Page 54 of Plane Passion

“Constance?”

He found her in the parlor, set up at the old-fashioned rolltop desk next to a window.

Upon seeing him, she beamed. “Ernie, you’re home! Mom and the girls just went out to do some shopping. Pop’s at church. How is my favorite big brother?”

“I’m your only big brother.”

“So?”

Ernie settled himself on a chintz sofa. “How have things been while I’ve been away?”

“Mostly good. The girls have been well behaved for once. It’s Mom I’m worried about. She’s been in the doldrums this week missing Grandpa.”

Oh, dear. Mom’s doldrums had come and gone unpredictably since Grandpa passed last year. Some days, she was right as rain. Others, she could hardly get out of bed.

“It’s been a while since her last downturn. I was hoping we’d seen the end, but I guess not.” He touched his pocket watch. The ache was still there for him too, much though he tried to ignore it and pretend everything was fine.

“I convinced her to take the girls shopping to get her out of the house. A little sunlight and socialization will do her a world of good. But how are you, Ernie? You look tired.”

He chuckled. “I am tired.” Not that I’m going to tell you the reason I’ve barely slept over the last week.

“But you also look happy.”

“I do? I’m in hot water with Mr. Dickson at work. He just switched me to the Boston route.”

Constance shrugged. “I don’t know what it is, but there’s definitely something that’s making you glow. Is it a woman?”

Oh, no. She guessed it, though she couldn’t possibly know the extent of it. His neck and face heated. So much for keeping secrets.

“You did meet someone, didn’t you? Who is she?” Constance leaned forward with eager eyes.

For once, he actually wanted to tell Constance about the woman he was with—not the prurient details, obviously, but he didn’t want to hide Millie from his family.

“She’s a pilot.”

“A pilot? Oh, that’s perfect,” she said, clapping her hands. “Tell me all about her.”

“Only if you swear on your life to keep it secret.”

“Ooh. Mysterious. You have my promise.”

Looking up into his sister’s bright eyes, he confessed, “It’s Millie Aldrich.”

It took a moment for the name to sink in, then Constance’s eyes went wide. “Not that movie star barnstormer from the papers!”

“The very one. She’s flying the mail now, and I was assigned to show her the ropes. I’ve never met a woman so capable, spirited, and determined. Well, aside from my own sisters, of course.”

“Of course,” she said with a nod.

“When we’re together, it’s like… It’s like… Well, I don’t know how to describe it. We have this electrical connection. And even when we argue, there’s this powerful bond between us. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

Constance smiled slyly. “You should bring her around. I’d like to meet her.”

“What? Here? I can’t bring her here.” What a disaster that would be!

“Of course, you can. Invite her. I bet she’ll come.”

“No. Absolutely not.”