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ook away； Jack watched his wife go to work listing all the clothes she'd bought。 Sally was still asleep； curled up with an almost angelic peace on her face。 They made landfall a minute later somewhere over the coast of New Jersey； heading west into Pennsylvania before turning south again。 The aircraft was lower now。 He'd missed the transonic deceleration； but the cumulus clouds were much closer than they'd been over the ocean。 Okay； Captain Higgins； let's get this bird back on the ground in one solid piece。 He found a silver luggage tag that he was evidently supposed to keep。 In fact； he decided to keep the whole package； plete with a certificate that identified him as a Concorde passenger or veteran； he thought wryly。 I survived the British Airways Concorde。
Dumbass； if you'd flown the 747 back home； you'd still be over the ocean。
They were low enough to see roads now。 The majority of aircraft accidents came at landing； but Ryan didn't see it that way。 They were nearly home。 His fear was nearly at an end。 That was good news as he looked out the window at the Potomac。 Finally the Concorde took a large nose…high angle again； ing in awfully fast。 Jack thought； as she dropped gently toward the ground。 A second later he saw the airport perimeter fence。 The heavy bumps on the airliner's main gear followed at once。 They were down。 They were safe。 Anything that happened now was a vehicle accident； not an aircraft one； he told himself。 Ryan felt safe in cars； mainly because he was in control。 He remembered that Cathy would have to drive today； however。
The seat belt sign came off a moment after the aircraft stopped； and the forward door was opened。 Home。 Ryan stood and stretched。 It was good to be stationary。 Cathy had their daughter in her lap； running a brush through her hair as Sally rubbed the sleep from her eyes。
〃Okay； Jack？〃
〃Are we home already〃〃 Sally asked。
Her father assured her that they were。 He walked forward。 The stewardess who'd led him aboard asked if he'd enjoyed the ride； and Jack replied； truthfully； that he had。 Now that it's over。 He found a seat in the mobile lounge； and his family joined him。
〃Next time we go across； that's how we do it；〃 Ryan announced quietly。
〃Why？ Did you like it？〃 Cathy was surprised。
〃You better believe I like it。 You only have to be up there half as long。〃 Jack laughed； mainly at himself。 As with every flight he took； being back on the ground alive carried its own thrill。 He had survived what was patently an unnatural act； and the exhilaration of being alive； and home； gave him a quiet glow of his own。 The stride of passengers off an airplane is always jauntier than the stride on。 The lounge pulled away。 The Concorde looked very pretty indeed as they drew away from it and turned toward the terminal。
〃How much money did you spend on clothes？〃 Jack asked as the lounge stopped at the arrival gate。 His wife just handed him the form。 〃That much？〃
〃Well； why not？〃 Cathy grinned。 〃I can pay for it out of my money； can't I？〃
〃Sure； babe。〃
〃And that's three suits for you； too。 Jack；〃 his wife informed him。
〃What？ How did you 〃
〃When the tailor set you up for the tux； I had him do three suits。 Your arms are the same length； Jack。 They'll fit； as soon as we get that damned cast off you； that is。〃
Another nice thing about the Concorde： the airliner carried so few people； pared to a wide…body； that getting the luggage back was a snap。 Cathy got a wheeled cart which Sally insisted on pushing while Jack retrieved their bags。 The last obstacle was customs； where they paid over three hundred dollars' worth of penance for Cathy's purchases。 Less than thirty minutes after leaving the aircraft。 Jack proceeded to his left out the door； helping Sally with the luggage cart。
〃Jack！〃 It was a big man； taller than Jack's six…one； and broader across the shoulders。 He walked badly due to a prosthetic leg that extended above where he had once had a left knee； a gift from a drunken driver。 His artificial left foot was a squared…off aluminum band instead of something that looked human。 Oliver Wendell Tyler found it easier to walk on。 But his hand was pletely normal； if rather large。 He grabbed Ryan's and squeezed。 〃Wele home； buddy！〃
〃How's it goin'； Skip？〃 Jack disengaged his hand from the grip of a former offensive tackle and mentally counted his fingers。 Skip Tyler was a close friend who never fully appreciated his strength。
〃Good。 Hi； Cathy。〃 His wife got a kiss。 〃And how's Sally？〃
〃Fine。〃 She held up her arms； and got herself picked up as desired。 Only briefly； though； Sally wriggled free to get back to the luggage cart。
〃What are you doing here？〃 Jack asked。 Oh； Cathy must have called 。 。 。
〃Don't worry about the car；〃 Dr。 Tyler said。 〃Jean and I retrieved it for you； and dropped it off home。 We decided we'd pick you up in ours more room。 She's getting it now。〃
〃Taking a day off； eh？〃
〃Something like that。 Hell； Jack； Billings has been covering your classes for a couple of weeks。 Why can't I take an afternoon off？〃 A skycap approached them； but Tyler waved him off。
〃How's Jean？〃 Cathy asked。
〃Six more weeks。〃
〃It'll be a little longer for us；〃 Cathy announced。
〃Really？〃 Tyler's face lit up。 〃Outstanding！〃
It was cool； with a bright autumn sun； as they left the terminal。 Jean Tyler was already pulling up with the Tyler family's full…size Chevy wagon。 Dark…haired； tall； and willowy； Jean was pregnant with their third and fourth children。 The sonogram had confirmed the twins right before the Ryans had left for England。 Her otherwise slender frame would have seemed grotesque with the bulge of the babies except for the glow on her face。 Cathy went right to her as she got out of the car and said something。 Jack knew what it was immediately their wives immediately hugged： Me； too。 Skip wrenched the tailgate open and tossed the luggage inside like so many sheets of paper。
〃I gotta admire your timing。 Jack。 You made it back almost in time for Christmas break；〃 Skip observed as everyone got in the car。
〃I didn't exactly plan it that way；〃 Jack objected。
〃How's the shoulder？〃
〃Better'n it was； guy。〃
〃I believe it；〃 Tyler laughed as he pulled away from the terminal。 〃I was surprised they got you on the Concorde。 How'd you like it？〃
〃It's over a lot faster。〃
〃Yeah； that's what they say。〃
〃How are things going at school？〃
〃Ah； nothing ever changes。 You heard about The Game？〃 Tyler's head came around。
〃No； as a matter of fact。〃 How did I ever forget about that？
〃Absolutely great。 Five points down with three minutes left； we recover a fumble on our twelve。 Thompson finally gets it untracked and starts hitting sideline patterns boom； boom； boom； eight…ten yards a pop。 Then he pulls a draw play that gets us to the thirty。 Army changes its defense； right？ So we go to a spread。 I'm up in the press box； and I see their strong…side safety is favoring the outside figures we gotta stop the clock and we call a post for the tight end。 Like a charm！ Thompson couldn't have handed him the ball any better！ Twenty…one to ninete