Page 3 of Forever Fascinating

“Ready,” X-Ray nodded, and Caboose grunted, hefting his bag up and putting it at the end of his bed, as a show of solidarity.

“Everything is handled already and now we just need to get there,” Hot Cakes began, and Matthew knew he was just blabbering on now because he was nervous that something would go wrong. The guy was paranoid sometimes when it came to his wife, always being mushy, like she could actually hear him out here.

Nobody cared… seriously.

The dude was more infatuated than Reaper was – and that was saying a lot.

Matthew had several cracks and jokes he could have made about the dark-haired man, but according to X-Ray? It would be best for everyone if he kept quiet and his thoughts to himself.

Apparently, Reaper had zero qualms about taking someone on in a fight, even if they were bigger than him, and had done so in the past to one of the airmen that was once stationed here.

Everyone backed down to the man – and frankly it was surprising. He didn’t know if it was a respect thing, friendship, or if it was actually due to fear… nor did he care to have his jaw broken to find out the answers.

Nope.

He had zero problems leaving the man alone and the feeling seemed to be mutual between the two of them.

Reaper never said much, but it was obvious he severely disliked him, Houdini, Sparky, Ricochet, Sidewinder, and Ghost. Heck – the man had an affront to anyone that wasn’t a member of the ‘original four’it seemed.

While they were in Texas for the wedding, each pilot attending was staying with a former pilot who was once stationed here, but that now lived in the area… and Matthew was assigned to Hunter ‘Alpo’Petersen’s home.

Matthew rolled his eyes at the ceiling.

The dude was named after dog food. Seriously? How did he get stuck with a guy that had two seven-month-old babies there? There was going to be a bunch of crying, screaming, and dirty diapers… but a couch was a couch.

It was either stay there or at Flyboys…

The four men would be a lot more comfortable staying on couches instead of the four of them crowded into one bedroom that had a set of bunkbeds, a recliner, and – of course – the floor.

Yeah, he’d take a couch and hot meal any day – regardless of the diapers.

“Let’s get some shut eye, guys…” Hot Cakes said, grinning. “Four AM will be here before we know it.”

“Geezz…” Matthew muttered, putting his hands behind his head where he lay, closing his eyes. He hoped this trip was at least entertaining or enjoyable. He’d never been to Texas, usually sticking around the upper New England area when he was at home, roaming around town.

He hadn’t been back in months because it wasn’t the same anymore, and he couldn’t pin down why. He wasn’t sure if he had changed, or if it was the relationship with his parents.

It was weirdly supportive… and scarily mature.

Matthew wasn’t babied by his mom, nor coddled. Instead it was like being an honored guest, and he missed having someone treat him special. His mom used to fuss over him, baby him, and he missed that.

Now, he just sent the courtesy emails, letting them know how he was doing, and the occasional photo… but that was about it. He simply didn’t know what else to say anymore.

“Ughhh…” he grimaced, rolling over and trying not to think about it. He missed having a home, a place where he fit, and being carefree… and he felt completely alone.

Isolated.

Closing his eyes, he hoped he could fall asleep… either that or he was going to sleep the entire time on the plane.

* * *

“Vapor! Vapor, dude… wake up…”

Matthew jerked himself awake and saw X-Ray roll his eyes as Hot Cakes grinned at him. Caboose reached over and slapped the back of his head,hard, from where he was sitting on the plane behind him.

“Ow…?”

“You snored the entire time, moron,” Caboose snapped. “I’m glad I wasn’t sitting next to you, or I’d have suffocated you by shoving something in your pie-hole… Remind me never to fly with you again or be on the opposite side of the aircraft.”

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