Amazed - Chapter 2

Saturday November 9th 2002
2145 local
Harm's apartment

Harm and May are sitting at the table, in front of what's left of the dinner. Their talking is light, cut by silences and smiles.

Harm - For how long are you in DC? Shouldn't you be at the Academy?
May - Well, after mom's death, I never took the leave I was given. I preferred to stay there and dive into work and classes. It wasn't any bad for my marks anyway! And, well, it became harder and harder. I spoke with Val, my roommate about all... this, and she made some research secretly to find you. Two weeks ago, she gave me a paper with your name, rank and address, both home and work. She gave it to me and said `Now you can take your leave.' So, that's what I did! My chief is rather nice for this kind of thing, and I'm one of the best in my class, so... here I am!
Harm - There is a question I keep asking myself since you came in. You read your mother's diary. Does she say somewhere why she never came to see me, why she never talked to me about you?
May - Not really. She says at first she was frightened. You know, when she went to live with Aunt May, she knew nothing about life, work and so on. That she told me. And after Aunt May's death, she had to find a job, and you had your career. She wrote at a moment that when she was with you, she was feeling lonely, that you were interested only in planes. And that if she had come to see you, you would have insisted to marry her, and you would have stayed on flying duty, leaving her more lonely than ever. I don't know if it's true, but I know that's how she felt.
Harm - She was right. At that time, flying was the only important thing in my life. You probably know that I had to quit flying status for about five years after my first crash. I thought my life was over. That's when I became a lawyer. Three years ago, I was able to go back on flying duty aboard a carrier, and I started flying again. That has been wonderful, but I realized then that there were in my life things more important than flying.
May - I've not reach that point yet! For me, flying, it's...
Harm - Magic? Freedom?
May, smiling – Yeah. You know that too, don't you? I have the impression I was born to fly. I never had a feeling such as the one I feel when I'm up there.
Harm - Why Air Force and not Navy?"
May laughs slightly. - One day, I was about six or seven, mom and I went to camping one summer near a lake. There were plenty of things to do, it was great. I had spent the beginning of the summer learning to swim and I was pretty good. So one afternoon, she allowed me to go with the `big kids' to do a little trip on the lake on canoes. You can imagine how proud I was! So, we were on the pier, I had put a life jacket on, ready to go. And I stepped in the canoe. We were about six feet from the pier when I became all green and threw my lunch back up into the lake. Mom called a doctor, who examined me. Nothing wrong. So mom told me to lay down the rest of the afternoon, and if I was well, I could try again the next morning. The problem was, every time I stepped in the canoe, I got sick. The doctor came back and we tried three times. At the end, he said I was deeply seasick. I have made other tries, destroyers, carriers. Big boats that are not supposed to roll. Well, it is absolutely impossible for me to put a foot on a boat. There is this one time, when I was a teenager, my best friend's father was the CO on a carrier. And there was a family weekend at sea, with a night aboard. As soon as the helo had landed on the deck, I started to be ill.
Harm laughs. - It's unbelievable!
May - Isn't it? And as I was not very found of the Marines, I chose the Air Force. That way, I can stay away from the water!
Harm takes his glass of wine - To planes?
May takes hers - I'd rather say to pilots. Every pilot of the family.
Harm - So, to pilots !
May - To pilots !

Harm raises his glass, looking up, and so does May.

May - We have to make those DNA tests as soon as possible.
Harm - When I found Sergei, we had to make some tests, and I still have the address of the lab. I will contact them on Monday. I'll call you at your hotel to tell you when you can go there. I guess they kept my sample, it's gonna take less time, so I think we should have the answer before you leave.
May - That would be great!
Harm - Tell me, where are you staying at ?
May - I found a little hotel, not very far.
Harm - You're sure? If you prefer, you can sleep here on the couch.
May - A couch at dad's, or a real bed in a hotel...
She smiles - I'll stay at the hotel.
Harm pretends to be hurt - The couch is very comfy!
May - Probably, but there is no intimacy. It's a bachelor's apartment. And it has not been intended to welcome your daughter.
Harm - So I will have to move out. Find a new apartment.
May - Why not?

Harm doesn't answer. They smile to each other.

Harm - You're a brat!
May - I know that!
Harm - I'll drive you back?
May - I won't turn down such an offer. I took a cab to come here, and it must be pretty hard to find one at this time of the night in the area.

************************

In front of May's hotel
22h13

May – That's a fine Corvette ! I love vintage cars !
Harm – My pride and joy ! I'll meet you for breakfast?"
May - Sure, but at what time? It's Sunday, and I won't be up before at least ten.
Harm - Well let's say 1030. Works for you?
May - No problem. Can you pick me up here?
Harm - Sure! Good night May.
May - Good night... dad.

Harm holds May in his arms, as he didn't wanted to let go of her. They part after a last kiss and May enters the hotel.