Page 75 of Plane Passion

She glared at the stranger until he went away, leaving her alone at the bar with her second martini. It was early, and the Blind Pig wasn’t too busy yet. Beth was already dancing. Of course. Millie tried desperately not to think of the last time she’d seen Ernie here or the feeling of their bodies moving together on the dance floor.

Where were the girls? They should be here by now.

The door opened, and the diminutive frame of Katherine Stinson came into view. Millie waved. Katherine waved back and hurried over for a hug.

“It’s good to see you again so soon! Is everything all right? I was worried when I got your message. What’s so urgent that you need to talk to us about? Not that I mind.”

“I’ll tell you everything as soon as everyone’s here.”

The door opened again, and in came Gertie. The troops were assembled. After hugs and cheek kisses, they settled down at a table together and ordered drinks. Beth joined them when the dance ended.

“Ladies, good to see you all,” said Beth, giving them a salute.

“You too, Beth. You may not be an aviatrix, but you are a part of this club,” said Gertie. “We women have to stick together.”

“Yes, we do,” said Millie, “and that’s why I’ve called you all here. I need your advice.”

“What can we do for you?” asked Katherine, sipping a Manhattan.

“I need to make amends,” Millie said, folding her hands in her lap.

“What on earth for?” Gertie asked, putting down her old-fashioned.

Millie took a deep breath. It was time to confess. “I lost my job at the airmail and ruined our chances of opening it to other women for God knows how long.”

There. She said it.

“Oh, no,” said Katherine. “What flimsy excuse did they use this time?”

Sucking her breath in through her teeth, Millie confessed, “It was my own fault. A tabloid reporter caught me out on a date with another airmail pilot. They fired us both for fraternization.”

She stared at her drink, waiting for her friends’ condemnation.

Instead, Katherine put her hand on hers. “Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry to hear that. It shouldn’t be any of their business who you date. They really do find the flimsiest excuses.”

“They definitely wanted me out,” Millie said, looking up from her martini. “But it’s my own fault for giving them an excuse. I should never have gone out with Ernie in the first place.”

“Ernie?” asked Gertie. “Isn’t he the one we met in Philadelphia?”

Oh, God. Gertie remembered. This was embarrassing. “Yes. That’s him.”

Gertie laughed. “I can’t say I’m surprised. You had it bad for him. It was obvious.”

Millie could feel her cheeks heating and took a big gulp of her drink.

“Well at least now you and he are free to have as much fun as you’d like,” said Gertie.

“Oh, I ended things with him. Obviously, the cost was too high, and we should never have gone out together in the first place. What I wanted your advice on is how to make this better.”

“With him?” asked Gertie. “I would think that would be self-evident.”

“No, not with him,” Millie said quickly. “With you. With women aviators. I’ve let you all down. What can I do to undo the damage? Should I attempt a cross-country flight? Should I try to join the Air Force?”

They stared at her over their drinks as if she’d lost her mind.

“Darling, what are you talking about?” Beth asked after a long awkward silence.

Katherine patted Millie’s hand. “I don’t know why you think you owe us something, but you don’t. I hope you didn’t break things off with Ernie for our sakes.”