CHAPTER 22 #3
“When it was announced, in 2003, that the last passenger journey would be in October of that year, I was crushed. I never got to fly on the Concorde, and I guess that’s when my obsession began: I didn’t understand why no one tried to resurrect it in some form and carry on its incredible legacy.
“As I grew older and built a career in aviation, my thoughts kept returning to the Concorde. After years of staring at the mockup of it on my desk, I finally decided I would be the one to develop a corporate jet that would inspire the world’s leaders to lead with power, grace, and speed.”
He paused and flashed a chagrined smile. “At first, uh, it didn’t go so well.”
Chuckles and guffaws rippled through the crowd, the loudest coming from the Lars mechanics.
“But giving up was not an option, persistence paid off, and, well, though later than I hoped, here we are.” He half turned to look at the 2024, and his grin could have powered all the bright overhead lights.
Across the hangar, Dad watched his oldest with the same smile he’d given him when he’d landed after his first solo.
Grandma subtly wiped away a tear. Erik’s delighted smile revealed matching dimples.
Eve clasped her hands tightly together, and Jannie thought she heard Mom sniffle.
Claire whispered something to Ian, who wrapped his arm around her shoulders, squeezing.
“To build a plane that goes this fast, you must be patient, put in a lot of effort and long hours, and be fortunate enough to find a team of brilliant, hardworking dreamers who pushed and pushed until we surpassed the speed of sound. Their work will stand for generations as a foundation for giving people more time with their loved ones. After all, that is what’s most precious: time.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m here to announce that today, the LarsAir 2024 takes off on its very first flight.”
The crowd started cheering and clapping, but Adam held up a hand. “Let’s save the applause for the people who made all this possible. Each member of the team played a vital role—and I know this is a cliché—but I couldn’t have done this without them.”
He introduced the aeronautical, mechanical, and electrical engineers, then the designers, manufacturing and maintenance technicians, the materials and computer scientists, and several others.
So many people, Jannie marveled, and so much talent, all led by her brother’s steady hand, with patience, integrity, and grace. Her heart swelled with pride and happiness for him.
“Finally, but certainly not the least important.” He paused.
“I want to introduce Jonathan Rogers and Gunn McLaren, who will safely and competently pilot this bird.” He motioned toward the airplane’s lowered stairs, where the two handsome pilots stood tall, legs wide apart, their hands behind their backs.
They nodded in unison, their faces impassive.
“We thank them for their service in the United States Armed Forces, where, luckily for me, they learned to fly a sophisticated craft like this.” With a fond smile, Adam ran a hand over the shiny fuselage.
“Yeah, go Army!” a voice boomed from somewhere.
“Army sucks; GO NAVY!” someone yelled louder.
The crowd erupted in laughter, cheers, and thunderous applause, which went on for so long that Adam began to show subtle signs of impatience. Turning to shake the hands of one pilot, then the other, he motioned toward the stairs, and Jannie watched the guys nimbly climb in and disappear inside.
The hangar doors began to rumble, parting to reveal a massive blue-and-gold tug waiting under a glorious blue sky, dotted with a few puffy clouds.
“Great day to fly,” Ian commented.
Nick nodded. “Agreed.”
So did Jannie. Every day was a great day to fly, and she suddenly wished she had joined the military herself and learned to fly fighter jets.
“You would have dominated that bird,” came Nick’s voice right in her ear.
How did he know what she was thinking? Her gaze flicked to his.
Instead of watching and following the 2024, which the tug slowly pulled out of the hangar, Nick stood there, intently studying her.
She must have looked wistful because, indeed, she would have loved to fly that plane.
His belief that she would have been capable made her feel good.
She shrugged. “We’ll never find out, now, will we?”
“But you can fly other planes, and that is huge. Less than 0.01 percent of the global population holds a pilot’s license.”
She didn’t know this. “Is that so?”
“It is. You can Google it if you want to.” A pause. “Just as you can fly planes full-time, if you want to.”
“What I want and what I can actually do are two entirely different things.”
Five days. She only had five days left, and the checkride was the day after tomorrow. She should be eager and happy at the thought of returning to her home, her practice, and her patients, but all Jannie felt was a hollow pit in her stomach whenever she so much as thought of it.
She forced herself to focus on the now. Today was Adam’s day, and she refused to be depressed. From the corner of her eye, she saw Bestemor begin to slowly make her way out of the hangar, escorted by Dad and Erik, who flanked her slender frame.
Jannie took Nick’s hand and tugged. “Come meet my grandmother.”
“Is that Erik?” Nick sounded surprised.
“Yeah. Changed since you last saw him, right?”
“I’ll say. He was, what, ten?”
“Twelve.”
“He’s a photographer,” Nick said, stating the obvious. “That’s quite the camera.”
“Yeah. That thing’s permanently attached to him.”
Cutting through the crowd and nearly dragging Nick behind her, Jannie felt all warm inside at the sight of the smile Grandma gave her. Dad and Erik smiled too, halting as Jannie closed the distance to launch herself into Grandma’s arms, enveloping her in a tight hug.
“Oh, my dear child.” Bestemor’s voice was filled with love, as was her expression, strengthening Jannie’s conviction that, as the only girl, she held a special place in the older woman’s heart. “This great day just became perfect. You are the gift I wanted most.”
“Gratulerer med dagen, bestemor!” Jannie was thankful she remembered how to say, “happy birthday.”
“Tusen takk!” Grandma’s eyes lit up. She loved it when Jannie and her brothers spoke to her in Norwegian, which she had patiently taught them.
Jannie hugged Dad and Erik, then looked into Bestemor’s weathered face, still beautiful despite her years, and saw no questions, pity, or reproach, only joy.
Another reason to adore her grandmother, who looked up at Nick, her blue eyes wide.
“Grandma, Dad, Erik, this is an old friend of mine from high school, Nick Kent.”
The men studied Nick with interest.
“?h.” Grandma’s eyes twinkled. “Han er utrolig kjekk,” she murmured.
Jannie bit back a smile. Yeah, he sure is incredibly handsome.
Nick smiled politely at Bestemor, turning questioning eyes to Jannie.
“She said it’s nice to meet you,” Jannie said.
Dad chuckled, and Erik snorted softly, a half-smile revealing one of his dimples.
“Pleasure, son,” Dad said, extending his hand.
“The pleasure is all mine.” Nick shook Dad’s hand, then Erik’s. “Quite an accomplishment for your family. Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Dad said, “but I can’t take any credit. Adam did all of this on his own. In fact, I might have called him crazy a time or two during the process.”
“Good thing he didn’t listen to you.” Jannie moved in to hug him.
Dad wrapped her in a firm embrace, then held her at arms’ length, that worry line Jannie knew well appearing between his eyebrows. “You disappeared on us.”
What could she say? “I know.”
The line grew even deeper, just like it used to when he scolded her as a child. “We didn’t like it.”
“Dad,” Erik quietly said, “this isn’t about us.”
Well, this was out of character for Erik. It looked as if he hadn’t only gained a lot of muscle, but he’d also grown bigger balls to go with that new body of his.
“It’s about the entire family,” Dad said. “Like it or not, what happens to one of us impacts us all. Your mother wanted to—”
“She needed some time.” Erik’s lips thinned. “I get that. You should too.”
Jannie had to press her own lips together to hold back a laugh. Who was this guy, and what had he done with her shy, nonconfrontational little brother? She glanced at Nick and saw him regarding Erik with bemusement, but there was evident respect there too.
Eager to shift the focus from herself, Jannie reached into her Goyard tote and pulled out a small gift-wrapped box. Might as well give it to her early. “For you, Grandma.”
“For me?” Grandma showed the same enthusiasm she always did when Jannie gave her something, no matter how small. “And perfectly wrapped, of course. It’s almost too pretty to open.”
“What’s inside is prettier. I can’t wait to watch you unbox your gifts at dinner.”
“Oh … yes.” Something in the way Grandma replied seemed off.
Weird.
Jannie didn’t have time to dwell on it because applause and cheers erupted from the crowd now gathered outside around the 2024.
Grandma’s gaze shifted to Adam, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Dad, however, still focused on Jannie. “Why didn’t you—”
“Oh! I think he’s about to speak again,” Grandma exclaimed, cutting Dad off and giving him a nudge and stern look for good measure.
Thank God. Jannie’s shoulders relaxed. Not the first time Grandma had gotten her out of a situation with her father.
They all headed out of the hangar, and Jannie felt Nick’s hand, warm and reassuring on her lower back.
Adam stood in front of the 2024’s stairs, his gaze moving from Dad to Grandma, a slow smile spreading across his face as they drew near.
“Everyone, please meet my grandmother, Solveig Larssen. Her name means ‘strong house’ in Norwegian, which suits her perfectly, as she is the strength and stability of the Larssen family.”