either call or text
back. To her relief, a text message came. It read simply, “We’re fine.”
“Wow. When she does get back here, she’s going
to get an earful,” Amanda threatened. “If I pulled a stunt like this, she’d
never forgive me.”
“I just wonder what they plan to do next,” Brady
said. “After they’ve explored Waterbury, I can’t imagine what they have next
on the agenda.” He was quiet for a moment. “Amanda, do you have any idea
where your grandmother might like to go? Has she expressed any desire to
travel to a particular place?”
She searched her brain. “Yes, actually. She
always said she wanted to see the Atlantic Ocean before she dies.”
“Well, we can’t exactly search the entire Eastern
Seaboard,” he muttered. “Where do you think she’d go?”
She sat quietly for a moment, deep in thought.
She suddenly laughed. “I’m probably way off, but she’s mentioned an interest
in the space program.”
He shook his head, watching her curiously. “What
do you mean?”
“Well, she was disappointed when NASA’s space
shuttle program ended. She always said she’d like to watch one take off into
space.” She laughed again. “She actually used to say, if given the chance,
she’d be the first one to board a shuttle for deep space.”
“And you’re afraid she had trouble flying?” he
said incredulously. “She sounds pretty adventurous to me.”
“Yeah, well, she’d better knock it off. She’s
seventy-five, for heaven’s sakes.”
“Hey, Amanda, it sounds as if she’s seventy-five
years young . And she doesn’t have any serious health issues, right?”
“None.”
“Well, maybe she’s entitled to a little fun.”
“Well, you’ve certainly had a change of heart.
Aren’t you the same guy who accused her of taking advantage of your poor, defenseless
granddad?”
“Aren’t you the woman who accused my granddad of
taking advantage of her?”
“Yeah, well…”
He checked his watch. “I feel helpless sitting
here. Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
“We’re going to grab an early lunch, and then
I’m going to call in some favors and see if I can find out where the old folks
are headed next.”
“Do you think you’ll be able to?”
“I have my vays,” he said in a heavily accented
voice.
***
“I positively love flying,” Liz declared as the
plane took off.
Ike grinned at her. “You’re a natural,” he
said. “Not everybody enjoys flying.”
“Who knew?” she laughed.
“Yeah, who knew?” He gave her a puzzled look.
“You even enjoyed the turbulence.”
“Yeah, that was fun!” she said gleefully, of
their previous flight. “I can’t wait to get to Orlando,” she gushed, and then
gave him a hopeful look. “You really don’t mind touring the Kennedy Space
Center, do you? I’ve always wanted to go.”
“Hey, you were a good sport about visiting
Waterbury, so I’m glad to accommodate. But when we arrive at Orlando, we’ll
get a car and head directly to Cocoa Beach.”
“It’s not far, right?”
“Nope. It’s just a short half hour or so away.
We’ll find a place on the beach, directly overlooking the ocean.” He smiled
delightedly. “I can’t wait for you to see the Florida blue skies. They’re so
bright blue…” He shook his head. “We just don’t see skies like those on our
side of the continent.”
“I can’t wait to see the sky and the ocean and
the space center…” She smiled into Ike’s eyes. “Thank you for this trip,
Ike. I never, ever thought I’d have an opportunity to do any
traveling. You’ve made my dreams come true.”
He took her hand and returned her smile.
“You’re so welcome,” he told her. “You’ve made my dreams come true too.”
Chapter Seven
“This is a nightmare,” Amanda declared, ignoring
the cheeseburger basket in front of her. The strawberry shake went
back. To her relief, a text message came. It read simply, “We’re fine.”
“Wow. When she does get back here, she’s going
to get an earful,” Amanda threatened. “If I pulled a stunt like this, she’d
never forgive me.”
“I just wonder what they plan to do next,” Brady
said. “After they’ve explored Waterbury, I can’t imagine what they have next
on the agenda.” He was quiet for a moment. “Amanda, do you have any idea
where your grandmother might like to go? Has she expressed any desire to
travel to a particular place?”
She searched her brain. “Yes, actually. She
always said she wanted to see the Atlantic Ocean before she dies.”
“Well, we can’t exactly search the entire Eastern
Seaboard,” he muttered. “Where do you think she’d go?”
She sat quietly for a moment, deep in thought.
She suddenly laughed. “I’m probably way off, but she’s mentioned an interest
in the space program.”
He shook his head, watching her curiously. “What
do you mean?”
“Well, she was disappointed when NASA’s space
shuttle program ended. She always said she’d like to watch one take off into
space.” She laughed again. “She actually used to say, if given the chance,
she’d be the first one to board a shuttle for deep space.”
“And you’re afraid she had trouble flying?” he
said incredulously. “She sounds pretty adventurous to me.”
“Yeah, well, she’d better knock it off. She’s
seventy-five, for heaven’s sakes.”
“Hey, Amanda, it sounds as if she’s seventy-five
years young . And she doesn’t have any serious health issues, right?”
“None.”
“Well, maybe she’s entitled to a little fun.”
“Well, you’ve certainly had a change of heart.
Aren’t you the same guy who accused her of taking advantage of your poor, defenseless
granddad?”
“Aren’t you the woman who accused my granddad of
taking advantage of her?”
“Yeah, well…”
He checked his watch. “I feel helpless sitting
here. Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
“We’re going to grab an early lunch, and then
I’m going to call in some favors and see if I can find out where the old folks
are headed next.”
“Do you think you’ll be able to?”
“I have my vays,” he said in a heavily accented
voice.
***
“I positively love flying,” Liz declared as the
plane took off.
Ike grinned at her. “You’re a natural,” he
said. “Not everybody enjoys flying.”
“Who knew?” she laughed.
“Yeah, who knew?” He gave her a puzzled look.
“You even enjoyed the turbulence.”
“Yeah, that was fun!” she said gleefully, of
their previous flight. “I can’t wait to get to Orlando,” she gushed, and then
gave him a hopeful look. “You really don’t mind touring the Kennedy Space
Center, do you? I’ve always wanted to go.”
“Hey, you were a good sport about visiting
Waterbury, so I’m glad to accommodate. But when we arrive at Orlando, we’ll
get a car and head directly to Cocoa Beach.”
“It’s not far, right?”
“Nope. It’s just a short half hour or so away.
We’ll find a place on the beach, directly overlooking the ocean.” He smiled
delightedly. “I can’t wait for you to see the Florida blue skies. They’re so
bright blue…” He shook his head. “We just don’t see skies like those on our
side of the continent.”
“I can’t wait to see the sky and the ocean and
the space center…” She smiled into Ike’s eyes. “Thank you for this trip,
Ike. I never, ever thought I’d have an opportunity to do any
traveling. You’ve made my dreams come true.”
He took her hand and returned her smile.
“You’re so welcome,” he told her. “You’ve made my dreams come true too.”
Chapter Seven
“This is a nightmare,” Amanda declared, ignoring
the cheeseburger basket in front of her. The strawberry shake went
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