[color=lightsteelblue][h2][b][center]Chris MacDonald[/center][/b][/h2][/color]

Chris killed the power and swung the door open as they approached the dock, stepping out onto the float to uncoil a lead of rope no differently than if they arrived by boat. The traditional shape of the plane made it appear small in the air, but as it calmly drifted its surprising size became apparent as the wing slipped overhead and Chris steadied the craft by the spar and began tying it down. He worked at a steady place with the cleat knot, sensing the welcoming party drawing close and glanced up when he felt steps beneath him. The action nearly caused him to do a double-take. There was a brightly colored extra along with the regular Cardenas clan and another quick glance over his shoulder confirmed it was [i]Jewel[/i]. He slowly shook his head in surprise to process this information and cinched the knot a little tighter. Hearing Iris rummaging in the cockpit, he finished with the rope and stepped across the front of the plane to help her out, pausing briefly once more to look over the propeller cone, but his eyes, still shielded behind sunglasses, looked back to Jewel first.

Letting Iris fly had relieved nearly all the tension in the air. She was still beaming and it made helping her get unbuckled and daintily step across the floats to the dock slightly comical. A contingent of Miguel’s marina staff were quickly on hand and Chris moved back across to start unloading. To the trained eye of another aviator this would be unusual as a standard 206 cargo doors were on the starboard side, however, ERA’s 206 had the doors reversed, making coming and going from the dock much easier for plane and pilot. Not that this of course mattered to Miguel Cardenas as he stepped away from the reunion and smoothly approached. Chris reckoned he could have landed a Peterbilt truck and got the same reaction. The man had no interest in aircraft other than as tools that moved things and people from A to B. He spoke with eloquence and wore no glasses so out of respect, Chris took his off to chat with his client eye to eye, again catching Jewel’s glance for a moment long enough he had to refocus on the conversation. The smug undertones of the older man not going unnoticed. 

“[color=lightsteelblue]I didn’t get a big greeting party when I dropped off this morning, though.[/color]” Chris replied with a smirk, leaning on the wing spar. 

Miguel grinned at the jab. “I’m afraid it would be too costly, you land here so much now. I would have to lay off some people to afford it. Perhaps a discount in exchange for more welcome parties each time you land, no?” 

They both laughed. Chris was sure the Cardenas patriarch found it particularly delicious that the air service the Flores set up for Azul was now steadily busy in the employ of their biggest rival. This was business though. Miguel played the aircraft’s schedule smartly, rarely losing an appointment to the terms established by the Flores. Even though the man wasn’t a flyer, Chris was pretty sure he had already worked out the math on how long it took for him to fly to various destinations no differently than how quickly laborers could prune grapes in the vineyard. Behind him, the cargo door swung shut affirmatively and Chris turned, watching closely that the latch was secured. One of the unloaders gave him a nod and a thumbs up that the job was done correctly and Chris nodded thanks before Elena’s invitation shifted his attention back. With one quick glance back at the plane, he felt like a rider about to leave his horse tied outside, though there was no way he was going to turn down coffee. He felt Miguel pat him on the back and started walking.  

The group made their way and the dock shifted gently in the water just enough for him to feel a brush of skin against his and he looked over at Jewel as she spoke, before he could answer though, Iris piped in and he snickered a bit at her comment before looking away back across the water where evening was just beginning to settle. Somehow he didn’t think it was the first time Iris had ever said those words. “[color=lightsteelblue]Geez, I don’t even remember the last time I wore pants,[/color]” He said, plucking the khaki shorts he was wearing. It was true though, his wardrobe was essentially the same thing every day: a t-shirt or loose fitting rash guard and white soled sneakers for being around the boats. He looked back at Jewel, partly glad at the jovial tone Iris set. “[color=lightsteelblue]You must have snuck back over here on the ferry, huh? [/color]” He said, more of a statement than a question and figured she must have wanted to surprise her family for Azul Days. “[color=lightsteelblue]Are you just in for the festival?[/color]”

[@Fading Memory]
[@QueenBea]