said.
He offered the beginning traces of a smile. “I gather my cartoons were one of those ‘afterthoughts’?”
Andi nodded. “I felt something was missing. It took a little doing, but I finally convinced the board that without its own characters, Promised Land was no different from any other amusement park. And Dad’s dream was to make it a family event, the best park in the world. If he’d gotten it to this stage, he probably would have had the same idea.”
Justin propped a foot on a shaded bench and tilted his head as he smiled at Andi. “You never really said why you liked my characters,” he said in a quiet voice, his defenses down for the first time that day.
Andi sat down on the bench and glanced at Wes, who leaned against a tree. “Like I told you, I didn’t know they were yours,” Andi said. “You never drew kangaroos or trolls in college. I guess the pigs could have clued me in, but even they seemed different back then.” Her voice trailed off. “Anyway, I told the board to narrow it down to several choices. They gave me five cartoons, and Khaki’s Krewe was one of them. I chose it because it was the best.”
“I’m curious,” he said. “Would you have even considered Khaki’s Krewe if you’d known up front that it was mine?”
“I’m not sure,” she said honestly. “But that didn’t happen. I chose your cartoon before I ever saw the credits.”
He didn’t know whether to be flattered or insulted. Had he hoped she had thought of him first when she’d needed an animator? Had he expected her to have given him special favors because of their past? Would he even have wanted her to? For a moment, he struggled with those questions, then finally looked around and asked in a hollow voice, “Where d’you want to go next?”
Andi seemed relieved at his dismissal of the subject, and she pointed to the next ride.
Justin refused to let her all-business manner ruin his day, and as she and Wes escorted him through the park, he saw her slipping out of her ice casing from time to time as they walked beside waterless canals and steep roller coaster tracks.
Forgetting her inhibitions as she shared her world with him, Andi captured his complete attention as she expounded on the history of each ride—which had been her father’s brainchild, which had been her own. The attention to detail intrigued Justin—from the painted garbage cans in the shapes of miniature houses to the blinking and “breathing” wax figures of legendary Bible heroes in the Hall of Faith.
Even the more practical side of the park in the underground service and utility basement fascinated him. As the executive engineer explained the technical aspects of the park and the computer center that would keep things operational, Justin began to get more excited than he had ever been about the future he saw for himself and his characters.
A fter a while Wes excused himself to take care of some problems that had come up in the construction on one of the rides. Andi led Justin back into the sunshine, watching his face for the wonder and thought that had colored it during the tour. Seeing her visions reflected back in Justin’s eyes reminded her of all the plans they’d shared when they were in college. She wondered if he was reminded of the same thing.
Andi led him into the castle that served as the focal point of the park, up the winding staircase and into the bell tower, from which they had a 360-degree view of the park. “Impressed?” she asked with a perceptive smile as he made a slow turn and took in the majesty of his surroundings.
Justin leaned back against the rail facing her, unable to control his grin. “What do you think?”
Andi’s soft laughter played like a melody on the wind. “I think if you were, you’d never admit it.”
His grin grew broader. “That’s where you’re wrong. I admit it.” Turning his back to her, he leaned on his elbows and scanned the colorful landscape, letting the wind ruffle
He offered the beginning traces of a smile. “I gather my cartoons were one of those ‘afterthoughts’?”
Andi nodded. “I felt something was missing. It took a little doing, but I finally convinced the board that without its own characters, Promised Land was no different from any other amusement park. And Dad’s dream was to make it a family event, the best park in the world. If he’d gotten it to this stage, he probably would have had the same idea.”
Justin propped a foot on a shaded bench and tilted his head as he smiled at Andi. “You never really said why you liked my characters,” he said in a quiet voice, his defenses down for the first time that day.
Andi sat down on the bench and glanced at Wes, who leaned against a tree. “Like I told you, I didn’t know they were yours,” Andi said. “You never drew kangaroos or trolls in college. I guess the pigs could have clued me in, but even they seemed different back then.” Her voice trailed off. “Anyway, I told the board to narrow it down to several choices. They gave me five cartoons, and Khaki’s Krewe was one of them. I chose it because it was the best.”
“I’m curious,” he said. “Would you have even considered Khaki’s Krewe if you’d known up front that it was mine?”
“I’m not sure,” she said honestly. “But that didn’t happen. I chose your cartoon before I ever saw the credits.”
He didn’t know whether to be flattered or insulted. Had he hoped she had thought of him first when she’d needed an animator? Had he expected her to have given him special favors because of their past? Would he even have wanted her to? For a moment, he struggled with those questions, then finally looked around and asked in a hollow voice, “Where d’you want to go next?”
Andi seemed relieved at his dismissal of the subject, and she pointed to the next ride.
Justin refused to let her all-business manner ruin his day, and as she and Wes escorted him through the park, he saw her slipping out of her ice casing from time to time as they walked beside waterless canals and steep roller coaster tracks.
Forgetting her inhibitions as she shared her world with him, Andi captured his complete attention as she expounded on the history of each ride—which had been her father’s brainchild, which had been her own. The attention to detail intrigued Justin—from the painted garbage cans in the shapes of miniature houses to the blinking and “breathing” wax figures of legendary Bible heroes in the Hall of Faith.
Even the more practical side of the park in the underground service and utility basement fascinated him. As the executive engineer explained the technical aspects of the park and the computer center that would keep things operational, Justin began to get more excited than he had ever been about the future he saw for himself and his characters.
A fter a while Wes excused himself to take care of some problems that had come up in the construction on one of the rides. Andi led Justin back into the sunshine, watching his face for the wonder and thought that had colored it during the tour. Seeing her visions reflected back in Justin’s eyes reminded her of all the plans they’d shared when they were in college. She wondered if he was reminded of the same thing.
Andi led him into the castle that served as the focal point of the park, up the winding staircase and into the bell tower, from which they had a 360-degree view of the park. “Impressed?” she asked with a perceptive smile as he made a slow turn and took in the majesty of his surroundings.
Justin leaned back against the rail facing her, unable to control his grin. “What do you think?”
Andi’s soft laughter played like a melody on the wind. “I think if you were, you’d never admit it.”
His grin grew broader. “That’s where you’re wrong. I admit it.” Turning his back to her, he leaned on his elbows and scanned the colorful landscape, letting the wind ruffle
Similar Books
