Chapter 10 - The Flight of the PhoenixSaturday Afternoon — St. Peter's Chapel, Seattle
The sun shone brightly through the stained-glass windows of the historic chapel overlooking Puget Sound.
The pews were filled with family, friends, journalists, and a special delegation of uniformed Air Force officers and Southwest Airlines crew members—including Captain Thomas Reed, First Officer Jennifer Park, and Flight Attendant Linda Chen.
At the back of the chapel, the heavy oak doors swung open.
The organ began to play the ceremonial wedding march.
Stepping into the aisle came Sarah Mitchell. She was no longer wearing faded jeans or a black T-shirt. She wore her immaculate, dark blue United States Air Force Service Dress uniform, gleaming with silver ranks on her shoulders and the Command Pilot Wings pinned proudly over her heart. Beside them sat the newly restored Distinguished Flying Cross.
On her arm walked Emily, radiant in her white bridal gown, holding her mother’s hand tightly.
As they walked slowly down the aisle toward the altar, the sunlight caught the high-gabled ceiling, casting golden light across the mother and daughter who had conquered thirty-two years of darkness.
Sarah looked up through the glass dome of the chapel at the clear blue sky stretching infinitely above Mount Rainier.
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The jet was down. The record was clear. The family was whole.
The Phoenix had finally landed.
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