This week, we’ve been really really busy. Been working doubles and overtimes. Why? Since Thanksgiving, the military has had no signal of the Japanese military. They could be anywhere in the Pacific. Toward Hawaii, south, north, anywhere, and it’s scary. Turner wants to make sure that we are prepared enough with upgraded planes and no planes in construction inside the hangars. And it’s not just on my side of Fords that’s dealing with it, Danny’s hangar is dealing with it also. I’ve been able to see him everyday to trade off some supplies that we need and deliver some supplies that they need. And today, on Saturday, we were just wrapping up with it all.

When I got done with my shift, I went into the bathroom, cleaned my face off of all the grease and oil and whatever is on my face, apply new makeup onto my face to look fresh, grabbed my jacket (which is actually my dad’s jacket with all the badges from his travels that my mother has sewn on), and drove to Danny’s hangar. He’s still working tonight so I asked why he’s still there. He just wanted to make sure the planes are prepared for Monday. After asking if he needed any additional parts, he says he’s good for the most part. It sounded like he’s got everything taken care of until Monday, so I said I’ll see him at church tomorrow and went on my way. But Danny stopped me by shouting the nickname he only calls me: Ellie.

“Remember when you woke up that the sunset on the lake reminds you of the sunset on the Titanic with Rose and Jack?”

“Yeah, it was beautiful. I kinda wished you would see it.”

Danny paused for a bit.

“How about we fly tonight?”

I accepted. We got on one of the fighter planes. It was pretty cramped with just the two of us. But he told me to get in the back since he’s driving.

“Stay down, close eyes, and don’t open them until I tell you,” Danny instructed.

So with daddy’s jacket, I hunkered down, closed my eyes, and feel the aircraft take off into the skies, going up up and away.

When we reached a good cruising altitude, Danny whispered, “alright open you eyes.”

I opened them to see the sky lit up orange with clouds blocking the sun.

“Danny! I’m flying,” I gleefully cheered.

I could’ve opened up the cockpit so I can reach my arms out like I’m flying, but knowing the safety precautions, I didn’t. Instead I stretched my arms out and wrapped them around Danny’s shoulders and neck. Danny seemed to be surprised but relaxed a little and let one hand hold my hand. I eventually rested my head on the crook of his neck.

“Come Josephine in my flying machine…up she goes… up she goes,” Danny sang softly in an off-key note. I giggled. Even though he doesn’t remember the entire song, he remembered that part.

After a moment, I lift my head; when I did, Danny turned his head toward me where our noses are within a centimeter apart. I inched in a little bit then…his lips touched mine. Butterflies are going wild. After our lips parted, I went in to kiss some more. His hand moved from my hand to my face. We stopped once the aircraft was banking at an uneven angle.

“Keep your eye on the road,” I softly joked.

“Ok,” he said before kissing me one more time.

When he turned his head at 12 o’clock, I kissed him on the cheek, in which he smiled afterwards.

Ford Island an hour later

When we landed back at the airfield and parked the plane, it was already dark. Danny told me to go into the parachute hangar, which I did and more. Knowing my car is parked on the other side of that hangar, I ran through the parachutes like linen hanging on a line during spring with Danny following closely behind. It felt like when we ran through, time just slowed down. As if a memory of us playing tag at his family estate back home through the linens before Mirabelle yells at us to get out of the linens as children. Before he reached the back door of the hangar, I opened it so we can run through it. As I got into my car, I saw Danny closed the back door and get into his car.

Beach house 1900

He followed me to the house. When we got out of our cars, we were both laughing. Danny eventually came up to me and held me as we were giggling. I eventually pressed my finger on his lips and brushed through his hair.

“That was…amazing.”

“I’m glad I get to take you up.”

“I hope that kiss wasn’t too much.”

“No, it was perfect. I’m glad we did that,” he replied with a smile.

After a moment of silence, we moved in closer and we kissed.

And one kiss went to making out to him picking me up and carrying me inside the house…