The Last Pilot: A Novel (13 page)

Honey? Harrison said. Hon? Where’s my slacks?

Why are you yelling? Grace said. I’m in the bathroom, not Texas.

The gray ones? With the pockets? What time we meeting her?

Twelve-thirty, Grace said.

Goddamnit!

Jim!

Dadammit, Florence said.

See what I mean, Jim?

Jeez Louise, he said. Sorry already.

Who is Louise? Florence said.

We need to go, Harrison said.

The toilet flushed, Grace washed her hands and stepped out of the bathroom.

The diner is just around the corner, she said. Florence, get off the bed. Your slacks are hanging up in the bathroom. Florence! How many times do I have to tell you not to bounce on the bed?

But I’m bouncing, Mommy.

Off!

She slid off the mattress on her tummy. Harrison went into the bathroom, picked up his slacks, and came out.

Listen, Duckie, he said. Could you do Daddy a special favor? I need my watch from the table—he bent down—can you see it? Think you could get it for me?

Florence nodded and ran around the bed to fetch it.

We’re gonna be late, he said to Grace.

Then put on your slacks and find your shoes. And redo that tie. And stop worrying.

Here’s your watch, Daddy!

Well, hey, thanks Duck! he said. He kissed the top of her head and slid the heavy piece over his wrist, fixing it underneath.

Daddy gave me a kiss! Florence said.

Yes he did, Grace said. Now, come on, Duck, we need to find your shoes too. Jim, pass me your tie.

Harrison dressed and Grace handed back his tie, neatly knotted. He pulled it over his head and combed his hair in front of the mirror.

Right, he said. Let’s go.

Turn the light out, Grace said. I got the key.

I need to pee Mommy, Florence said.

Goddamnit, Harrison said.

Jim! How many times? Sweetie, do you really need to go? Can you hold it?

Florence shook her head.

Jim, go downstairs, Grace said. We’ll meet you in the lobby.

The diner was busy, full of families on vacation like them. Red plastic tables curled around the kitchen in a half circle; tall windows looked over a bright blue pool, its surface gilded with broken sunlight.

Maybe we should have chosen someplace else? Grace said, looking around.

It’s fine, Harrison said.

Yeah?

She’ll love it.

Sure is noisy, Grace said.

She don’t hear too good, Harrison said.

That’s why I’m worried.

It’ll be fine, he said.

Florence was holding her mother’s hand. I’m tired, she said.

Do we just sit down? Grace said.

Guess so, Harrison said. Look, over there.

They walked over to an empty table, nested in a horseshoe-shaped booth, and slid in.

Who is coming? Florence said, sitting between them.

An old friend of Daddy’s, Grace said.

Her name is Annie, Harrison said. She’s very old.

Old? Florence said, scrunching up her nose.

She’s eighty-one years old, he said.

She’s very old, Florence said.

Yes she is, Grace said, but it’s rude to say so.

Your mother’s right, he said.

I’m very old, Florence said, resting her head on the table.

Jim, that’s her, isn’t it? Grace said.

Harrison looked up toward the door, smiled, and said, yes it is.

He slid out from behind the table to greet her.

Annie walked slowly, with a stick. She was short, hair sewn up in a tight bun, her dress a deep indigo. When she saw Harrison, she smiled, dark skin folding softly like a newspaper.

Jimmy, she said. They embraced. Several people at nearby tables stared. Harrison ignored them and brought her back on his arm.

Gracie, Florence; this is Aunt Annie, he said.

You’re very old, Florence said.

Florence! Grace said. I am so sorry, Annie.

Annie laughed.

Don’t be, she said. She’s a precious one.

Annie smiled at Florence and said, and who might you be?

Florence hid her face in her mother’s arm. Annie chuckled.

I’m only teasin you, Annie said. Your daddy told me all about you!

It’s so great to finally meet you, Grace said.

It sure is good to meet you too, Annie said. And little Jimmy here! My goodness! Ain’t he turned out handsome?

That’s a matter of opinion, Grace said.

Haven’t seen your daddy since he was nine years old, Annie said.

Why are you a funny color? Florence said.

Jesus, Harrison said.

That’s
enough
, Florence, Grace said.

That’s all right, Annie said, let her be; nothin more beautiful or true than what comes from the mouth of a child.

Annie dipped her head toward Florence and said, I do look different to you, don’t I; but you look different to me!

She chuckled and continued.

God made us all different colors and shapes! Be pretty borin if we was all lookin the same now, wouldn’t it?

Florence nodded.

Aunt Annie was a good friend of my mother—my mommy—Duck, Harrison said.

Your grandma was a very beautiful woman, Florence, Annie said. You have her nose.

Her nose?!

Yes. And I miss her a
lot
, Annie said.

Where is she? Florence said.

Harrison glanced up at his wife.

Why, she’s in heaven, sweetie, Annie said.

Heaven? Florence said. With Billy Horner’s dog?

Uh, yeah, sweetheart, Harrison said.

Who told you that, Duck? Grace said.

Aunt Pancho did, Mommy. Is Aunt Pancho going to heaven?

Grace and Jim exchanged another look.

Let’s get Aunt Annie a drink, shall we? Grace said.

Aunt Annie wants a drink, Daddy, Florence said. Cause she’s thirsty.

Why, thank you, Florence, Annie said. I
am
thirsty. Annie chuckled. Ain’t she a precocious little thing!

Tell me about it, Grace said.

Well, Duck, Harrison said, guess I’d better call someone over.

He looked over his shoulder toward the kitchen. Women wearing white dresses with red frills milled about, carrying drinks, taking orders.

Be right there, hon, one of them said as she passed, carrying two plates of hot food.

Harrison turned back to the table.

Everyone hungry? he said.

Everyone was.

The food, when it came, was good.

You know, Florence, Annie said, leaning in towards her, I brought your daddy into this world!

You were a midwife? Grace said.

Never lost a baby.

What’s a midwife? Florence said.

Grace shot her husband a look. I can’t believe you never told me!

Harrison shrugged.

He was a tough one, Annie said.

Well he sure as hell didn’t get any easier, Grace said.

Hey! Harrison said.

Annie laughed and Florence looked at her and laughed too.

You too, huh, Duck, Harrison said.

I stayed on after little Jimmy was born, Annie said, helped out with the house; just a couple of weeks, til his mama was back on her feet. I’d just lost Emery; my own place was feelin mighty empty. After that, Mayton an me; well, Florence, we became the best of friends.

Can we be friends? Florence said.

Friends? Annie said. Why, Florence, we’re family!

Florence turned to her father and smiled.

What made you move west, Annie? Grace said.

My bones, Annie said.

Your
bones
?! Florence said.

My old bones ache, Florence, Annie said. Gets worse, colder it gets and the older I get. West Virginia is bitter in winter, so I came out here to keep warm. And all my life I’ve wanted to see the Pacific blue.

And? Grace said.

It’s a beautiful thing, Annie said.

My bones are sore, Florence said.

No they’re not, Grace said.

I have to pee, Florence said.

Grace sighed and said, come on then, trouble; we’ll take a trip to the ladies’ room.

They slipped out from behind the table and Florence skipped ahead of her mother. Annie folded her napkin, smoothed the crease.

What a fine little girl you have, Jimmy, she said. Two fine girls! You done well for yourself.

We’d love to have you stay sometime, he said. It’s real peaceful out there. And hot. You’d like it.

I would like that, Jimmy, she said, but I don’t travel too good no more. Comin out here, to California, movin all this way, damn near killed me.

Your cousin’s family, they helped move you?

Bill and Marcie, yeah, she said, they sure did. You know they met at Annabel’s funeral?

That Bill’s first wife?

Yeah, she said. Marcie and Annabel were old school friends from Pennsylvania.

Guess these things happen, he said. Must have been tough.

Life is long, Annie said.

Sure don’t feel that way at the moment, he said. One minute, I’m sittin in a hot waiting room in Lancaster near-on all night, next Florence is tellin me not to forget my lunch as I head out the door.

Annie smiled.

That’s kids for you, she said. Life happens; sure as hell ain’t gonna hang around for you to catch up. Makes it hard to keep your bearings.

Harrison looked at the table. Then he looked out the window. Then he looked at Annie.

Sometimes I wonder if I should quit the flight test business; do something less likely to bust my ass every day, he said.

I remember you building them little model airplanes, runnin round your backyard, as a little boy. Drove your mother half-mad to keep findin propellers or part of a wing all over the house. She told everyone she met you could fly before you could drive.

He turned an empty bottle of beer in his hands.

Sure miss her, he said.

Think about her almost every day, Annie said. But then, I don’t have kids to worry about.

I haven’t been back there for so long, he said.

Your mother ain’t where they laid her, Jimmy.

He nodded, took a swig from the empty bottle.

Wish I’d written you more, he said.

Jim, you were a young man and young men need to be out in the world doin things; not tellin an old woman what they
want
to be doin. You wrote me plenty. I enjoyed every letter.

He nodded.

Daddy!

Florence ran over and sat on his lap.

Hey, Duck! he said.

Can I have an ice cream, Daddy?

Please, Grace said, behind her.

Please?

Don’t see why not, he said.

We gonna have ice cream! Florence said to Annie. I like strawberry. Daddy, can I have strawberry?

Sure you can, Duck, he said, nodding to a passing waitress.

Four ice creams, please, he said. All strawberry.

Sure thing, the waitress said.

Annie folded her napkin again, smoothing the crease.

When I was a little girl, she said to Florence, we couldn’t afford ice cream; we didn’t have it. I was sixteen before I ever tasted it. Oh, it was a hot day. My daddy was takin me to see his aunt on a great, long silver bus but none of the windows would open. Took nine hours, forty minutes. Nine hours forty minutes with the sun shinin hard on the windows. We stopped halfway, stretched our legs, while the driver bought tobacco. There was this little hut sellin cigarettes, newspapers, candy; that kinda thing—and ice cream. Well, I begged my daddy. And I got lucky. He’d sweated up a storm in that ol bus too. He bought us one each and we sat out on an old telegraph pole we found lyin by the road and we ate them fast as we could. Best thing I ever tasted, before or since. Now, whenever I have ice cream, I’m sittin on that pole in the heat with my dear daddy and that’s a magical thing.

Harrison took care of the check and they parted, promising to stop by Annie’s place before heading home at the end of the week. Back at the hotel, Florence slept, Grace read on the balcony and Harrison sat on the bed, reading the paper and smoking.

She’s such an incredible woman, Grace said, stepping inside and pushing up her sunglasses.

Huh? Harrison said.

Annie. Amazing woman. Matches?

He tossed her the box.

Woman practically raised me when dad died, he said.

Wish I’d met her sooner, Grace said.

Harrison looked up.

I’m just glad she’s moved out here, he said. She looked old.

She is old.

Older. You know. I guess you read a letter, you hear a voice.

She’s not going anywhere yet, Grace said.

Yeah.

Grace sat on the edge of the bed alongside him.

You okay? she said.

Sure, he said.

You want a drink?

He frowned.

Come and sit outside with me, she said. It’s a lovely day.

The room was gloomy. He looked across to the open balcony doors, the blue beyond the light.

Listen, he said. We’re on vacation. What do you say we eat out tonight? Just us?

What about Duck?

We’ll get a sitter.

In a hotel?

Sure, he said. You know why we’re stayin here and not someplace else, right?

You know the owner.

Right, he said. Sammy. We go way back.

And?

And Sammy’s got a fifteen-year-old girl savin for a record player.

You want the hotel manager’s daughter to babysit for us?

Betty’ll be up around seven, he said.

She smiled. You’ve already arranged it.

It’s done.

Can we afford it?

The sitter? he said.

The meal—we already ate out once today, Jim.

She pulled the sunglasses from her head and placed her hands on her lap.

I’ve been keepin a little back, he said.

She smiled.

Well, aren’t you full of surprises, she said, and kissed him. Thank you. I’ll have to get Florence in bed and asleep before this girl comes though, otherwise she’ll never go down.

Whatever you think’s best, hon, he said.

She looked over to where Florence was sleeping.

I’d better get her up now, then, she said.

I got us a reservation at the Manderville, he said.

Well then, she said, turning back to him. It’s a date.