“You’re not getting breakfast tomorrow,” Joe said, tightening his arms around Judith’s waist. “The airport shuttle’s coming at seven.”
Judith whirled around and angrily regarded her husband. “Joe! I can’t just walk out the door! I have to arrange for—”
He put a finger to her lips. “It’s covered. Your B&B sitters arrive at six-thirty. I talked to Ingrid Heffelman Tuesday. She’s a good sport.”
“Since when?” Judith snapped. But the mischief in Joe’s eyes softened her temper. “You took care of everything? Ingrid was…nice?”
“Sure. You’re kind of hard on her. She has a cute giggle.”
Judith shook her head in disbelief. “I’ve never seen Ingrid smile, let alone giggle.” But she could understand the usually dour uberfuhrer of innkeepers melting under Joe’s Irish charm. “Where are we going?”
He grinned at her slyly. “It’s still a surprise. You’ll find out when we get there.”
Having waited this long, Judith stopped asking questions. She still had a lot to do, but first she had to call Renie.
“Don’t,” Joe said. “She won’t know anything until Bill wakes her up at five-thirty.”
“But…” Judith goggled at Joe. “At that time of day Renie won’t be fit to deal with anything that doesn’t include a pillow and a dark room.”
Joe stepped away from Judith and shrugged. “That’s his problem. After forty years of marriage, Bill can handle it.”
Judith considered. “So we’re flying. If Renie doesn’t realize that, she won’t be a nervous wreck and therefore won’t have time to drink herself into a stupor like she did before we flew to San Francisco.”
“Very true,” Joe said. “And don’t worry about your mother. I talked to Carl and Arlene. I also told Mike where we’re going.”
Excitement began to build. “Oh, Joe, this is going to be wonderful!” She hugged him and planted a big kiss on his lips. Suddenly she tensed. “Does Mother know?”
“She knows we’re going,” Joe said.
“Does she know where and for how long?”
Joe looked vague. “Not exactly. A few days at the beach was the way I put it. She may have the impression we’re…ah…visiting Auntie Vince and Uncle Vance up on the island.”
“Just as well.” She smiled. “Oh, this is going to be amazing!”
Judith had no idea how right she was.
Renie was clearly smashed when the Flynns boarded the shuttle. But at least she was smiling, which wouldn’t happen in the early morning unless there’d been several shots of Wild Turkey involved.
Bill acted as if he’d never seen his wife before in his life. The trip to the airport was uneventful, however. Judith had been impressed by the older couple who had shown up to take over the B&B. They’d owned their own establishment for years in Idaho, but had sold it and moved farther west to be closer to their two sons and their families. Full retirement hadn’t suited either of them, so they’d become substitutes for absent innkeepers.
As usual, the airport was under construction. Judith couldn’t remember a time when it wasn’t being expanded or altered. When the Flynns and the Joneses got off the shuttle, she paid no attention to the overhead signs designating the various airlines. Judith was too busy watching Renie stagger slightly as she exited the vehicle.
“Thank you, doorman,” she said to the driver. “Put my purchases on the porch, okay?”
Bill was already at the curbside check-in desk. “Yes,” he said wearily in response to the woman who was checking their tickets. “She’s my wife. There’s nothing I can do about it. We’re Catholics.”
Joe was behind Bill. The process went smoothly except for Renie, who managed to get herself entangled in the ropes designating the passenger line. Judith managed to free her, and Renie managed a loopy smile and murmured, “…Crazy place for a jump rope.”
The husbands led the way to the escalators. Both men were walking faster than Judith could manage, but she thought it best to stay close to Renie, who was wandering this way and that.
“Hang on to me,” Judith said softly to her cousin.
“’Sa matter?” Renie asked. “Your hip hur’?”
“Yes.”
“Poor you.”
Judith kept the husbands within sight, but was puzzled when they headed for the tram that went to the far- flung airline waiting areas.
“Odd,” she murmured. “The California flights are in the main terminal.”
“You sure?” Renie asked.
“Yes.” Judith thought for a moment. “But I think some of the Hawaii flights are on the tram route.” She beamed at Renie. “Do you suppose we’re going to the islands?”
“What islands?”
“The…” But Judith had to hurry, hauling Renie along with her. The tram had arrived and the husbands were boarding. The cousins entered just before the doors slid shut. Recorded announcements were made while Judith scanned the stops listed above the doors.
“I was right,” she told Renie. “The first stop is for the Hawaiian-bound airlines. The second one, too. Oh, I’m so
