I've Been Here the Whole Time

Standards

Present day:

Eden laid in her bed procrastinating getting ready for work. She was dreading going to work today, sure that the Top Gun students would show up after their training day. It was going to be emotionally exhausting keeping up the facade that she wasn't into Bob.

"Eddie, I didn't hear you come home last night. Did you stay late at work?" Sophia said poking her head into Eden's room.

"No I stayed to hangout with Bob after my shift. You might remember him, you met him a few summers ago."

"Oh that sweet boy that you used to bring around the house? I thought he had a placement across the country?"

"He did but he's back for a couple weeks now. He'll be heading out again after that."

"I'm sorry honey, I know it was hard on you when he left last time. Speaking of, have you given any more thought to moving back to L.A.? I just hate to see you stuck here because you're worried about me. I know this wasn't what you had envisioned for yourself."

Eden felt the familiar lump in her throat that formed whenever her mom brought up moving away again. It had been happening more often lately and Eden still wasn't sure how to tell her mom that she had no desire to move away again. She had hated being in the city, away from her family, but she had spent so much of her younger life given her mom a hard time for not going out into the world that she felt like a hypocrite. Truth be told she was perfectly content living in Mirimar. She had been looking at apartments in the area but admitting this to her family felt too much like admitting failure and that was not something Eden was ready to do.

"I don't know mom. It just doesn't feel like the right time. Besides Aunt Penny needs my help at the bar."

Sophia didn't say anything clearly seeing there was more to it than what Eden was saying, but also knowing it was best not to dig if Eden wasn't ready to talk. She patted Eden on the knee, standing up only to pause in the doorway.

"Bring Bob around sometime for supper. It's be nice to see him again. Besides he should have the chance to enjoy the fruit of his labours. I remember how often he was here helping us build the deck."

Eden nodded, forcing a smile onto her face until her mother left the room. Then she grabbed the pillow from next to her and crushed it over her face, yelling into it.

"Eddie, I think your friends trying to get your attention," Jimmy said noticing that Eden had zoned out as she restocked the cooler. She stood up, tucking her hair behind her ears expecting to see the familiar crooked smile that she loved, instead she saw a toothpick and a smirk.

"Eddie?" Hangman questioned leaning his forearms onto the bar.

"Yeah just a silly nickname that friends and family use," she said trying to keep her gaze on his face instead of looking behind him to try and catch a glimpse of Bob.

"Well then, Eddie," he continued. Eden was slightly surprised at his boldness, they didn't know each other very well. Although he seemed like the kind of guy who did what he wanted and wasn't often told no. "Could I get a round for me and my friends?"

"I don't see why not," she replied. "I'll bring it over in a second."

His smirk grew even wider. As he left, Jimmy came up behind her to help collect their drinks.

"Don't tell me that's the boy Penny was telling me about," he said. 

Eden huffed and turned to glare teasingly at the older man.

"You and Penny are horrible gossips." Eden hoped that he was let the question dropped but he continued to look at her expectantly. "If you must know, no that's not him. It's the one in the glasses over by the jukebox."

Jimmy turned to observe Bob who was trying to avoid the elbows and arms of the people dancing as he held tightly to the cup in his hands full of nuts. Jimmy looked between Bob and Eden a few times before nodding in approval.

"That makes more sense. He seems like a good kid."

"Thanks Jimmy, I'm so glad you can tell that from observing him across the bar," she said letting the sarcasm coat her words.

"I've been here a long time Eddie. I've gotten good at reading people, and that kid would be good for you."

Eden sighed and spoke under her breath as she moved to deliver the drinks, "if only he thought so to."

As she walked up, the pilots seemed to be arguing with and teasing one another. When Hangman saw Eden approaching he called out to her.

"Hey Eddie, settle something for us. If a handsome and charming pilot happened to be the only one in the group to not be shot down during a training exercise, you would agree that he's the best, right?"

Eden saw Bob's face flash with confusion when Hangman called her Eddie but she had to ignore it as the entire group turned to look at her. The woman who Eden remembered introduced herself as Phoenix chimed in before she could answer.

"What about if said pilot only worried about saving his own ass and threw his wingman under the bus so that he wouldn't be shot down? What would you say to that?"

Eden laughed slightly to hide the fact that she was uncomfortable with everyone staring at her.

"Eddie," Bob said putting an emphasis on her nickname, "is a WSO gal. Her grandpa was a WSO so don't bother trying to impress her with being a pilot."

Hangman's eyes slowly moved from Eden's face over to Bob who's ears were tinged with red.

"I'm sure I could change her mind. I bet she likes a man who knows how to take the lead. Like a pilot. Not like a WSO."

 He continued to stare at Bob as if issuing him a challenge and Eden was impressed when Bob didn't back down even as he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. 

"I try not to lower my standards below captain actually," she said sick of the possessive male energy in the room. Around her the group burst into laughter. Bob's face burned red and Hangman seemed impressed returning his gaze to her. She set the tray of drinks down onto the table and went back to work with a huff.