“We’ll walk you there.”
“That’s not necessary.”
Grant smiled. “I know it isn’t.”
As we made our way down the concourse, an older man in a baggage handler’s vest caught sight of my father. He stopped where he stood, placed one hand over his heart, and gave a slow nod.
Dad nodded back.
Goosebumps rose along my arms.
“What did you do?” I whispered.
Grant heard me. He reached up and touched the wings on his own uniform.
“Let’s just say I wouldn’t be wearing these if it weren’t for your father.”
Dad shot him a warning look.
“Grant.”
Grant went quiet, but the apologetic smile he gave Dad said he wasn’t sorry at all.
At B17, Dad eased himself down into a chair by the window. I sat beside him and waited until I trusted my voice.
“You owe me the truth.”
He ran his thumb back and forth over the handle of his cane.
“I owe you a great many things.”
“Then start with this one.”
He turned toward the glass, toward the planes lined up on the tarmac.
“I thought this airport had forgotten.”
Something softened in Grant’s face. “It never did.”
“You should have let it.”
“Some things aren’t meant to be forgotten, sir.”
My heart was pounding now.
“What happened 34 years ago?”
Before Dad could answer, a voice crackled over the speakers.
“Would passenger Thomas please remain at the gate for a moment?”
Dad went completely still.
Grant leaned in. “Sir, before you get upset, this wasn’t my idea.”
“Then whose was it?”
Grant’s eyes moved to the window.
A vehicle had pulled up beside our aircraft. Several uniformed crew members climbed out and stood together on the tarmac.
Every one of them was looking toward the terminal.
Toward Dad.
He pushed himself to his feet. “We’re leaving.”
I caught his sleeve. “No, we’re not.”
“Elaine.”
“I spent my entire life believing you repaired equipment at airports.”
“I did repair things.”
“With pilot’s wings pinned inside your jacket?”
The gate agent walked over, her voice gentle. “Thomas, we only need a few minutes of your time.”
“For what?”
“Captain Grant asked us to pull something from the airline archives.”
The color drained from Dad’s face. “No.”
