A Wing and a Prayer by Julie Lessman

Author:Julie Lessman [Lessman, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-03-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Forty-Six

Expending a weary sigh, Gabe wove her way through the crowd in the opposite direction, grateful the Administration Building loomed ahead. Hurrying up the steps, she turned to survey the crowd before slipping in the phone booth outside the double doors. She took a coin from her purse and slid it into the slot to dial her parents’ number.

“Mom?” Gabe’s heart jumped when Marcy answered on the second ring, turning away from the door with a hand to her eyes so no one could see her mist up. “We all saw Hope off, and now I’m ready to leave.”

“Is Cheyenne there?” Her mother asked, and Gabe bit her lip, wishing she didn’t have to lie. “Yes, she is, and we’re leaving now, so I don’t want you to worry about a thing. I promise to write as soon as I can, okay?”

“All right, sweetheart.” Her mother’s voice cracked, and Gabe’s lids weighted closed, guilt stabbing. “We love you, Gabe, and already miss you, darling. The house seems so empty.”

A muscle shifted in Gabe’s throat as she swiped at the stupid tears in her eyes. “Me too, Mom,” she whispered. “Give Pop my love, okay? And never forget how much I love you.”

“I won’t, sweetheart. Have fun, you hear?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Gabe said quietly. “Goodbye, Mom.”

“Goodbye, Gabe.”

The phone clicked dead, and an awful ache throbbed in her chest. Emotion thickened her throat, and swallowing hard, she left the Administration Building to backtrack to the ship.

With a deep ingest of air for strength, she bounded up the gangway at breakneck speed, weaving her way through the departing crowd like a trout swimming upstream. When she finally reached the information desk, she was breathless. “Hello, Soldier,” she said to the same private that had stored her duffle. “Almost left without my bag.”

“Well, that’s cutting it close,” he said with a lazy grin. He hoisted her duffle on the counter and leaned forward with arms crossed. “But not close enough, ma’am.”

Gabe tossed her duffle over her shoulder with a smile. “Thanks again, Private.” Offering a salute, she headed for the gangway, halting halfway to spin around with a squeak.

“What’s wrong?” The soldier asked, standing straight up.

“Gabe groaned as she trudged forward, pulling her camera from her duffle to hold it up. “I was supposed to give this to my cousin.”

“Who’s your cousin?” a second private asked, reaching for the roster.

“Hope Marceline Dennehy.” Gabe’s gaze darted to the hallway that led to the sleeping quarters. She turned back to the flirty private with a shy chew of her lip. “If you can tell me her stateroom number, I can run this up to her really fast.”

“I’ll take it to her,” the other private said, glancing at his watch. “I’m off duty in another twenty minutes.”

Gabe hesitated. “Actually, Private, I’d rather deliver it myself if that’s okay?” She gave a little hunch of her shoulders, brows tented in a plea. “There’s something a little personal I forgot to give her as well, plus I wouldn’t mind another hug goodbye.

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