Page 5 of To the Moon and Back
Even Amy.
An hour later they were done for the day. The sky was nearly dark as they loaded the Jet Skis onto Kari and Ryan’s trailer.
When they were back in their SUV and the kids were buckled in behind them, Landon smiled at her. “You really were impressive with that football.”
She could feel the sparkle in her eyes, the way she felt it so often around Landon. “I did know a little before I met you.” She stifled a laugh. “Truth be told.”
He chuckled and fixed his eyes on the road ahead. “Whatever happened to the idea of your dad and Elaine joining us?”
“They talked about it.” Ashley would’ve loved that. There were only so many chances for her dad and his wife to join them for a spring break like this. She turned to see Landon better. “Dad had a conference at the hospital.” She thought about how healthy her father was, how committed to the field of medicine, to helping people. “He might be retired, but that doesn’t stop him. The younger doctors need someone to teach them, you know.”
Landon smiled and gave a slight shake of his head. “I want to be like him when I grow up.”
“Mmm.” Ashley rested her head against the seat. “Me, too.”
Back at the hotel, they got ready and met in the lobby for dinner. After they ate, everyone gathered in the hotel’s private theater, adjacent to the restaurant. That night both families filled the place and Amy sat next to Ashley as they watched Disney’s Tangled.
Ashley took a mental snapshot of the evening.
If today were a painting, the most obvious setting would be the scene from earlier, her family playing at the beach. But Ashley felt more drawn to paint the one here, inside the theater. Not the movie screen or the seats or the entire group of them. But just Amy and her, and the fact that even at twelve years old, Amy still felt comfortable to hold Ashley’s hand.
That simple gesture was proof that Ashley had become more mom than aunt to the girl. Even if Ashley would never replace the mother her sister Erin had been. Still, Amy’s hand in her own assured Ashley that however much healing was still ahead, they were on the right path.
And God, in all His mercy, was with them.
• • •
THEY SPENT THE first four days of the trip in Branson, playing on the beach and letting the kids take turns on the Jet Skis. A couple times, Ashley and Kari even took the little ones, Janessa and Annie, for a slow ride along the shore. Then in the late afternoons they’d head into town.
Each day was a different adventure. They played mini golf and rode go-karts and toured the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum. All the kids loved the room with the slanted floors and the mirrors that made Cole look two feet taller than Landon.
“You wish.” Devin laughed.
Landon raised his brow. “It’s not too far-fetched.” He put his arm around Cole’s shoulders. “Cole’s about to pass me up. Any day now.”
By the end of the four days, Ashley had already taken hundreds of pictures—some with her camera, some with her heart—memories to hold close years from now.
When the kids were grown and gone.
As for the pictures on her camera, once they were back home she would make an album of their fun times this week. Each of the kids would get a copy. Photo books were among Ashley’s favorite ways to create proof of the years gone by.
Wednesday afternoon they packed up their vehicles and headed to Oklahoma City. Tomorrow was the anniversary of the bombing. The day Amy wanted to be at the memorial. The day they gave out saplings from the Survivor Tree. After they checked into their hotel rooms and once the kids were tucked in and asleep, Landon hit the lights.
In the darkness, Landon reached for her hand and rolled onto his side. He spoke close to her face. “I love you, Ashley. Everything about you.”
“Thanks.” She slid closer and kissed him on his lips, quiet so they wouldn’t wake the kids, sleeping in the bed beside them. “I love you, too.”
Landon paused, and even in the stillness Ashley could tell something was weighing on him.
“What are you thinking?” She kept her voice quiet.
“About Amy’s sapling.” He put his hand on Ashley’s cheek. “I’ve been praying she gets one. There’s no guarantee.”
“I know.” She thought for a minute. Then she whispered, “We’ll get there right when it opens. That should help.”
Landon kissed her again and another time. Then he settled in on his side of the bed. “You’ll have to tell me all about it.”
“I will. Good night, love.”
