#set 31

VII: honesty

"Verity!" Martin exclaimed, the next morning at work. "I can't believe your daughter's called Verity."

Douglas frowned. "What's so funny about that?"

"Oh, come on!" Martin said, "You're the best wheeler-dealer I know, you never say what you mean when a fib will get you your own way quicker. And you named your daughter a synonym of honesty."

A slow grin crept across Douglas's face. "Well, perhaps it's skipped a generation. You never know."

"Tell you what, though," Martin continued, suddenly sincere. "She's a great kid, Douglas. You should be proud."

VIII: respect

Douglas calls him 'sir' as though the very word burns in his throat. But maybe it's asking too much to expect unquestioning deference from someone so much his senior - there's a reason why every passenger they ever fly does a double take.

At times, when the heat is on and Martin is close to being overwhelmed, he almost wishes their positions were reversed. If he had to have anyone as his captain, he'd choose Douglas - to have learned from him would have been an honour.

VI: waiting to get high

The 312 is much smaller than the last plane Douglas flew, but she's old, and almost as unwieldy - she handles like she'd rather not bother. Ascents are difficult and sluggish, so much so that Douglas and Nigel strike up a running joke about 'waiting longer to get high than a coke addict on bath salts'.

X: routine

Martin barely even notices it - his hand automatically goes for the inside pocket of his flight bag as he leaves the house, and at every key stage of the journey thereafter. It's a routine, and it's a good one, no matter what anyone says.

I: movie marathon

Their client cancelled, last minute, on the morning of May the 4th - too late for Martin to schedule a removal job in its place.

"Don't worry, Skip!" said Arthur. "You can come to ours - it's Star Wars day! I was going to watch all of them in a row."

They did exactly that - and Martin discovered that watching Star Wars with Arthur was actually better than watching alone. He loved everything so completely, so unabashedly, that even Episode I seemed like a different film when accompanied by his delighted commentary.

V: lollipop

“Is Aida allowed some of my lollipop?” Verity asked. “I know she’s only little, but just a tiny lick?”

Martin looked down at the baby, who was peering very curiously out of her pram. “I think she’d like that. But she probably shouldn’t - her teeth are only just coming through. That’s very kind, though.”

Verity shrugged. “Okay. What about next weekend I’m at dad’s? Will she be big enough then?”

“Hmm, not quite that soon.”

“When I’m… a hundred?”

“Well,” said Martin, seriously, “That depends how far into your nineties you are already.”