Home » The Archives » Chapter 12 » Playing with Fire
| Re: Playing with Fire [message #467 is a reply to message #466] |
Mon, 23 July 2012 21:07   |
artisticrainey
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Registered: July 2012
Location: Northern Ireland
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Field Commander
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The Cliff House, later that evening...
The timer on the oven went off, and Cassie got up from her chair and walked over to the oven. Slipping on the oven mitts, she took the last batch of cookies out of the oven and sat it on top of the stove. Taking off the mitts she sat them on the counter.
Baking hadn't cleared her mind like she had hoped it would. The end to another rough flying lesson with Scott was still running through her head. Maybe talking to Luke would help, she thought with a sigh.
She put some of the chocolate chip cookies on a plate and then made the short trip over to Luke's apartment.
Luke was sitting at his desk, working on paperwork when he heard the knock at the balcony door. He looked up as Rommel walked over. "Cassie? Come on in."
Cassie walked into her friend's apartment. "Hi, Luke. Is this a bad time?" she asked.
He shook his head and put his pen down. "Doing stuff for my 'official' job. It'll wait." He eyed the plate in her hand. "Are those cookies?" She nodded. "Chocolate chip cookies?" She nodded again. "Well, what are you standing there in the doorway for, sit down!" He grinned as he led her towards the couch. "Want something to drink? I've got milk, beer, water..."
"Milk will be fine," she replied as she took a seat on the couch. She placed the plate of cookies on the coffee table as Luke headed for the kitchen. "I wanted to talk to you about something," she told him as he opened the refrigerator.
Luke brought back two tall glasses of milk. His was chocolate. "What?" he asked at her upturned eyebrow. "Chocolate milk goes best with cookies; didn't your mother ever tell you that?" She shook her head and smiled, then it faded. "So, what's up?"
"I had another rough flying lesson with Scott today," she told him, figuring that she might as well get right to the point. "Granted none of them have exactly gone smoothly. It seems like every time I get in the simulator my mind goes blank. Everything I've learned about the plane controls and the terminology just disappears. I've lost track of how many times I've actually crashed in the simulations."
Luke took a bite of cookie. "We've all done that, Cass. Hell, I'm surprised we still have a flying simulator after I get out of it. I'm much better at jumping out of planes than piloting them."
Cassie took a swallow of the milk before continuing. "Well, Scott must think I'm hopeless because he suggested that maybe I should take lessons from someone else at the end of the lesson today," she told him, thinking about the lesson she had that afternoon. "Of course, I probably should have never said what I did when he suggested that. I sort of told him that maybe the problem was his teaching methods and not me."
"Ouch. Scott's having a bad day." Luke shook his head. "He and Elise had a bit of a disagreement this morning, too. Probably what put him in a mood."
"Well, he definitely didn't look too happy when I said that," Cassie told him. "He told me we'd discuss it further later and then left. The last thing I need is Scott being angry with me. We didn't exactly get off on the right foot and I just can't shake the feeling that I need to prove myself to him. The way I've been taking to the flying lessons is definitely not helping that."
"Cassie, you're being too hard on yourself. We all have trouble with something." He took another cookie. "What makes you think you two got off wrong? I've never seen him acting funny towards you."
"There was an incident on the plane when Elise and Scott picked me up for my initial interview. I got the feeling that Scott was starting the interview right then and there. Like he was looking for some reason for me not to get the job." Cassie paused, taking a drink of her milk before continuing. "He apologized later, but I guess I still haven't shaken the feeling that I need to prove to him that I belong here. I was hoping that if I could do okay with the flying lessons then maybe that would show that I can cut it here. Seems the more time I put into doing well with them, the worse I get."
Luke frowned. "That doesn't sound like Scott. He was fine training with Rom and me this morning." He looked up at her. "Are you sure you're not reading into something that's not there?"
Cassie placed the glass of milk down on the coffee table and then leaned back against the couch. "To tell you the truth, I'm not sure anymore. Maybe I am over reacting. After all, growing up Dad was always telling me that I shouldn't be a firefighter. That it was too hard and too dangerous. All I ever wanted though was to follow his in his shoes. To be just like him. Even Alex told me the same the same thing. I've never once had second thoughts about my career choice despite that though. Maybe I'm a little defensive when it comes to my career because of that though."
He nodded. "That could be. Look, give the guy a chance. I know he can be stubborn; we all are at times, but he's good at what he does. And so are you." He took her hand. "Stop doubting yourself, Cass; that's half your problem." He got up and took her glass to the kitchen. "You know," he called. "This is a good thing. Here you don't have the pressure of family breathing down your neck. You'll stand or fall on your own two feet."
"That's a nice thought, Morel," Cassie replied in a flat tone. "I just hope I do more standing than falling."
Luke chuckled. "Uh-oh, I know I'm in trouble when you call me by my last name." When she didn't respond, he sighed and crouched down next to her. "Cassie, look at me." She turned, her eyes troubled. "I'm not trying to be mean. You're your own worst critic. You always have been. You can do this. No, it's not going to be easy; nothing that matters is."
Cassie nodded, knowing her friend was right. "I still don't know what I'm going to say to Scott. I sure can't avoid him forever and it's definitely my turn to apologize. Maybe he's right. Maybe it would be better for someone else to give me the lessons though that kind of feels like I'm admitting defeat."
"Then don't. Suck it up and stick with Scott." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "I know I would."
Cassie laughed at Luke's last comment. "Somehow I don't think he would exactly appreciate your advances, Luke."
He flopped down on the couch, sighing dramatically. "I suppose not...woe is me." He turned to her, grinning. "There, feeling better?"
"Yes," Cassie admitted. "Too bad you're not straight. You always seem to know how to make a girl feel better."
Luke laughed. "The ladies wouldn't have a chance if I were straight. It's better this way." He took her hand. "Think you'll be able to sleep now?"
Cassie nodded. "I think so. Scott said he wanted to talk about this afternoon at some point anyway. I'll wait for him to bring the subject up and then apologize. Don't be surprised if I come knocking on your door again after that conversation though."
"No problem. I'll probably still be doing paperwork." He got up and led her to the door. Rommel gave her a "whoof" and a quick lick on the hand before lying back down on the floor. "Good night, Cass."
"Good night, Luke. And thanks for being there for me."
"Sleep well." He watched her walk across the balcony to her apartment. With one last wave, she stepped inside. He sighed and went back to his desk to finish his work.
Post by lillehafrue and starrynebula on March 9, 2007
  
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