„Holy shit. This was amazing. The precision. The dedication. The teamwork.", I tell Dave amazed and lean the back of my head against his chest. It wasn't the first time seeing the Thunderbirds in the air, but every single time I am stunned by their performance. Flying a jet is not easy. The maneuvers they flew so close together are difficult. I think this was some of the best flying I have seen all my life. The trust these pilots have into each other and into their ground crew is insane.
"Did you know that they would be here?"
"Yes, that's part of the reason why I wanted to come here. I thought that you would like it and it seems, that I wasn't wrong. I have seen the Blue Angels a few times but never the Thunderbirds. I am not saying who is better, though.", he answers amused and leans down to kiss my forehead.
"Thank you for taking me here." I turn around and raise to my toes so I can kiss him. He bends down and when our lips meet, I feel some sort of complete again. Being in his arms. Being like this makes me whole again. All the time I thought that what I am missing in my life, was flying. But now I understand it is something like this. Maybe even Dave himself.
"My pleasure. You know, you could be up there at some point. You just need to trust yourself again."
"I think I will be up there either as a pilot in a combat squadron or with them. Maybe not now, but I will try and not give up. That's the new goal I have set for myself."
"That's what I like to hear, and I am sure that you will accomplish it."
"Look mummy, they are coming.", the little girl next to us says, but her mother is too occupied to talk to someone else.
At some point during the show, her mother asked us, if they could stay next to us, because the view is better than where the rest of their family was. Since then, the little girl has been watching the performance of the Thunderbirds in awe. I think, I heard her saying, that she will be a fighter pilot in the future. Seeing the impact that this team has on people any age, gender, ethnicity or belief is mind-blowing, but at the same time it comes with so much responsibility. After all they are the face of the Air Force. Wherever they go camaras are pointed their way and everything they do gets evaluated.
"Hi, did you enjoy the show?", someone behind me says and I turn around. Dave wraps his arms around me and rests his chin on my head. Right in front of us is Thunderbird #5 also known as Major Joseph "Tire" Cooper.
"You are so cool. I want to be a fighter pilot, when I grow up.", the little girl says, and he smiles at her.
"If that is what you want to become, you will find a way to make it happen. You just need to believe in yourself and no matter what is happening, never give up. Your parents must be really proud of you.", Major Cooper tells her and then looks at Dave and me.
"Oh no Sir, I think you got that one wrong. We are not her parents.", I say as I want to clarify the situations.
"You look familiar.", he starts and looks me up and down, before I can see his face lightening up like a lightbulb, "You are Captain Wilson, aren't you?"
"Yes, Sir." I want to salute, but he just waves his hand. Major Cooper turns back to the girl.
"You know, you have a female fighter pilot right next to you. Maybe you want to ask her some questions instead of me?" The girl looks at me and her eyes grow big.
"Really?"
"Yes, I am a real fighter pilot, just like Major Cooper." In that moment I can see something in that girl's eyes that will probably stick with me for the rest of my life. The look when someone meets their idol. Their hero. Their role model. And she starts shooting questions at me.
YOU ARE READING
Fly Away - a fighter pilot story
Romance"Is it becoming your habit to run away from me?", he says as he has caught up to me and is now walking next to me on my left. I stop and he does the same. Again, I look at him and shake my head. "Lieutenant Commander Johnson with all due respect, bu...
