Page 61 of Blue Sky

Dungeness Crab Cioppino

Two months later

As I stood out in front to the restaurant in Old Town, kneading the tortillas for all the tourists, I felt a set of eyes on me.

I looked around the crowd but the heat from the press blew hot in my face and I couldn’t focus on any faces.

I turned my attention back to the tortillas.

Life for the past month had been incredible. My father had embraced me and my sisters. After the DNA test came back positive, he had invited us to move in with him. I had resisted at first, but he and Jill insisted. We lived in his guest home and the girls were lucky enough to attend the high rated public school in La Jolla. Jill loved the girls and has so happy to help raise them, since she had always wanted children. I worked part time at this restaurant and attended the local junior college part time. I had wanted to work full time but my dad insisted that he pay for my tuition and pay our bills. He said it was the least he could do after being gone for so many years. It was so hard to accept help, but I finally relented. I couldn’t be more blessed.

As for Beck, we had been talking on the phone. I had apologized to him for my behavior. I was dying to see him, but I knew he had been doing shows around the Midwest and unable to see me, though he would be in San Francisco this weekend. Charlie’s wife Brittney was watching Sky when Beck doing the shows. But I still felt immense guilt for not being there for Sky.

But I was hopeful for our future.

I looked up again. I knew I was being watched. The line was wrapped around the building and I almost jumped when I heard a voice say, “I’ll have two carnitas tacos.”

I knew that voice. I had dreamt of that voice ever night since I had left.

I looked up, and my handsome pilot was standing there in front of me, holding flowers with a big grin on his face.

“Beck, oh my god! What are you doing here?”

I quickly asked my supervisor for a break and ran out of the booth into Beck’s strong embrace. Though it had been months, since I had seen him, it felt like we had never been apart. His lips crashed on mine and kissed me passionately, as the now growing crowd clapped.

“Nice dress.”

I blushed. I was wearing a traditional Mexican dress with a huge colorful skirt and ruffled low cut top. And my hair was bound in braids with ribbons.

“Glad you like it. You didn’t even get the tacos you ordered.”

“That’s okay. I’ll eat you instead.”

I blushed and punched him in the arm. “What are you doing here—you are supposed to be in San Francisco?”

“I couldn't wait to see you. Would the girls be okay without you this weekend? I want to take you somewhere.”

My heart fluttered. “They will be fine with my dad. Where are you taking me?”

“San Francisco.”

His hometown. Then it really was true. Everything he had said on the phone. He wasn’t embarrassed by me. He truly did love me. And he saw a future with me.

“I’d love to go. Should I drive and meet you there?” I said, knowing that he had to take his plane.

“No. You’re flying with me.”

My hands shook. “Are you serious? In your Blue Angel plane?”

He smirked. “Yup.”

I wanted to jump for joy. This was just like a fairytale. “You aren’t going to do some crazy tricks are you? I don’t want to black out in the plane.”

“I’ll be good in the plane. But I’ll show you some tricks when we get to the hotel.”

He pulled me to him and we kissed again. My break was over, and I refused to lose my job. Luckily my boss understood and let me off early for the day and gave me the weekend off. Beck followed my car back to my place. We picked the girls up from school. And took them to dad’s.

Beck and my father instantly hit it off. They were like the same person.