Progeny

by Erik Schubach

  She looked at me shyly, “What next?”

  I gave her a small smile and said softly, “Well, as Aunt Crystal says... I want to gift you the horizon.” She tilted her head at me, silently prodding for more information which I wasn't about to give... yet, as I drove us through town and under the freeway. I turned into a parking lot at the little airstrip on the edge of town and parked. Then looked at the confused brunette beside me. I just smiled like a Cheshire cat and hopped out, she followed.

  She squinted at me and asked, “So, what's up Sam?”

  I shook my head at her and shushed her, saying, “No questions, just follow me.”

  She gave me a cute squished up face and followed to the gates. The guard smiled and said, “Hi Sammie.”

  I gave him a tiny wave. “Hi Zach, they in?” He nodded and gave a grand ushering gesture as he pressed a button and the gates opened.

  I grabbed Abbey's hand and dragged her through the gate. She looked at Zach with a silly look on her face and said meekly, “Help me?”

  Zach comically replied, “Sorry. It's too late for you now. Sammie's a little nuts.”

  “Hey! Well... fine... fair enough.” I shot back to their chuckling.

  We walked into the second hangar with Abbey looking around in interest. We walked past two small Cessna planes. I ran my fingers along the wings of them, first the one with purple tips then the one with red as we made our way to the office.

  I giggled at the scene in front of me. Sitting on the ancient, god awful, orange vinyl couch and singing playfully to the music on the radio was Aunt Crystal. I snorted when I saw Aunt Jane reading one of those twenty year old hot rod magazines that she hated so much, from the coffee table in front of the couch. I noted Abbey's smile when she saw some of her mother's artwork hanging on the wall.

  The ladies looked up at the sound of my snort and looked relieved that I was interrupting their boredom. They chimed out together, “Sammie!” Then I got engulfed in a couple hugs. Jane looked at Abbey and then at me.

  My eyes went wide and I said hurriedly, “Oh! Where are my bloody manners? Aunt Jane, Aunt Crystal, I'd like you to meet my best friend at the Academy, Abbey Jacobs.”

  They each shook Abbey's hand. My brunette beauty looked at Crystal and grinned hugely and said, “Oh wow, I just love your heterochromia iridium!”

  Aunt Crystal blushed then grinned, “Not many people know that term for my dual colored eyes. I'm impressed.” Which just caused Abbey to blush too.

  Jane looked between us and inquired, “I didn't know you were visiting this weekend, what an awesome surprise. What brings you ladies out here?”

  I blushed and replied, “I was just sorta, well... wondering if you could...” I glanced over at Aunt Crystal then down at my foot. “...help me gift Abbey the horizon.”

  Crystal clasped her hands together in front of her mouth as Jane's smile threatened to split her face as she said, “Of course!” She was already hopping on her tablet, I knew she was filing a flight plan as Crystal started ushering us out to the hangar.

  Abbey looked like a leaf caught in a hurricane as she was dragged along by our clasped hands. I helped Aunt Crystal do the pre-flight on Violet. And she was yelling back toward the office, “Come on Riley! The sky awaits!” Then she hopped into the co-pilot's seat.

  I giggled and Abbey tilted her head down to me and prompted, “Riley? Let me guess one of your 'uncles'?” She did air quotes with her fingers when she said uncles.

  I just smiled as I was pushing her into the back seat in the plane. I explained, “No, that's Jane's real name. Only Crystal can call her that.” Abbey nodded in interest.

  A moment later Jane popped out of the office and hopped up into the pilot’s seat with a huge grin back to us. They checked the door latches as they put on their headphones. I handed Abbey a set as I donned mine. Jane spoke into the mic, “These are so you can hear us and the tower better.”

  Abs smiled and nodded enthusiastically. I could see she was getting more excited by the second as Violet's engine roared to life and, after getting cleared, we taxied to the end of the runway. A minute later we were screaming down the runway then that sudden weightless feeling the moment the wheels left the ground hit me. I loved that feeling. It felt like freedom. You can't get this feeling on a huge commercial jetliner.

  A warm hand snaked into mine and our fingers laced. Abs shot me a cute smile then she looked out the window in excitement.

  Crystal kept pointing out things as Jane flew us through the mountains, swooping into the valleys and playfully spiraling around peaks. I loved the look of amazement on Abbey's face. Then my pulse quickened as we veered off toward Puget Sound. I loved what was coming next.

  We flew over downtown and I pointed at the Space Needle as we passed. Then Jane brought us to within a hundred feet or so of the ocean and headed north until all we could see was water around us in the Straight. She turned us around and headed toward land.

  I looked at Abbey and said the words that Aunt Crystal shared with me, just as we could see the land peeking up on the edge of the sea where it met the sky. “The horizon is our gift, see how the land seems to grow right out of it as we approach? That's just for us, it is greeting us, opening its arms to us, excited to show us the wonders it holds. Aunt Crystal gifted this to me once, now I gift it to you Abbey.”

  She watched in wonder as the land approached. There was a tear glittering around in her hypnotic orange eyes. Her grip on my hand tightened then she leaned over and we were kissing again. Bloody hell! I thought I was flying before, now I didn't need the plane. A throat clearing over the headphones made us break apart, gasping and giggling. I sheepishly said, “Sorry.” My grinning Aunts were looking back with evil mischief in their eyes.

  I don't remember much of the flight back to the airstrip, the brown haired goddess beside me had me captivated with her eyes. After thanking my aunts, we made our way back out to the Jeep. Before we got in, she pulled me into a warm hug and whispered into my ear, “Thank you.” I held on for dear life. I'd gift this woman the entire world if I could.

  I drove her to my place, I didn't want to surrender her for the day and she seemed to be just fine with that. I drove our private road to the huge A-frame cabin overlooking the town and stopped the car. I took a deep breath and gathered all of my courage and blurted out in a rush, “Would you... I mean. If I asked... like, together... eat... ummm... dinner... when we get back... Friday... as a couple?”

  She looked to be about to giggle and she laid a warm hand on my cheek and kissed me gently on the lips then whispered, “I'd love to go out on a date with you when we get back to New York Sam.”

  I let out a huge sigh of relief. There, I had said it, well... kind of. Bloody hell!

  Then we talked into the night until our parents all arrived and Mia whisked my orange eyed companion away.

  Chapter 12 – The World Was Falling Apart

  The next morning we were spirited away to the airport by our respective parents from our respective houses. We shared happy smiles when we met up. Tearful goodbyes were shared with our mothers. Silly I know, but I really love them and even just running off to college I miss them. Abbey looked to be the same with Mia.

  While we were waiting for people to board, I took the time to email my final paper on Mia to the instructor. I know I had a whole semester to do it, but there was nothing else I could do on it. I knew it meant I was most likely going to fail the class but maybe I could do some extra credit or an alternative assignment.

  Abbey was acting all cute on the plane ride back. I finally broke, “What you silly bird?”

  She leaned in and whispered hotly into my ear, “I have a date on Friday.”

  After my arousal ebbed and the goosebumps from her hot breath on my neck faded, I giggled out with a broad smile on my face, “Me too.” Gawd we were silly.

  After we landed and navigated the bustling airport out to the taxis, we seemed to decompress during the cab ride. I never realized h
ow stuffy and hectic airports can be, most of my flying is with the relative soaring freedom of my aunt's small planes. I smiled at the memory of Abbey kissing me in Violet.

  When we got back to campus, we heard someone yell “Dykes” from across the courtyard. Abbey's hands automatically curled into fists and I laid a hand on her arm and she relaxed. We saw the offender going into the library. It was Nash, go figure. The plonker.

  We were almost to the dorm when the aggravation and venom in our ruined moods were suddenly replaced with the warm feeling of family as we heard a familiar voice ring out, “Hey Hank, AJ, wait up!” We turned and June engulfed me in a playful hug and spun me around.

  Then she turned to Abs and tried the same with her but couldn't lift her so had to settle for rocking back and forth. Then she chimed out, “So ladies, how was the trip? Did... OMG! Something happened! Spill!” She was looking back and forth between us, how the bloody hell was she so perceptive?

  I was trying to shush our over exuberant friend as Abbey just grinned hugely as we dragged her to my dorm room. We sat down and I exhaled and said, “Don't make a big deal out of this JW. I asked Abbey here out on... I asked her... well... Friday...”

  Abbey chuckled and said, “Well she sort of asked. She got tongue tied like this when she tried. But, we're going out on a date Friday.”

  June coked an eyebrow with a smug look and blurted out, “It's about time! You two are so into each other!”

  I just shrugged and scrunched up my nose and stuck my tongue out at her. She snorted and added, “You frosh, I swear we have to give you a road map for the obvious at times.”

  Abbey feigned hurt and sputtered out, “Hey!” Then we all seemed to exhale as we sat on the bed. It was silent for a moment as we looked out into the twilight outside.

  June broke the comfortable silence and asked, “Pizza?”

  In unison, Abbey and I replied, “Pizza.” We all laughed and I hopped on my mobile and rang up a couple pizzas.

  I unpacked Clunky as June relayed the happenings around campus the past couple of days. Then the pizza arrived. June and I sat and watched Abbey arrange things perfectly on the desk and we promptly messed it all up as we dove on our pepperoni and sausage laden prey.

  In mid bite, June was looking at Abbey, and spoke with the pizza slice still in her mouth, “You know AJ, your hair really looks great like that.”

  I nodded in agreement and said, “I know, right?” I was rewarded by a blush from my brunette obsession and she grabbed my hand as we ate.

  We talked about life and family as we ate. June has a way of steering things and getting more information from you than you intend to give. Her additions to the conversation seemed sage-like and beyond her years. But that's part of what makes June so cool. One moment she is so mature and the next... “Dibs on the last slice!” She dove comically off the bed and to the empty pizza boxes for the last slice before Abbey could get there.

  Abs giggled out at her, “You're such a little piggy.”

  June grinned and said, “Oink.” And offered Abbey a bite.

  We wound up talking into the night. June could have been our big sister, we were all so comfortable. It was a safe feeling. Like we knew that everything we shared would go no farther than the confines of the room. I caught myself sketching on more than one occasion.

  It was getting late, June reluctantly got up from where she was draped across Abbey and my laps, using us for “Lumpy pillows” as she puts it. She said softly, “Well chicky-doos. This pumpkin needs to get her beauty sleep before she turns into a princess. Wait... I think I got that wrong... no... it's right.”

  I snorted and covered my mouth trying to stuff the snort back in. Then the ladies could un-hear it. It didn't work as Abbey gave me an adorable scrunched nose smile as she stood too, saying, “I have to get to my room too, the suitcase won't unpack itself.”

  I stood and walked them into the hall and gave June a quick hug then I looked bashfully at Abbey. I quickly stood on my tiptoes and gave her a quick peck on the lips and quickly escaped into my room, closing the door to hide my blush. There was a pause then a giggle as June teased, “Awwwww! The frosh are sooo cute. Like puppies!”

  Abbey laughed then said through the door, “And a good night to you too Sammie.” I broke out in a huge grin with my back to the door. I ran to my bed and screamed into my pillow in glee again.

  Five minutes later it seemed so quiet as I relaxed and got ready for bed. Just as I was sliding under the covers, my mobile, charging on the nightstand, buzzed. I looked at the text from Abbey, “G'night S” I quickly typed back, “G'night A.” I don't know why such a simple act had me smiling like a complete git.

  I sighed and quickly fell asleep with that amber eyed woman on my mind.

  ***

  I woke up to a crashing in the room. Sunlight was just peeking over the horizon through the window. It was still heavily shadowed in the room, so I snapped on my bedside lamp to see my door open and a black haired girl laying on the floor with four suitcases in disarray around her. She looked up at me with a cute, embarrassed grin. “Ow?”

  My roommate had finally arrived.

  I giggled at myself for being Captain Obvious and hopped off my bed to help her untangle herself from the mayhem. I helped her up and shut the door and helped her drag her luggage to her bed. This stuff was heavy! How did this girl carry it all up here herself?

  The ebony haired disaster smoothed out her black skirt and stood almost regally and took a deep breath. I took a second to assess her. She seemed young for the Academy, but as I know, looks can be deceiving. She was a little taller than me but really skinny with slight breasts. She was dressed all in black, with a distinct emo goth flair. Her hair was black with a blood red shock that reminded me of the pink lock in mine.

  She had a young face that she hid behind her heavy makeup. Black lipstick and heavy black eyeliner. She was trying so hard to look tough I think. It backfired with a vengeance. She was... the only word that would fit, cute. She had the feel of everybody's little sister.

  I finally stood in front of her now that we had her situated. I grinned at her and asked the obvious, “I take it you're my new roommate?” I offered my hand. “Samantha Roth.”

  She grinned like a loon and grabbed me into a hug as she blurted, “You're British! Zilrita Marx. It is so nice to meet you. You can call me Zil, or Rita, or Zilrita! We're roommates after all! I can tell we're gonna be great friends.”

  I was giggling while trying to extricate myself from this enthusiastic emo's grasp when the door swung open and Abbey was standing in the doorway with some papers in her hand in a death grip. Her eyes looked like she had been crying. She was already talking, “Is it true Sa...” She stopped dead when she saw us in a hug.

  She threw the papers on the floor and ran out the door. What the bloody hell was going on? I removed myself from Zil and ran out into the hall, Abbey was already gone. I stepped back into the room and grabbed the papers from the floor and my heart stopped.

  They were copies of some of my sketches from my missing sketchpad. The ones of Abbey as a monster and devil. From when I had thought she was a bully. That was bad enough, but below each was printed. “This is what Samantha Roth really thinks of that lesbo Abbey Jacobs. She is just using her to get an A on her assignment about Abbey's mother.”

  I was starting to hyperventilate. I ran to my mobile to call her and looked out the window. I could see these same papers stapled to every tree in the courtyard. Bloody Hell! I rang Abbey as Zilrita was asking, “What's wrong Samantha?” She had concern creasing her brow.

  It went to voice mail. “Abbey, it isn't what you think. Please call me!” I tried texting too but no response. I didn't know what to do, the world was falling apart all around me. I quickly got out of my nightshirt and threw some clothes on and ran out the door, leaving a confused Zilrita behind me.

  I ran through the courtyard to Abbey's dorm. I knocked and knocked and Genevieve opened the door. I blurted,
“I need to talk with Abbey!”

  She shook her head, “She left to class like thirty minutes ago, something about surprising you. Hey... did something happen on your little trip finally?”

  I shook my head and asked, “Please if you see her can you have her call me? It is important!” She nodded in confusion and I turned and walked back out of the dorm.

  I was crying now, what could I do? I needed a clear head. June! She'd know what to do. I dialed June as I walked through the courtyard, tearing my sketches from the trees and from other student's hands on the green as I went. She answered with her usual upbeat, “Go for June!”

  I almost replied when I heard a commotion over by the library, through the gathering crowd I saw Abbey facing off with Nash. I almost yelled into the phone, “I'll call you back!” Then went running toward Abbey as she sidestepped the oaf and yanked his jacket, sending him tumbling into a tree.

  He stood and almost growled as he wiped the blood from his nose. He charged her and she ducked and weaved and bobbed under a flurry of blows. She somehow wound up back to back with him and she grabbed the bottom of his shirt and jacket as she turned and twisted and lifted. The result was them facing each other again with his shirt and coat pulled up and over his head from behind as she yanked it again. His face met the tree again.

  Campus security was pouring out of the building as I reached her and put a hand on her wrist. She looked at me with... hate? ...in her eyes and yanked her arm away and disappeared into the crowd. Then security arrived.

  One man looked around the crowd that was dispersing quickly and asked as he was helping Nash to his feet. “Who did this?”, he asked as he looked around. Oh god, they would expel Abbey for this. I noticed Nash trying to pick up his backpack on the ground with hundreds of the fliers of my sketches dropping out of it, and my missing sketchpad! It was him! The bloody bastard!

  I couldn't let Abbey ruin her future over this, it was all my fault. I stepped up and bent down to grab my sketchpad and said firmly, “It was me.”