And here she was, lifted. That had to be some kind of a sign, didn’t it? Something about heavenly sex? Or maybe you would have great sex and die? Never mind. She didn’t believe in signs anyway.
They had reached ten thousand feet. One of the instructors stood up and beckoned to Honey. “Ladies first!” he shouted. Honey shrank against Babe then stood, waving her hands fretfully, as the instructor hooked their harnesses together and helped her adjust her goggles. The door of the airplane opened with a battering rush of wind and noise, and the two of them duck-walked over to the door, stood there for only a moment, then dropped off. There might have been a thin shriek from Honey, but it was snatched away in an instant.
Babe went next, looking around him as if there might be some escape, like the emergency stop cord on a bus, but there was not, and so he too, along with his instructor, stepped out into the nothing and was gone.
Rocky beckoned to Bonnie and she stood and allowed him to hitch the two of them together, then, guided by his hands on her shoulders, approached the plane’s door. Her mouth was dry, her stomach liquid. What if you landed right on top of a rattlesnake? What were you supposed to do then? Moment of truth! Go or no go!
The wind whipped at her. She gave Rocky a thumbs-up and raised her feet, as they had been told to do, so that he could propel them both out the door. Although she knew that she was falling, she was confused, in that first moment, to find herself looking up into the pure sky and thinking that Jane had been right, it really was a long way down.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
It’s time, once again, to thank some people. My wonderful, smart, relentless agent, Henry Dunow. David Rosenthal for his enthusiasm and support. Sarah Hochman, peerless editor. And the Blue Rider team.
To my readers, those I know and those I do not, my gratitude. You are the driving wheel of the engine.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jean Thompson is the author of six previous novels, among them The Humanity Project and The Year We Left Home, and six story collections, including Who Do You Love (a National Book Award finalist) and, most recently, The Witch. She lives in Urbana, Illinois.
Looking for more?
Visit Penguin.com for more about this author and a complete list of their books.
Discover your next great read!
She Poured Out Her Heart Page 44
