Chapter 8

Just Friends

T Minus 2 Years and 9 Months…

What Will described as the 'fun' part of training was finally beginning. Scuba diving and parachute jumping were part of the program and the children loved both. Parachute jumping was done with all of the pilot candidates and family in one trip. John would double and triple check his family's harness hook-ups each time they jumped, but everyone noticed that Don always managed to check Judy's before her father got to her. Somehow, Don usually positioned himself to jump soon after Judy so he could maneuver himself to land as close to her as possible.

The pilots were beginning to talk. Don and Judy's chemistry was obvious to everyone who saw them together, but many loudly complained that Don was over-stepping his bounds with the teenager, and he was even accused of using her to get closer to her parents.

For his part, Don chose to ignore the rumors. He felt a protective instinct towards all of the children, but especially towards Judy because she was sacrificing her future to be a part of this mission. He didn't know that she had planned to drop out of the training at the end of the semester. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. As long as they were thrown together, he was going to keep a close eye on her.

Dealing with weightlessness was the toughest part of the training for the family, especially the microgravity device, otherwise known as the 'vomit comet.' They would experience a period of weightlessness for twenty to thirty seconds, and the first forty times were the worst. Judy was the first one of the family to graduate from the 'comet' and her training moved onto the huge underwater tank in the Weightless Environment Training Facility before the rest of her family. This suited her just fine as it removed her from the vigilant eyes of her parents when she trained with Don.

This would be her first experience in the tank and Don, Captain Bryce and Red Miles were assigned to her group. Miles, an experienced scuba diver, was first in the tank. Judy was assigned to go next and Don, as was his habit, double checked her equipment before she followed Red. Bryce fumed as Don jumped in after her. He was determined to put West in his place. He wanted that pilot position, and he wasn't about to allow Don to romance his way into the Jupiter's pilot seat.

After their session, Don helped Judy with her equipment and promised to meet her for lunch. They separated to go into their respective locker rooms, and Bryce was waiting for him.

"Enjoying robbing the cradle, West?" Bryce asked when Don entered the locker room.

"Can it, Captain," Don replied.

"Can it, Captain? Is that how you talk to a superior officer, Lieutenant?"

"Forgive me, Captain."

"It's pretty low of you to use that poor girl for your own ambition."

Don ignored his comment, though the rage was beginning to churn inside him.

"The age of consent in Texas is seventeen, West. Did you know that?"

Don lost it. He grabbed Bryce by the collar and shoved him up against a locker. "Shut your mouth, Captain, or I'll…"

Red Miles was immediately at Don's back and pulled him away. "Down, boy. You don't want to ruin your chances."

Don glared at Bryce and shook Miles off. He headed for the showers and took a long hot one. When he came out, Miles was waiting for him.

"You okay?" Red asked him.

Don sat down beside him and started to dress. "Yeah."

"You came pretty close to losing it all back there."

"I know… Thanks for saving me, Red."

"You know, Don. Most of the pilots share Bryce's opinion."

Don looked up at him as he tied his shoes. "It's really none of their business, now, is it?'

"If it hurts their chances to win that pilot spot, it is."

"Humph… if it hurts anybody's chances, it's mine. Her parents aren't exactly thrilled that we get along so well."

"Just watch your back, son. I'd hate to see anyone get hurt."

"I'm not going to get hurt."

"I wasn't just talking about you. She's still a kid. Be careful."

Judy was waiting for Don in the cafeteria with a large salad in front of her. Don dropped his tray on the table and sat across frm her.

"Hi. Sorry I'm late," Don said.

"Is something wrong, Don?" she asked.

Yeah, something was wrong. A lot was wrong, but what could he say to her? "No," he lied and took a bite of his burger.

"You seem preoccupied or something."

"I'm okay, really."

She knew he wasn't, but instinct told her to let it go. "I heard that we're going to have to start putting in flight time in the T-38's."

His eyes lit up. "You'll love it."

He was about to expound on the exhilaration of flying, but before another word left his mouth, Penny and Will came bouncing into the cafeteria and ran straight to their table.

"Penny and I finished the microgravity training today!" Will exclaimed.

"We get to fly in the jets with the pilots now," Penny added.

"That's great!" Don said. "Once you're used to microgravity, flying in those things is a piece of cake."

Professor and Mrs. Robinson weren't far behind, looking a little piqued. "Please don't mention cake," Maureen stated as she sat down beside Judy.

"Can we fly with you, Don?" Will asked.

"Sure, that is, if it's okay with your mother and father," he answered.

"Can we, Dad?" Penny asked.

"We'll talk about that when your mother and I are feeling better," John responded.

'Still doesn't like me,' Don thought. 'Not good.'

"I have a special request, Don. It's my birthday next week and I want you to take me up for my first ride in the T-38 on that day," Judy stated.

No one responded, so Don looked at her parents and asked, "Any objections?"

They couldn't find a reason to object, so both shook their heads.

"It's a date, then. February twenty-sixth, right?"

She nodded.

"I'm going to reserve that day right now." He picked up his tray and said, "See you all later."

Maureen sent the youngsters to get their lunch and turned to her daughter. "Judy, don't you think he's a bit old for you?"

"He's only twenty-one," she responded.

"Yes, but five years is a big difference at your age," John added.

"Four years. I'll be seventeen next week," she replied. "Besides, I don't know what you're worried about. We're just friends."

John and Maureen traded knowing glances. 'Just friends… for now.'

The innocent and not so innocent teasing of the other pilots regarding his relationship with Judy was starting to wear on Don, and, as the youngest of the group, he was under the most pressure to prove himself. Red watched him carefully and tried to run interference with the other pilots when he could. He liked the young man and was impressed with how well he had handled the pressure so far.

Professor Robinson was waiting for the cracks to show and had to admit that he was tougher on Don than the others. He thought that if he pressed him hard enough, he would slip and drop in the standings. As it was, he was neck and neck with Captain Bryce for the top spot, but John had no intention of going into space with an inexperienced airman who had the hots for his daughter. That thought caused him pause, though, for he remembered that his daughter was not going to accompany them.

The family planned a much needed vacation to Southern California, and Judy was going to take a summer class to get a taste of college life in addition to acting in the summer stock company. Don had gone back to New York to visit his family. Judy had yet to tell him that she wasn't planning on returning in September. She wasn't sure what stopped her. He knew that she had applied to USC, but she told him that it was only to keep her options open in case something happened and the mission was canceled. Once in California, she fully expected to have as wonderful a summer as she had had the previous year.

Judy found that she didn't enjoy USC as much as she had expected. She got along well enough with her roommate, but she again found that she lacked the motivation for the class work. It was the summer stock activities that she dumped all of her energy into, and she spent the majority of her time at her Aunt Colleen's house with the entire family when she wasn't at the theater.

"Hello! Anybody home?" Judy shouted as she walked through the house. She found Joan lounging by the backyard pool.

"Judy! What are you doing here?" Joan asked.

"Tryouts were done early today. You are looking at the female lead, once again, in Oklahoma! I think the only reason they chose me was that I already have the script memorized. It's the last show of the season and we won't have as much time to rehearse."

"Come on, Judy, you got the role because you're talented."

"Everyone is talented in that group." She stared at the pool. "I could really use a swim. I'll change and be right back."

"Bring back some lemonade?" Joan called after her.

"Okay."

Joan looked through the newspaper while Judy changed and her eyes grew wide when she saw an article on the Jupiter flight. There was a picture of the Robinsons leaving the training facility with several young men walking behind them. Judy was turned towards one of them and the camera caught the exact moment when their eyes met. It didn't take a magnifying glass to see the sparks flying between them.

"Judy, you've got to see this," Joan said.

"What?"

Joan handed her the article. "Is that your Lieutenant West?"

"He's not mine, Joan. We're just friends."

"If I were in your position, I'd want to be a lot more than friends. He's adorable."

Joan's statement hit her where it hurt, and her eyes watered.

"Judy? Are you okay?"

"He is adorable, and I think about him all the time."

"Judy, you're not, like, falling in love with him, are you?"

"No, I can't. I'm not going back to Houston."

"Does he know?"

"I haven't told him."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. I just… It doesn't matter, Joan. He probably doesn't even miss me."

"I don't know, Judy, looking at that picture, I'd say he's as crazy about you as you are about him."

"Then why hasn't he called me?"

Don spent most of his summer traveling with his parents from one sibling's house to another. They were scattered throughout the Northeast and their last stop was at his sister June's home in Boston. He had just finished a pick-up baseball game with his nephews and the neighborhood kids when he came in to get washed up for dinner.

"Hey, baby bro, you're in the paper," June announced.

"That's nice," Don replied.

"Seriously, there's a great shot of the Robinsons with you and Judy talking together."

Don grabbed the paper and stared. A day didn't go by when he didn't think of her, and, seeing that picture in print, made him feel guilty that he hadn't tried to contact her. 'No sex, no strings, no commitments.'

"So what's the story?" she asked.

"She a kid, June. We're just friends."

Always one to get straight to the heart of a matter, June wouldn't let him off that easily. "I don't buy that. You're blushing like a man caught in the ladies' room. There's a lot more than friendship in that look."

"She's only seventeen. Besides, her parents don't even like me."

"She won't be seventeen forever… And if you're chosen to be the pilot, you and she can be like Adam and Eve, or whatever… Do you miss her?"

He sighed. "Everyday."

June brought the phone to him. "Call her."

He shook his head. "I'm the underdog in the pilot competition. I can't afford to make a mistake." He stared at the phone, knowing that June was probably right, but wondering every second if he were making a mistake. It didn't matter because once he reached for that phone, there was no stopping himself.

Judy was doing laps in the pool when the phone rang and Joan waved her in. "It's him!" she whispered, as she handed the phone to Judy.

"Hello?"

"Judy? It's Don… Don West."

"Don! Why are you calling?"

Joan rolled her eyes and whispered, "Tell him you're glad he called!"

"Oh, uh," he hadn't expected that question, but recovered quickly. "Did you see us in the paper today?"

"Yes, I did and I'm, I'm glad you called," Judy stammered.

"So… how has your summer been?" he asked.

"Okay."

Joan poked her in the ribs. "Tell him about the play!"

"We'll be putting on our final play soon," Judy said.

"Really? What play?" he asked.

"Oklahoma!"

"Weren't you the female lead in that at Houston High?" Don asked.

"You remembered!"

"Well, sure I remembered. I'd, uh, I'd like to see you perform sometime."

"Invite him to come and see you now!" Joan whispered.

Judy shook her head.

"Judy… " Joan's whisper took on a threatening tone.

She shook her head again.

"Judy? Are you still there?" Don asked.

Joan grabbed the phone from Judy and said, "Lieutenant West? This is Joan, Judy's cousin. We would love to have you come out and see the show. It's the last production of the summer, right before you have to get back to Houston. Can you come?"

"Ah, sure, I think I can make it. When is it?"

"Two weeks from tomorrow. You can stay with Judy in her room at USC."

Silence… while Judy shook her head violently.

"Uh, can I talk to Judy again?" he asked.

Judy took the phone back from Joan with a glare. "Don? I'm sorry. You don't have to come if you don't want to," Judy said.

"Look, if you don't you want me to come…"

He sounded disappointed. "No, I do! I do want you to come. It's just so far."

"No place is too far for me, Judy. I'm flying back to Houston next week anyway. I'll enjoy the drive to LA and back. It'll be a good way to end the summer before we go back to training."

Guilt flashed through Judy's mind.

"Oh, and, don't worry about putting me up. I'll get myself a motel room."

Judy breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay. See you in two weeks, then?"

"Two weeks… and, uh, Judy?"

"Yes?"

"It was good to talk with you again."

She smiled, "Same here."

"Well, good-bye."

"Bye, Don."

She hung up with a dreamy smile on her face, and then turned to Joan and said, "My parents are going to kill me."