23. Flying Always Takes It Out of Me
Flying Always Takes It Out of Me
MATTHEW
Ipeek one eye open to see the color on the woman’s paintbrush.
“Close your eyes!” Winnie snaps, as vicious as the tiger features painted on her face.
“Jeez, you’re watching me like a hawk,” I say, shutting my eyes tight.
The face painter chuckles. “Almost done.”
I’m impatient, ready to be out of this chair and look at the damage Winnie’s done to my face.
“Any regrets yet, Matty?” Gwen asks from somewhere to my left.
“We’ll see when I look in the mirror.”
Winnie laughs, and I smile. That’s why I subject myself to this silly form of torture. All for my niece and her enjoyment. When she caught sight of the face painter but felt too shy to go over alone, the answer was simple. Go with her and get my face painted, too.
I feel a final swipe on my forehead. “Alright, all done,” the painter announces.
I blink my eyes open to find myself face-to-face with my reflection. From the nose down, I look the same. Bless the beard for preserving some of my dignity. But on the top of my face, I’m a unicorn with a rainbow horn. “Oh, I should have known,” I say, giving Winnie a look.
Winnie bursts into a fit of giggles, and Gwen pats my shoulder in sympathy and gratitude.
We settle up with the face painter, and I take a deep breath. I’m going to be facing a lot of teasing today.
“Well, look at you.”
My head whips around to see Lillian and Marina standing just a few feet away.
I try to respond, but my mouth has gone dry, and my face is hot.
Partly because I’m embarrassed for them to see me like this, and partly because Lillian looks so damn good.
She somehow manages to outdo herself every time I see her.
Now that I know the feeling of her mouth and her body on mine, everything about her is exponentially more beautiful.
Not only do I know the look of each of her features, but I also know the feel of them now.
Her auburn hair isn’t just hair, it’s silken and soft, her waist isn’t just a polite contour, but hot and womanly in my hand, and her lips . . .
“Winnie’s idea,” Gwen clarifies due to my prolonged silence.
“Ah, she’s got good taste,” Marina says, ruffling her hand through Winnie’s hair.
My niece grins up at her. She might be a member of the Benton clan, but given how small Naknek is, children are such a rarity they end up being adored by everyone.
Lillian’s eyes linger on me, waiting. I’m so out of practice with how to behave around a woman I’ve got eyes for that I’m embarrassing us all. “Uh, how was the flight?”
“Not bad,” Lillian says with a polite smile. “Although Marina’s not as smooth of a ride as you are.”
I swallow. Blink.
“Plane! Your plane. I mean . . . I’m talking about your plane,” she says with a sheepish smile, blushing.
“I’m sorry we didn’t have room for you,” I tell her. Before Lillian found out about the No-See-Um festival in Dillingham, I’d committed the seats on my plane to Tuma, Katoo, their kids, and, of course, Gwen and Winnie.
“Don’t worry. She made it in one piece without throwing up once,” Marina says, holding back a smirk while glancing over at Lillian. “Didn’t you?”
Lillian pats her hands over herself. “I guess so.”
“I think we’re going to go get a corn dog or something,” Gwen says as Winnie pulls her toward the food trucks. “Anyone want anything?”
Marina stretches her arm up. “I’ll join you two. Flying always takes it out of me.”
My sister’s eyes catch on mine. “You two want anything?”
Ah, my sister’s a sneak. She’s trying to get me and Lillian alone. Can’t say I’m mad about that. I glance at Lillian. “Um, I’m good. Are you?”
She nods. “Yeah, I’m good.”
“Come on, Gwendolyn. Let’s leave these kids alone, huh?” Marina says, ticking her head toward the thoroughfare of food.
Kids.
That makes me feel so small, but not in a bad way. In an . . . innocent way. You never really leave behind the feeling of butterflies and yearning and anticipation. Pulls the rug out right from under all those feelings of “manning up.”
I don’t actually mind it, though. Not when I know the object of my affection feels the same.
“We’ll see you guys at the fileting competition!” Gwen calls out over her shoulder as Winnie pulls her to follow Marina.
“Yeah, see ya,” I respond, then turn to face Lillian. I don’t know what to say. Maybe give her a kiss. We’re surrounded by people though, and that would be a pretty big move. I’m not sure either of us are ready for?—
Lillian points at my face. “I mean it. It’s cute.”
Shit. I remember the fucking unicorn on my face and blush even harder. “Oh, god. Don’t remind me. Winnie picked it.”
Lillian touches my arm, leans in, and pecks me on the cheek. She’s lucky she didn’t get any paint on her lips. “It’s sweet,” she murmurs.
Before her hand can fall away, I grab it in mine and pull her away from the busy food trucks. “Come on. I’ll show you around.”
Her hand tightens in mine as we walk and talk. I take her to where the salmon fileting competition is rearing up to get started. Entrants are already practicing, and salmon filets are hanging from the Spartan wooden racks.
“I never thought I’d enjoy the smell of fish,” Lillian remarks, her eyes dancing across the vermillion filets.
I inhale the sweet and salty air. “Fresh is best,” I say with a smile.
The way fish smells when it’s freshly caught and sliced is nothing compared to the smell people normally associate with fish.
As with most things, time is the greatest enemy to fish.
“There’s an enzyme in the fish that breaks down and causes it to smell . . . fishy.”
Lillian’s eyes widen, and she smiles. “That’s right.”
“Right, you know that, of course.” Who am I to explain science to a scientist? Especially when my knowledge is so limited.
“I like when you tell me about it, though,” Lillian says, causing my heart to swell.
We continue past the drying racks to the tent where the fileting competitors are preparing. I see Tuma watching his wife sharpen her knife.
Katoo’s long black hair hangs down her back while her colorful beaded earrings sway with the force of her work.
Tuma looks up and gives us a wave over.
“Ready to meet the queen of salmon fileting?” I ask Lillian.
She grabs at her chest. “Is it weird that I’m actually nervous?”
I laugh and lead her down the rows of others preparing for the competition. “Katoo’s a sweetheart as long as you don’t get between her ulu and a salmon.”
“Duly noted,” Lillian says.
When we reach them, Katoo holds her blade up and examines it in the light.
A proud smile twinkles on her face. She pushes some hair out of her eyes with the back of her hand and looks up at us.
She grins, the line tattooed from the bottom of her lip to her chin stretching. “Ah! Is this your girlfriend?”
I sputter. “What? Girlfriend?! I never said?—”
Lillian laughs. “Is that what you’re telling people?”
“No, I didn’t—I wouldn’t?—”
Katoo’s dark eyebrows waggle. “That’s what Tuma told me.”
“I never said girlfriend,” Tuma says, folding his arms over his chest.
Katoo throws her head back with a tinkling cackle. “Your face, Matthew! And I’m not talking about the unicorn. That is a nice touch, though.”
I ignore her. “Katoo, this is Lillian.”
Thankfully, Katoo gives me a break. I’ve known her as long as I’ve known Tuma, and she always gives everyone shit for simply breathing. Part of her charm. She hands her ulu to Tuma before reaching out to shake Lillian’s hand. “Good to meet you.”
“You as well. An honor to meet the queen,” Lillian says with a mock bow.
“My reputation precedes me, hm?” Katoo asks, lifting an eyebrow.
“Yes, I’ve heard so much about you from these two,” Lillian says, gesturing to Tuma and then grabbing my arm. I love it when she touches me. The casual way her hand lands on me as if we’ve been at this a lot longer. “I’m looking forward to seeing you defend your title.”
“Yes, I don’t want to get overconfident, but I have a good feeling about it.”
“Is this your ulu?” Lillian asks, pointing at the half-moon-shaped knife in Tuma’s hand.
“You’ve done your research,” Katoo says with a grin, taking it back from her husband.
Tuma slinks over to my side, and I immediately relax. I didn’t realize how tense I was, watching Katoo and Lillian interact. Katoo is a hardass, but it’s only because she’s fiercely loyal and loving. She’s like a dad threatening the boy dating his daughter with a shotgun.
I want Lillian to make a good impression, for all our sakes.
“They mentioned it, and I watched some videos online,” Lillian says, shoving her hands into the pockets of her fleece. “I got curious. It’s cool to see it up close.”
Katoo lifts the ulu and holds the handle out to Lillian. “You want to try?”
“Kat, they were just stopping in to wish you luck. Don’t put her to work,” Tuma interjects.
Katoo rolls her eyes. “Relax. She can say no.”
“I’d love to try, but don’t we need a fish?” Lillian asks.
“Don’t you worry. I can swipe a fish as well as I can skin it,” Katoo says, patting her knee as she gets to her feet. “Be back in a minute.”
“What can’t she do?” Lillian retorts.
Tuma glances around to make sure we’re not overheard. “Laundry.”
We all laugh, and I take advantage of the moment to place my hand on Lillian’s shoulder.
As promised, Katoo returns quickly with her pilfered salmon and invites Lillian to join her.
Tuma and I stand back as Katoo teaches Lillian how to filet the fish. There is an art to it, one that I have never mastered. But Lillian does a great job, letting Katoo guide her hand down the first flank of fish, separating the meat from the bone.
“Not bad,” Katoo exclaims as Lillian rocks the ulu over the fin to separate it from the meat.
“Hardly,” Lillian says, without drawing her eyes from the fish.
She’s a natural, though. At everything she does because she tries. People don’t make an effort the way she does. She likes to get her hands dirty and know as much as she can. I admire that about her. Too often people are afraid of trying something new. Myself included.