Breakfast With Amelia

By Mavis Applewater

March 2003

Disclaimers. Yes, I know who they look like and trust me it isn’t them. The characters and story are the sole possession of the author and may not be reproduced, posted or sold without the author’s permission. So there! If for any reason, real or imagined you are uncomfortable with graphic descriptions of two consenting adult women in a loving, sexual relationship then do not read this story or anything else I have ever written. If for any reason it is illegal to view this material then please leave and don’t come back until it is no longer a crime for you to read my work. What food group do Pop Tarts fall under?

A very special thanks goes out to my beta reader Mary.

This one is for Stormy. I offer you this little ditty hoping that it will keep a smile on your face until you are safely home again.

Reyna adjusted her cap as she mentally prepared herself before stepping into the small café. She shouldered her gear bag knowing that her sudden appearance would cause concern. She pushed open the glass door and was greeted by gentle chiming from the tiny brass Indian bells that were hanging from the door. Thankfully the café was almost empty with the exception of Dawn the tall dark haired waitress who was chatting with a small elderly woman at one of the tables.

It wasn’t uncommon to find the brunette sitting with a patron rather than cleaning or actually waiting on customers. Dawn was one of the strays that she and Stephan had adopted over the years. Dawn’s vibrant blue eyes lit up as Reyna strolled inside wearing her neatly pressed dress whites. Reyna flashed the tall brunette a shy smile as she felt her heart beating just a little faster. The small blonde’s gaze drifted to the small white haired woman dressed in a rumpled floral shirt and cargo pants. The elderly woman’s eyes twinkled with delight as Reyna nervously stood in the entryway. There was something about this woman that seemed familiar to Reyna, yet she couldn’t quite grasp where she had seen her before.

"Hey sailor," Dawn’s eager greeting brought her out of her musings. "What you doing here? I didn’t know you had shore leave coming up?"

Dawn crossed the room quickly. The beads she had woven into her long dark hair jangled as she wrapped her arms around the small blonde. Reyna felt a familiar pang as Dawn engulfed her in a warm hug. Reyna quickly stepped out of the taller woman’s embrace. Her emerald eyes quickly darted around the room in a futile effort to mask her discomfort.

"Still not a hugger?" Dawn teased her with a wink. "Pity."

"Where is Stephan?" Reyna quickly inquired as she stepped further into the restaurant and tossed her bag onto one of the empty tables.

Her question was answered as her husband stepped out from the kitchen area. "Reyna?" He greeted her with his crisp British accent. Reyna smiled as she took in his attire. He was wearing a floral blouse and slacks. "What do you think?" He asked as he spun around.

"The earrings don’t quite work," she noted as she smiled.

"What?" He gasped in horror. "You gave them to me."

"No you stole them from me," Reyna chastised him.

Stephan laughed before pulling her in for a tight hug. He stepped back and looked at her for a moment. "So did you jump ship?" He inquired playfully.

"No," she laughed in response. "Unexpected leave," she shrugged trying to play it off. "Aren’t you happy to see your loving wife?"

"Always," he said with a brilliant smile. "Especially when you come home in your dress uniform. You know what that does to me. You simply must find one in my size."

Reyna didn’t miss the sad expression on Dawn’s face as she plopped down into the wooden chair and rejoined her companion who was curiously watching the scene unfold. She returned her gaze to her husband whose face had also dimmed. The blonde felt her chest tighten knowing that her husband knew why she was suddenly home. "How long?" He asked in a grim tone.

"Let’s go upstairs," she quietly informed him as she retrieved her bag.

They silently made their way through the kitchen and up the back stairs that led to their apartment. Reyna was trying to avoid talking to Stephan as she unpacked her belongings. He sat silently on the bed watching her every move. Not ready to talk about what they both knew had happened she started to look through his closet.

"So they just suddenly decided to send you on leave?" He softly inquired.

"Yes," she muttered as she looked at the dresses he had bought since her last visit. "Is this new?"

"It won’t fit you," he protested as she held it against her body. "You haven’t received a series of vaccinations lately have you?"

His voice cracked as he finally started to broach the subject that Reyna had been trying to avoid since her arrival. "Yes," she sullenly admitted. "Are you sure this won’t fit me?" She teased in an effort to change the subject.

"Yes," he fumed as she checked the label. "For the last time you are much too small to wear my clothes."

"It isn’t fair. You have such great taste in clothing," Reyna continued to tease.

"When?" He gravely inquired.

"You’ve always had great taste in clothes. I think that is why I married you," she shrugged knowing it wasn’t what he was referring to.

"Reyna," he asserted.

"Ten days," she finally informed him.

He stared at his hands as she sat down next to him on the bed. "It was nice of them to give you a little time with your family before shipping you off," he spat out in a bitter tone.

"Stephan I’m a pilot in the United States Navy," she informed him. "I have to go."

The silence seemed to engulf them as they sat there. Reyna had met Stephan when she was stationed in England and the two of them fell head over heels in love. At least at the time Reyna had thought it was love. Discovering that Stephan was a transvestite was easy. In fact seeing him dressed like a woman only added to her already growing attraction to him. When others discovered Stephan’s secret they mistakenly assumed he was gay. Truth was that Stephan just liked dressing like a woman. Unlike gay men who dress in drag, his love for women went so deep that he wanted to be like them. The truly funny thing was it was Reyna who discovered her latent homosexuality after they were married and moved to America.

They became the best of friends after they realized that their marriage was a mistake and decided to simply stay married so Stephan could stay in the country. He bought the small café near Laguna Beach and she accepted an assignment in San Diego. They could stay close and still lead separate lives. Neither of them wanted to lose the other. She knew that Stephan was terrified that she was being shipped out. The thought didn’t thrill her either, but she knew with the state of the world it would only be a matter of time before she was sent overseas.

"Where are they sending you?" He asked with a slight hint of fear.

"Don’t know," she answered him honestly as she captured his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Dawn is going to be very upset you know," he added with a heavy sigh. "She has a crush on you."

"I know," Reyna smiled.

"Why not give the girl a chance?" Stephan suggested with a playful nudge.

"Too close to home," Reyna answered him honestly. "If anyone found out I could be in trouble."

"Right about now, I’d like that," Stephan grumbled.

"Stephan," she cautioned him.

"Sorry, but the thought of my wife and best friend going off to war scares me," he confessed. "I see the way you look at her when you think that no one is watching."

"Stephan," she laughed. "Dawn is a good kid, for an over grown hippy or beatnik. What are they called these days?"

"Slackers," he laughed.

"You haven’t told her about me have you?" she asked.

"Told her what?" He teased. "No I haven’t told her that despite the fact I wear women’s clothing it is my wife that is the puff and not me."

"Puff?" Reyna laughed. "You Brits. I swear I’ll never get the lingo down. Speaking of Dawn who is her new friend? She looks familiar but I don’t recall seeing her with the usual gang of misfit’s the last time I was here."

"I’ll let Dawn introduce you," Stephan laughed heartily. "Trust me you are going to love this one."

"Why do I doubt that?" Reyna groaned.

Stephan left her alone in the bedroom as he returned downstairs to prepare for the lunch crowd. Reyna took a bath and changed into more comfortable clothing. When she entered the dinning area she found the usual gathering of strays that seemed to be drawn to them. It was quite an eclectic gathering. There was Captain John who never manned so much as a rowboat, but he did wear a child’s captain’s hat and dubbed himself "Captain John." He really took a shine to Reyna since the both of them were old salts. Then there was Baltimore Betty, who claimed to married to Howard Hughes, Jasper who was a boxer at one time in his life now the world was a bit hazy for him, Diana a tall black man who was convinced that he was Diana Ross and got very indignant when you didn’t address him as Miss. Ross, Frank who was a young stock broker who just seemed to be drawn to quirky crowd, Dawn who only wore tie dyed shirts and peasant skirts she made herself, Dawn’s new mystery friend, her husband Stephan and herself. Most of the happy little gang was unable to pay for food since in reality they lived on the beach. But Stephan took them in and accepted each and every one of them for whom they claimed to be.

Reyna spied the newest member of their little family hiding shyly in a corner. She went over and sat beside the elderly woman as she watched Dawn chatting with the others. "I’m Reyna by the way, I don’t think we’ve met before," Reyna offered her hand to the very tanned older woman. She was surprised by the tight grip the woman used when she shook her hand.

"Millie," the woman responded quietly seemingly uncomfortable with Reyna’s sudden attention. "You are in the Navy?" The woman finally asked after the two of them shared an uncomfortable silence.

"Yes, Ma’am, "Reyna politely responded.

"Are you a nurse or secretary?" the woman curiously inquired.

"No," Reyna curtly responded. "I’m a pilot."

Reyna understood that with the woman’s advanced years the concept was probably hard for her to grasp. She was taken aback by the woman’s brilliant smile. "Really?" Millie hurriedly inquired. "I have been away a long time."

"Have you now?" Reyna smiled as she wondered if the woman had been away in the physical sense or just psychologically. "How long have you been gone?" Reyna offered in an effort to placate the stranger.

"What year is it?" Millie inquired.

"2003," Reyna carefully supplied as she wondered if this woman was like Phil who Dawn found wandering around? Phil claimed that he had been frozen along side of Walt Disney.

"Well if that is the case then it will be sixty-six years this July," Millie offered after thinking about it.

"Really?" Reyna responded slowly as her eyes widened while the others began to shuffle out of the café.

Dawn sauntered over and plopped down next to Reyna. She placed her hand on the blonde’s shoulder. Reyna hated how touchy feely the tall crystal wearing brunette was. She would have pulled away except for the fact that she secretly enjoyed feeling Dawn’s hands on her body. "Hey you met?" Dawn exclaimed. "This is great. Did you tell her?" Dawn asked Millie. "Reyna can help you."

"Hold on," Reyna cautioned Dawn. "I’ve only just met Millie so don’t go volunteering my services for anything."

"Millie?" Dawn grumbled. "Come on tell her, you can trust Reyna even if she is in the military. She won’t tell anyone."

"Dawn I don’t think, Reyna is interested in my little story," Millie shyly offered. "Plus she’s just come home. I’m certain she would like to spend time with her husband."

"Yeah right," Dawn muttered as she began to drum her long fingers on the table.

Stephan watched them as he began to lock up. "No this won’t do," Dawn finally blurted out. "Reyna has a small plane and she can take you around."

"Dawn?" Reyna laughed. "Hey how about chilling out for a second and maybe giving Stephan a hand?"

"But Reyna you don’t know who this is?" Dawn whined as she pointed to the cautious looking Millie. "Reyna this is Amelia Earhart."

"Of course she is," Reyna responded in a condescending tone.

"She is," Dawn, protested.

"I believe you," Reyna lied. "Now would you give Stephan a hand so he and I can spend some time together?"

"You don’t believe me," Dawn pouted as she stomped off and began to clean up.

"She is very excitable isn’t she?" Millie noted.

"To say the least," Reyna sighed as she watched the brunette moving around griping that no one believed her.

"She is telling you the truth," Millie offered in a hushed tone.

"Of course she is," Reyna said accepting that this kind looking woman really thought she was Amelia Earhart. "And I must say you are looking well," She gently offered. "Since you’re a hundred and six." She muttered under her breath.

"Not until July," Millie corrected her.

Reyna’s head snapped around as she gaped at the woman. She couldn’t understand how she had heard her? "How did you know my age?" Millie asked.

"I’m a big fan," Reyna carefully responded praying that her new friend wasn’t dangerous. "In fact I had your poster hanging in my bedroom from the time I was a little girl."

"My poster? You mean like some pin-up girl?" Millie grimaced. "I don’t think I care for that? Must have been G.W’s doing. I swear that man could promote anything."

"G.W right," Reyna groaned. "Your husband."

"You don’t have to believe me," Millie chuckled. "In fact I’d fair much better if no one believed me. I just don’t understand why people would still remember me?"

"Excuse me?" Reyna spat out. She peered closely at the woman sitting beside her and had to admit there was a striking resemblance to the woman’s whose face had been plastered all over her childhood bedroom. Still she didn’t believe that she was the aviatrix who had vanished in 1937. Reyna was willing to play along but if this nut job started saying anything against her childhood heroine she was going to deck her.

"You seem upset?" Millie gently inquired.

"Not at all," Reyna brushed aside her anger. "Just surprised. Why wouldn’t you still be remembered? You were one the greatest aviatrix’s of all time. You were first woman to . . ."

"Please stop," Millie cut her off. "I may have been the first to complete a solo flight across the Atlantic, but there were so many women before me and during my time who were so much better pilots than I ever was. I just had the press on my side. Of course I used them as well to encourage more women to get involved with aviation."

Reyna sat there in a stunned silence before she excused herself and went in search of Dawn and Stephan. Reyna had tried to play along with the deranged elderly woman assuming she would boast and brag about her adventures in the sky. When she chastised Reyna with the truth it threw the blonde for a loop. She found her husband and the quirky waitress bustling around the kitchen. "Excuse me ladies," Reyna announced.

Dawn beamed as she bounced over towards the blonde. "Did Millie tell you about why she is here?" She asked excitedly.

"Dawn you do know that she really isn’t Amelia Earhart don’t you?" Reyna carefully inquired as Dawn looked down at her in exasperation.

"But she is," Dawn protested.

"Dawn it isn’t possible," Reyna wearily tried to explain.

"Why not?" Dawn pushed. "Look I know that since I showed up on your doorstep that I’ve been wrong about one or two things. Like thinking that Pete really did know where Jimmy Hoffa was buried, and sending you that naked picture of me was way out of line. Just this once, please, trust me. No one knows what happened to Amelia Earhart, Why is it so hard to believe that she is sitting in the dinning room?"

Reyna’s mouth hung open. She snapped it shut and collected her thoughts. "Fine I’ll just prove it to you," Reyna explained. "First when Amelia Earhart disappeared she was almost forty years old."

"So?" Dawn said with a shrug.

"So, that was over sixty years ago," Reyna, explained.

"Oh?" Dawn blinked with surprise.

"Now that sweet old woman out there is certainly advanced in years but she seems a little too spry to be over one hundred don’t you think?" Reyna offered hoping that the facts would speak for themselves and Dawn would drop whatever hair brained scheme she was cooking up.

"But she could be," Dawn countered.

"Fine," Reyna conceded with a groan. "I happen to be a bit of an expert on the subject. Now if I can prove to you that she isn’t who she says she is will you just agree to humor her and not get me involved with any of your crazy plans?"

"Okay. But give her a chance," Dawn gleefully exclaimed.

"I will and I have to admit she is good," Reyna agreed.

"What do you mean?" Stephan asked.

"Well it’s just that she looks a lot like her," Reyna tried to explain. "And she’s already got me on something," Stephan gave her a curious look. "I made a comment about her being one of the greatest aviatrix of her time."

"She was," Dawn fussed.

"Yes and no," Reyna reluctantly began. "She was an incredible pilot but there were other women in her day who were better. Amelia had the press and the financial backing on her side. Millie knew that."

"Ah huh!" Dawn shouted.

"It doesn’t mean anything," Reyna groaned as Dawn dragged her back out into the dinning room.

Millie watched them as Dawn kept a tight hold on Reyna’s hand as she sat the both of them down. "Millie I know you are anxious to begin your visit, but I just want to prove to Reyna that I’m right and, as usual, she is wrong," Dawn rapidly explained.

"Just here for a short while?" Reyna interrupted.

"Yes," Millie answered as her eyes twinkled. "I’m getting on in years as you well know and I just wanted one last look at what passes for the civilized world."

Reyna nodded in understanding. The woman sitting before her might not be as old as the person she claimed to be but it was more than obvious that twilight was approaching. "So how are we going to convince this young flyer I am who I claim I am?" She asked Dawn in an amused tone.

"Just let her ask you a few questions and if you get any of them wrong then so be it," Dawn explained. "But if she doesn’t you need to promise that you take that little plane of yours out and fly Millie anywhere she wants to go," Dawn directed towards Reyna.

"Agreed," Reyna accepted knowing that she would be able to trip up the elderly woman.

Millie took a sip of water from the bottle sitting in front of her on the table. "Can I ask a question before we begin?" Millie asked. Reyna nodded in agreement. "Why is all the water in bottles?"

"Because tap water is putrid," Dawn snorted with disgust.

"So the drinking supply needs to be cleaned?" Millie processed.

"Yes," Dawn confirmed. "Why?"

"It just seems so expensive?" Millie reasoned as she pointed up to the chalkboard menu. "Couldn’t you take the cost of putting clean water in bottles and use that money to clean the tap water?"

Both Reyna and Dawn sat up with surprise at the simplicity and reasonability of the older woman’s question.

"Anyhoo," Reyna blurted out as she redirected her attention towards Dawn. "How many questions do I get?"

"Twenty,"

"Okay, let’s start out with an easy one, when is your birthday?" Reyna tossed out.

"July 24th. I’m not saying what year," Millie happily responded.

"Fair enough," Reyna chuckled. "Where were you born?"

"My grandparents’ home in Atchison, Kansas," Millie answered.

"Any siblings?" Reyna asked knowing she was going easy on Millie since she really didn’t want to break Dawn’s heart.

"Pidge," Millie answered with a sad smile. "I’m sorry my younger sister Muriel. We called her Pidge."

Reyna’s was taken slightly aback that the woman knew both of the Earhart sister’s nicknames. "When was the first time you saw an airplane?" Reyna offered deciding it was time to make the questions a little harder.

"Let me think," Millie pondered. "I was about ten years old and it was at the Iowa State Fair."

"Was it love at first sight?" Dawn encouraged her.

"Hardly," Millie laughed. "At the time I seem to recall being more fascinated by the new peach paper hat I had bought."

"Really?" Dawn responded with disappointment.

"Really," Millie confirmed.

"Uhm what did you study in College?" Reyna cut them off.

"At first I became a nurse’s aid in Toronto," Millie explained. "After the Armistice I was pre-med at Columbia University."

Reyna chewed on her bottom lip for a moment as she tried to conjure up more obscure facts to question or trick this woman with. "Who taught you to fly?" Reyna asked.

"Oh dear sweet Neta. I’m sorry I mean Anita Snook. Now that lady was a true pioneer in flying," Millie proudly explained.

"Snook?" Dawn questioned.

"Neta, as I called her, and I got along famously right from the get go," Millie said with a brilliant smile. "She had restored a ‘Canuck’. That was an old Canadian training plane. That is one of the reasons I wanted to come here to California. We use to train out at Kinner Field near Long Beach. That July I bought my first plane. It was a prototype of the Kinner plane."

"The yellow peril," Reyna offered in an attempt to trip Millie up.

"No dear," Millie corrected her eyes seemingly lost in past memories. "The yellow peril was my roadster. After I sold the Kinner, which I called "The Canary", I bought a Kissel. I drove Mother and myself cross-country. My goodness I loved that car. People were surprised to see us driving around in it. Back then there weren’t quite so many cars. The cheerful canary color was modest in California but it was a little outspoken for Boston."

Reyna sat back in amazement as she realized that there was no way she was going to trip this woman up. Millie seemed to know just as much about her idol as she did. "I give up," the small blonde conceded.

"Wait? So soon?" Dawn asked in disbelief.

"What the hell," Reyna shrugged thinking that there were worse fates than passing through your last few days on this earth thinking you were Amelia Earhart. "I’ll make a deal with you, Millie tomorrow morning I’ll take you up in my little plane. We’ll stop and get breakfast, but I can’t fly you all over the country."

"Thank you, one last flight is more than I could ever hope for," Millie sincerely responded.

"I want to go," Dawn pleaded.

Reyna gave the brunette an incredulous look. "Please?" Dawn pleaded harder.

"Fine," Reyna gave in as she looked down and discovered that her fingers were still linked with Dawn’s. She instantly broke the contact and left the two women alone. She wandered upstairs and found her husband dressed in an evening gown. "That is a bit much," she dryly noted. "Oh God, do you have a date tonight?" She suddenly panicked. "I should have called."

"No I canceled," he explained. "I just wanted to see how I would look."

"Call her back," Reyna insisted.

"No," he flatly refused.

"Stephan is she someone special?" Reyna pried.

"I think so," he reluctantly admitted.

"Then call her back," Reyna pressed. "Stephan our marriage was over a long time ago, we both have other women in our lives. Wait is she cute? I could take her out?"

"Stop that," he laughed. "I want to spend time with my best friend who is shipping out to parts unknown all too soon."

"Go," Reyna demanded. "Trust me all I want to do tonight is take a walk on the beach and watch the sun set. After spending the afternoon with Miss Earhart and Dawn I am exhausted."

"How did that go?" he asked.

"Well honestly if she isn’t Amelia Earhart she should be," Reyna confessed. "I promised to take her out in the plane tomorrow morning."

"Is Dawn going?" he hedged with sly smirk.

"Like I could refuse her," Reyna groaned.

"What about you? Is there someone special in your life?" He asked.

"Not for a long time," she sadly admitted. "Now go and call your girlfriend, you look much too pretty to just be sitting around the house."

"Thank you," Stephan smiled before kissing her on the cheek.

Reyna was barefoot and her pants were rolled up to her calves as she waded in the surf. She looked up at the sky and smiled. The navy had offered everything she loved, the water and the sky. Soon the sun would set and what she treasured the most would be twinkling down upon her. When she was a little girl the stars always appeared to be so close that she was constantly trying to reach out and touch them. The navy was giving her this too. It should have happened by now, except the events of September 11, 2001 blocked it and now the recent tragedy and war would keep her away from her destination. "I’ll get there," she promised aloud she looked up at the fiery orange ball making its descent.

"Where?" A voice whispered in her ear.

"I’m going to start putting a bell on you," Reyna grumbled as she continued to watch the sun.

"You didn’t answer my question," Dawn encouraged her as she gave her a nudge.

Reyna walked away from the water and took a seat in the sand. She could see Millie wandering around the beach with a peaceful smile on her face. Dawn plopped down next to her. "Thank you for taking Millie up tomorrow," Dawn offered.

"No worries," Reyna said as she watched the sun painting the horizon.

"Thanks for letting me tag along," Dawn continued chattering as Reyna simply shrugged. "Where is Stephan?" Dawn quietly asked as she moved a little closer to the blonde.

Reyna didn’t look over at the tall brunette. She just couldn’t trust herself to look at the beautiful woman as the sun painted a romantic scene. "He’s out," Reyna offered her body shivering as she felt the other woman’s body sitting dangerously close to her. She knew that Dawn wouldn’t pry. She also knew that Dawn didn’t like the way she thought Stephan treated her. They sat there in silence as dusk took over. Reyna sighed heavily wishing she could give in and show Dawn how she really felt about her. Instead she stood and brushed the sand off of her backside and walked away.

She awoke the following morning alone. She showered and gathered up a travel bag and headed downstairs to the kitchen. She brewed herself a pot of coffee and prepared a picnic basket. Stephan looked exhausted when he sauntered through in his now ruffled gown. "Slut," she teased him. He grumbled something unintelligible before kissing her on the cheek and stumbling upstairs.

She was laughing as she answered the loud banging on the back door. She didn’t miss the scowl on Dawn’s face as she stepped past her. "Was that your husband?" Millie asked with concern.

"Yes," Reyna casually responded. "There is coffee ready, help yourself before we hit the road."

"Was he at a masquerade party?" Millie continued as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"No," Reyna chuckled.

"I have been away along time," Millie said thoughtfully as she sipped her coffee.

Dawn was still fuming as she silently stood in the kitchen with her arms folded tightly across her chest. Reyna chose to ignore her icy stare until Millie excused herself to wash up. "Dawn?"

"He’s just getting home?" Dawn blurted out.

"It is none of your business," Reyna admonished her.

"I don’t understand, how can you let him treat you like this?" Dawn fumed.

"Again, my marriage is none of your business," Reyna tried to explain.

She watched the rapid rise and fall of the brunette’s chest as she tried to control her emotions. "Dawn I wish I could . . .," Her eyes fluttered shut as the words died on her lips. She hated that she couldn’t be honest. Thankfully Millie returned and the three of them were off.

Millie looked like a kid in a candy store as she climbed into the seat next to Reyna’s. Dawn sat in the back and brooded. "Look at all of this?" Millie gushed as her eyes looked over the instruments. The older woman was practically drooling when Reyna started the small plane and radioed for clearance.

"I promise to be a better navigator than Fred," Reyna offered with a wink as she began to taxi the airplane.

"Noonan that drunken buffoon," Millie scowled. "I take that back. Fred did a good job. It was my fault for flying out even though the weather didn’t look good. And dumping all of our gear to save on fuel was damn stupid. It has been too long," Millie moaned as they climbed higher.

Once they reached their cruising altitude Millie and Reyna shared the same blissful expression. "Too long," Millie repeated as she ran her hands along the co-pilots steering wheel.

"Millie," Reyna cautioned her.

"It is so tempting," Millie sighed as she drank in their surroundings.

"Trust me I understand," Reyna agreed.

"Does she ever let you try your hand at the wheel, Dawn?" Millie asked the brooding woman in the back.

"She’s never taken me up before," Dawn muttered bitterly.

"Really?" Millie said with surprise. "The two of you seem so close."

"Close?" Reyna stammered knowing since meeting Millie she had only spoken to Dawn in the same condescending manner she always employed.

"We’re not," Dawn explained in a sullen tone. "She thinks I’m just dumb kid."

"Dawn you are older than I am," Reyna fumed. "I don’t think you are a dumb kid. A tall child maybe, now relax and enjoy. Look out the windows isn’t it beautiful?" She offered in a lighter tone.

"It is," Dawn agreed as she leaned against Reyna’s seat. "I can finally understand why you love it so much."

"Amazing isn’t it?" Millie absently supplied. "Of course with all of these gizmos you hardly have to do anything anymore."

"Things have changed a lot," Reyna responded as she noticed the eager look in Millie’s eyes. She knew what the older woman wanted, she felt the same itch herself each time she was airborne and someone else was in control.

Soon the three of them became lost in the beauty of flying through the clouds. With each passing mile Reyna was filled with a deeper sense of peace that Millie seemed to share. "I must be insane," she whispered as she watched the older woman. It was the familiar fire in the woman’s eyes that convinced her to at least let Millie try. "Go ahead," she offered.

"Go ahead with what?" Dawn questioned as she nestled closer to Reyna.

"Are you sure?" Millie asked as she wet her lips.

"Why not?" Reyna offered knowing that she could easily regain control if anything went wrong.

"What are you doing?" Dawn asked in a panic as Reyna released the controls. The blonde smiled as Millie took over. It was slightly shaky at first but the older woman was a natural. Reyna relaxed as she kept a careful eye on Millie while she stole glances at Dawn. Reyna had only planned on letting Millie try her hand for a few moments but there was something about the way she handled the plane that gave Reyna confidence. The blonde was content in watching her two companions.

The blonde’s sense of contentment grew as her gaze lingered on Dawn’s striking profile. Being lost in the clouds wasn’t the only beauty that surrounded her. "Time to start making our descent," she reluctantly announced.

"I’m afraid you’ll have to bring us down," Millie sadly confessed. "My eyes just aren’t what they use to be. Plus my last landing left a lot to be desired."

"You can tell us all about it over breakfast," Reyna suggested as she took over the controls.

Reyna brought the plane down gracefully in an open field. "This is beautiful," Dawn exclaimed as she ran around barefoot in the grass, while Reyna placed a blanket down on the grass as the morning sunshine caressed them. "Where are we?" Dawn asked.

"Napa valley," Reyna explained as she placed out the fruit and cheese she had packed for their simple breakfast.

"I think you are right she really is a tall child," Millie explained as she carefully lowered herself down on the blanket. "It is pretty here," she noted. "Not as pretty as when I landed in that farmer’s backyard in Ireland. But with the ice and mechanical problems I was just happy to find a place to set her down."

"That is one way to describe a historic moment," Reyna laughed.

"So you’ve heard the story of my trans Atlantic flight?" Millie chuckled. "It may have been historic but I don’t think the cows I scared half to death appreciated it. Trust me I would have much preferred landing in Paris as I had planned."

"So tell me what happened on the last flight?" Reyna encouraged her as Dawn sat down to join them. She still didn’t truly believe that this woman was really Amelia Earhart, but there was something in the way she looked and sounded so much like her idol that just drew the blonde in.

Millie’s eyes grew dim as she shuddered slightly. "We lost radio contact. Both Fred and I were convinced that we would end up in the water. Not a comforting thought after you’ve left you life raft behind at the last stop," Millie sadly explained. "Fred and I made peace with God knowing in our hearts that it was over. Then I saw it. It was a small island glimmering out in the darkness that surrounded us. It wasn’t the prettiest landing I’ve ever made but by God I got us down."

"Where?" Reyna asked the question that had plagued the world for the last sixty-six years.

"Not sure," Millie confessed. "We were so far off course and that was my fault. Fred didn’t know. But it was a dangerous time and I promised. The island we landed on was at first our salvation then quickly changed into something dangerous. We were unwelcome guests."

"You were spying for the government?" Reyna blurted out. "There has always been speculation."

"No," Millie quickly denied. Reyna knew that the woman was lying.

"You were a spy?" Dawn gasped. "Now how cool is that?"

"Not as much as you think," Reyna bluntly retorted as she and Millie shared a knowing look.

"What happened to Fred?" Reyna asked as she suddenly realized that she was starting to believe Millie.

"He was killed by the Japanese," Millie gravely explained. "They questioned the both of us for days and then led us out to these pits that were to be our graves. They formed a firing squad. They must have thought they had killed both of us. But somehow I survived. A local family helped me escape and hid me until I recovered. By the time I had fully recovered and stopped running I knew that the world stopped caring what had happened to me. My family and the world had moved on, so I just moved from island to island getting a tan and learning how to fish."

"So that’s it. For the last sixty-six years while the world has been debating your fate you were off fishing?" Reyna laughed.

"I can’t explain why I needed to leave my life. I hope you never understand what I went through," Millie’s words were filled with pain and concern. "Where ever it is you are going do whatever you can to stay on course."

"That is why you are back!" Dawn shouted as she jumped to her feet. "You are back to say goodbye," The brunette ran off before Reyna could stop her.

"You are in love with her," Millie said thoughtfully.

"What?" Reyna sputtered. "Listen Millie I am a married woman," Reyna argued as she frantically scanned the field to find Dawn.

"I know," Millie agreed. "I can see how close you are to your husband but there is no spark. Now G.W. may not have been much in some women’s eyes but we had a spark. Dawn is easy. I could tell that she was in love with you long before you walked in the door. I could see it her eyes and hear it in her voice. You were easy too. You just try too hard to hide your feelings."

"I can’t be in love with a woman," Reyna tearfully explained. "I can’t be in the Navy and be in love with Dawn."

"I guess some things don’t change," Millie noted thoughtfully.

"No they don’t," Reyna sniffed before she took off in search of the tall brunette.

She found the sullen looking woman drying her tears as she sat beneath a tree. "I’m sorry," Dawn apologized as Reyna knelt before her. "I’m acting like an idiot. Plus I’m dragging you away from Stephan. Why do you have to go?"

"We are at war," Reyna tiredly explained as she captured Dawn’s hands in her own.

"Promise me that you will come back," Dawn demanded as she laced her fingers with the smaller woman’s. "I know it sounds silly since I generally annoy you and you are married, but promise I will see you again."

"I promise," Reyna vowed. "And you’re not being silly."

"Of course I am," Dawn snorted. "I’m hung up on a woman who is married to my boss."

Dawn was about to continue rambling when Reyna closed the distance between them and captured the brunette in a passionate kiss. The blonde panicked when she felt Dawn’s soft lips stilling against her own. Her heart soared once she felt Dawn respond eagerly to her kiss. Reyna felt her body trembling as they fell to the ground. The kiss deepened as their bodies became entwined. Each of them was gasping for air as the kiss came to an end. Reyna smiled up at the brunette who was gazing down at her. "I don’t understand." Dawn said softly as she traced Reyna’s face with tips of her fingers.

"I know about the other women in his life," Reyna tried to explain as her breathing grew ragged. "I thank you for being friend enough to both of us and not telling me about the other women. But I know and I don’t care. I’m not his cover he is mine. Stephan is my best friend and this way he gets to stay here and I get to stay in the Navy."

"You’re gay," Dawn said with a sudden understanding, as her caresses grew bolder.

"Yes," Reyna confessed as her hands drifted down to Dawn’s hips. "And I am completely enamored with you."

Reyna pulled Dawn closer and reclaimed her lips. Dawn moaned as Reyna’s hands caressed her hips. Dawn parted the blonde’s lips with her tongue and began a soft gentle exploration. The heat from the kiss melted Reyna’s heart as she felt Dawn’s body covering her own. Reyna was soaring as she began to caress her lover’s body. She felt her need growing as Dawn’s hands drifted inside of her leather jacket.

Reyna’s hands massaged her lover’s body through the confines of her skirt. In a deep need to feel more she gathered the material up in her hands and began to slowly pull it up the length of the brunette’s body until she gathered it around her lover’s waist. Dawn’s hands weren’t idling either as she began to unbutton the blonde’s blouse. Reyna sighed as Dawn brushed open her shirt and exposed her skin to the cool morning air. Dawn’s hands captured her breasts as Reyna slipped her hands beneath her lover’s underwear. Reyna was lost in the feel of Dawn’s hands teasing her nipples and the brunette’s hips swaying beneath her touch.

"Would it be wrong to take off your clothes and ravish you right here and now?" Dawn whispered hotly in her ear.

"It would be worse if you didn’t," Reyna panted as she filled her hands with Dawn’s flesh. Dawn released needy moans as Reyna massaged her firm backside. They began to kiss feverishly as they slowly removed one another’s clothing. The need to touch and be touched grew as their clothing began to disappear.

Once they had completely revealed themselves to one another the two of them were laying side by side in the soft grass. They drank in the other’s beauty with their eyes as they used the tips of their fingers to gently explore the other’s flesh. Reyna’s heart was thumping against her chest as she felt Dawn’s skin trembling beneath her touch. The blonde’s eyes drank in the taller woman’s long well toned body as she felt her body quivering as the brunette’s fingers lightly caressed her skin.

Reyna’s eyes drifted up Dawn’s body and she gasped as her eyes met Dawn’s. They became locked in an intense gaze as their bodies moved closer together. Reyna whimpered as she felt Dawn’s erect nipples brushing against her skin. The blonde fought to control her breathing as she buried her face in the brunette’s neck.

She inhaled the soft scent of peaches as she began to kiss Dawn’s neck. She shuddered as she felt the brunette’s fingers running through her short blonde hair as she used her other hand to caress Reyna’s hip. "You are so beautiful," Reyna whispered before running the tip of her tongue along Dawn’s long neck.

She felt the damp curls brushing against her thigh as the blonde’s tongue and lips moved higher. Dawn’s head fell back and Reyna quickly took advantage of the newly exposed skin. She kissed and tasted every inch of the brunette’s soft supple neck as her small hands drifted along the taller woman’s back.

She placed another lingering kiss on Dawn’s soft inviting lips as she used her body to roll the brunette onto her back. Reyna released a throaty moan as their nipples brushed together. Enjoying the feel the blonde shifted her body as she hovered above her lover. Dawn panted heavily as Reyna used her nipples to tease her lover’s.

The blonde could feel her desire growing as her lover’s hands fondled the curve of her body. Reyna stole another kiss before she parted her lover with her knee. She could feel her body burning with desire as her lover’s wetness greeted her thigh. She cried out as she felt Dawn’s thigh moving between her legs and pressing against her aching need. Their hips began to rock in a slow passionate rhythm as they stared deeply into one another’s eyes.

Reyna licked her lips as her gaze drifted from her lover’s eyes down to her pouting lips and then to her breasts. The sight of Dawn’s firm round breasts proved to be far too inviting to ignore. Reyna dipped her head and began to trace to swell of the brunette’s breasts with her tongue. Her lover responded with a needy moan as she pressed her thigh harder against Reyna’s throbbing clit.

Dawn guided Reyna’s hips with her strong hands as the blonde eagerly straddled her lover and began to grind her aching need urgently against her. She felt Dawn’s hands driving her hips harder as the blonde captured one of her breasts in her mouth and began to suckle her greedily.

Reyna was lost in the feel of her body riding against her lover as she suckled her harder. She could feel Dawn’s desire moving urgently against her. Their bodies swayed in unison as their hands roamed further down and between one another’s body. Reyna’s hips and mouth became more demanding as she felt Dawn’s wetness filling her hand.

Her lover’s body muffled Reyna’s passionate plea as she felt the brunette’s fingers stroking her. Reyna released her lover’s breast from the warmth of her mouth as they teased one another. Her body rocked as she hovered above her lover. With their fingers they explored and teased the other’s wetness until the need to become one over took them. Soon they were filling one another completely.

Their bodies thrust urgently as their fingers glided deeper and harder inside the other. Reyna’s body fell against her lover’s as they became lost in the feel of pleasuring and being pleasured. They moved as one as they kissed deeply, their screams muffled by the other’s kiss as their bodies ignited.

They trembled against one another. Trapped in the bliss of the other’s embrace. Their sweat and passion blended each of them blissfully lost in the feel of the other‘s touch. Reyna felt as if she had given a part of herself to the brunette as she clung tightly to her lover’s body. She felt Dawn tightening her hold as she shifted in an effort to end the tender embrace. Reyna traced her lover’s lips with her tongue before kissing her deeply. "Millie is going to be worried." She whispered against her lover’s skin.

"I’m afraid that if I let you go, I’ll never hold you again," Dawn uttered in a frightened tone.

Reyna lifted her body slightly and brushed the long dark strands of hair from her lover’s sweaty brow. "You are not going to lose me," Reyna reassured her. They exchanged a few more promising kisses before getting dressed and rejoining Millie who was examining the airplane. The older woman gave them a smile and a knowing look before the three of them settled down to finish their long forgotten breakfast.

Once the food was finished they packed up and took off into the sky. Each of them became lost in the splendor of the beauty. The only time Millie seemed disturbed was when Reyna flew them out over the ocean. The older woman calmed once Reyna guided them back over dry land. Each of them was lost in the beauty of the sunset as Reyna guided them back home. "I felt like I could touch the clouds," Dawn whispered from behind her as she brought the airplane safely to the ground.

Once they had exited the airplane it only seemed natural to take Dawn’s hand in hers. The feeling of holding the brunette’s hand felt so right that Reyna didn’t release it until they were entering the back door of the café. "Reyna I want to thank you," Millie offered brightly as she lingered in the doorway.

"It was my pleasure," Reyna reassured her.

"Now it is time for me to say goodbye," Millie said before hugging the both of them.

"Wait," Dawn protested.

"I have so many things to see and it is time for me to continue my journey," Millie explained as her eyes twinkled. "And it looks as if the two of you have a journey of your own to begin."

Reyna and Dawn watched as Millie bounced off into the night. "Let’s go for a walk," Reyna suggested as she led Dawn down towards the ocean. They walked silently along the beach content in simply enjoying the night and the ocean and the feel of the other’s hand clasped in their own.

"Last night you said that you would get there, what did you mean?" Dawn asked as she leaned into the blonde’s body.

Reyna turned to her lover and spun her towards the water. She stepped behind the taller woman and wrapped her arm around her waist. "There," she explained as she pointed up to the stars. "Today you said you felt as if you could touch the clouds. I understand that feeling and I love it. But there is my next stop. I want to touch the stars. Just as soon as the Navy lets me go and NASA accepts me into the space program that is where I am heading."

Dawn turned in her arms. Reyna felt her heart skip a beat as Dawn captured her face in her hands. "Touch the stars for both of us," Dawn said before she placed a searing kiss on her lips.

"I will," Reyna promised before leading her lover back towards her home.

The End

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