Back to reality back in 1978 at Spencer’s museum.
The eyes of all the women in the crowd welled up after hearing Cindy’s story.
Jason looked at Cindy with a change of heart. “I’m afraid that was probably Peggy’s doing. And I bet she paid Sergeant Wilson to create a fake letter about me being shot by the Germans,” he said.
“You were right, she was pure evil,” Cindy added.
Jason nodded in agreement.
“Whatever happened to her?” Cindy curiously asked.
“Around nineteen sixty, I heard she was married with four kids. Her husband took over the plant after her dad died that year. The plant went belly up around sixty-eight and I then I lost track of her,” he told Cindy.
Kimberly pushed her way through the crowd and walked up to Cindy. “Sorry I’m late mom, I had a flat tire on the Interstate,” she said.
Jason saw Kimberly and looked surprised. “Kimberly? What are you doing here?”
Kimberly saw Jason on the bench. “Jason? I’m surprised to see you here,” she said then looked at the crowd that gathered. “What’s going on here?” she curiously asked.
“Those two had a love affair in back in England during World War II,” a woman in the crowd replied.
“Who had a love affair?” Kimberly asked while she looked at the woman in the crowd.
The woman in the crowd pointed at Jason and Cindy.
Kimberly looked surprised at Jason and Cindy. “Jason’s the love you told me about?”
“Yes,” Cindy replied while she looked at Jason and still couldn’t believe he was alive.
“But I thought you said he died while in a German prisoner of war camp?” Kimberly asked a little confused.
“So did I, but I just learned that someone else lied about Jason being killed to keep us apart,” Cindy told Kimberly.
“Her name was Peggy,” another woman in the crowd called out.
Kimberly looked at the woman in the crowd then she looked back at Jason. “Oh, my God. And I tried to get you two to date. Wow!” she said when it dawned on her.
Cindy looked surprised. “Jason’s your flight instructor?”
“Yes, and a good one at that,” Kimberly replied to butter Jason up a little.
Jason got curious while he looked at Kimberly. “So, if you don’t mind me asking, who was Kimberly’s father? Did I know him?”
There was a moment of silence while Cindy looked at Kimberly, and she got really nervous and fidgeted. She pondered hard in her head on whether to answer Jason’s question, then she decided it was time to come clean. “Kimberly, I was hoping to break this news some other way,” she said to her daughter then she looked at Jason. “Jay Jay,” she said, then paused for a few seconds, as this was difficult to say. “Kimberly’s your daughter.”
It took a few seconds for it to sink in Jason’s head when he remembered that night of sex after he proposed and then his mouth dropped open in shock.
Kimberly looked stunned with the sudden news stated by Cindy. She looked at Jason then she looked at Cindy, and she looked a little confused. “What?”
“Jason’s your biological father,” Cindy told Kimberly.
Kimberly looked at Jason then back at Cindy. “Why didn’t you tell me this when I was younger?” she asked still a little baffled with the sudden news.
“I’m so sorry, Kimberly. But at the time, we felt it would be best that you didn’t know,” Cindy replied.
“How could not telling me about my real father, be best for me?” Kimberly yelled at Cindy then she stormed off.
“Cindy got up off the bench and ran after Kimberly.
Jason got up off the bench and ran after Cindy.
Robyn stayed behind and looked shocked while the crowd followed Jason.
Robyn ran after the crowd.
Kimberly ran out of the Bomber Room and headed through the aircraft displays.
Cindy ran out of the Bomber Room and chased after Kimberly.
Jason ran out of the Bomber Room and chased after Cindy.
The crowd ran out of the Bomber Room and chased after Jason.
Robyn ran out of the Bomber Room and chased after the crowd.
People in the aircraft display room curiously saw the crowd, with Kimberly in the lead while they headed to the front doors.
Kimberly ran out of the front doors and headed to the parking lot.
Cindy ran out of the front door and picked up speed while she headed Kimberly.
Kimberly got out of breath and stopped running.
Cindy ran up to Kimberly. “Honey, I know we should have told you, but I loved Jay Jay so much. Then your father took care of me after I was devastated, thinking Jason was dead,” Cindy said out of breath.
“All these years I was lied to?” Kimberly replied out of breath, and her eyes welled up.
“Pete couldn’t have children, so the day you were born, he thought of you as part of him. He was scared to death you would never think of him as your father if you knew about Jason,” Cindy said while her eyes welled up.
Kimberly walked away from Cindy.
Jason ran up to Kimberly and grabbed her arm, stopping her. “Kimberly.”
She looked back at him. “What do you want?” she angrily yelled out.
“She was only doing what she thought was best. She wanted you to have the full experience of having a father,” he told her in a fatherly tone.
“I want to be left alone,” Kimberly said then shook Jason’s arm away. She walked away and crossed her arms.
Jason walked back to Cindy, gazed into her tearful eyes then gave her a hug.
The crowd all smiled at the sight of Jason and Cindy making up after all those years.
Robyn ran up to Jason, and she smiled at the sight of Jason and Cindy hugging.
“Let’s go get something to eat or get some coffee,” Jason told Cindy while he watched Kimberly pacing back and forth pondering the sudden news.
“That would be lovely,” Cindy replied.
Jason walked Cindy back to her museum.
Robyn and the crowd tagged behind them.
Everybody walked back into the museum.
They headed to the High In The Clouds restaurant located at the opposite end of the building from the Bomber Room.
In the restaurant, Cindy, Jason, and Robyn sat down in a booth.
The crowd sat nearby them and other tables so they could listen.
After the waitress left with their drink orders, the story continued.
“My father was furious when he found out I was pregnant and got fired. He disowned me, and after two weeks, I was kicked out of my apartment, and I was homeless,” Cindy told Jason.
Jason stroked Cindy’s hand to show his support.
“Then I met Pete Snyder one night while I was crying on a bench in Chipley Springs. He was so sweet and took care of me by letting me sleep on the couch of his apartment. Four months later, even though he knew how much I loved you, he proposed, and I accepted.”
Jason turned his head to hide his hurt feelings, but he knew that life sometimes sends you down the safest path available at the time.
Cindy’s eyes welled up, and she blew her nose into a hanky. “Then as time flew by, I was in love with Pete as he was so sweet and taking care of me, yet I was still in love with you,” she said then showed Jason her left hand. “I never removed your engagement ring, and Pete so understood with me wanting to wear it,” she added.
Jason smiled at the sight of his old ring.
“Pete taught me how to fly, then we immigrated to the States in March of sixty-six. He moved his aviation company to Atlanta and became extremely successful,” she told him.
Jason opened his mouth to say something; then he hesitated and got a little nervous. He took a breath of courage. “Are you still married to Pete?” he curiously asked.
Cindy wiped away some tears. “Pete passed away eight years ago,” she replied.
Jason discreetly looked relieved with that answer. “I’m sorry to hear about that,” he replied to be polite then he gazed into her eyes. “How did you get the Sweet Bird?” he curiously asked.
“I found a German in Frankfort who salvaged parts from German and American aircraft left behind after the war. He ran into financial trouble and sold things off. I bought your nose section six months ago.”
“I’m surprised you found it,” he said while he held her hand.
“This was my prized piece for the museum,” she replied.
“Why did you build this place?”
“It was a dream of Pete’s. His parents were rich, and when they passed away in sixty-seven, they left him millions of dollars. He wanted to put some of that money into building a museum. But he passed away before he could start building the place. So I decided to make his dream come true.”
Cindy gazed into Jason’s eyes. “But seeing you now, made me realize how much I still love you. The war and Peggy sure ruined our chances of having a life together,” she said while she held Jason’s hand.
“But our lives aren’t over yet. And I believe you accepted my marriage proposal a long time ago,” Jason said with a loving smile while he touched his old engagement ring.
Cindy looked at Jason then she kissed him.
Robyn’s eyes welled up so happy to see her uncle kissing his true love.
The eyes of all the women at the nearby tables welled up.
“I want to be with my new family,” Kimberly said while she walked up to the booth.
Jason, Cindy, and Robyn turned around and saw Kimberly standing by the booth.
Jason got up from the booth and walked over to Kimberly.
“My beautiful daughter,” he said while he hugged her.
“Dad,” she replied, and her eyes welled up.
Jason’s eyes welled up while he hugged Kimberly.
Jason separated from Kimberly then looked over at Robyn. “Robyn, meet your cousin, Kimberly.”
Robyn got up from the booth, walked over to Kimberly and they hugged.
The people at the nearby tables all clapped in joy with the sight of all the hugging.
Then on the loudspeakers, Glenn Miller’s Moonlight Serenade song started playing.
Jason looked over at Cindy. “Remember dancing to that song at the Let’s Boogie Down dance hall?”
“Every time I heard it since that day,” she replied with a loving smile.
“Well, may I have this dance?” Jason asked while he offered Cindy his hand.
Cindy took Jason’s hand and assisted her out of the booth. They started slow dancing by their table.
At the nearby tables, a few of the women dragged their husbands out of their seats and started slow dancing with them.
Robyn and Kimberly watched with loving eyes while Jason and Cindy slow danced once again.