right now.”
“Oh well, he’ll see her when he gets back. This trip is supposed to be about the two of you. That’s how Henry wanted it.”
“I miss him. My heart aches every time I think about not seeing him again.”
“I know it’s hard to lose someone you love. He’s watching over you though, I’m sure of it.”
“I think so too. He made my life so much better than it would have been otherwise. I just hope he knew how much I love and appreciated him.”
“I’m sure he does dear. You go have fun, that’s what he wanted.”
“Thank you, Helen.”
“You’re very welcome. I want to see some pictures soon!”
Marshall was off the phone when Eva got back to the table. “How’s Simone?” she asked.
“She sounds happier than she did the other day. The police still haven’t found her car and the insurance is giving her a hard time, but she seems to be taking it all very well.”
“That’s good,” I said, honestly. I didn’t care for her, but I sincerely felt bad for her, having her car stolen. I did hope it all worked out for her…after we got back. She was really the last person I wanted to spend my vacation with.
“Yeah, I’m glad she’s feeling better but she was acting a little strangely. She asked where we were staying, and then she wanted all kinds of information about the place. I thought maybe she had rented a car or something but she said the insurance hasn’t Okayed that yet and she couldn’t afford it.”
“Hmm, maybe she wanted you to pay for one.”
He looked guilty. He knew that Granddad hadn’t approved of him always giving her money. I’d never said anything about it, it really wasn’t my business. But, it seemed that somehow he knew I wouldn’t approve either.
“I called AVIS yesterday. They said that since she’s over twenty-five, she’d have to rent it herself. I wired her some money, but she didn’t mention it today.”
“Hmm,” was all Eva said. Eva was sure that the money was well spent…on something nice and new and expensive for Simone. The conversation seemed to be making Marshall uncomfortable though, so she let it go at that. “I can’t wait for our hot air balloon ride in the morning,” she said.
Marshall smiled, “Neither can I.”
* * *
The next morning they were up before dawn. They had to be at the launching site by five a.m. They were both excited and looking forward to sailing above the Smoky Mountains as the sun came up.
When they arrived, they were introduced to their pilot and he went over all the safety rules with them. The ride would be an hour long and they would have to stand the whole way so he asked them a few minor medical questions as well. When everything was ready, Marshall helped Eva into the basket that was attached to the huge, colorful balloon. She was so excited she was shaking.
Marshall climbed in after her. The pilot was already inside.
“Are you kids ready?” the pilot asked.
“I am,” Marshall said,
“Me too,” Eva told him. It was still dark outside and the light from the gas burner that heated the air to fill the balloon flickered yellow and gold across their faces.
“So how does this work?” Marshall asked him as the anchors were freed from the ground by other workers.
The pilot told them that the gas burner heats the air to about 212 degrees. Since hot air is lighter than the air outside the balloon, the heated air causes the balloon to rise. When the air inside cools down or is let out, then the balloon goes down.”
The balloon began lifting gently off the ground causing Eva’s belly to tickle. She grabbed hold of Marshall’s arm to steady herself and then she asked the pilot,
“How do you steer it?”
He smiled and said, “I can tell you that now since we’re too far off the ground for you to panic and jump out…I don’t.”
Eva looked at Marshall with wide eyes, “So, we could just keep floating and end up anywhere?”
“No, we’ve checked the winds and the gas is measured out
“Oh well, he’ll see her when he gets back. This trip is supposed to be about the two of you. That’s how Henry wanted it.”
“I miss him. My heart aches every time I think about not seeing him again.”
“I know it’s hard to lose someone you love. He’s watching over you though, I’m sure of it.”
“I think so too. He made my life so much better than it would have been otherwise. I just hope he knew how much I love and appreciated him.”
“I’m sure he does dear. You go have fun, that’s what he wanted.”
“Thank you, Helen.”
“You’re very welcome. I want to see some pictures soon!”
Marshall was off the phone when Eva got back to the table. “How’s Simone?” she asked.
“She sounds happier than she did the other day. The police still haven’t found her car and the insurance is giving her a hard time, but she seems to be taking it all very well.”
“That’s good,” I said, honestly. I didn’t care for her, but I sincerely felt bad for her, having her car stolen. I did hope it all worked out for her…after we got back. She was really the last person I wanted to spend my vacation with.
“Yeah, I’m glad she’s feeling better but she was acting a little strangely. She asked where we were staying, and then she wanted all kinds of information about the place. I thought maybe she had rented a car or something but she said the insurance hasn’t Okayed that yet and she couldn’t afford it.”
“Hmm, maybe she wanted you to pay for one.”
He looked guilty. He knew that Granddad hadn’t approved of him always giving her money. I’d never said anything about it, it really wasn’t my business. But, it seemed that somehow he knew I wouldn’t approve either.
“I called AVIS yesterday. They said that since she’s over twenty-five, she’d have to rent it herself. I wired her some money, but she didn’t mention it today.”
“Hmm,” was all Eva said. Eva was sure that the money was well spent…on something nice and new and expensive for Simone. The conversation seemed to be making Marshall uncomfortable though, so she let it go at that. “I can’t wait for our hot air balloon ride in the morning,” she said.
Marshall smiled, “Neither can I.”
* * *
The next morning they were up before dawn. They had to be at the launching site by five a.m. They were both excited and looking forward to sailing above the Smoky Mountains as the sun came up.
When they arrived, they were introduced to their pilot and he went over all the safety rules with them. The ride would be an hour long and they would have to stand the whole way so he asked them a few minor medical questions as well. When everything was ready, Marshall helped Eva into the basket that was attached to the huge, colorful balloon. She was so excited she was shaking.
Marshall climbed in after her. The pilot was already inside.
“Are you kids ready?” the pilot asked.
“I am,” Marshall said,
“Me too,” Eva told him. It was still dark outside and the light from the gas burner that heated the air to fill the balloon flickered yellow and gold across their faces.
“So how does this work?” Marshall asked him as the anchors were freed from the ground by other workers.
The pilot told them that the gas burner heats the air to about 212 degrees. Since hot air is lighter than the air outside the balloon, the heated air causes the balloon to rise. When the air inside cools down or is let out, then the balloon goes down.”
The balloon began lifting gently off the ground causing Eva’s belly to tickle. She grabbed hold of Marshall’s arm to steady herself and then she asked the pilot,
“How do you steer it?”
He smiled and said, “I can tell you that now since we’re too far off the ground for you to panic and jump out…I don’t.”
Eva looked at Marshall with wide eyes, “So, we could just keep floating and end up anywhere?”
“No, we’ve checked the winds and the gas is measured out
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