Ro and the First Takeoff

The envelope had been sitting on the kitchen counter since breakfast, but Ro waited until after school to open it, like delaying it might make it less unreal. Inside was a gift voucher for one introductory flying lesson at Pine Ridge Airfield. His dad had written one line on the back in blue pen: *For the kid who looks up every time a plane passes.* Ro read it twice. Then a third time. His stomach did that strange, light-drop feeling it usually saved for station platforms and roller coasters.