Cole adjusted his eyes before his vision came back and the sound of turbulence filled his ears.
"Well, it's official.", he said to himself, "I kissed a girl and she wasn't even a real person."
He rolled his eyes comically as he thought about how he looked like Zorro if Zorro was a mouse before he went outside the bathroom to see he was on the plane again. He looked down at the American flag charm he had, but it looked the same as it did before which left him a little confused.
"Did time pause like the last time?", he asked.
He saw Blake appearing to be asleep as Cole took his seat next to him and got settled. He looked up at the ceiling before pondering about his adventure.
"Was Wylie a real person in that world or was he just a figure that Feivel dreamed up?", he wondered, "Felt pretty weird though."
Feivel had mentioned the Cactus gang of cats and they turned out to be real or was it just a coincidence like Wylie was? Still, he had to admit that having that little dance and song with Tanya in that saloon, but the first kiss was more like an accident and the second one was due to him being in disguise and spur of the moment.
"Are you ready to order?"
Cole came out of his thoughts as he looked to his shoulder to see a flight stewardess with a notepad and pen looking his way curiously.
"We got the Breakfast Bowl, the Monte Cristo Breakfast sandwich, and the morning protein platter."
Blake looked more awake as Cole thought for a moment.
"I'll go with the Morning protein platter."
The stewardess nodded as she wrote it down before turning to Blake.
"And what about you, Blake Wolfen?"
"I'm up for the Breakfast Bowl.", Blake answered.
The stewardess wrote it down and Tim ordered the Monte Cristo sandwich before the stewardess moved on to the rest of first-class before heading back to get the food. Blake noticed Cole looking a bit lost in thought.
"You okay there?", he asked.
Cole sighed, but then Tim looked interested.
"Blake, maybe you should tell him."
Cole looked a bit interested.
"Tell me what?", he asked.
Blake felt his stomach churn as the thought of Cole finding out he looked in Cole's medical file at the hospital. Even though Tim tried to look supportive, Blake still looked nervous.
"Blake, is there something you need to tell me?"
Blake wanted to think of an excuse, but how could he? Cole might think that he was lying, but before he could start to say something, the stewardess came with the food which gave him a thought to use.
"I was just thinking about the usual food plans we used to do.", he said as he got his flip tables up, "I kind of miss those days."
Cole looked a bit uneasy, but he got his table up before he got his food. Tim looked Blake's way with a look that told Blake that he was confused before they got to eating their second breakfast when Blake thought of something that could help cover up what he said.
"Hey, don't hobbits in Middle-Earth complain when people ask about them having breakfast again?"
Cole seemed to be at ease, but Tim seemed less so even though he stayed quiet. After finishing and getting some warm and moist cookies, the stewardess came back with a refill of their drinks before Cole thought of something.
"Excuse me mame, but how long was I in the bathroom up there?", Cole asked the stewardess.
The stewardess looked thoughtful for a moment before answering.
"You've only been in there for five minutes.", she answered.
/
After a couple more hours, it was nearing noon when the captain of the airplane made an announcement.
"Attention passengers, we will soon begin our descent into Minneapolis."
The seat belt sign came on and Cole, Blake and Tim got their tables set away while Tim also turned his laptop off. The plane then hit some turbulence and then it straightened out before Cole took a look over Blake's shoulder and saw through the window that Minneapolis was showing signaling that the plane was heading into the airport when Tim suddenly spoke up.
"Hey Cole, why not you find the Alaska Lounge for us?", he said.
Cole looked a bit onboard as the plane landed and then pulled into the gate before pausing.
"We'd like to thank you for flying with us on Alaska Airlines and we'd like to welcome you to Minneapolis."
The seat belt sign went off and passengers started gathering their things and walk out. Cole, Blake, and Tim were among the first ones out, but they only had their carry on bags since their suitcases were booked all the way through. Cole went off to find the lounge for Alaska Airlines, but then Tim took Blake aside.
"Blake, why didn't you tell him?", he asked, "What if he heard us in the bathroom?"
Blake tried to look understanding, but he was starting to feel like he made a mistake about telling Tim what he had found out.
"Tim, I just don't want to hurt Cole's feelings.", he said, "And we're so close to our destination that I just-"
"If you were a real friend, you would've just told him.", Tim said sharply cutting Blake off, "You have to let him know."
Blake looked firm.
"Let him know what?", he countered, "That he only has less than a month to live due to him having cancer?"
Tim wanted to make a comeback, but then Cole's voice caught their ears.
"Cancer?"
Blake and Tim looked to Cole who had just come around a bend apparently overhearing a bit, but not much and made his way over.
"Blake, what is going on?"
Tim looked to Blake firmly and gestured to Cole and Blake knew he had to confess.
"Cole, when my class had a field assignment in the local hospital, Dr. Howard was telling your parents that they needed to keep you as comfortable as possible so when dr. Howard set your medical file on the Customer Service desk, I…I took a peek and found out you had cancer."
Cole raised an eyebrow.
"What are you talking about?", he asked, "I don't have cancer."
Blake looked confused.
"You don't?"
Cole shook his head.
"No, my grandfather does.", he admitted, "He's gonna pass on shortly after the holidays and we're holding a funeral after New Year's for him in the Anchorage Cemetary where he'll be laid to rest."
Blake felt so relieved at the sound of that and wiped his brow knowing that Cole wasn't upset or anything and Tim looked a bit surprised.
"Your grandfather is dying this month?", he asked, "That's the whole secrecy thing?"
Cole looked a bit surprised.
"You guys kept this a secret from me?", he asked before smiling warmly, "What did I do to deserve friends like you guys?"
/
As the trio got to the Lounge, Blake was feeling a lot more at ease than he had for a very long time. Tim was thankful that Blake had finally told Cole about what he had seen in the medical file. Lunch was being served and as Cole helped himself to the soup that was available, Blake was getting some fruits while Tim got the desk they would spend their time at set up.
"I don't really recall the last time we had a first-class trip.", Tim said as the trio sat down to their lunch.
"Just be happy that Hal and his chums aren't around to ruin our trip.", Blake added before starting on his burger that looked more like a slider.
Cole had to admit that he was a bit shaken and broken up when his parents called before the break, but he had grown to accept it after a while and after his latest adventure. Still, he was thankful that he had known his grandfather a couple of times since he had moved to Alaska. He even spent a couple summers there and it felt nice to be a city again even if it was only for a week or two. He started on his salad when a voice caught his ears.
"Oh look, it's the dynamic duo on this holiday trip."
Cole turned hoping that it wasn't Hal, but then he saw that it was just Keith who strode over though Blake looked a bit miffed.
"We're trying to enjoy our lunch Keith.", he said firmly, "What do you want?"
Keith just paused though he looked like he had won the lottery by the way he was flashing his familiar smile which made Cole uncomfortable as Tim suddenly looked a bit confused.
"Who is this?", he asked.
Keith suddenly looked his way.
"Keith McSnarl.", he said as if he was bragging, "Best runner Nome ever had in the high school department."
"Until Cole and I beat you.", Blake stated firmly, "And we've been kicking your butt on that cross-country trail ever since."
Keith's boastful smile dissolved into a menacing sneer as if Blake just wounded his pride.
"Watch it, Wolfen.", he snarled, "You and Cole may have gotten lucky when you got into the same campus, but I got a special session with an academy that makes your college look like an oversized preschool."
Tim looked less confused and more angry.
"Hey, our college is one of the finest schools in Anchorage and some of the greatest people Alaska has to offer has passed through those hallowed halls to greatness."
Keith raised an eyebrow.
"Are you implying that my school is not up to date?", he asked.
Cole saw what Keith was doing and quickly gestured Tim to stop while he was ahead, but needless to say, Tim didn't get the memo.
"I'm saying our school can beat yours anytime, anywhere.", Tim retorted.
Keith suddenly smiled again as he pulled his cell phone out and dialed a number before waiting. When the other end picked up, he started talking.
"Hey guys, some college student thinks our school can't beat theirs."
He put the phone on speaker and a round of mean laughter came which broke the silence and Tim started looking a bit less sure of himself as Keith turned to Cole.
"Let me guess, new friend for you and Wolfen over there?"
Cole sighed heavily.
"Nice to know you haven't changed.", he said harshly, "Ask me again when I start to miss you like say…twenty years, five months, a week, two days, seven hours, and thirty minutes."
/
Keith looked impressed.
"Oh, witty retort.", he said with a chuckle as he put his phone away, "Well, as much as I enjoy our chats, my catered lunch awaits. I'm heading to the Bahamas for a family vacation. So while you guys are freezing your tails off in New York, I'll be on the beach sipping a martini and having a ball."
He left with a swish of his clearly expensive coat and walking away like he owned the place while chuckling to himself leaving Cole and Blake looking sour even after Keith left the lounge.
"We leave for college and he's still a foul-mouthed, stuck up, cliched, ill-conceived, disruptive, uncaring, spoiled jerk.", Blake said.
Tim looked especially annoyed.
"Oh, that guy makes me so angry I could just spit."
Cole sighed as he let his frustrations slide like melting ice in a warm spring day.
"Just ignore him.", Cole reminded the other two, "He's just trying to get us riled up into doing something that will make us look bad and he can have something funny to tell his buds."
Blake knew that Cole had a point as the old wounds of his past came back to haunt him. Blake and his buds had made his life a living nightmare since he tried out for the cross-country team. He just wanted to do something that he loved, so why did Keith who was the star member of the team have to make it so hard for him just to get a chance? Not to mention the mean things Keith did to him between tryouts like putting glue on the bottoms of his gym shoes he had to sell his bike just to get for a day or when Keith started a food fight with him and got him to take the blame. Blake thought his high school life would only be misery and torment before one day at a park when Keith and his buds had made fun of him again where he met Cole who seemed to be more friendly and was starting out in his school at his grade. When Cole showed him kindness and friendship after so long, Blake finally had the courage to stand up to Keith and his buds when Cole dared Keith to run against him and Blake without cheating. At least the coach was willing to give Cole and Blake a chance unlike Keith and when they blew the coach away, Keith had a fit and was benched which made practice much more tolerable.
"Blake?", Cole asked seeing his friend in distress.
Blake came out of his thoughts and looked Cole's way.
"You good?"
Blake sighed.
"Yeah, just…being haunted by some old ghosts."
Tim looked a bit interested.
"Really? You guys know Keith?"
"How could we not?", Cole answered, "Keith the most spiteful player in Alaska cross-country."
He then took a breath and a thought came to mind.
"If the Grinch had termites in his smile, what would Keith have?"
Tim thought for a moment before smiling.
"You're a foul one Mr. Keith.", he sang, "You have blood worms in your smile."
Blake looked a bit uncomfortable, but he chuckled and added a line of his own.
"You have all that charm and cuteness of a zombie crocodile, Mr. Keith."
Cole looked thoughtful for a moment.
"If I had to chose between the two of you, I'd take the-"
"Zombie crocodile.", they sang together.
Now feeling a lot better, they looked up and saw the time.
"Well, we better get to our gate so we're not late.", Blake said gathering his dishes.
Cole and Tim nodded and after the boys got their dirty dishes to the spot where they would be gathered to be washed, headed to the gate.
/
By the time the flight got to its cruising altitude, Blake and Tim were feeling a whole lot better that they didn't have to hide anything, but still, they felt a bit sorry for Cole about his grandfather passing away. Blake knew what that was like. Sure he was just a little kid at the time, but it felt like he couldn't live another day. Sure his adoptive father tried to ease the pain and the adoptive brothers he had made him laugh, but the pain still remained. And when Keith found out about it, oh he was brutal about it, but that was before Cole came along and gave the light his life needed to finally be the person he always knew he could be. By the time lunch was over, there was still a long flight so to help pass the time, Cole suggested they name things that they were proud of. When Blake got a turn to say something he was proud of, he knew what to say.
"That I met Cole when I did.", he said, "I was such a mess and being bullied for so long that I had almost given up on my passion and then Cole showed up lighting up my dark world."
Cole put a hand on Blake's shoulder showing he remembered it as well. Still, he was proud that he had gotten a chance to meet the people he did and Tim was proud of the fact this Christmas would probably be different. After a few inflight movies, the plane landed in New York and the trio got their stuff in baggage claim before meeting Cole's parents who would pick them up.
"I hope you boys had a good flight?", Mrs. Marty asked.
"We did, Mom.", Cole told her before looking a bit down, "It's too bad Grandpa isn't going to get another one with us."
Mr. Marty looked a bit sympathetic as they loaded into the van they rented for the visit.
"Cole, I know you and Grandpa Harold didn't have much time to get to know each other, but you at least made his years memorable."
Cole knew his father was trying to ease any pain there would be, but Cole chose to let him talk as they got to Tim's Aunt Dinah's house. One look and both Cole and Blake were in awe.
"Wow, your aunt's loaded?", Blake asked.
Tim looked a bit nervous, but nodded as they went inside. Tim's Aunt Dinah looked good in her fancy Christmas themed dress, combed and brushed gray hair and spectacles on her blue eyes, but as she saw Cole and Blake she looked at Tim with narrowed eyes.
"Tim, this isn't a scheme you came up with for me to allow you at the grown-ups table this Christmas dinner is it?"
Tim frowned as he looked his aunt in the eyes, but Cole spoke up before he could.
"Listen carefully, lady.", he said, "My friend has tolerated your children's horrible table manners and would like a shot at the grown-ups table just once. Can't you let that slide just once?"
Dinah looked Cole's way amused.
"Wow, Tim finally has a friend who has guts.", she said before turning to the dining room, "Fine, but one scratch appears on a plate or a glass, bottom line, Tim is in big trouble."
Tim quickly nodded eagerly.
"Yes mame.", Tim answered.
By the time Christmas dinner came around, Tim was clearly happy that this year, he wasn't going to be around his younger cousins as they were having a ball making a mess in the kitchen where the kids table was. And by the time dessert had come and gone, Cole staggered into the living room stuffed with Blake and Tim right behind him.
"Got to love her for the food.", Cole said, "Your aunt may be a grouch Tim, but I admit that she is a good cook."
Just then, Tim's younger cousins stampeded in and swarmed them as Dinah looked in with a camera.
"Aw, they missed you.", she said as she took a photo, "We're using this for our cards."
(A/N: Cole, Blake and Tim's song is based off "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch". I don't claim anything.)