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hair got out, followed by two children, one who looked like a teenager, the other, a little younger. As the car entered the garage, Preston thought about getting out to greet them. But a Range Rover drove up.  A tall man in a pilot’s uniform stepped out.  It was his brother, Richard Mayweather.   He looked good in uniform, always had , Preston thought.  The woman ran to Richard, diving into his arms, hugging and kissing him.  Preston felt a tinge of envy.  After the garage door lowered, they disappeared into the house.  He sat in the car a long while, debating whether he’d go back to the hotel or ring the doorbell again.  He took the key out of the ignition and walked to the house.
    He heard the garage door open.  The black Audi backed out.  As the car drove by, he saw the woman and two girls in the car.  Not his brother.  He took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.
    When Richard opened the door, a smile lit up Preston’s face like a kid on Christmas morning. He hadn’t expected to be so happy to see him.  He stretched out his arms to Richard, ready to hug him, when he realized Richard didn’t recognize him.  His appearance had changed over the years.
    “May I help you?” Richard asked.
    “Hi, Richie,” he said.  Only family called Richard ‘Richie’.
    Richard did a double take, examining Preston closely, looking into his saddened eyes.
    “Oh my God!” Richard shouted and reached out for him.
    They hugged long. Preston didn’t want to let go. It had been too long.
    “Baby!” Richard shouted, using Preston’s childhood nickname.
    Richard stepped back and looked at him.
    “You look…” he paused to find the right word, “remarkable,” Richard continued. “Come on in, take a load off. Coffee?”
    Preston nodded even though he drank a large coffee on the way there.  Once inside, his eyes roamed the space, noticing the high ceilings, atrium, and floor-to-ceiling windows.  Quite different than the Officer’s quarters Richard and his late wife, Valerie, had shared at Scott Air Force Base when Preston had last visited.
    Richard returned with two cups of coffee.
    “Wow, Richie. I chose the wrong line of work. I should’ve become a pilot.”
    Richard had done well for himself. After the Air Force, he’d worked at a commercial airline when it was new and became part-owner through stock options.
    Richard shrugged and handed Preston his cup of coffee. Preston took it and carefully sipped the hot drink.
    “It’s so good to see you, Richie.”
    “You, too, Baby. It’s been too long. I’m glad you came early. We can catch up.”
    “Early?”
    “The engagement party. You’re here because you got the invitation, right?”
    He hadn’t. He had no idea Richard was engaged.
    “No,” he said then took another sip of his coffee.
    “We sent it to the last address we had for you.” Richard paused. “Why are you here, then?
    He ignored the question. “When’s the party?”
    “Six weeks.”
    Preston nodded. “Well, I certainly wouldn’t miss it. Who’s the lucky girl?”
    “Prudence Payne.  Pru.”
    Preston nearly choked.  He knew the woman in the driveway had looked familiar.  It was Pru who had gotten out of the car.
    “You just missed them, too,” Richard said proudly.
    “You finally got the girl,” Preston snickered and patted Richard on the back., “I remember how into Pru you were when we were growing up. It was funny, too, how she kept turning you down. But she sure was pretty. I can’t wait to see her again.”
    “Funny to you, not to me,” he chuckled. “She’ll be really happy to see you. She asks about you all the time. She and the girls are having a girls’ day out. So I have the house to myself.  They do this once a month and I look forward to it,” he said, chuckling.  “You haven’t met my daughters… your nieces,” he realized.
    “I’ve seen the pictures you’ve sent over the years. They’re beautiful.”
    Richard nodded.
    “Wow, you’re an