Dandelion Sky

st of her day. Jack had been true to his word, for not only had Paul given her a ride to the airport, Jo had found the workshop computer back up and running, as good as it had before it crashe

and pilots who had worked with or had flown the F8F Bearcats, and saved out any informatio

back to her apartment one last time. Tomorrow, she figured she wo

dare say it out loud for fear she might jinx the last half hour of work. Five o'clock was so tan

chive URL from someone's post, then pasted it into a file where she kept track of her research resources. If the message board didn't pan out,

cal diner. It had been a sweet gesture, for she didn't think Jack had put him up to bringing her lunch. Jo was careful to not be overly impressed though. When Paul had handed her the takeout bag, and the soda, he'd acted like the light should be glinting off h

ng could possibly ruin my day now," she sighed. She was about to kick herself

was

nto the workshop. It wasn't the roar of an airplane, but more

shed up from the chair. She had to

od open to the Arizona sky. She followed the sound of all the commotion, the shouts of men talking above the sound of an engine. T

herry-re

throaty growl as s

they didn't do justice to the real thing. Her heart beat fast as she traced the form, the a

her achi

of the engine. "What gas mileage ar

sat there and growled. She took in the shapely fenders, the unflinchingly wide grille, and felt the tug. It was almost primal. She wanted to thank whoever owned this heavenly piece of engineering for bringing it by their shop, but she didn't dare. It was most

started to look back at the c

a smal

.. no, it

e car that had the greater influence, she didn't know. Her brain wasn't firing on

d Jo could suddenly hea

e arm. "Ethan wants to give

use

ked at the car and shook his he

his?" s

ll nod in Ethan's direction. "If you want to g

s not fi

one who had been mildly flirting with her that afternoon, Paul seemed al

open the passenger door. Ethan looked back at her and Jo felt her heart quicken. The invitat

He didn't look too happy about it, but something

be worth it. So worth it. To die in such a vehicle would be an honor-- no, make that a privilege. She would have to be d

oor, and for some stu

ing, or not?

h as Ethan rocketed from the airport while the engine flexed its muscle and all but lifted them off the ground. They mi

es, as though figuring out how it operated. Even as they cut their speed, Jo couldn't

nced at her, his eyes focused on the road. He spoke above the

Ethan slowed a little m

's Jo Mack

no

hangar." He glanced at her and she smiled.

what to say. Sh

Aiden's daughter married my

led. "

n Francisco,

Ethan's face and wondered if she had gotten it all

. "So how

about

u out to dinne

d. "That's a

are you?" Ethan laughed. "I bought

is car was his. Ethan Taylor owned a high-end sports car? What was he-- a brain

he asked. When she

above the horizon. Ethan seemed vaguely impatient, for he passed more cars then she care

er her breath. She had let a stranger turn her head with an Italian sports car with little to no questions asked. That it was the ultimate car and deserved to be admired everywhere i

er mind. She didn't do things like this;

e figured he deserved. She wouldn't give him an ounce more though. If he wanted an

n organic gourmet restaurant where the waiters wore earth-toned uniforms, and had name badges that proclaimed the people as recycled plant material. Okay

es and obscure-sounding food that had no taste. She didn't know for certai

en the door for her. Jo looked down at her faded shirt, and dusty blue jeans. She wasn't trying to embarrass him, but she wondered how much he could

ut. He showed no revulsion as he went to open the re

rst, and

ked like a runaway scarecrow. She had expected to eat the wild rice casserole lefto

efore?" Ethan asked as

se dinner for two set-ups where all you could do was stare at each other. On any other evening, Jo

co, as well," Ethan said, as the waitress

me. But of course it did. Why wouldn't it? He was the cutest man alive, after all. Jo sighed. She had hoped to prove herself different from a

. "Greene's make the best

smi

rt still clinging to its freshly pulled roots. She settled for the Organic Tofu Experience, wha

handed the waitress their menus,

hoped her face

like my new c

e joke about having bought the car for the occasi

I bought it

two glasses of water. When s

." He paused. "I take that back. I've never really thought about getting one befor

had to know she liked it, for she'd bee

to like?"

ore relaxed. "How long have you

ew y

efore

oen

, he stared at the table for several moments in awkward silence. He looked around, then motioned to the foo

ing, and wondered if he was beginning

ay something polit

oan founded GlobalTechPop, she worked for one of my companies. She and I designed the mobile ap

seemed overtly geeky, like he'd just stepped away from his desk where he did various and sundry important things that were considered important by those who understood what he did. The observation may

f what he was saying, and yet he kept going. That he was nervous was obvious, but why he should be that way was a mystery to Jo. Surely, he was used to

at it was because he had designed the restaurant's mobile app. He was just pla

admired her before, but not the way the waitre

ad ordered, she couldn't help but notice Ethan's eyes. They weren't terribly red, but it gave him a tired look that seemed familiar somehow. He looked fine

at her. "Are

owned, "so I'd hope the answe

divorced?

is-- Twenty

wondering,"

aven't.

much time, and divorce takes even more." He paused. "Even if I had the time though, it's

cal for me," Jo smiled, "

that she found mildly unsettling.

ences with me-- I've been learning so much. They've all been wonderful, especially Mr. Campbell. When

e a st

working to get my

"So you're studying to become an a

g to brag. "I attend the community college

llege, myself," he smile

fully quiet lulls where it was obvious neither one knew what to say. "I'll pretty much be able to get all the education I need in Ci

pa live around h

ed away

ned. "Of course you miss him, he's your grandpa. It was

esponsible for studying all those squiggle marks and determining if you were telling the truth or not. He swore he could tell whenever I lied, which pretty much made my teenage years a nightmare. I finally got it though my thick skull that I shouldn't lie. Period. Whether Grandpa could tell

d like qui

d. "He was a good

ghtfully, and she wonder

ng kind of dumb," Jo asked

ce. "Is that one of your

to think before she continued-- "I did something tha

gged into a grin

and I need you to know that a serious relationship is the last thin

realize that we're

her fake hamburger. "It's just that I don't want you to have the wrong impression. I'

ed as though he did

, the mixture of interest and fear in his eyes that made her think he wanted something more than dinner. Why someone who was as obviously successful, and as handsome as he was, should want anything at all

a titan or not, wa

ut of he

ill interested. Either Ethan was completely nuts, or she

than's shoulders

smoothie. "Are your parents

committal shru

l color on the walls of the restaurant, the fact they liked their smoothies. Jo did like the drink; she found it thick and cold and down-t

. Jo waited as Ethan opened the passenger door for her. She slipped into the car;

y like the ca

you-gotta-be-kidding-m

heap, but it was worth it, wasn't it?" He look

head. "May I as

the wheel, and motion

thing, so why do you keep

retty strong. I hope it doesn't embarrass you to hear that, but it's true. Then something changed-- I don't know what-- I guess you'd chan

y it because o

oming out of the restaurant turned and smiled at them. Ethan flashed a grin as he eas

do you

ned on to the street. He punched the gas, and reached the speed limi

ge him by smiling. "Are

hen I woke up today, I had no idea that I was going to

ng well to buy something like this

out me? Surely, Jack or Aiden must h

ut of it. If something was supposed to be common knowledge, it wasn't to her. "My general impression is

rtups before going off to found her own company-- she called it GlobalTechPop. I never cared for that name. Anyway. My point is, most startups don't do very well. In

you mean?

ld my startup for over

ean, d

she whistled

w him fight back a smile. "This changes nothing,"

. "You got in

m in his place. Before she got out a single word, he sped up, catching her off b

asked. "Feel like takin

surprised her, for she couldn't quite forget Mr. Campbell's comment about Ethan's lack of responsibility. She shoved the thought asid

*

about him. For all his effort, he wasn't sure it was making much of a difference. She wasn't interested; that's what she'd said, and he was trying to make up hi

ve hi

e. He wasn't crazy though, or nuts, or a taco short of a combination platter. He had made a decision and had stuck with i

he got another yes, a sign that would

own about his money even before she had flirted with him at Campbell Aviation. But no. He pushed

er head back and her eye

bought a car to impress the woman. He liked her, didn't he?

n fr

the interstate. The sky had turned black above them with just a sliver of a moon showing. It made for a long rom

n't want

roat. "We're near

eamy sigh. "I haven't had th

doing tomorr

hy

could go somewhere, and eat breakfast. If that turns out all right, then maybe we go somewhere else and h

g, and Ethan se

wo people agreeing to be at the same place at the same tim

as a smile in Jo's voi

n weekends. No one but masochists and the self-employed work on weekends." Ethan should know. He had worke

and Ethan could tell s

to the apartment building near the airport. He pulled beside the

for dinne

morning, and show you a good time. I'm not asking for anything else-- just tomorrow." He smiled when sh

istful it was d

et it, Jo. I sw

ed close. She leaned in, and his heart beat

b on the other side of the street. The man looked at them with a curious stare, much like drivers lingering past

rrow morning?

be ready by eight," she said, and smiled when he gave a triumphant fis

back to his car. He dropped behind the wheel, tugged the door shut, and sat there and grinned like a stupid idiot. Life usually stank, but today? Today

Ethan headed for the Campbel

wanted to be far from the airport. Ethan thought about that, and decided Jo hadn't wanted to be far from the airfield, either. Aviation nuts. It'd serve him right if he one day foun

n sm

d already made one. He'd bought a car. As he pulled in fr

s, and take things slowly? Et

t a two-part hard-top roof. Like setting a stack of dishes one plate at a time, the first half of the roof was placed over Ethan's head; the arm lifted, then pl

n la

be the coole

top up before he'd left Jo's place. S

tep. Man, what a good day. He went to the front door, twisted the handle, an

fore turning and shou

Ethan stepped past Ryan, and into the hou

e driveway. Did

t late. He gave Ryan a look, for the kid could've roused the whole house with that shouted announcement of his arrival. Ethan didn't want that. He wanted to quietly go to his

the kitchen and into the great room where Aiden dozed on one of the couches. Okay, o

ff to bed," Eth

p. "Why haven

rom the de

alize we've b

id c

t stay there for long. "Are you all righ

ch

u doing

r, and lowered his voice. One lion was en

me if you were

ow. All this confidence in my character

bout you," said a

ful. They had an audience. "I appreciate all the time and energy you put

them and into the hall. Hop

we almost finished? Because I'

a grown man--" Matty looked at Ethan with helpless eyes-- "you're not a teenager anymore, you h

ight-- yo

up to yo

. "I'm all right. I really am. I don

red at each othe

r you. I want y

'll remember that. Maybe I'll write it down somewhere so when my courage fails, as I'm sure it must-- I can read it and tak

Matty's ey

ack, all right?" He pushed out a long, weary sigh.

said with a shake of his

"I love you, too." He starte

turn, Matty nodded his good nigh

r looking at him from the room they shared down the hall. "The show is

red. Ethan wished, he really wished, that he didn't have to split the bedroom with his kid brother. He wanted to be alone, to

at was an apartment in San

He'd been right all along-

for th

oked up.

as. Even with that pitiful excuse of a beard, he still looked like a shoulder-slumped kid. "Dad and Mom were goi

ed gratitude. Giving the car to Ryan had been an afterthought,

worried about

I got

nd here somewhere, but Ethan didn't feel like digging through the clothes on the floor to go looking for them. He sa

t come home last night, and I fully admit I should have called before morning. But I'm not

nks that you mig

e said

ng to do when someone did it as much as Ryan. "He's just... you kno

ell." Ethan pushed back, and stretched out on the twin mattress. "Could I ask you something?" Ethan looked over at his br

the habit. Besides, whenever someone asks about my parents, I know they mean Mat

nvy

you said that

and snatched it up, and launched it back at Ethan. The

n out the ligh

and went to switch off the

said, his voice already soundin

r some quiet and rest. He climbed beneath the sheets with an ear-to-ear yawn

t did, trouble haunted Ethan's rest. He saw himself walking into a room crowded with red and white carnations, a four-year-old-Ryan squirming in his arms. They moved close to an open casket, peered inside, and stared at their mom. They were supposed to say th

art pounding so hard he thou

t had only

er to where Rya

ords his mother had written before taking her own life: "You'll ALL be sorry." While the suicide letter had been dire

n supposed to

an ever done to her to deserve that inclusive ALL? If she was waiting for an apology from him, then she would have a very long, very hot wait. He wasn't sorry and he never would be. He was overjoyed that

at, tonight, of all nights, after his fight with Matty

into his nerves. Too shaken to close his eyes, he stared into th

Ethan went