"Flying High with Silver Wings" by FloridaChickie
Originally written for the Age of Edward contest, but now the story continues!
Disclaimer: SM owns the Twilight gang, but I get the privilege of throwing them in a time machine. Sadly, no one owns Pan Am anymore. While SM owns the Twi universe, the remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.
July 11, 1965
He tips his hat at me and flashes a dreamy smile that easily outshines any movie star on the cover of Esquire magazine. I get lost in his engaging stare. Nothing nor anyone else matters right now. He gathers a loose strand of my hair and places it behind my ear, letting his fingers linger at my neck. His smile transforms into a devilish smirk, and before I know it, he steps toward me and pushes my body with his into the food cart.
With the full extent of his excitement pressing against me, I say, "Looks like your tray is in the upright position, Sir."
He laughs, surprised by my saucy outburst, but then he leans forward and his lips...
"Bella, wake up sunshine," a high pitched voice trilled from behind the bedroom door.
"No," I mumbled. But soon my eyes opened and things started to come into focus. The Beatles were smiling at me. Well, the poster of them that is.
"You alive in there?" Alice, my roommate, asked.
"Barely. You know I have an alarm clock, right?" I banged my forehead into a pillow.
"But my voice is a lot nicer than that annoying ring. Be grateful you have me."
"Yeah, yeah, Alice." I glanced at the clock. Ten of six. The girl had woken me up a whole ten minutes early, making me lose out on precious minutes of sleep, but more importantly, that naughty dream.
I grumbled to myself while scratching my scalp, or at least what I could reach of it in between all the curlers. My feet felt like they were encased in concrete blocks as I forced my body to enter the bathroom. Minutes later, the hot water pelted my body and woke me up.
With my fingers, I swiped at the mirror so I could see myself while releasing the curlers. I didn't know if I'd ever get used to this chin length look even though it'd been over eight months since I'd cut my long locks. Not by my choice, rather it was the airline's rules. It wasn't until days after the big chop that I'd realized how much my hair had been my crutch, a way to hide away from others. But those days were long over. As a stew, it was all about being seen.
"You aren't going to have time for breakfast," Alice yelled out from the kitchen.
"Just a minute," I called back.
I ran around my room, shuffling between the closet and the floor-length mirror. I slid my feet into my black heels and straightened the silver wings on the lapel of my blue jacket. After securing the matching pillbox hat to my head, I lifted my chin and smiled back at myself. It wasn't about how I looked, it was what the uniform represented. I was a single woman making it in a man's world, and so far, I was doing a damn good job. I could still hear our training instructor's voice on graduation day, "You wear your blue and gold Pan Am stewardess wings with pride."
Alice would scream for me any second, so I decided to beat her to it and hustled down the hall. The damn girdle pinched my skin, and I readjusted it before the others could see me reaching under my skirt. As much as I loved the uniform, I hated the required girdle.
"Did you remember to pack a couple sweaters?" Alice asked Rose, another roommate, as I entered the kitchen. "My mom reminded me how damp it can get there even in the summer."
Alice's mom had been a stewardess for Pan Am on the old clipper airships. She'd grown up hearing her mom's exciting stories of exotic places, and Alice had always dreamed of following in her mother's footsteps. She was a natural at it, too. Even during our training in Miami, she was the model student. Had it not been for her having to grow out her pixie hairstyle, I'm convinced she would've earned her wings earlier.
"I have a sweater. You know, I have been to San Fran before," Rose said before turning to me. "Morning, Bella."
"Morning." I sat down next to her.
Still sleepy-eyed, I dazed at the coffee percolator and got lost in the hypnotic motions of its bubbling top. When Alice placed a plate of bacon and eggs before me, I snapped out of it.
Alice joined us at the dinette table. It was good Angela and Tanya were currently working flights overseas because had they been here, our small kitchen would've been a tight fit. Since we were all stews with alternating schedules, we could make a three-bedroom work for us. It was the only way most of us could afford to live in Manhattan.
"No matter how many times we're together in our uniforms, I can't help but think we look like the Andrews Sisters," Rose said before looking down to wipe yolk off her plate with a piece of toast. "We're so matchy match. All we need is some dumb song and dance routine."
Out of the three of us, Rose was the one who looked straight off the stage or screen. She was the ultimate blonde bombshell or as the guys often called out as she strutted down the airport terminal, a "classy chassis." She came from a wealthy Newport family. They'd had plans for her to marry a family friend's son, but she wouldn't have any of it and ran to a Pan Am recruiting office for freedom. Her parents objected to her "living modern" and had yet to contact her in all the months we'd lived together.
The percolator was done, and I rose to pour myself and the girls cups of coffee. While leaning over Alice to reach her cup, she asked me, "Do you suppose that dreamboat of yours will be on today's flight?"
The dreamboat she spoke of was Officer Cullen, a pilot as well as the star of my dream earlier that morning. But he'd remain squarely in my dreams. Despite having a cordial working relationship and sharing a few laughs, it hadn't moved past that.
However, that sad piece of reality wasn't enough to prevent the surge of heat that flushed my cheeks. "First of all, he isn't mine, so let's not start using possessives. He hasn't even asked me out." I dropped my gaze to my coffee cup and then took a sip. "To answer your question, I guess it's possible he'll be on our flight. He's been on a few of them lately."
"Perhaps you need to put yourself out there?" Rose asked. While an easy thing for her to do, when it came to guys, I was the more timid one at the table. "Do you think Cart Tart Jessica is going to be nice and wait for you to make your move? She's always on the make."
Rose had a point. Jessica, another stew, was notorious over at JFK. There were numerous stories of all the crew mates she'd bedded. If the rumors were true, the girl had been around the block, and it would only be a matter of time before she batted her eyelashes at Officer Cullen. How could inexperienced me compare with someone who knew what to do once in bed?
I could feel Alice's foot brush by mine as she went to kick Rose. Rose narrowed her eyes for a brief moment but then turned back to me. "If it means anything," she said, "I haven't seen him have the googly eyes for her like he does for you."
My heart raced at her words. Had she really seen him look at her in that way?
"And Jessica doesn't nearly have the smarts and know-how like our girl here," Alice said. "Nor does he have a special nickname for her because, if he did, it probably wouldn't be too polite." She nodded in a I-know-what-I-speak-of kind of way and then reached for the last piece of bacon on her plate.
"Alice is right," Rose said. "Jess will never be his Forks Girl."
Forks Girl. That nickname was born out of our first meeting on a flight over a month ago. I'd been placing pillows on seats as part of flight preparation when his voice startled me.
"Miss Swan, is it?" he'd asked.
"That's me."
"Hi, I'm Edward, Edward Cullen."
And now I knew the name of the man who had caught my attention every time I'd seen him at the airport, though sadly he'd never been on my flights before.
He extended his hand towards me and said, "A little birdie told me that we share something in common."
I shook his hand, aware of the strength in his grip and hoping he didn't notice how clammy my hand was. "How do you do, Officer Cullen. So what do we share in common?" I struggled not to rush my words. I was dying with curiosity to hear his response.
He leaned against an aisle seat. "I hear that you come from the same one-horse town in Washington that I do. You're from Forks, right?
As he spoke, I found myself getting lost in his emerald green eyes, a stark contrast to his white pilot's uniform. His face was freshly shaven, his lips full, and that smile was enough to render any girl useless. Although he wore his pilot hat, I knew it hid a most glorious mane in copper brown.
"Miss Swan, am I right about Forks?"
I nodded quickly. How long had I'd been ogling him?
We chatted about our old hometown. It turned out he was familiar with my father, the Chief of Police, in Forks. He relayed some funny stories of racing through the curvy roads just outside of town and how my father had given him several speeding tickets. Turned out he was a few years older than me, so we didn't have friends in common, but we enjoyed talking about some of our favorite hangouts. Not that there were many of them in Forks.
The Flight Engineer entered the plane, nodding to both of us before stepping into the flight deck. Edward said, "I'd better head off. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Swan. Nice to now know someone who reminds me of home.v
"Please, call me Bella. Happy to meet you as well."
He had flashed me a smile that made my knees go weak and then turned toward the cockpit. Before stepping inside, he had added, "Have a nice flight, Forks Girl."
Since our first meeting, I'd had the pleasure of seeing him during many of our cross-country trips. Chances were that I was imagining it, he always seemed to brighten up when he caught sight of me. He continued to call me Forks Girl, and while the nickname was completely ridiculous, I found it a bit endearing. It reminded me of our connection and how much more I wanted to learn about him.
"Earth to Bella." Rose nudged my shoulder. "Time to report to work."
###
After cleaning up the breakfast dishes, we gathered our luggage. It was fun working with these two. We'd really hit it off at training. In fact, we worked so well together, we put in for the same flights on our monthly bid sheets. And that's why we were all headed to San Francisco today.
Once we hit the curb downstairs, Rose whistled for a cab. Maybe it was our uniforms, but we laughed when two cabs pulled up and fought for our fare.
We slipped into the backseat, and the cabbie asked, "Which airport today, girls?"
"Kennedy International," we all said in unison.
While in the cab, and much to the driver's delight, Alice and Rose sang along with the Four Tops on the radio. I, on the other hand, stared out the window. From the Grand Central Parkway, we passed through the eccentric pavilion buildings of the World's Fair. On my right, I could see the large General Motors Futurama Pavilion. Throngs of people were already in a line that wrapped around the outside of the massive building. I'd yet to visit the Fair and hoped to visit before it closed for good in October.
I must have sighed loudly because Alice took my hand and gave me a light squeeze. She knew my fascination with the Fair. "We'll get there soon. Or maybe you'll ditch me and go with some date."
When Pan American's Worldport terminal came into view, I reached inside my travel bag for my white gloves. The cabbie stopped at the curb, and before walking inside, we gave each other the once over. This routine had become almost second nature for us. Better to fix things about our appearance now than hear about from Mrs. Cope during our official inspection.
Or was it more of a session of humiliation? She was one tough cookie, who enforced every grooming and appearance requirement written in the Pan Am handbook. The sixty-something, redhead acted more like a drill sergeant than her official title of Grooming Supervisor.
I stood in line until it was my turn for her scrutinous eyes. She checked to see my shoes were shined and that my stockings were fresh and in place. She also patted my shoulders, eyeing my uniform for any wrinkles.
"You need a haircut. You're within an inch, Miss Swan."
"Yes, Ma'am."
She took my hands, inspecting my nails to ensure they were trimmed and polished red. Somehow by the grace of God, she didn't ask me to step on the scale. Nor did she do a girdle check this time. Those checks were the worst.
It was hard not to get too irritated at her., but she was just doing her job. While Pan Am expected us to be cheerful and perhaps a little flirtatious with our male clientele, they didn't want us looking like tramps. Still, those girdles were less about making our derrieres fit better in our pencil skirts. They were like a chastity belt.
"You're fine dear," Mrs. Cope said as she wrote on a clipboard. "But a dash of more lipstick and a smile on that face would do you wonders. Go ahead now, and don't forget to see the beauty parlor soon for that haircut."
I collected my luggage and made tracks to join the girls as we weaved ourselves through the masses in the giant airport terminal. Summer meant Worldport was even busier than usual. The lines to the ticket counters zig-zagged with families along with the usual businessmen. As we walked, our heels clicking upon the terrazzo floors. Many had their eyes trained on us. I didn't crave attention, so I hid in between my friends. I think they captured every man's attention with the way they sashayed through that terminal.
When we entered the flight operations office, we met up with Bree, one of the other stews on today's flight. I was so thankful to see Bree, and not Jessica. Claire, the Purser, has us sign in and showed us the flight information log. I was curious to see who'd be manning this flight. My eyes skimmed down the log:
Pan Am Clipper Flight #232 * Boeing 707
Flight Crew:
Captain Jason Jenks
First Officer: Mr. Garrett Coventry
Second Officer: Mr. Edward Cullen
I stopped there. That was all I needed to know. Tingles travelled from my head, somehow past my girdle, and down to my toes.
"Bella, you coming, honey?" Alice asked.
Along with the other stews, Alice and Rose approached the ramp. I rushed to join them, and we walked down the enclosed jetway tunnel.
"Looks like you're in luck today," Alice whispered. "And you and I are in first class. You know what that means."
Serving the cock pit. Yes, those tingles in my body turned into full-on electric sparks. I definitely knew what that meant.
We started in with our pre-flight responsibilities before the passengers boarded the aircraft. In the privacy of the front galley, I was prepping a tray of drinks for first class when the crew walked by to enter the flight deck.
"Hi, doll." Captain Jenks greeted me with a tip of his hat as he, along with his First Officer and Engineer, passed by. I politely greeted the men and resumed pouring champagne into a flute glass.
"Forks Girl."
Edward's loud voice startled me, and I dropped an empty glass to the floor.
"Oh, didn't mean to be so loud. Sorry." Edward joined me on the floor to help pick up the pieces of glass. "Then again, if getting you to break a glass means spending extra time with you, I'm all for it. Are you?"
I paused, surprised by his flirtatious words. He stayed there, glass still in his hand, and locked eyes with mine. The moment seemed to stretch on and on, and a fire seemed to erupt low in my belly. I couldn't seem to make my lips move to give him a response.
He stood up and threw the glass in the trash can. Pointing to the overhead compartment above the seats nearby, he said with a glint in his eye, "Am I going to have to pull an oxygen mask out for you?"
That fire inside must've spread to my face. "Umm, no Officer Cullen. I'm okay." I continued in a softer voice, "And you're right, who cares about a little broken glass."
"Good to know." He winked and then said, "It's fine with me if you call me Edward."
He helped me to my feet, and I remained in a slight daze. "Glad you're working the front end of the plane this flight. I'll get to see more of you."
"Um, yes. You will."
He grinned and then strode off to join the other men in the flight deck.
Could I've been more of a ditz? I swept imaginary dust off my skirt and took a deep breath. Part of me wanted to lock myself in the bathroom, both to berate myself for my timid behavior with crushes and to ponder more about what he'd said. But when Alice returned after checking in with the other stews and with the passengers due at any moment, I had to focus on the task at hand.
Alice and I soon welcomed the passengers after they ventured down the jetway. We took them to their seats and stowed their bags in the overhead racks. Besides being close to Edward, I was thrilled to have first class today. Poor Rose was stuck in economy, or the "cattle car" as we liked to call it.
When Alice volunteered to do the p.a. announcement, I happily stepped aside. Her sweet voice always seemed to calm the passengers. Plus, she was much more personable than the instructions written on the 'just in case' brochures planted in the seat pockets. While she did the safety routine, I assisted the passengers with their seat belts.
Before we knew it, we were pulling from the gate, and Captain Jenks was informing the passengers we would be cruising to San Francisco at 34,000 feet and landing in six hours.
The first half of our flight had gone smoothly. We served drinks and pushed roast beef down the aisle on a linen-covered cart. As I chatted with honeymooners, cradled babies, and fetched for pillows and blankets, I continuously found myself glancing at the cockpit. I could see Edward's legs, but nothing more.
A lone businessman sitting in 2B pressed the call button for assistance. I figured he was asking for another cocktail until I saw him pull a cigarette out of his pack of Lucky Strikes. I struck a match and bent down to light his cigarette.
After he took his first drag, 2B looked up at me and said, "Honey, it's part of your job requirements to keep us all satisfied during the flight, correct?"
I nodded, but judging by the way he assessed my body with his eyes, I had a hunch I wasn't going to like what he'd say next. Instead of words, he reached into his coat pocket and placed a crisp twenty dollar bill on his seat tray.
"The drinks are complimentary, Sir."
He lowered his voice and said, "Consider this a special tip for a fine fox like you. Escort me into the bathroom, and it's all yours." To emphasize his intention, he placed his free hand at the back of my knee and began to move it slowly up my leg. I froze both out of shock and fear, and finally moved at the sound of a gravelly, male voice behind me.
"Get your hand off her."
I turned to find Edward snarling at the man. He stepped in front of me and yanked 2B by the shirt, pulling him into the front buffet area. He promptly snapped the drape closed behind him. Several guests raised their heads and looked at me with puzzled faces. Not wanting to make any more of a scene, I pretended to organize luggage in a nearby overhead rack.
"You desperate and pathetic excuse for a man." I could tell Edward was struggling to speak in only a whisper. "If I hear or see...or if you even think of crossing this woman again, you'll find yourself in the hold of this aircraft for the remainder of the flight."
I could hear movement behind the curtain, and so I scurried over to Alice at the far end of first class.
Alice rubbed my shoulder and said, "What happened? One minute I see Officer Cullen stepping out to use the restroom, and the next, he's manhandling a passenger."
"The guy was crass. Tried to offer me money for some fun in the restroom."
Alice sighed. "That's disgusting. Are you okay?"
"I guess. Just a little embarrassed that's all." At least none of the passengers seemed disturbed.
Men had made suggestive comments before, but it'd never gone that far. At Stewardess Training School, our instructors were upfront that we would sometimes have to deal with men like 2B. Maybe some men felt that by being away from home, and more importantly their wives, they could act like wolves?
Alice told me she'd switch with me and took over the front section of first class. When 2B came back to his seat, he grabbed a copy of the New York Times and used it as a prop to hide his face. Edward must have scared the holy hell out of him for he didn't dare look at Alice and I.
The rest of our journey went without further incidents. With some down time before our descent into San Francisco, Alice and I sat in our designated jump seats. She flipped through an issue of Look, while I stared out the small window on the door.
My thoughts drifted to Edward which was easy to do with him being only ten feet away in the cockpit door. He'd been so adorable before our flight. And then there was the way he'd stepped in when 2B got out of hand. Was I silly to have feelings for him? Was there more to us than our hometown connection?
"You're thinking about him again, aren't ya?" Alice said while turning a page of her magazine. She didn't even have to look at me to get her answer.
"You know, I can't blame you, honey. I see the way he sneaks looks at you. It's the same way Jasper looks at me."
Alice and I had grown close in the past few months. She always took me down the the Village to listen to some cool folk artists. Sure she was outgoing, but I think she liked to keep herself busy when away from work. Jasper was abroad in the army, and too much quiet time reminded her of being so far from her boyfriend.
"You miss him, don't you?" I asked. She rarely talked about Jasper, and I saw this as my moment to check in.
"Terribly." She placed the magazine in her lap and blew out a loud breath of air. "But he's worth waiting for. Just two more years and he'll be out. Then we can get married."
"But then you won't be able to work as a stew with me." Once stews walked down the aisle, they could no longer walk down the aisle of a plane in uniform.
"Maybe you'll have a shiny new ring on your finger by then, too. Okay, Mrs. Cullen?"
I nudged into her side with my elbow and then whispered, "Shh, he'll hear you. Also, you're wrong."
"Whatever you say, but I have a good hunch about dear ol' Officer Cullen and his Forks Girl."
"Time will tell." I grinned, hoping her hunch was right. "But let's not count our chickens before they're hatched."
"Fair enough." Alice glanced down at her wrist watch. "Go fetch the boys some coffee. If you want a chance with him, you need more face-to-face time." She pointed to the coffee pot in the galley. "You do that, and I'll check on the passengers."
After preparing a tray, I stepped into the cockpit half way. "Gentlemen, can I interest any of you in some coffee before we land?" The men all nodded their heads, and I heard a round of "Thanks, doll" from nearly all, except Edward.
"Thanks, Bella, err...Miss Swan." His fingers brushed mine as I passed him a cup of coffee, and the spark of his touch travelled up my arm. There wasn't enough Max Factor in the world to hide the blush that must've spread across my cheeks.
"You're welcome," I finally managed to say.
I stepped away, and within minutes, the plane began its descent. We soon were saying our goodbyes to the passengers. It was humorous watching 2B rush out of the plane as if his life depended on it.
While performing our post-flight duties, the men began to leave the cockpit. I peeked in and noticed Edward was still writing in his flight log.
"Everything go well up here?" Rose asked. Along with the other stews, she'd come to join Alice and I in first class.
Alice began filling the girls in on the 2B incident. Rose was all smiles while Alice spoke of "Officer Cullen's great rescue." I placed a finger in front of my lips, urging the girls to keep their voices down. I didn't want Edward to overhear.
"The worst I got called this flight was a 'Flying Waitress,'" said Rose. "Some jealous broad thought I was eyeing her scrawny old man. But had I seen that slime ball cop a feel on you, I would've dealt his face a real doozie."
"I wanted to do the same," I said, "but I was in shock." A man had never been so forward with me.
The girls spoke some more while I wiped down the galley.
"Bella," Alice said, getting my attention. "We need to handle some paperwork over in the office, so we're going to head out. Will you be okay finishing up by yourself?" She practically shouted out those last words and pointed to the cockpit.
Sneaky girls. I shook my head and said, "Yes, I'll stay back to finish your work. Go on ahead now."
After the girls slipped off the aircraft, I finished tidying up the galley and then walked the entire length of the plane to perform a final aisle check. It was my last task before leaving it in the hands of the cleaning crew. Upon reaching the back of the plane, I turned around only to stop in my tracks. Edward stood at the front of economy.
"Sorry for what happened earlier," he said while walking slowly toward me. "Talk about a pathetic man."
"Thanks for addressing the situation. You helped keep it from becoming a major scene in front of the other passengers."
"Don't think I responded out of concern for Pan Am's guest relations policy." His voice sounded clipped, almost irritated.
I bit my lip and then said, "Sorry, Offic—. I mean, Edward. I didn't mean in that way."
"Bella, I did what I did to protect you. Fact is, no one does that to my Forks Girl." With those last words, his eyes softened.
Did he just say my Forks Girl?
"Thank you. I...I guess I've never had someone look out for me in that way. You're very kind."
I moved in between some seats to pick up a stray newspaper that had been left on the floor. By the time I got up, Edward had moved to the seat in front of me, kneeling on it so he faced me.
"I would've intervened if that happened to any colleague, anyone really. But seeing him treat you like that, it brought out something fierce inside me. A desire to protect you."
Edward reached out and placed his hand over mine, his other wrapped around my elbow. His eyes had grown dark, and it was as if all the oxygen had escaped the plane. My stomach did flips when he leaned down to kiss me. His warm lips met mine, soft and tentative. I parted mine, taking more of him in to taste. He still tasted of the coffee I'd brought him earlier. I couldn't contain myself and a moan slipped out.
He suddenly broke our kiss and rested his forehead to mine. His green eyes spoke of need and desire. My chest expanded against the seat before me, and I was grateful for the barrier. I could see myself throwing myself at him.
Soon his lips came crashing back onto mine. They were urgent and relentless, and with the way his fingers now ran through my hair, every nerve ending was on high alert and my body ached for his touch.
I let the newspaper fall onto the floor and clutched possessively at the lapel of his blazer. He reacted to my assertiveness with a lustful groan and his tongue swept inside. Our tongues circled on another, exploring and eager for more. Edward cradled the back of my head and practically lifted me over the seat between us.
"Umm, excuse me," a voice interrupted. "Am I on an aircraft or at the Travelodge down the road?"
We released our hold of one another, and I braved a peek over my shoulder. It was a mechanic who'd boarded from the rear. My heart now panged in a different way than it had seconds before, and I dropped to the ground, suddenly in desperate need to find that pesky newspaper. And out of view of that man.
I glanced up at Edward, noting that his hat was off kilter and his face was covered with lipstick imprints. As if we hadn't give that man enough of a show. Edward looked down and whispered, "Excuse me, I'll be right back."
Turning his attention to the mechanic, Edward asked, "Sir, can you please walk with me?" He escorted the man outside the back of the plane. With the men out of view, I rose from hiding.
What in the hell was I doing? The man probably thought I was a real floozy, and god forbid he turned out to be a fink. He could ruin my all-too-short career. Dad sure would be proud if I returned back to Forks, not even making it a whole year as a Pan Am stewardess.
Before deplaning, I stepped into a bathroom to make myself more presentable. My lips looked swollen and my hair...good God. Even my silver wings were slightly askew. My hands shook while I tamed the wild strands and re-secured the hat.
Edward's kisses were dreamy, but was it worth risking being forced my uniform? Having relations with other crew members was not expressly forbidden by the airline but doing so while on the clock, while aboard a clipper jet, was a big no-no.
I closed the bathroom door behind me and started my walk of shame off the jet.
"Bella, please wait," Edward called from behind. With long strides, he was soon before me. I searched his face, but his brows weren't wrinkled. He looked calm. Unlike me.
"What am I going to do, Edward? They could fire me for what that man saw."
"Oh, him? You have nothing to worry about there." A wicked smile spread across his face. "We talked outside, and he ended up giving me the ol' pat on the back. He said something about wishing he were in my shoes."
I pressed my palm to my heart. I'd dodged a bullet. "Good. It's probably best if I go join the other girls."
I stood still for a moment pondering how or if I should address our moment of ardor in aisle 27. Edward opened his mouth a couple times as if he wanted to say something. Finally, he nodded in acquiescence.
I broke away, secured my travel bag, and took quick steps off the plane. Once inside the terminal, I spotted Rose and Alice chatting with some fellow stews. Alice caught my gaze, and there was no misconstruing the beam on her face.
Moving away from the group, she came up to me. "You look positively ravished. What happened?" Rose was at her side a second later.
"You want the good or the bad first?" I asked.
"So I was right," Alice said with a knowing nod. "Something did happen."
"No good and bad first stuff. Just spit it out." Typical Rose, blunt and to the point.
"Gee, um, well...we kind of kissed and then—"
"Were you doing some hanky panky on the plane? This is a new side for you and I like it." Alice clapped her hands silently.
"Dear God. It didn't go that far! But something did happen." I covered my face. "Let's just say there's a mechanic here at SFO that probably has a fun little story for the others guys on his shift. I just hope he doesn't tell on me."
"Is that what you're worried about? C'mon, that guy is not going to get you in trouble. If that were the case, you think Jessica would still be wearing her wings?" Rose smiled and gave me a side hug.
"Forget the mechanic," Alice said with a wave of her hand. "More importantly, you and Officer Cullen k-i-s-s-e-d! Oh, swoon, Bella."
Rose peeped at her watch. "Let's catch a ride to the hotel. Once we check in, you can and will tell us all about it."
We waved goodbye to the other stews before stepping out of the terminal to hail a cab.
###
While we worked hard during our flights, the airline rewarded us well in return. My monthly paycheck of $346 was fair, but the perks were what made our jobs glamorous. Often, our layovers were long enough that we could acquaint ourselves with the cities. Pan Am put us up in nice hotels, and we could dine on what we wanted. They paid. Of course, they were the ones to weight us as well, so that kept us in line.
I was excited to have two whole days in San Francisco. But while the city was beautiful and lively, it couldn't compete with knowing I'd be staying in the same hotel as Edward.
We wound up and down the hills of San Fran in route to the Chancellor hotel. I looked out the window, watching the hustle and bustle of the city and remembering fondly the last time I'd been here.
After visiting the job recruitment at my community college, a lady at the desk had given me a binder of job opportunities for women. That's where I'd discovered a colorful brochure with the words, "Win your wings as a Pan Am Stewardess." The proud young woman on the cover spoke to me. She was promising me a glamorous life, a chance to escape the small town life.
It had been an easy decision to submit my application to the employment office in San Francisco, and I was soon invited down for an interview. Six weeks later, I was kissing my dad goodbye and flying to Miami to attend Pan Am's Stewardess Training School.
The cab pulled up to the revolving front door of the Chancellor hotel. We checked in and took the elevator to our room. I quickly unpacked and shrugged out of that darn girdle. It was going to be heaven wearing 'civilian' clothes.
Since we were dining out tonight, I slipped into a sleeveless, high collared cocktail dress in red. I adjusted the matching belt which sat snug at my waist and ran a brush through my hair. It was still a bit unruly from my make out session with Edward, so I pushed it back with a headband.
We stepped into a taxi and headed to Fisherman's Wharf. The meal at Castagnola's was worth risking a stern talking about weight gain from Mrs. Cope. I'd devoured the just-out-of-the-oven sourdough bread bowl full of steamy clam chowder. Of course, during the meal, the girls grilled me for details about what happened in aisle 27.
"You are positively smitten, aren't you?" Alice asked. She was always the cheerleader for anything romance related.
I nodded, saying, "I think I am." Who was I kidding? Of course I was.
"Let's get the check." Rose put her hand in the air and signalled for the waiter.
"Yeah, maybe we'll find this one's stud-boy at the hotel bar," Alice said, waving her thumb at me.
As if Alice were a psychic, we found Edward by the bar with some of our other colleagues. Despite appearing engrossed in conversation with Officer Coventry, he snapped his head in my direction when we entered the lounge. We walked up to the bar, and without much surprise, Alice and Rose promptly deserted me.
"Look who's here," Edward said. "Did you have a nice dinner?"
"Yes. We went to a great place in Fisherman's Wharf. We had fun taking the trolley back."
"We dined in Little Italy." He gave me the more appreciated version of the Mrs. Cope inspection. "You look beautiful in that dress. That shade of red really brings out your eyes." He looked dreamy himself, wearing black slacks and a dark sport coat.
"Why thank you, Officer Cullen." I smiled and greeted Officer Coventry as well, feeling the need to maintain an air of formality in his presence.
The bartender came up to Edward. "Care for another old fashioned, Sir?"
"Yes, please." Edward turned my way. "And for the lady?"
"Tom Collins, thank you." While I wasn't much of a drinker, I figured having one could help out with my nerves.
Alice and Rose wandered back to gab with us. We all made polite conversation about the flight, and Rose praised Edward for putting 2B in his place.
Edward and I continued to chat, and after some time, I didn't even notice the girls had moved on to visit with others in the lounge. I learned there were more interesting things about him besides hailing from Forks. He'd shared how he'd left Washington to join the Air Force because his father had been a Medical Officer during the War. Having served his country, Edward decided to resume civilian life by relocating to New York and joining Pan Am just over a year ago. He joked that as a kid, he always had a thing for cars and trains, but planes went faster. He wanted to travel and experience the world. That was a strong desire of mine, too.
We relocated to a small table to continue our conversation, never once talking about what transpired on the plane. It remained the elephant in the room. The big gray elephant with long tusks. Yet, our conversation was easy-going, and there were times we simply got lost in each other's eyes. We didn't seem to mind the silence. It was no longer difficult to deny the magnetism between us.
His hand meet mine under the table, and his index finger made small circles on the top of my hand. Each circle became more and more electrified, a sensation that crept up my bare arm. As his confidence grew, he enclosed my hand in his and intensified his grip.
The flirtation continued, and we didn't see the lounge had emptied out. Even my friends had somehow managed to slip out. I glanced at the time on Edward's watch. It was quite late, especially since we were really on east coast time.
"I better turn in," I said, though I hated to. "The girls are going to start to worry about me."
He sighed but rose with me. Holding my hand, he led me to the elevator. I hit the call button, and Edward wrapped his arms around me from behind. He pressed a warm kiss to my neck, and if not for his arms around my waist, I probably would have fallen.
After nibbling on my earlobe and whispered, "I don't want the night to end."
The elevator opened, and I pulled him inside. Before the door could close, he had my back against the wall and seized me with his lips. They were strong and warm, and I wanted to feel them everywhere.
A loud ping caught our attention. We'd forgotten to push the floor buttons.
"You're going to be the death of me," I lectured, waving my finger in a 'tsk tsk' manner before pressing the elevator call button.
He pressed his and and asked, "What's so wrong with that?"
I bit my lower lip and smiled, unable to give him a reason because in all honesty, I wanted him to be the death of me.
"So tell me, Forks Girl, what's the zip code for our old home town?" He reached into the pocket of his pants.
"98331. Don't tell me you've already forgotten."
"983...983," he repeated. He let his hotel keychain dangle in front of me. The oval-shaped key chain was engraved with the numbers 983. "Just thought it might help you remember. You know to remember the number…I mean say if you wanted to..."
I'd never seen him blush, but it was probably one of the cutest things ever. The poor man was about as red as the lipstick I had slapped all over his face on the plane.
I crept closer to him, but then turned abruptly to exit the elevator. I spun around to face him, and he held the elevator door open. I asked, "If I wanted to what, Edward?"
"Come visit me."
Inside, I squealed like I had when seeing The Beatles on Ed Sullivan, but a new sultry Bella responded back. It must have been due to the drink downstairs. "Perhaps you'll see me, perhaps you'll not." I blew him a kiss before turning on my heels. I knew he was still holding the elevator door while watching me, and because of that, I may have let my hips sway just a little bit more than necessary. I'd seen Alice and Rose do it enough, so I'd learned from the best.
But whatever confidence I exuded in the hallway vanished once I reached my room. I was fiddling with the key to the door when it quickly opened in front of me. Alice and Rose stood before me, their hair in curlers and faces covered in cold cream. Like cops catching a thief, they grabbed me by the arms and hurled me onto the bed.
"Dish. We left you down there almost an hour ago," Rose said.
"Aw, look at her," Alice said. "Someone's sitting on cloud nine."
I kicked my feet on the side of the bed and let out a little shriek before filling them in. After ending with his proposition in the elevator, I asked, "So, what do I do?"
My heart and the swell of lust between my legs was urging me to walk...no run up to his room. But there was also a small nagging voice that said, 'That's not what nice girls do.'
Rose was the first to respond. "You know if you go see him, it probably means you're going to give him some nooky."
"I know, I know he'll think that. My hormones are running wild. That's why my stomach's in knots."
"I just wanted to make sure you knew of his intentions." She reached for my hand and gave it a slight squeeze. "You can fool around. You don't have to go all the way."
I gnawed at my pinky finger.
"Don't sweat it. Just be clear about what you want before it goes too far," Alice said. "And if you do let it go far, remember making love feels better the more you do it."
The girls knew of my virginal status, but having Alice be so blunt was a stark bit of reality. Was I really going to go that far? I didn't hold the typical dream to stay pure until my wedding day, but I didn't want to give it up that easily. Couldn't I indulge in a little fun though? I'd know when to stop, and Edward was a real cool head. He didn't seem like the type who was solely looking to score. At least I hoped that wasn't the case.
"So long as you don't think any less of me, I'm going to see him. But we're not going to ball. It's not like I'll be going to any sweat parties after tonight."
"Of course not." Alice rolled her eyes and then her lips turned upright into a coy smile. "Can I help freshen you up first?"
They led me into the bathroom, and Alice brushed my hair. "Let's add a dash of darker shadow," Alice said, and the eye brush tickled my lids. "Now you'll have some real bedroom eyes."
Rose sat on the edge of the counter and rattled off flirting tips she'd read in a fashion magazine.
The girls tightened their robes and escorted me out the door. We scurried up the stairs to the ninth floor, where they practically pushed me out into the hallway.
I quietly tiptoed towards Edward's room. "983...983...," I muttered, while inside I chanted, 'You can do this...you can do this.'
When I reached his door, I looked back at Alice and Rose, who'd remained by the stairwell door. They both gave me thumbs up, and Rose whispered, "Go get that jet jockey."
Once the stairwell door shut, I turned my attention back to his. I raised my hand a couple times before finally knocking. The door flew open and a most delicious hunk of a man stood before me. He looked fab with his. His sport coat now removed, his light blue, button down shirt was unbuttoned at the top and his slim tie hung loose around his neck.
"I wasn't sure you'd come." He gestured for me to step in and then closed the door behind him. I walked further into the room, and he offered me a seat.
The sight of the bed made my mouth go dry, so I went for the safety of the chair by the window. He flipped off the color TV and sat at the edge of the bed.
"How are you?" he asked. I knew he was just filling in the awkward silence.
I crossed one leg, then exchanged it for the other. "I'm...I'm fine. You?"
"Good, though I'm feeling a little lonely over here." He raised his eyebrows in quick succession and licked his lips. God those lips.
And then that nagging voice kicked in again, scolding me for visiting a man's hotel room. A man I didn't know all that well. But I raised an imaginary hand to that voice. This man wasn't just any man, he was Edward. The feelings I had for him had already long surpassed what I had ever felt for anyone before. Plus, I'd had a taste of him in the plane and on the elevator, and the woman inside me desired more. Nice girls be damned.
He held out his hand, and as if I were being hypnotized, I rose to my feet and planted myself in his lap. While it was late and I should have been tired with the time difference, I was very much awake. My skin goose pimpled, keenly aware of my proximity to Edward. He leaned in, and our kisses quickly shifted from polite to frantic. I raked my fingers through his bronze locks and moaned when he did the same to me.
His other hand cupped my ass to pull me closer. Edward tugged at my hair, and his tongue was demanding and full length of his body pressed against me, strong and warm. I could only imagine what it would be like without our clothes. The growing need between my legs told me to find out now, but I told myself to practice some restraint. Just some. I put my palms against his chest and pushed back.
"What is it?" he asked. His eyes were wide, and he straightened his posture.
"I'm a...you should know I've never been with a man before. Not all the way."
"I wasn't planning on—" His fingers trailed up and down my back. "I know it looks like that was maybe my intent by asking you to my room. I'm sorry."
I covered his lips with two outstretched fingers. "Don't apologize. I wanted to come up here. If I didn't want to see you, to be physical, I wouldn't be here. I'm just not ready for everything tonight."
He kissed my fingers and cupped my hand in his. "You have my word. I respect you."
I leaned in and gave him a long kiss. I might not have wanted to lose my virginity tonight, but that didn't mean I wanted my visit to end.
He took over and his hand cradled my head as he placed me gently down on the bed. "How far have you been with a man before?"
"Kissing, some petting, but not much."
He placed a trail of kisses across my cheek, traveling down and across my neck to my ear. "Can I make you feel good? I want to show you the pleasure a man can give you."
His words, the way he nibbled at my lobe, left me with no other answer than to say, "Yes."
"Tell me to stop, and I will. But I have a feeling you'll be telling me otherwise."
Our tongues met, and I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders. My body was aflame especially with the way his hardness pressed against me. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him. I quivered when his right hand met my thigh, and I pressed the back of my heels into the side of the mattress.
His hand massaged the inside of my leg, moving back and forth and inching closer to where I desired him most. And then he asked me something. Something he had to ask me twice because shock prevented me from giving him an answer..
"Can I taste you?" The tip of his tongue circled mine as if to drive the intent of his question home.
"Down there? But won't it taste funny to you? I'm...pretty wet down there. It's because I'm excited, that's all. It might be a turnoff for—"
"Bella. That's how it is when a woman's turned on. Knowing you're wet," he said, and then he slid his fingers up my leg and cupped my sex. "And yes, you're quite wet, is making me so hard."
My eyes opened wide and it was like something large had lodged itself in my throat. Hearing him speak like that, so naughty yet honest, made me throb and I could feel myself vibrate against his fingers.
"Are you worried about how you taste? Because you have to know, there's nothing I want more than to taste you, inhale you, and feel you grind against my face."
His fingers pressed into my entrance, and I cursed my panties for being a barrier. He pushed in a bit and then out, and I couldn't hold back my moans.
"Is that a yes?"
I sucked in a breath and nodded. That was enough of a response for him, and he slid down my body until he dropped to his knees before the bed. He pushed the hem of my dress up, which left me so exposed. So open. And so turned on.
My body tingled at each brush of his fingers as he unlatched each garter. He didn't bother pulling the stockings down, instead he went for my panties and dropped them to the floor.
Edward stayed still for a bit, and I lifted my head out of concern. I found an animal about to strike prey. But he wasn't dangerous, only hungry looking. His eyes were dark and dilated.
"Have you ever had an orgasm? Ever brought yourself to one?"
"I've touched myself. I'm not sure though." I was honest.
"Let's see if I can help you be sure."
He wrapped his arms around my thighs and dipped below. I squirmed a bit when he kissed and sucked at my thigh, but froze when his hot breath enveloped me...there. He ran his tongue across the length of me, and my head fell back into the mattress. I cried out when his warm lips pressed into my folds and he invaded me with his tongue.
This was all so unreal. I bucked my hips and my feet pressed into his back.
"Yeah, hold on to me like that," he said.
I clutched on to him with my legs and pulled him closer, keeping him captive because I never wanted him to stop. The tip of his tongue circled around the very center of my arousal, and I found it hard breathe. Everything inside was winding tighter and tighter.
"Could taste you all night, but I want you to give in to your pleasure. No need to hold back."
His words were an invitation to let go. To feel no shame over my need. My fingers raked his scalp, and I ground myself upon his face. It was then my pilot took me down the runway, and before I knew it, I was soaring in the air. I pressed my lips tight to prevent myself from screaming. I could only see white light and my thighs shook.
Finally, I fell back upon the bed. My chest pounded, and my skin was flush and pink.
"So how about now? Do you know for sure yet?" His voice was low and full of confidence.
"It's never been like that by myself. Now, I really know." I ran my feet up and down his sculpted back. It was like I was discovering the mystery of my body for the first time. I was unlocking my sensuality. "That was like nothing else."
My eyes finally regained focus. I crooked my fingers at Edward, and he crawled back to my side.
While combing my hair with his fingers, he said, "You're incredibly sexy."
I shook my head. I never thought of myself much that way.
"I mean it. You don't flaunt it, but it's there. And the way you look right now, so content, so undone? I never want to forget this moment."
"I won't be forgetting it either. I never thought that could be as amazing as it was."
It hit me that this wasn't all about me. That he probably expected the same. But I'd never gone down on a man. My stomach quivered. Would I make a fool out of myself with my lack of experience.
"What about you?" I asked, reaching out to caress his cheek.
"I'm fine. This was about you tonight." He pointed his chin to the night stand. I looked over and caught the time. "It's getting late. Not that I want you to go, but..."
"Thanks. I don't want to risk seeing others when I go back to my room."
He pressed his palm against my cheek and leaned in for a slow kiss. When he pulled away, he said, "I want you to know this isn't something I normally do."
"Nor do I." I could sense the heat building in my face. "If that wasn't obvious enough."
"How about we go on a good ol' fashioned date?"
"I'd love that." I sat up, and he did the same.
"Great. How about this coming Saturday, you and I head to the World's Fair?"
I smiled. "Alice put you up to this, right?"
"She might have given me the suggestion, but I haven't been yet. It'll be fun."
"Yes." I smiled, but soon pouted.
"What's wrong?" Edward's hand covered mine.
"Saturday's going to take forever to get here."
Edward laughed at my frustration. "Pan Am gave us a layover. I didn't say the Fair would be our first date, did I?"
I grinned at the thought of having more of Edward to myself. "I like where you're going with this."
He reached over to the bed stand and took his pilot hat. After placing it upon my head, he smiled and said, "That's cute. So tell me, Captain, what do you think about having lunch in Chinatown tomorrow?"
"That would be great, Officer Cullen," I said in a husky, male voice. We laughed and kissed again.
He rose from the bed and pulled me up to my feet. "Forks Girl, go get some sleep. I'll see you in a few hours."
I shook my head. "Before I go, let's talk about that nickname."
A/N:
This story was originally written for the 'Age of Edward' contest, but it now continues on. Click to the next chapter to read about Edward and Bella's date at the World's Fair. On my profile page, you will find a link to a little slideshow of some of the images that inspired this story. I have always had a fascination with this time period in aviation, especially the "stew" culture. I thank the organizers of the 'Age of Edward' contest for inspiring me to finally write about two things I very much enjoy.
Super thanks to my most wonderful beta, siouxchef, who as my own personal Mrs. Cope helped clean up my writing and "proceeded" to keep me in line (like a nun with a ruler). Without the firm use of siouxchef's red pen, I don't think I would have made my goal of finally completing and posting a story!
Lastly, on bended knee, I beg for your reviews! It would mean a lot to hear from *you*. I respond to all reviews.
~Thanks~
xoxo, FLC