Which caused a gnawing ache in my chest.

And that was all on me.

As I rushed to get ready for my flight, the little pilot’s suit was still laying on top of my dresser. I rubbed my finger over the little wings on the lapel and remembered the face of the little boy from my dream. Unpinning the little wings from the child’s jacket, I swapped it with the wings on my own uniform. They weren’t that different in appearance, yet they’d made all the difference to me.

I could see my future.

I could see my family.

I could see the woman I loved.

Now I just needed to figure out how to make things right again.

I DECIDED TO QUICKLY check on Gordon before leaving for the airport, since it would be a few days before I would be back home again.

One of the women usually came by his house late in the morning and stayed until a physical therapist showed up, but no one was likely there yet.

Knowing he could be sleeping, I was careful to open the door slowly.

“Dad?” I called out in a low voice.

There was no answer. Gordon was always a heavy snorer, so it was odd that no noise was coming from the bedroom.

He was lying flat on his back, completely still.

“Dad?”

He didn’t respond.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I repeated louder while nudging his shoulder, “Dad, it’s Brucey. Wake up.”

Placing my two fingers against his neck, I checked for a pulse.

There was none.

Lowering my head, I listened for a heartbeat that wasn’t there.

I kept my cheek on his chest and wept. He may have been my fake father, but there was nothing fake about the tears that were falling from my eyes.

A SIMPLE PHONE MESSAGE was about to change everything.

Rolling my suitcase through Logan Airport, I realized I’d missed a call from Carter. The phone must have gone off while I was driving to work with the music turned up.

I listened to the message.

“Hey, Kendall. I’m about to board my flight. I wanted to hear your voice before takeoff, but I guess that’s not gonna be possible. It’s been a very shitty morning. Um…”

There was a long pause.

“Gordon died. I found him in bed. He wasn’t breathing. He must have passed away in his sleep. He was all alone.”

My heart fell.

Oh no.

A long breath escaped him into the phone.

“He died all alone with no one holding his hand. It’s so fucking sad. No one should have to die alone.”

A tear fell down my cheek as the message continued.

“Anyway, it really brought home what matters. I miss you. I’m gonna need to hear your voice tonight to fall asleep. I’m just letting you know.”

There was a bit of silence before he said, “Shit. I have to go. I’ll call you when I land in Rio.”

Standing there frozen in the middle of the terminal, I suddenly felt like a complete fish out of water in this airport. Sweating through my uniform, I knew I couldn’t let this go on.

What was I doing here?

I needed to be with him.

The ball was so far in my court, that it wasn’t even funny. I was the one who’d left; I needed to be the one to bring us back together.

The time apart since reuniting had been good for us, it had given us both time to think, but it was time. There was no way anything could ever work between us if I kept this job. Because of his schedule, it was difficult as it was to have a relationship. Factor in two people working for different airlines, and it was virtually impossible. At this rate, I would never see him. Something had to give.

It was my turn to give.

MARIA ROSA LET ME IN with minimal inquisition. Not that I would have understood her questions anyway. I think she knew full well what I was there for.

I nodded. “Obrigada.” I’d finally learned how to say “thank you” appropriately in Portuguese.

Pedro hopped up on my shoulder, and to my surprise did not urinate on me before he fled again. Perhaps, after three visits, I was finally in with the monkey crowd.

Maria pointed me to the correct room, signaling with her index finger to be quiet since Carter was sleeping. Slowly opening the door, I was met with a sight for sore eyes.

I didn’t know what Carter had been dreaming of, but clearly it was…wet. His cock was rock hard and glistening, sticking up straight in the air. He was completely and gloriously naked. So tired from my trip, I wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed with him. Stripping off every last thread of clothing, I prowled on my hands and knees onto the mattress.

Carter’s eyes blinked open, and he shuddered before realizing it was me.

“Perky?”

“Yes.”

“Oh my God. I thought I was dreaming.”

“You’re not.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Shh,” I said as I lowered my mouth over his cock. His words trailed off as he lost the ability to speak. Bending his head back, he gave up all control as I went down on him. Holding on to the back of my hair, he guided the movement of my mouth.

I loved listening to the low moans of ecstasy escaping him. At one point, he pulled away and lifted my body onto his.

The bed shook as we went at it. It was fairly early in the morning, and I was sure we were interrupting the other boarders, who were sleeping or having breakfast, but I didn’t care. We needed this. We both came in less than a few minutes. It had been way too long.

Soaked in post coital bliss, I answered his earlier question.

“I got your phone message. I told them it was a family emergency. As soon as I landed in New York, I booked a ticket for the next flight to Rio.”

“You lied for me?”

“No. It wasn’t a lie. You’re the only real family I have now. And I truly needed to see you like my life depended on it. So, that’s an emergency in my book.”

We were still lying naked on top of each other when he asked, “How long can you stay?”

“As long as you need me.”

“Fucking forever then?”

“Okay.”

He pulled back to examine my face. “Okay?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not going back to work?”

“Flying was never for me, Carter. It was just a means to run away while at the same time, somehow in vain connecting with you. It was a good experience, served its purpose, but I need to be able to see you whenever you’re home.”