Unfortunately, the prejudice against female aviators wouldn’t drift away as easily as smoke written in the sky. One triumph could not overturn centuries of mores and false “truths.” But it was a start, a glorious, wonderful start.
“This one is my favorite. It’s more than a bit sensational, though,” Leo warned. Unlike the others, he hadn’t read anything to the group yet. Although he still didn’t talk much about his past, he’d started confiding more and more to Mattie, and she’d learned he’d received very little education. To her recollection, he’d never read something aloud before, even to her.
Leo shook out the paper and spoke in a deep, slow baritone. Although he read with slight hesitation, it didn’t stop him from plowing right through the paragraph: “Mattie McAdams was crowned ‘Empress of the Skies’ at Canyon of the Bridges when she resoundingly beat ‘Quick’ Crenshaw twice. First, she flew faster than the former ace in an aerial race through the Canyon of the Bridges. Then Crenshaw accused Leo ‘the Flying Lion’ Ward of betraying the bastion of manhood by teaching a woman to fly. Ward, the famous balloon buster, loudly proclaimed that in actuality the Empress of the Skies had taughthim. ThenCrenshaw tried to attack the Flying Lion, who was on crutches due to Crenshaw’s earlier attempts at sabotage. The Empress of the Skies stepped into the fray and neatly flipped Crenshaw to the ground.”
Leo placed the broadsheet on his lap and turned his body so his knees touched Mattie’s. “What do you think of your new title, Empress of the Skies?”
“It goes splendidly with the Flying Lion.” She bent forward and gave Leo a kiss—abriefone, given their audience, including her three partially reformed but still overprotective brothers.
“The perfect pair.” Leo’s voice sounded as smooth as a new engine and just as powerful. His words roared through Mattie. She’d set out to make a name for herself, and along the way, she’d found love and the most-amazing female friends. It was the best journey she’d ever taken.
“A matched set.”
“Oooooh!” Lily clapped her hands. “We should get a picture of the Flying Flappers. We can all hold up a newspaper with a clever headline.”
“That would be perfect for my book!” Aida immediately put down her notes and straightened.
“I’ll take the picture,” Mattie’s oldest brother, Jake, offered as he stepped off the porch with the rest of her family to make room for the women, Leo, and John. “And I’d like a copy of it so I can show it when I brag about my little sister and convince my boss to license her RadioNavigator.”
“Here, use my Kodak.” Aida held out her camera.
After a bit of shuffling, the members of Vera’s Flying Flappers found the best pose. The women stood at the edge of the porch and linked their arms, forming a solid unit. They each proudly held their favorite article in front of them.
Also clasping a periodical, Leo and John sat on either side of the steps below the women. Ruby sprawled in the middle, her pink tongue drooping out. It was likely just the heat, but she made the most adorablecanine grin as she pointed her muzzle toward the camera, the diamond brooch pinned to her cloche hat winking in the sunlight.
Situated between Vera and Carrie, Mattie tossed back her short-bobbed curls. It wasn’t the haircut or her new tailored trousers and white cotton shirt that made her a New Woman. It wasn’t even just her flying skills. It was these brave women and men who had flown with her, believed in her, and allowed her to truly soar on her own flight path, no matter how many loops, twists, and barrel rolls it took.
Epilogue
The sun had begun to take on a reddish glow as vibrant pink-and-orange fingers of light stretched across the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The whole sky possessed the golden glow of evening, burnishing every part of the seascape. The hue reminded Leo keenly of Mattie’s hazel eyes, especially with the hints of greens from the palms and the gentle waves themselves.
The thought calmed some of the nervousness pumping through Leo. The ring box in his pocket dug into his thigh as he helped Mattie build their latest château of sand. His cast had come off just yesterday, giving him the freedom to finally walk on the beach with Mattie. He’d planned this for weeks. Vera, being Vera, had suspected something. It was good she’d poked at him until he’d caved. After all, he couldn’t have arranged the last part of the surprise without the heiress’s assistance.
All Leo had to do was ask Mattiethequestion... which was proving rather difficult.
He cleared his throat, and Mattie tilted her head to regard him curiously. “Cat got your tongue?”
“Something like that,” he muttered.
Mattie smiled and continued patting wet sand into a tower. “Take your time.”
And just like that, the silence felt comfortable again. A wonderful sense of harmony had floated between Mattie and Leo for weeksnow. Sure, their relationship wouldn’t always operate this smoothly—nothing in life did—but they’d forged something strong out in the heat of California and in the sands of the Southwest. The fragile base of their relationship had become sturdy.
Some might have said that Leo hadn’t courted Mattie long enough to properly pop the question, but he and shekneweach other. They’d been friends, then virtual rivals, then friends again, next sweethearts, and finally partners—the true kind.
The past few nights when Leo had closed his eyes, he’d thought about Alfred. Slowly, he had realized that there’d been signs that his best friend had wanted Leo to end up with Mattie. Alfred had always insisted that Leo promise that he’d be there for her. At the time, Leo had thought his friend just wanted him to watch over his sister like a distant guardian angel. But Alfred wouldn’t have conscripted Leo to stay in the background as a silent protector, not when he had always been pushing Leo to step from the shadows. Alfred had meant for Leo and Mattie to form a stalwart friendship, a romantic partnership even, just like Walt McAdams had wanted. The trust Alfred had shown humbled Leo, but it also freed him.
Most importantly, there was Mattie herself. She’d called himsolid, the perfect match for her. If the past few months had taught him anything, it was that he needed to let Mattie make up her own mind and to trust her decisions. It was his choice to ask this potentially life-changing question and her right to accept or reject it.
And Leo very much wanted Mattie to say yes.
Glancing at the sun, he saw it dipping lower. If he waited too long, the second phase of his proposal wouldn’t happen. He reached into his pocket, and his fingers closed around the velvet box. Leo brushed his thumb over the softness. Then, with a whoosh of released air, he pulled the ring out. Mattie was so intent on sculpting the peak of the tower that she didn’t notice.
He preferred it that way. It gave him time to get into position. He was already down on his knees, so he popped up his right one. He’d had to ask John which one was supposed to be on the ground. Mattie wouldn’t care a fig, but Leo wanted to do it right for the both of them.
Carefully he placed the box in his left hand so he could open it with his right. He almost cleared his throat, but he stopped himself just in time. He didn’t want her to turn. Not just yet.
“Now that we’ve got our foundation in place, I was thinking this might make a good addition.”
