Soon the blue Atlantic appeared below, edged by emerald marshes and white sandbars along the Carolina coast.
Maya pressed her hands to the glass, captivated by the water. “Look, Daddy! The ocean is so huge! Is Mama’s special spot down there somewhere near those boats?”
“It sure is, honey,” I answered, feeling a profound sense of peace settle over my heart. “Right by the old wooden pier where Mama and I used to watch the pelicans dive for fish at sunset.”
The aircraft descended smoothly through the coastal air, touching down on the runway at Wilmington International Airport with barely a shudder. Reverse thrusters filled the cabin.
At the gate, Captain Hayes’s clear voice came over the speakers.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking,” Thomas said. “Before we begin deplaning, I would like to take one moment of your time to share an extraordinary honor that occurred on our flight today.”
“Among us in row three is retired Army Sergeant Marcus Vance,” the captain continued, his voice echoing in the cabin. “Fourteen years ago, Sergeant Vance risked his life in combat to pull my brother from flames.”
