Final Flight 1

This story was written for the

750 Word Project 2025

, below this line are exactly 750 words:

--------

I watched the executive jet taxiing to the end of the runway. The pilot was the CEO of Acme Aeronautics. He was planning a business/pleasure junket to his private island in the Caribbean. The powerful engines roared and the jet took to the skies.

For a moment I felt regret that this would be his last trip. I knew because I did the maintenance on that jet.

Leo Brascomb was a wealthy businessman, a self made man. He had it all, tall, handsome, athletic, rich and the ladies loved him.

Eight years ago my wife came to work as an intern. She interned for two years. He hired her and she worked her way up from the mail room up to the position of VP of Marketing.

April loved working for Leo, he paid well and of course she got to travel. I was a maintenance engineer, a fancy name for a jet mechanic. April and I dated and fell in love when she started working in the mail room. We married a year later.

April got promoted quickly and she began traveling with Leo on his business trips. He used the island as a place to wine and dine his clients and prospects. It meant spending several days on the island, twice a month.

I was never happy with her being away, but it was her career and she was good at it.

Just before a business trip I heard her phone ring. It was inside her suitcase. She was outside, so I opened the case and answered the phone for her. There was no one on the line. It was what I saw in her suitcase that clued me in that all was not as it seemed.

Inside the case was some lingerie that was way more suggestive and expensive than I had seen before. I also noticed a package of condoms. You didn't need to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce what was going on here.

I threw the phone down on top of the clothes and left the suitcase open.

When she came inside she quickly crossed the room and closed the case.

"Your phone rang. I thought maybe the flight had been cancelled so I answered it for you. So who are the condoms and fancy lingerie for?"

"John, I don't know what to say."

"You could start by telling me the truth."

"They are for Leo, the lingerie was a gift from him."

"How long?"

"When I became VP."

"So almost a year?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because he wanted me and Leo always gets what he wants. We travelled so much together that it just kind of happened naturally."

"Do you love him?"

"I love both of you."

"Obviously, I get the granny panties and gets the high class lingerie."

"I'm sorry John. I always thought you knew but just kept quiet about it."

"I didn't know. I wanted you home more often. I guess you'll be spending even more time with him now."

"What do you mean?"

"You have been cheating on me for nearly a year. I'm going to divorce you."

"No, John, please. I love you. I'll quit my job, find other work or stay at home."

"You think I want a cheater like you? You're Leo's slut. I know how he entertains his clients. Tell me, did you ever fuck a guest?"

"Twice, I am so ashamed." I was surprised that she was so forthcoming.

The pilots and I were friends. I asked them to call in sick the next day. It forced Leo to fly the plane himself.

April called Leo and told him she couldn't go on this trip and she resigned. Leo was furious.

I went into work that night. Digital instrumentation is good but if you are good at coding you can make them say whatever you want. The amount of fuel onboard, for example. He had just enough to get him half way, then splash!

After I watched the jet take off I stopped for a late breakfast. I got home at noon. April was not at home. I went into the kitchen and found the note.

"Dear John

Forgive me, but I can't abandon Leo this way. He needs me there with him. Once this weekend is over I'll be all yours!

Love April"

The headlines on the news that evening told the story. Leo Brascomb died when his jet crashed into the sea. His VP of Marketing was with him. Recovery efforts are ongoing.