Chapter 6

Ashley's POV

The ride to the military base was quiet..

Something my parents didn't know is that I had already applied for the Women Air force Service Pilots a long time ago.. The soon I heard about that our country was recruiting women for air force.. And two months after I did I got a reply that I was accepted.. And then is when everything happened.. That is when I told my mom that I was ready to marry Aiden.. I didn't expect her to let me go easily and surely I didn't expect her to trick me the way she did.. I wasn't sure what Aiden's decision would be though but I was sure that I could persuade him.. Did I take advantage of the fact he cared so much for me? Maybe I did.. But to my defense in my mind Aiden was an enemy as well.. Little did I know that Aiden would be my ally and one of the best people I ever met..

"It's hard to say goodbye" Aiden said while still holding the steering..

"Then we don't have to say goodbye.. Let's just say we will see each other soon"

"Promise?"

"Promise"

"Be careful. Ok?"

"I will.. Don't forget to write me.. Once we settle down I will tell you where to send the letters"

We hugged and gave each other one last kiss.. I took my belongings that weren't too many and walked to the gate were soldiers were checking our papers.. I looked back one more time before I get inside and I waved Aiden goodbye..

"Name?"

"Ashley Dennison"

"Your papers say Ashley Davies"

"I got married two weeks ago.. My husband is outside there.. I can ask him to come and confirm.. Also I have the wedding papers.." I was rumbling because I was scared that they wouldn't let me.. I was scared that this was it.. My dream was till this gate and that was it.. I would be back to being a wife..

"Go through Gate A.. Here is your papers.."

When I heard him telling me that I could go I think I was feeling alive again.. It was such a relief.. One last time I looked outside to see if Aiden was still waiting but he was already gone.. Maybe it was for the best.. Right here I wasn't the Ashley everyone knew. My parents, my friends.. Here I was the Ashley I was supposed to be.. And this was my chance to do my best..

Once we were all there they separated us into nineteen groups.. I was in the group of Guinea Pigs. We started training at Houston Municipal Airport and our training would last thirty days.. Yes, we were required to complete the same primary, basic and advanced training courses as male Army Air Cops pilots.. And it wasn't easy..

Women from nature are competitive and I realized that when I had to train with these women.. Some of them were masculine and me, a woman of 5.2 foot high couldn't compare to them.. I told myself though to push harder.. I wanted this as much they wanted it, if not I wanted even more.. And the up class girl I was raised to be was no more there.. I fought hard and I managed to stay.. From the two thousand girls who got accepted only one thousand of us managed to stay.. Twenty three girls from Houston's first class graduated and I was one of them.. Yes.. One of those one thousand who managed to stay.. At the end, when you want something really bad, you have to try, to be patient and your dream will come true like mine..

"Davies.. We did it.. We are ready to fly.."

"Yes we did Sharlot.. Yes we did.."

I was known as Ashley Davies the hawk.. In papers I was Ashley Davies and they kept calling my name like this.. I had to say it never felt better.. My nick name was hawk because like the hawk I could see things from afar.. I could sense when there was trouble.. Like I was made to become a pilot.. At the beginning I didn't have friends, not that I can say I have now.. Except Sharlot.. But the others learned to respect me.. The first time some of those women saw me they were making fun of me.. Where I was going with my cute dress, and my lipstick and my make up.. But soon enough I proved them wrong..

"Tomorrow we go on battle.. Do you know where they are going to send us?"

"I don't know Sharlot.. I don't know.. But we trained for this day.. Ok? So today we can rest.. Tomorrow is a mystery.."

"You have your way with saying things Ashley Hawk Davies.."

"Yes I do Sharlot Gravianni.."

Once I was back to our dormitories I laid on my back and looked at my wings.. Yes, my wings.. It felt weird but yet so wonderful that now my dream was true.. I was so ready to fly tomorrow to anywhere I was needed..

"Davies, Gravianni, Fernades, Watson" You are going to Englad..

And like that my first day as a pilot would start.. I did my prayer and started to preparing my plane.. Was I nervous? Yes and no.. But more I was exited..

"Ashley, we are going to fly together.. You and me.."

"Yes, Sharlot.. You and me.. But be careful at there.. Ok? It's not training anymore and I can't keep my eyes on you all the time.."

"You won't have to silly.. I am going to prepare my plane"

We were flying wherever we were needed.. My first mission was England.. After that was France.. After that Russia.. Wherever we were needed we were flying.. Our basic station though was England.. As I promised to Aiden once we were settle down I would send him a letter.. And as he promised he was sending me a letter every day..

'My dearest,

Every day I miss you more and more.. Every day I am wondering if you are safe out there and if you are being strong.. I know you are.. You are a very strong woman Ashley and that was what made me fall in love with you.. Your strength, and how you knew what you wanted.. It's one of your best qualities..

Today is Friday the 16th.. It's already six months after we got married.. How fast time flies.. It's like it was yesterday.. I got surprised today when I got your letter wishing us happy anniversary.. I thought you wouldn't remember.. Be safe and come home soon.. I miss you deeply.. Hope you are missing me a little bit too..

Also I wanted you to know that I am trying my best to bring Rwanda's son back.. It's not very easy let me tell you but I know some people and hopefully by the end of this month everything is going to get better..

Know that I love you.. I wish you were here so I could actually say it while looking at your eyes.. Till tomorrow that I am going to send another letter to you.. Be safe..

Yours,

Aiden'

Did I miss Aiden? I did.. Did I love him as he did? I don't think I did.. I loved him but I couldn't feel the same.. And I still couldn't understand why..

The last four months were like hell burst on the skies.. It was bad.. I knew where I was coming.. I knew what I expected.. But I didn't expect to see people dying infront of me.. I didn't expect boys only being nineteen having no hands, their faces blown up.. It was a mess.. I didn't want to cry infront of others so I was trying to find places were I could be all alone.. Sometimes I wanted to go back but my will to stay and help was keeping me still here..

"Davies, Gravianni.. Prepare your planes.. You need to go back in England.."

I didn't expect Sharlot to be that strong and to survive all these months.. But she did.. She proved me wrong and I was glad that she did because she was a friend and I didn't want to see anything happen to her..

"You and me Hawk.. As always.."

"You and me.. Now let's go"

The Germans and the Italians were close to England and the combat was bad.. While we were flying their planes already were fighting with the allies.. Our air forces together with the French and the Russian were trying to protect the base.. The sky was red and you couldn't see the sun any more because of the missiles.. Sharlot was trying to hold her plane but right then and there, out of nowhere, before I can even say her name they blew her plane.. Right infront of me..

"Noooooooo"

We didn't have the right to go into combat.. Our basic mission was to relieve male pilots for combat duty and services.. So basically we couldn't help ourselves.. And like that we were sent to die.. And Sharlot was one of the women pilots who got killed in duty..

And before I even have the chance to mourn for my friend I got hit as well.. I saw the fire from the engines and I tried really hard to keep my plane steady but it was hard.. I couldn't control the plane.. At that moment, at that right moment in my mind came Aiden.. I didn't send him a letter today because we were being called to go in England.. He wouldn't know.. He would wait for my letter.. A letter that would never get.. And while I was trying to safe myself from crash I went back to memory lane.. I saw myself young, free, when everything seemed perfect.. I even saw my parents.. With that last memory I hit the ground.. I felt my bones crash.. My head hitting the console.. Till the last moment I was trying to steady my plane.. And I did.. I tried to open my eyes.. To see where I was.. But I couldn't.. My sight was blurry and my head hurt.. I closed my eyes and hoped that someone would find me.. Because I was still alive.. I was still here..

TBC

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