Suzy and I count the hours after Justin disappears. 

We’ve talked to Joy ahead of time about what’s going to happen next. 

After the initial shock of living in Justin’s dream, of having a granddaughter we never heard of, of going with her and Justin to visit other people’s dreams, of experiencing life-threatening adventures almost at every turn, Suzy started getting used to life here. 

One day, a couple of months ago, she started inquiring about the dates. Justin created a calendar for her to hang on the wall in the living room, and she’s been silently marking the days. 

Now it was time.

When it’s about an hour before Justin usually appears on the ship, we go up the ramp to the deck of Bonny’s Revenge and sneak into Joy’s cabin. 

“Joy, wake up!” Suzy tells her. “It’s almost time!” 

Joy wakes up in an instant. “Is he here yet?” 

“We still have time,” I whisper. I actually don’t know why I’m whispering, Justin isn’t in his dream now.

Joy rushes out, taking her toothbrush and toothpaste from their place on top of the gigantic sabretooth teeth glued to the wall of her cabin. Master Mind helps turn the ship so she brush her teeth from the plank. 

She returns the toothbrush and toothpaste, and comes out of her cabin with a nylon bag full of balloons. “Charlie left these. He told me it’s for birthdays. So I made it permanent and hid it.” 

I take the bag. “There’s a lot of balloons here.” 

“Let’s get cracking,” Suzy says. 

“Master Mind,” Joy tells the killer robot whose two halves have been sewn together by Joy and Suzy, “you have to sing Happy Birthday, too!” 

“It is safest if I do not,” Master Mind answers simply. 

“Safest?” I ask. 

“My evil side considers it demeaning. Although it has shrunk down from 49.9% to 40.12% over the past few months, I believe the evil in me will regain more power if I am forced to sing even a short happy birthday tune.” 

Suzy and I exchange looks. That is some of the strangeness we still have to get used to when living in this place. 

“How much will it regain?” I ask Master Mind.

“I estimate 0.95%,” he says. 

“Is that bad, Grampa?” Joy asks. 

“It’s reasonable. He won’t turn evil.” 

“Well, it’s agreed, then,” Joy says. “You’ll sing the song.” 

Master Mind starts walking towards the ramp. “I am leaving,” he says in his robotic voice, “in a huff.” 

“Master Mind!” Joy calls after him. 

Master Mind descends the ramp, then, almost immediately, returns. “I have calmed down. I will sing your stupid song.” 

“Yai!” Joy cheers.

(To be continued…) 

—Told by Grampa Walt