Part 39 (1/2)
He held his hand out to me, and I walked forward, taking it without thought.
He gripped my hand hard, and pulled me into his chest.
Effortlessly, I wrapped my arms around his neck and looked up into his eyes, seeing my face reflected in his gla.s.ses.
My face looked just as confused as I felt.
”Wanna come for a ride in my helicopter?” He asked with a smile.
Tilting my head, I said, ”I'm working.”
His face lifted, and his eyes caught on something behind me. ”Do you mind if I steal her for an hour?” He yelled to someone behind me.
I looked over my shoulder to see nearly the whole ER behind me, all watching the show.
Danita waved her hand in a shooing gesture. ”She's all yours.”
With that, he turned and started walking towards the helicopter, dragging me in his wake.
”Nonnie didn't die, did she?” I asked worriedly.
He shook his head. ”No, she's still hanging on. I have something to show you.”
I followed closely behind him, coming to a stop near the side door which he opened.
He picked me up easily, and sat me down on the seat before grabbing the helmet at my feet and placing it securely on my head.
After strapping it on, he started on my belts, anchoring me down securely before he closed the door, and walked around to his own side.
I watched in silence as he did much the same, strapping himself in, followed by hitting b.u.t.tons then flipping switches.
The large blades above us started spinning, the noise getting louder and louder as the blades spun faster and faster.
Once it reached a crescendo, we started rising, my belly crawling up into my throat as I watched the ground get further and further away.
Cleo kept his eye on the gauges, and his hand on the stick between his thighs as he lifted up, and turned a hard right, taking us out of town.
”Where are we going?” I asked again, my disembodied voice sounding funky through the mic's speaker in my helmet.
He looked over at me, grinned, and didn't say anything.
So I sat in silence, watching the buildings pa.s.s under my feet.
Something changed once we were fifteen minutes out.
The air in the cabin seemed to thicken, and I turned when I saw Cleo's hand move from the stick between his thighs.
”You wanna fly?” He asked.
I looked at him, remembering the time I'd asked him if he'd let me fly nearly six months ago, and shook my head animatedly. ”No, way! You said you'd never let me fly your multi-million dollar machine.”
He grinned, and looked back towards the horizon.
”I can't ask you to marry me if you don't hold my stick,” he teased.
I blinked, unsure if I'd heard him right or not.
”Say what?” I clarified.
He looked at me like I was a dumba.s.s. ”You heard what I said.”
”No, I don't think I did. Repeat it one more time,” I instructed quickly.
Sighing, he reached over and took my hand, placing it on the stick between his legs.
I froze as he lifted his hand from the stick, causing adrenaline to pour through my body as I watched the sky in front of us.
”Cleo?” I asked nervously.
He reached into his flight suit, and came out with a velvet box.
I started hyperventilating.
He opened it, presenting me with the diamond that was nestled in the folds of velvet.
It was black and hot pink; exactly what I never knew I wanted.
”Holy s.h.i.+t,” I breathed, causing him to beam at me.
”I've waited a long, long time to ask you this. Rue Delaney Loden, will you marry me?”
I nodded emphatically. ”You betcha'!”
G.o.d, I was such a dork.
He leaned forward, placing the ring gently on the finger that was laying against his stick.
”That's what I wanted to hear. Let's go for a ride,” he said as he took over the helicopter, flying us East.
He didn't have a destination in mind, and I was happy to be where he was at, even if it did only last until they got a call.
Cleo's partner was a silent presence in the back seat. Making the best use of his time since he had to be there anyway.
I had looked back at him a few times, noticing that he was taking pictures with his phone at one point.
And I knew I'd have some of the best memories of my life forever memorialized in a frozen moment of time.