Family Ties — читать онлайн бесплатно полностью

I knocked on her half-open door and then gently pushed it open.

Her room looked like her dresser and closet had both exploded. Two large suitcases stood by the door and she was doing her best to close a smaller one.

I looked at my watch.

“Um… we need to leave in about fifteen minutes. Anything I can help with?”

“Oh, thanks! Would you take those downstairs for me?”

“Wait… these?” I gestured at the large suitcases. I’d thought they were empty, just standing by in case her things wouldn’t all fit in the smaller suitcase.

“Yes.” She caught my expression. “What’s the matter?”

“You know it’s just four days, right?”

“Of course I do. Please don’t give me a hard time about all my clothes.

I’m taking a bunch of summer outfits home so I can return with my winter clothes.”

“Hold on…” I nodded at the closet and all the other clothes strewn around the room. “You mean this isn’t all your clothes?”

“Are you kidding? No, no way I could keep all my things in here.”

My eyes widened, but she missed it.

“I have a full closet at home, plus all this stuff.

I put my weight on it and persuaded the latches to close.

“Thanks! This is the one with things I’m gonna wear. Lemme pack my bathroom stuff and a few delicates and then I’ll be ready. Five minutes.”

I knew better than to trust her estimate. “Five minutes” of Christy-time was half an hour in the Newtonian universe. Still, pestering her would only make things worse, so I lugged the two large suitcases downstairs.

Trip was walking from his office to the kitchen. He backed up and did a double take.

“Don’t ask,” I said.

I went upstairs, brought my own things down, and loaded everything into the Land Cruiser. Then I waited for Christy to finish packing. When she did, after only twenty-five minutes, I loaded her two smaller bags. We said goodbye to Trip and Wren and left in a bit of a hurry.

“It’s okay. I usually have to get to the gate an hour early. It’s just a habit.

We don’t have to this time, though.

“Why? I mean, why do you get there so early?”

“I fly for free because my dad works for the airline.”

“Oh, that’s right. Pretty cool.”

“Yes, but… I have to fly stand-by. I have to show up early, wear a coat and tie—I’m representing the company when I fly, so I have to look nice—

and I might get bumped if there aren’t enough seats.”

“Oh. That kinda stinks.”

“Right. It’s worst around holidays, though.”

“Like Thanksgiving.