Alien Romance: Star Light Pilot (Sci-Fi Alien Invasion Abduction Fantasy Warrior Hero Space Opera Romance) (Science Fiction Mystery Dragon Shifter Paranormal Urban Short Stories) (20 page)

Sydney looked up as a truck and trailer pulled into the drive.  Max had a cabin and stalls available on his property, far enough from the main house to afford quite a bit of privacy for the people who rented it.  It was a common sight to see them pulling in on their way to the cabin. 

The truck drove straight to the house, apparently unsure of where they were going.  Sydney still couldn’t stand on her own yet, and was about to call for Max when the screen door to her left flew open and Max hurried out.  He spoke to the driver for a minute and she parked the rig right there on their front lawn.  Max walked to Sydney, his face covered with a broad smile. 

Oh no,
she thought,
he’s bought me a horse.
  Sydney didn’t know what to say to him.  She wasn’t ready, but it was clear from his face that he’d done this for her and she didn’t want to hurt him. 

He took the porch steps in one leap and scooped her up out of the chair.  He carried her to the trailer as the woman opened the door and unhooked the horse.  Sydney was trying to find the words when the horse began to back cautiously down the ramp.  Her throat constricted with unshed tears as a scarred and battered Concerto carefully picked his way off the trailer.  Max looked at her and her tears spilled freely.  Somehow, Concerto had survived his fall, though his coat showed the leftover marks of his pain.  He walked slowly, a slight limp in his bandaged leg.  The vet walked him up to Sydney and she buried her face in his neck.  He was alive and he was
here.
 

Max whispered in her ear, “Concerto belongs to you now. If there was any doubt before it’s gone now. I’ve seen to that. You never have to worry about your father coming for him again.” 

Sydney started sobbing, rubbing her hands over his neck and through his mane.  Her fingers caught on a tiny braid.  She’d probably left it in the last time she’d prettied him up for some event.  She pulled the band on the braid and started working the braid out when her fingers brushed against something hard.  She pulled on it as she unwound his hair and the object out in her hand.  The thin, simple ring was beautiful.  Sydney looked at Max, confused.  He smiled at her and winked, his intention clear.  Not only was he giving her back her horse, but he was giving her the rest of his life.  Sydney looked deep into his eyes and said the one word that would make everything right in their world.

“Yes.”

THE END

Bonus Story 4/5

The sun had gone down and the sky had darkened. I looked outside the door and I could see Calvin caring for a horse that had broken its leg. He was a consummate veterinarian and a good man, so why was I having difficulty trying to find that spark?

I wore a white summer dress that had the straps over my shoulders. It was high enough to makes you think about the possibilities, and low enough to make you wonder what I was hiding. I like that Calvin looks at me with love in his eyes, but I cannot return what I don’t feel.

We had known each other since we were in high school. In those days, everybody seemed to know from just looking at us that we were destined to find our way into each other’s arms. Back then, I’d wanted to tell him several times that I didn’t feel the same way. But I felt pressured and began to believe that I would eventually learn to love him the way that he deserved.

Calvin looked at me and said, “Teresa, I don’t think I’ll have to put her down. It’s going to take some time to get her back up on your feet. With a little care and patience, she’ll make a full recovery. It’s good thing, because I just found out that she’s going to have a foal. She is at least four months pregnant and as far as I can tell, the foal is quite healthy. I’ll have to go to my practice in town and get some medications. Since I now know that she’s pregnant, I have to be careful with what I give her for the pain.”

Calvin had blonde hair cut short, about 5’10, 170lbs, but all of that was muscle. I had to say he was a damn sight in those tight blue jeans and denim shirt. It wasn’t that I wasn’t attracted to him; it was just that I didn’t feel anything more than that. I wanted to…well, I
wanted
to want to, but it just wasn’t there.

“Calvin, I’m just glad that she’s going to be OK. Selma’s been in the family for as long as I can remember and I really don’t want anything to happen to her.” He smiled that same carefree grin that he always gave me when he knew that he had done something that would forever cement his bond to me.

He climbed into his black pickup and as he drove away, the wheels started to shoot pebbles back along the side. I began to contemplate what it would be like if I didn’t have him in my life.

The white dress was virginal, but I hadn’t been one since the moment that we consummated our relationship on the eve of our prom night. It hadn’t exactly been what I’d hoped for, but I had heard of worse experiences for first times. From then on, things had gotten better, but then we started to drift apart. He probably thought that everything was perfectly fine, but how could it be when we didn’t get intimate with each other, unless it was on a birthday or anniversary.

I went to lie down on one of the yellow chaise lounges. I couldn’t see any stars due to the clouds. The humidity was sticking to me like a second skin. I could feel the temperature and could see the haze in the sky. That’s when I noticed that it wasn’t just haze that I was seeing. It was smoke and then I heard the single engine aircraft. It was struggling for life and sputtering and there was no doubt in my mind that it was in the midst of a crisis.

I knew that the airport in town could probably have handled it, if it were still operational. Due to some budget restraints, they had closed down the small airstrip and decided to have all aircraft be rerouted to three towns over. From there, anybody that lived out this way would have to either take a taxi or arrange for a friend to pick them up and take them where they wanted to go.

I imagined that those who were on the aircraft were sweating bullets. I could almost hear the conversation that they were having with that airport three towns over. There was no way that they were going to make it that far and it would be lucky that they made it to the small airstrip in this town.

I don’t know why I even bothered, but I got up and crossed into the field, using a well-placed flashlight to light where I was going. My father and mother used to own this land and I knew it like the back of my hand. I moved panicked, slapping away the branches, until I came to a fence at least a mile away. The fence surrounded the property of the airstrip and I’d spent many a night when I was a child standing right here and watching the planes take off.

I went for the fence and being that I was only 5’3, 110 pounds, I was able to scale that fence and jump off on the other side without any semblance of an injury. I felt the strain in my muscles. I was 30, and had always considered myself to be in good shape, but now I was going to have to prove it. I had to run and keep up with the plane that was in the distance.

The airstrip was dark, but I knew that the power was still connected. If I could get inside the building which housed the electrical controls, I could probably find a way to light up the airstrip and give them the hope that they were looking for. Otherwise, they were flying blind and would most likely crash.

I moved quickly, pounding my heels against the pavement of the tarmac, until I came upon the structure. I felt around for the door and amazingly it wasn’t locked. It wasn’t until I got to the top of the stairs that I found that the next door was locked. I pushed against it and there was a little bit of give, so I continued to apply pressure. No luck. I looked down, frantically wondering what to do. I saw a doormat. I checked underneath it, and there was a key there. It fit. 

My father had been an air traffic controller and I had seen him come into work and bring everything to life. I just had to go back in my memory and try to remember the process one step at a time. I switched the mains power on. I saw the board light up and then I could see the trajectory of the plane and how it was slowly losing altitude.

I found the switch for the radio and I went to the exact same station that my father had used on several occasions. A crackly voice came through. “Mayday! We are going down and we only have one engine. The other one has burned out and the second one appears to be about to do the same thing.”

A reply came from the airport three towns over: “We’ve already told you, flight 577, that there is no way that you can land in that area. You’ve already been declared a flight emergency. We tried everything we can to stretch your fuel capacity to make it to this airstrip, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. Try to find someplace like a field to set her down in. From there, we’ll send out the authorities and fire rescue personnel to assist you.”

I knew that I was going against Federal regulations, but I saw no other way around it. I sat down and put the headphones on. I decided to give them another option. “Flight 577, this is Teresa and I have you on approach. If you veer to your left at 25°, you’ll see the landing strip lit up like the 4
th
of July.” I had pressed the buttons and all the lights on the runway were now easily able to be seen from above. There were a few that were burned out, but it did not prevent them from seeing it.

“I don’t know who this is, but you are a godsend. We see you Teresa and we are making our way to you. It’s going to be a bumpy ride, but I believe that we will make it.” I was sure that I was going to be in deep trouble. It was unavoidable, but had I not acted, they could’ve easily found themselves fighting for their life.

I channeled my father and I could see him in my head, calm and confident. “Flight 577, I have you on approach. There is a tailwind, so be aware and try to compensate. That’s it, it’s a little shaky, but I do see that your landing gear is down and deployed.” It was funny how I remembered everything that I had seen my father do when I was a child.

I’d even considered getting my license and now that passion was starting to come alive once again. I’d never voiced this to Calvin, but I had this need for the freedom of the open skies. He would probably put his foot down and tell me that it was too dangerous, but this new awakening of my secret passion was not going to go away.

The plane approached the runway and when it made contact with the tarmac, I heard the screeching sounds of its brakes, as it prepared to come to a complete halt. It was moving at a bit of a clip and wouldn’t you know it, but that was when we got the first rain that we’d had in the last three weeks.

As it began to pelt the runway, the plane skidded and I’m sure that the pilot had his heart in his mouth, like I did. I held my breath and gave a silent prayer to the heavens above. I knew that if it turned in a certain way that it would probably flip and become a fireball before anybody on board even knew it was happening.

I was licking my lips and I was watching intently. Whoever was piloting the craft had ice water in his veins. He was good at keeping his head.

It fishtailed back and forth along the slick surface, before suddenly coming to a stop not more than 20 feet away from the airport building.

I didn’t realize I’d been standing on my feet with my two hands on the control board, until I finally slumped back in my chair with a sigh of contentment that came from a job well done.

Through the rain that was now coming down in sheets, I saw the door open and the pilot with his cap in his hand was now waving towards me. He moved to the side and a man in a designer suit and red power tie moved down the stairs, holding the railing and making a run for the door to the terminal. He was as white as a ghost, but at least he was alive. Any landing you can walk away from is a good one.

The captain followed and the rain was now coming down so hard that I could barely see them. I heard the footsteps on the stairs and then the light knock that came from the occupant that I’d just saved from certain death.

When I opened the door, I was prepared to tell him that it was no big deal, but I was stunned into silence. He was standing there with a day’s growth of beard, but it was his eyes that had me transfixed and made me think that love was possible at first sight.

***

I
stood there and looked at this man. He had to be 6’2, 210 pounds with brown hair that was now currently matted to his forehead. He pushed it back like it was no big deal and then he extended his hand in greeting.

“I just wanted to meet the person that saved my life. I owe you a debt of gratitude that I don’t think that I will ever be able to pay back.” I got lost in his eyes and those pools of liquid blue were hard to pull myself away from. “I don’t know where you came from, but you couldn’t have timed it better. Where are my manners? I’m Richard Crowell, and this is my pilot James Gordon. No relation to Batman’s commissioner.” This elicited a smile from the both of us. It became obvious from that moment that we were connected on a different level.

We waited out the storm and the pilot informed the both of us that the aircraft was going to need some major repairs before being able to take off. He told me the parts that he would need.

“I don’t think it comes as any big surprise that we won’t be able to help you with that.”

“Teresa, I can have the parts flown here at my own expense. I’ve already contacted the maker of the aircraft and they are more than prepared to expedite the process. Unfortunately, the parts are not going to get here for a few days. I don’t suppose there’s any place to stay in town?” There was one place, but it was a little off the beaten track with no running water or electricity. Fine for tough men like my husband, but I doubted that this guy could handle roughing it. His idea for roughing it was probably a 4 star hotel. The only other place was about 100 miles south.

“I’m going to stay on the aircraft, Mr. Crowell. I have everything I need with me on board. I’m sure that I can convince a lovely lady to leave to the key to the building, so that I can freshen up in the morning with a real shower.” I nodded my head and I threw him the key, just as the police arrived.

Sheriff Weller wasn’t very happy about how I had gone against federal air traffic regulations. Richard Crowell had decided to smooth the waters with a huge donation to the police fund. They had a brief conversation and I was surprised that the sheriff backed down so easily. Money really does talk.

“You could stay with me,” I said. It was out of my mouth before I even realized I said it. I had a feeling that Calvin wouldn’t be very happy about this, but he also knew that I would give anybody the shirt off my back.

“I don’t want to be an imposition. You’ve done more than enough, Teresa. If you hadn’t acted quickly, I don’t know where I would be right now.”

I smiled and lowered my eyes at his words. As I did, I glanced at his left hand. I was right, there was no wedding ring.

“It’s not an imposition and I have plenty of room,” I said. “We won’t even have to go that far. Just down the road. We can even walk there from here.” It wasn’t raining anymore and the clouds had cleared, revealing the full moon. If this had been any other time, it would’ve been romantic.

It felt like I was an old hand and I suppose seeing my father work his magic had bled into my consciousness. I now understood how he could come home completely exhausted after having worked four hours. It was such a stressful job, being an air traffic controller.

We were walking down the road and I heard stones skipping across a nearby pond. He had stopped and had rolled up his sleeves to skip stones by the light of the moon.

“You know, I haven’t done this since I was a small child in Kentucky. I guess after I made my first million, I got away from the simpler things. Being a billionaire has its advantages, but it also leaves you out of touch of where you came from.” I could see the joy on his face from the simple act of skipping that stone and watching it traverse the pond one skip after the other.