excited!”
“Unh,” said Renie.
But when the tram doors opened, Joe and Bill remained in place. Nor did they budge at the second stop.
“Golly,” Judith said, “we’re going to the international terminal.”
Renie gave a start. “Are you kidding?” she asked in what sounded almost like her normal voice. “You’re right. It’s the last one. Are we going to Polynesia or the Caribbean?”
“Australia or New Zealand, maybe,” Judith said. “It’s late summer or early fall down there, and we’ve had guests who’ve raved about the fishing—and the beaches.”
As the tram glided to its final stop, Joe nodded at Judith. The Flynns and the Joneses got off along with a half- dozen Asian businessmen, a couple of bearded Sikhs in turbans, an elderly cleric, and three exquisite young Japanese women whose beauty wasn’t the least bit marred by their giggles.
Only the cleric and one of the Sikhs headed in the same direction as Joe and Bill. Judith’s eyes grew huge as she realized they were going to the British Airways desk. She and Renie nudged their way in front of Joe and Bill as they waited to go through security. “London!” Judith gasped, and pointed to the departure listings. “Oh, I’m thrilled!”
“I thought you wanted sun,” Renie said. “The weather in London is the same as it here. Which, of course, is fine with me.”
Joe turned around. “London’s not our final destination.”
Judith stared at him. “What is?”
“You wanted beaches and an ocean view, right?”
“Yes, of course.” Judith jabbed Renie. “The Riviera—or Spain.”
“Really long flight,” Renie said under her breath. “Damn.”
Judith and Renie passed through security without any glitches. Joe and Bill, however, were stopped.
“Men,” Renie muttered. “Too many keys and other suspicious metal objects. It always happens.”
Joe was cleared after only a couple of minutes. Bill, however, was still being detained. But finally he was allowed to move on.
“What was that all about?” Renie demanded of her husband.
Bill frowned. “Do I know you? Are you a patient, or were you in one of my university classes?” He turned on his heel and walked away.
“Why have I not killed him in forty years?” Renie mumbled. “And why isn’t the bar open in this part of the terminal?”
For the next hour, Judith did her best to avoid Renie, who spent most of the time pacing around the waiting area. Joe and Bill had gone off to buy magazines. At last, the boarding call was announced.
“I wish I’d changed my will,” Renie murmured as she got into line. “I’d have left Clarence to Madge Navarre.”
“You know Madge hates animals,” Judith retorted. “She’d hardly want a bunny running around her condo. And don’t be so pessimistic.”
“Our husbands aren’t sitting with us,” Renie said as they moved up a few places in line.
Judith looked at her boarding pass. “You’re right. You and I are in a completely different part of the plane.”
“I can’t blame Bill,” Renie said. “The last time we flew I brought some small liquor bottles in my purse. The flight attendant said it was illegal and threatened to throw me off the plane. Bill offered to help.”
The cousins displayed their boarding passes and walked down the corridor to the plane. Inside the cabin, Judith saw Joe wave at her from his seat several rows away. Judith waved back but didn’t smile. Having Renie as a seatmate during a twelve-hour flight to London might be trying.
But as soon as she buckled her seat belt, Renie dug around in her purse, took out a pill caddy, extracted four small yellow tablets, and chewed them up. They had just begun to taxi for takeoff when Renie put her head on her cousin’s shoulder and said, “G’night.”
Judith also dozed off. The initial excitement had worn off and the long walk in the terminal had tired her. When she woke up, it was dark.
Renie also opened her eyes. “Where are we?” she mumbled.
“Thirty-five thousand feet above Planet Earth,” Judith replied.
Renie shuddered and went back to sleep.
Joe came by to check on his wife. “I saw you limp a bit when you went to the restroom,” he said, leaning across the aisle seat, which had remained blessedly empty. “Are you okay?”
Judith nodded. “Sitting so long bothers me sometimes. What time will it be in London when we arrive?”
“Around noon.” Joe checked his watch. “I’m already on UK time.”
“How much time between flights?”
“A couple of hours,” Joe said.
“How long is the second flight?”
“Not long.” He smiled mischievously. “See you at Heathrow.”
