Vacation –Part Two

Wednesday, August 28, 2002

9:00 AM

Everything looked so tiny from up here, Jenna thought. The people looked like little ants and the houses resembled little toys. And if she looked really hard, Jenna could even see people’s swimming pools and cars. But the plane was rising fast—soon she wouldn’t be able to see them at all. Jenna wondered what would happen to those houses if the plane crashed-what would happen to her and her family—and then she really wished she hadn’t thought about that at all.

“Jenna,” her dad’s voice broke into her thoughts. Jenna looked over to see him watching her.

“Are you all right?” Dad asked.

“I’m okay,” Jenna said. “Why?”

“Well your hands are clutching the chair like you’re afraid you might fall out,” Dad said.

Jenna looked down at her hands and relaxed them. “Sorry,” she said. “I guess I am a little nervous.”

“Sweetheart you don’t have anything to be sorry about,” Mom said. “This is the first time you’ve flown in a plane. Everyone’s nervous.”

“Just seems like I’m nervous a lot lately,” Jenna said. “About everything, even when I try not to be.”

“I know,” Dad said. “But after what you’ve been through all those emotions are normal.”

Normal. After everything that had happened Jenna wasn’t even sure what the word meant anymore. “I guess so,” she said finally. Mom took her hand

“You can always talk to us,” she said. “You don’t have to pretend to be strong.”

“I know,” Jenna said. “But-it just seems like I’ve been causing everyone a lot of worry lately.”

“Look at me,” Mom said. “You’re not a burden. The only reason we worry is because we love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Jenna said “It’s just that I wish I didn’t feel this way.”

“Give it time,” Mom said. “Just think about all the fun we’re going to have on this vacation—your dad wants to teach you how to ride horses and we can go see all the sights in London, like the Tower, Westminster Abbey-”

“Can we go to the Hard Rock Café?” Jenna asked. “I’ve always wanted to go there-Lisa says that’s the original Hard Rock Café-she even has a t-shirt.”

“Sure we can,” Mom said.

At that moment the plane dipped slightly—Jenna felt a series of little bumps, shaking the entire plane. The woman behind her let out a little gasp. Jenna grabbed hold of the armrests again.

“What was that?” she asked. There was a crackling sound and a tinny-sounding voice filled the cabin.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We are experiencing some turbulence at the moment, but we expect it to pass shortly. In the meantime we ask that you remain in your seat and keep your safety belt fastened. Thank you.”

The plane gave a sudden dip. Jenna bit down on her lip, fighting back a sudden surge of panic.

“Jenna,” Dad said. “Look at me- It’ll be fine-these things happen all the time.”

“They do?” Jenna asked. “Really?”

“Really,” Dad said. “Hey did I ever tell you about the first time your Mom and I were in London together?”

“No,” Jenna said, lowering her voice and looking around to make sure no one else was listening. “Is it about-you know- your work?”

“You don’t have to whisper, munchkin,” Dad said, sounding faintly amused. “We can’t tell you everything anyway—just some things.”

“I know, need to know,” Jenna said. “So what happened?”

“Well,” Dad began, “Your Mom was brought here because she was the only one who could identify this man that I was after…” The plane gave another sudden dip but by that time Jenna was too engrossed in the story to worry about it.

SMK SMK SMK SMK

Farnsworth Manor, Hampstead Heath, London.

10:30 PM

“Jenna?” Lee shook his daughter gently. “We’re here-you need to wake up.”

“Just a few more minutes,” Jenna said. “I’ll get up in a few more minutes.”

“Sweetheart you have to get up now,” Amanda said, touching Jenna’s cheek with the back of her hand. “Come on.” Jenna’s eyes opened.

“We’re here?” she said. “Aunt Emily’s house?”

“Yeah,” Lee said. He and Amanda helped Jenna out of the car—even walking she still appeared to be half-asleep. Lee shouldered her carry-on while the cabbie helped Amanda unload the remainder of the luggage. Emily came out just as he was paying the cabbie.

“So glad to see you,” she said, hugging them both.

“Sorry if we’re a little late,” Lee said.

“No apologies are necessary, Lee” Emily said. “Charles will tell you that I’m a bit of a night-owl at any rate. And this beautiful girl must be Jenna.”

“Hello Aunt Emily,” Jenna said as Emily pulled her into a hug.

“My dear you’ve grown so much since I saw you last—you’ve gotten so tall,” Emily said. “I just know you’re going to have a wonderful time here.”

“Thank you,” Jenna said. Her words were slurring together a little. Amanda put a hand on Jenna’s back, steadying her as they walked towards the entrance.

“I think she’s a little jet-lagged,” Lee explained at Emily’s questioning glance. “She didn’t get much sleep on the plane ride over.”

“I understand completely.” Emily said. “I can never sleep on planes myself. We’ll get Jenna straight into bed and tomorrow morning she’ll be just fine.”

Thursday, August 29, 2002

8:30 AM

It was strange, Jenna thought. This was the largest house—certainly the fanciest house she’d ever been in. Terri Morgan back home would always brag that her house had three guestrooms, four bathrooms and an in-ground swimming pool, but compared to all this that was nothing. The chair she sat in looked more like a throne and the highly- polished dining room table looked like it would hold forty people at least. She should be afraid to move, Jenna thought, afraid to even breathe too hard in case she broke or damaged something. But weirdly enough the atmosphere here was cozy and relaxed, almost like home. She spread some orange marmalade from a jar onto her toast.

“What are your plans for today?” Emily asked.

“Well I thought that Jenna and I would go out on the horses this morning,” Dad said. “She’s never ridden before-I think she’d enjoy it. After that Amanda and I thought we’d take her wherever she wanted to go.”

“Splendid,” Emily said.

“I’m a little scared of horses,” Jenna admitted, taking a bite of her toast. .

“You’ll love it.” Emily placed her hand over Jenna’s, “And your father is just the one to teach you.”

At that moment the dining room doors opened and a boy entered. He looked about her age. The boy looked at Jenna and grinned, blue eyes peeking from beneath a mop of black and slightly spiky hair.

“All right?” the boy said. Jenna smiled back at him, not able to think of anything to say at the moment. She felt dad’s hand on her shoulder.

“Just the person I wanted to see,” Emily said as she rose from the table. “Geoffrey Beresford, I’d like you to meet my great-niece. This is Jenna Leigh Stetson.”

TBC