Chapter 38

"Who da fuck are you?" Bill asked.

"Language, buster. Didn't your mother teach you not to swear in front of a lady?" His stowaway was a redhead, not a carrot top ... a deep magenta and she was blushing. "Granddaughter."

She might have been 18 but Bill was thinking more like 16. She had that scrubbed innocence of a 1950's highschool sophomore. She was dressed like one, too. Her Levi's were NOT tight but rolled up and floppy. She had on a very large man's white shirt with rolled up sleeves and penny loafers on her feet ... with pennies.

"Whose grand child?"

"The old fella you bought this from." She had a sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of her nose.

It was at that moment Bill looked into emerald green eyes. It might not have been love at first sight but it was definitely lust. Deep green eyes, freckles and dark red hair ... Bill's perfect girl!

Bill had found out one thing for sure. The plane went along when he pushed the stem winder ... but the stowaway did too. This was going to be a major shock to someone's system. Someone being a redhead.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm headed for Alabama ... where are you going?"

"I'm away from that nasty old man and my podunk hometown ... I guess I'm going to Alabama with you."

"You're running away?"

"Nope ... flying." She buckled up in the observers seat. "You are the fifteenth looker at this old crate, and the youngest ... well except for Johnny Carstairs ... he had the money but he was too young to fly and grandad wouldn't teach him."

"Oh."

"He was courting me though ... thought he'd impress me with all that money. I can't be bought and I won't be sold ... sold was granddad's idea ... the neighbor needed a wife for him and a mother for his kids ... three of those stuck up brats and all older than me. But I fixed him good.

"As soon as I saw granddad bring out the spats I knew you'd bought it and I snuck out and climbed aboard. There's a hatch back here that they used to store supplies for the resistance. It's actually a bomb bay, but it doesn't work when the belly-tank is on."

"I suppose you know all about this craft."

"I do ... fly it too," she confessed. "Why are you turning around?"

"The reason I was going to Alabama is so I can pick up my sister or my sometime girlfriend and fly back to Texas ... and pick up our Cessna. If you can fly this you can follow me home and that'll save some money."

"You're not taking me back to grandpa?"

"Nope ... well ... how old are you?"

"Sixteen and past the age of consent."

"Not when we're going." Bill pondered a moment, then, "I suppose I need Violet."

He pulled his cellphone out and entered Mina's number. "Mina?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Listen."

"Will you let me expla..."

"MINA! SHUT UP!"

"Sorry."

"I said I was sorry ... do you have to be the older sister all the time?"

The redhead was in shock. "What is that?"

"Cell phone. Life is going to be interesting for awhile."

"Sorry Mina, I was talking to... ?" He looked the question.

"Aoibheann O'Riada."

Bill looked lost.

"Eve Reid in English. Means beautiful redhead."

Bill looked a scoff.