"I'm sorry sir.. We do not have ten seats in first class for the flight to Zagreb.. We do however have five in first class and five in coach.." The desk clerk smiled at Carter, who impatiently tapped the end of his GOLD Visa card on the counter.
"FIVE??" Carter sighed and looked back at his friends. "Flip a coin??"
Luka winced, nodding. "S-sounds like a plan."
The group looked at him sympathetically, their anger had vanished since peeling the handsome foreign doctor off the pavement outside Skokie..
"I think he should get a seat in First class.. It's his trip after all.. and we DID trade in his car.."
They turned and glared at Malucci and then sighed in unison. Elizabeth bit her lip. "Yes.. I guess Luka should get a ticket... The rest of us flip coins.. Everyone take out a nickel."
In turn, everyone fished in their pockets and came out with shiny new nickels, flipping them in the air.
The coins shimmered like silver beacons as they were tossed skyward before tumbling back into the warm, waiting palms of their owners.
Hands slapped quickly over the coins and they all shared nervous glances. "Heads is Coach.. Tails is First class.. Okay.. Hands off.." Kerry murmured.
Looking at everyone else's coins, Dave yelped, stumbling backward, dropping his coin. "Shit!"
They all stared at him oddly and Weaver sighed heavily, stooping to pick up the nickel. "Did you know that five cents can feed a child in the third world for a whole day, Dave?" She said in a sad, hushed tone.
Everyone rolled their eyes. "Actually Kerry-" Luka started. But Weaver shot him a death-stare. Luka clammed up.. He didn't want the snot beaten out of him again.
"What's wrong? Why'd you freak out like that??" Carter said, trying to suppress a laugh.
"Don't you know about Goochers and Moons?! That plane's gonna crash, man.. I'm not steppin' foot on it.. I'll walk to Croatia before I ever get on that plane!"
Dave turned to leave and Elizabeth grabbed him by the collar. "Don't be such a bloody twit!"
Weaver nodded. "If reading King novels during your breaks in the lounge is what this is about, then I'm going to County and burning your little library in your locker.. Take your damned nickel Dave and call it. NOW!" She glared at all of them.
"Flip NOW! She barked, making them all jump.
The coins took another tumble in the air and one by one scattered cheers of success by the winners and groans by the losers filled the aeroport as the nickels fell back to earth and revealed the seating arrangement.
Carter scowled. "It's not fair.. *I* am paying for these tickets.. How come *I* have to ride in coach for chrissakes??! Screaming babies and big fat guys with pit stains and bad gas.. No fair!"
Doug rolled his eyes, pleased with his first class ticket. "Don't be such a child, Carter.. You get to share a row with my lovely wife, and..." He turned and looked at the rest of the group, picking out the sullen expressions. "Petey, Marky, and Lizzy.."
The trio glared at him and then went back to staring at their traitorous nickles.
"Call me Lizzy again and I will personally remove your testicles with a dull rusty spoon." Elizabeth seethed angrily.
Benton growled in agreement. "But, forget spoons, Elizabeth.. This guy doesn't deserve such humane treatment.. Going around and killing children and getting away with it.."
Doug's jaw dropped, his eyes narrowed, and his fists clenched.
"H-how.. DARE you!!!!!???? At least I didn't kill my nephew!" He'd knocked out Luka, and Benton would be a piece of cake, Doug smirked, his eyes firey and full of pain.
Peter Benton trembled slightly, taken aback at the length Doug had gone to, to insult him. He'd brought up Jesse.. The pain his whole family had gone though.. Doug.. Doug was going to have to die..
Benton swung wildly hitting nothing but air, and stumbling forward, looking up at Doug who smirked at him.
Before Peter could get to his feet, Mark separated the two men, shaking his head. "Cut it out you two.. Take your tickets.. The plane is leaving.. We don't have time for this!"
**********
Doug, Kerry, Luka, Dave and Abby smugly made their way to business
class while their colleagues got left behind in coach.
As Kerry buckled herself in and flipped through the magazine she'd picked up in the aeroport and Dave nudged her in the shoulder. She sighed irritably, dropping the Maclean's on her lap. "What's wrong Malucci??"
"Did I mention?? I hate flying??" Dave said shakily, his knuckles white around the armrests.
"You hate flying?? You went to school in Grenada! Didn't that require some sort of flying?? What did you do? Swim there??" Abby laughed slightly.
"I.. I don't remember.. I think I sorta freaked out on the plane.. I remember barfing everywhere and then waking up in my dorm room.. I think they must have given me something.." Dave replied sheepishly.
"Oh.. Well why in the hell did you want to come?! We're going to be on this plane for HOURS, Dave.. " Doug sighed, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I.. I don't know.. Abby said something about hot Croatian chicks and I said I wanted to come.." He stammered nervously, looking at the people loading the luggage outside the plane.
"I said we'd be seeing chickens.. Luka's uncle had chickens.." Abby said exasperatedly.
"Aww man... Stupid chickens.." Dave muttered. "I want to go home.."
Luka lay back in his seat, his feet up. He opened and eye and grunted. "Dave.. Come here.. Sit here.." He muttered softly, patting the seat, where his girlfriend sat. Abby gave her boyfriend an odd look and switched seats with Dave. "Look, Dave.. You don't have to come.. But.. I'd say going home is a little late now.." He murmured softly, looking out the window. The plane had started to move. "Stay.. Enjoy Carter's first class tickets.. Eat caviar and escargot and drink wine.. Have a good time.."
Luka painfully patted his friend's hand. "It'll be okay.. Just stick your head between your knees during the turbulence.. and.." He smiled.. "Don't puke on me... Puke on Doug.. In fact make sure you puke on Doug!"
Doug glared at him and sighed, suddenly overcome with the urge to boot poor old Carter up to first class and sit with his wife. "You know what, Kovac? You really are a prick!"
Luka growled. "Look.. MY Uncle died.. We are going to sell his farm. *I* did not invite you.. I do not like you.. But you are coming.. and there is now nothing I can do to change or stop that. Please.. All I ask is that you be at least civil to me. You DID break my nose after all.."
Doug grumbled, crossing his arms and staring out the window as the pilot addressed the passengers. "Fine.. I just think-"
"Stop it you two.. Behave.. Luka is right.. He has graciously allowed us to come along.. The least we can do is be nice." Kerry smiled at him, returning to her magazine as the plane took off.
*******
The flight attendant pushed the cart slowly down the aisle. "Fish or chicken.. Chicken or fish?"
Carter poked at his food, "Is she telling us we had a choice between the two, or can she not tell the difference either?" He grumbled.
"Carter... It's good food.. I'm sorry it's not filet mignon.. But it's food.. I'm sorry you lost the coin-toss.. We're all very grateful for the tickets. I'm sure Luka is very grateful to you.. This was all very last minute.. He'll pay you back, I'm sure.." Carol smiled at him, poking at her 'fish' and scraping off the 'special sauce'.
He shook his head. "It's not the money Carol.. I don't care about the money.. I care about the fact that I probably was only invited because of the money.. I mean.. I came because I thought Abby would want me to come.. To keep her company."
Elizabeth sighed, kissing Mark on the cheek and switching seats with Benton, seating herself beside Carol and Carter. "Abby is up in first class.. Abby is with her boyfriend.. Abby is with Luka.. Carter, tell me.. Did Abby invite you? Or did you invite yourself?"
"I.. Well.. I.. I thought she'd want me there.. I.. She jumped into my arms.." Carter stammered, sighing heavily. "You're right.. I.. I don't know what I was thinking.."
Elizabeth snorted. "Abby jumped into your arms??! Well.. She always struck me as a colossal flirt.. Running around the hospital with you, and going out with Luka like that.. If you ask me.. This mess is her fault.. Not yours, Carter."
"Abby? The flirt?? Didn't Luka kiss Carol, while Doug was off in Seattle?" Mark pondered. "I'd say Luka's the flirt.. Not Abby."
Carol blushed. "That was a mistake.. It was quick.. And it made everything really awkward afterwards... But we're not discussing me.. We're discussing Carter."
"Carter.. Didn't you tell Luka that you were a farmer?? What in the hell is up with that? You've never been on a farm." Benton sighed.
"I.. I have too! My grandfather owns stables. I've been riding horses my whole life!" Carter protested.
"Yeah, Carter.. But have you ever shoveled the shit afterwards??" Mark asked, trying to keep a straight face.
"Well.. No.. But.. I've seen my grandfather's farm hands do it... How hard can it be?" Carter said weakly.
The group let out a collective sigh. They really couldn't lecture Carter.. They knew about as much about farming as Carter did and they were coming too..
Carter waved down the flight attendant. "Can I have a scotch??? I really need a scotch.." He sighed heavily as the stewardess poured the liquor into a little plastic cup filled with ice. "Thanks.."
It was after about seven of those little plastic ice-filled cups that Carter started to sob drunkenly. "I never been on a f-farm... M-my grandfather's sssstables are on the b-back of his mansion.. I never been in the barn except to get m-my horse.. I never scooped his poop li'e a goo' boy.."
Elizabeth pulled the nearly empty cup from his shaking hands and looked over at the stewardess. "Can I have a few coffees over here?? Thanks.."
****