“Charlie! Charlie!” Justin calls out.
“Just a second, Joy’s Dad!”
Joy and Charlie pull the flying elephants’ ears softly, then pull the left one only. The elephants slow in mid-air, then make a U-turn to the left. Justin, helming Bonny’s Revenge, stops the warship in mid-air.
“Dad, we’re busy!” Joy says.
“Yeah, I just wanted…” he looks at Charlie and I can see his throat catch. I believe he thinks Master Mind was right. He would be asking Charlie to create competition for himself, but for a good cause.
Justin takes a quick intake of air, then says, “Yeah. You’re doing great! Are you enjoying riding the elephants?”
“Oh, yeah! I can’t believe I get to do this! And with my best friend!”
“Ah, well,” Justin fumbles for words. “It is a dream. You could always have done it.”
“But because of Joy I know that it’s real! So I’m really riding a flying elephant in the sky! It’s amazing!”
“Is that what you wanted, Dad? We’re in the middle!”
Justin hesitates for a split second, then says, “Yeah, yeah, go on. Have fun!”
Joy shakes her head at her father, and the elephants begin to turn again.
Once the kids have resumed their gameplay with their backs to us, Justin looks at me, at Suzy, then down.
“I…I just couldn’t. It…It doesn’t have to be today.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Suzy says.
Justin doesn’t look up for a long time, clearly struggling with something. “Okay,” he suddenly says. He grabs a jetpack from the permanent jetpacks on the deck and puts it on. “Master Mind, helm the ship. I’m going to Colin’s dream!”
And with that, he flies towards the suns.
—Told by Grampa Walt