"Oh, pooh," Stacy said.
Allie could hear her pout over the phone.
"We're leaving tomorrow at lunch, so don't be late," Allie told her before she hung up.
"I hope you booked a big-enough plane," Carter said to Allie as they left work early for the bachelor and bachelorette weekend.
"We're taking separate planes," Allie told Carter as they sat down in the car. "I have one ordered for you already, but you need to pick up Mark and Finn."
"Try not to kill anyone, Grant!" Kate said cheerfully as she followed Allie and Liz into their plane.
Stacy bounced up and down when she saw them. The flight attendant had already given her a drink.
Brandy swept onto the plane, her sister, Ginny, at her heels.
Carter sent Allie a picture of him making a funny face at Grant, who glared into the camera.
Allie had made cocktails and snacks, which she helped the flight attendants pass out once they were in the air. Brandy was in the middle of a tirade about her wedding planner's incompetence, and everyone tried to ignore her. Everyone except for Stacy, who egged Brandy on, whipping her into a frenzy of complaints about the venue, the caterers, the wedding planner, her mother, and even Liz.
"Please let us survive this weekend," Allie said under her breath.
"Amen," Kate replied, clinking their glasses together.
50
Carter
Carter watched Allie's plane take off before theirs. The two planes stayed near each other in the air, then the guys' plane veered off toward North Carolina.
As they waited for Mark on the tarmac, Carter slumped in his seat on the plane.
"I can’t believe he was able to have leave approved for a bachelor weekend," Grant said.
"He didn’t take any time at Christmas," Carter replied, watching Eric make himself a drink.
"Still, it's several days."
"He’s a POG. They work in offices and are treated like corporate workers."
"Hello there!" Mark greeted them as he climbed the stairs and entered the plane.
"You made it!" Grant said then gave Mark a hug and handed him a drink.
"I hope you brought something to wear other than that," Carter said, gesturing to his uniform.
"I'm shocked you haven’t grown a beard and gained fifty pounds already," Mark shot back.
Carter grinned. "I have to keep myself up; I have to represent."
"Is that so?" Mark said. "It doesn’t have anything to do with a certain bartender?"
"I think Allie would cut his balls off if he turned into a typical retired veteran," Grant stated.
"You mean you aren’t going to start a stolen valor YouTube channel or launch a line of US Marine Corps-inspired T-shirts and so-called tactical gear conveniently imported from China?"
Carter laughed as another marine came into the plane behind Mark.
"Finn!" Carter yelled, throwing himself at his childhood friend.
