Free Wings by Cynthia Lee Cartier Page B

she heard his voice, “Excuse me, Miss.” Liddy turned to face him.
    He reached across the aisle and offered her his hand. “Reid Trent.” With confidence, he looked at her so fully. And it was a confidence she knew he had earned.
    Liddy placed her hand in his, and he wrapped it up in a firm, warm grasp. A current ran through this man that Liddy couldn’t quite read, but it unraveled her just the same. He continued to hold her hand in his until she introduced herself, which was no quick thing. “Liddy,” was all she finally managed to utter.
    “Nice to meet you, Liddy.” He looked straight into her eyes and smiled. And then his eyes roamed over her face and she felt flushed.
    Within minutes, Bet had two soldier boys sitting across from her and two others leaning over the backs of the seats. The young men shared story after story, just to hear her giggle.
    Liddy and Reid Trent leaned into the aisle on the arm rests. He had calmed her with his relaxed manner and quick wit, and soon they were making small talk about train travel. It was the kind of easy and exhilarating talk that you have with someone you’ve only just met, yet feel you’ve known for a lifetime.
    He removed his cap and passed it playfully hand to hand. The short clip of his dusty blonde hair couldn’t hide its natural wave. Liddy searched to determine his age, but his sun thickened skin had a ruggedness that didn’t match the boyish twinkle in his face. He didn’t wear a ring, but she knew that didn’t mean a thing.
    The light outside dimmed. Time disappeared with the words and the long moments when Reid Trent would look at Liddy and she at him and they would just stare, without words, sometimes with a smile, sometimes without. It was such a luxury to be able to study his face, as much as she wanted, and not have to look away. Something she had never done with any other man, or had the desire to do. And he took her in without any hesitation. Listening to this man, looking at him made her feel completely happy and calm.
    “So what are you ladies doing on a desert-bound loco?” one of the men ask Bet.
    “We’re headed to Sweetwater, Texas to train for the WASP,” Bet answered.
    “WASP?” another man questioned.
    “Women Airforce Service Pilots,” Bet said.
    Reid was telling Liddy about all the lost and founds he’d discovered when he was a teenager and had a job cleaning train cars one summer. He stopped mid-sentence and looked wide-eyed at Liddy.
    “Did you hear that, Major? These ladies are gonna be flying Army.”
    Reid Trent’s eyes had changed and Liddy saw the moment he locked her out. He rose from his seat and spoke but didn’t look at her. “Miss, I’m sorry I didn’t catch your last name.”
    “Hall.” Liddy looked up at him, trying to catch up with what was happening.
    “Miss Hall, it was nice to meet you.” The major looked in her direction, but not at her, and extended his hand for the second time and accepted hers briefly before releasing it. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to attend to some business. Have a safe trip.” He took his bag from the compartment overhead and left the car.
    Liddy felt abandoned like someone had cradled her, dropped her to the floor, and then stepped over her and walked away. She was stunned but tried to appear detached from what had just happened, whatever it was. Liddy shifted toward Bet’s chatterfest and feigned an interest, while she tried to make sense of the sudden turn in Reid Trent. She soon accepted what she knew was true. The more she stewed, the more her irritation grew.
    She had never cared what anyone thought of her being a pilot before. It had never put a chink in her, but this time she cared. When enough time had passed since Major Reid Trent had left the car, she excused herself and went back to her seat and then to the sleeping berth. She unbuttoned and let her clothes fall to the floor and buried herself under the blankets. An ache filled her that called for home and