a good idea."

Luke chuckled. "I don't think you have to worry I'll be running off to Hollywood."

"I don't know," said Jon, "if I were looking for a hot new star, you'd catch my eye. Who knows who might see you on TV?"

"Jon, if you don't calm down I'm gonna skip the whole thing. It's just a short interview. It might not even make it on the news. They do this kind of thing all the time and half of it never airs."

"Well, I'm sure they'll put you on. I can't wait to see it. I wonder if Rocky'll recognize you on TV."

"I wonder if he'll recognize himself. They want him there, too."

"They do? Why do they want him there?"

"He was the main attraction for their daughter. He was a big hit."

Jon went into the hallway, opened the utility closet and started the washing machine. He rummaged in a drawer and retrieved Rocky's brush and sat on the couch. "Come here, Rocky," called Jon.

"What are you doing?"

"If Rocky's going to be on TV, he needs a good grooming. And you can't have him with a messy blanket."

"Lord, give me strength," said Luke.

Jon woke up a little early and coaxed Luke out of bed.

"Come on, I want to clean you up for your screen test."

Jon lathered up Luke's neck and shaved it, creating a sharp delineation around his jaw line. Jon stepped back and smiled.

"Damn, I did a good job! You look fantastic!"

"That was hot! I never had anyone shave me before. I'll have to do that for you one of these days."

They stepped into the shower and both massaged each other. Jon kissed Luke and was turned on by his stubble. He wondered why he didn't ask Luke to keep it like that. One thing led to another and they were both dueling with their cocks against one another. Luke seized Jon's shoulders, spun him around and attacked him from behind. Jon arched his back, then leaned forward with his hands against the shower wall. He loved it when Luke took charge like he was doing. Luke leaned forward with his chest on Jon's back, his chin on his shoulder and his arms around his chest. His hips did the rest of the work.

As Jon was leaving for work he kissed Luke. "There's two bags on the counter, one's your lunch and the other's Rocky's. Don't get them mixed up."

Luke laughed. "Thanks. If I'm licking my hands when you get home, you'll know I mixed it up."

Luke and Rocky were playing on the floor when Jon walked in and Jon kissed Luke.

"How did your interview go?"

"It was more involved than I thought it would be. I had to do all kinds of poses, mostly in or in front of the plane. They interviewed me in the office. I don't know how it's going to turn out."

"What about Rocky? Did they do anything with him?"

"If there's any time left, you might see a little of me. Maryann loved him, and he was a real ham. I guess he liked the attention, and I've never seen him so enthusiastic. At one point he was in the pilot's seat with his front paws on the yoke. I asked Maryann not to use it, I didn't want him to look like Saturday Night Live's "Toonces."

Jon laughed. "So when's it going to be on TV? I want to make sure we record it."

"It might be on tomorrow. They have to edit it but she said it might be at the end of the six o'clock news. Maybe again at ten. But it depends on whether there's anything more important happening. It's just a fluff piece."

Luke was getting ready to head to the airport when his phone rang. It was Darleen.

"Luke, I saw you on TV last night and I think everyone else did, too. The phone has been ringing off the hook! How much do you want to work every day?"

"What do you mean?"

"I have people calling and wanting to book time with you. We've never had this many calls. They're even just dropping in the office. What do you want me to do?"

"I'll fly as much as I can, I can use the money. See if you can steer some of them to Charlie and Dutch."

"They're all asking for you, but I'll see what I can do."

The next several days were hectic for Luke. He was booked solid each day, but Darleen was good about making sure there were gaps in his schedule for lunch and a couple of breaks. Luke figured he'd put in as much time as he could--he knew most of the newcomers came out of curiosity and probably wouldn't return. But a few were genuinely interested in flying and there were a couple of individuals and companies that were interested in hiring charter flights. It was a big boost for the small airport and Luke was happy about it. Not surprisingly, most of the curious were young women, but there were several men, too.

Luke collapsed on the couch when he got home. "Damn, Jon, I never thought I'd be tired of flying, but the past couple of days have been tough. I still feel like I'm in the pilot's seat."

"You've been flying newbies all the time. Once that gets sorted out, you'll have regular students and you'll enjoy it."

"I hope so. I don't know how a short clip on TV can generate that much interest."

"You really don't? For God's sake, Luke, when are you going to learn? You could have been at a company selling paper bags and you'd have been herding them in."

"I don't think so. Flying is exciting and the story probably got people thinking about it."

"The airport couldn't have had a better representative. You looked like such a hunk--they really did a good job. Of course, you always look like a hunk. That last still shot with you and Rocky was a stunner! I never realized how green his eyes are and the expression on your face was priceless. I want a print of that so I can frame it."

By the end of the next week things had gotten back in control at the airport, but a number of new students due to Luke's interview remained. A couple of them migrated to Charlie and one, the one Luke had taken when Charlie was late, asked to switch to Luke.

"Charlie," said Luke, "I don't know why Frank wants to fly with me. I didn't do anything to try and coerce him."

"Don't worry about it, Luke. People switch instructors sometimes. And with all the new students we have since your TV promotion, we're all busy."

"I just didn't mean to step on your toes."

"Are you kidding? You're the best thing that's happened around here. The cool thing is how many women want to fly. When they realize you're wearing a wedding band, some of them look to me. I'm happier than a pig in shit!"

The next afternoon Luke was checking the weather when Frank, Charlie's former student and now Luke's, walked in.

"Hi, Luke. You ready?"

"Yeah, let's go."

As they walked to the plane, Frank put his arm over Luke's shoulder.

# # #

justin1326@gmail.com