Part 20 (2/2)
”So how about those Dodgers?” Doug said to Katie.
”I don't see anybody doing any dodging,” Katie quipped back.
Doug laughed and kept laughing all the way down the freeway to Anaheim. Christy realized that the little encounter at the intersection was probably embarra.s.sing for Katie and Doug, but to Christy it meant everything. It meant that Todd valued their special memories as much as she did and that he didn't care if the whole world knew they were going together. It was a wonderful, warm, delicious feeling, and Christy hoped it would last all day.
They parked Gus and took the tram to Disneyland's entrance. Christy had her camera looped over her arm and a sweats.h.i.+rt wrapped around her waist.
That morning she had remembered the peach-colored T-s.h.i.+rt she had worn on her first Disneyland date with Todd and wished she had brought it to wear just for the memories. Instead, she had on a cream-colored T-s.h.i.+rt and jeans. Katie wore jeans too and a green cotton s.h.i.+rt. Both the guys had on shorts, and they all had brought along sweats.h.i.+rts for the cool of the evening. Their first stop inside the park was at the lockers to leave their sweats.h.i.+rts.
”Where to first?” Doug asked. ”I'm a Tomorrowland kind of guy. You might as well all know that right up front.”
”What I hear you saying,” Todd said, ”is that s.p.a.ce Mountain is calling your name. Am I right?”
”What can I say? I have the need for speed.”
”My kind of guy.” Katie flashed Doug a big smile.
Christy's stomach started to feel a little queasy, thinking about all the roller coaster rides these three would want to go on. She preferred the gentle boat rides like It's a Small World. Last time Todd had talked her into the bobsleds, and that was about the wildest ride she had ever been on. Apparently, it was tame compared to some of these others.
”Tomorrowland it is,” Todd said. ”As long as we make it to Adventureland before it's dark, I'll be happy.”
”My favorite is Thunder Mountain Railroad,” Katie said.
She had been doing a great job of keeping cheerful all morning. Perhaps leaving her alone last night to cry herself to sleep had been the best thing for her.
”What's your favorite, Christy?” Katie asked.
She didn't dare say It's a Small, Small World, so she said the first thing that came to her mind. ”I like the Swiss Family Tree House.”
Todd stopped walking and looked at Christy with pleased surprise. ”Really? That's cool.” Then he took her hand and gave it a squeeze.
”She just said that because she knows it's your favorite spot, Todd,” Doug said over his shoulder. He and Katie were leading the way, blazing the trail down Main Street as they headed toward Tomorrowland.
If she had thought about it, Christy would have remembered how Todd had turned into a free-spirited Tarzan in the tree house when they had climbed through it on their first visit here. Todd's dream was no secret to anybody who knew him well. He wanted to be a missionary and live off the land in a jungle somewhere. He had never wavered from that goal, and more than once Christy had questioned whether or not she had what it took to be a missionary as well.
Fortunately, that question didn't need to be answered for a long time. For now, she and Todd were together. Things had never been better. She had never been happier.
The line for s.p.a.ce Mountain was long, and they had to wait about forty minutes before it was their turn. But the time went fast, with Katie and Doug chattering away.
Christy was relieved to see Katie doing so well emotionally. Doug was a great encourager. If anyone could make Katie feel better, it was Doug. Good ol' Doug. Christy decided she was going to try and find some way to let him know how much she appreciated him.
Soon they were stepping into the cars that would take them whirling through the darkness on this inside roller coaster. Christy climbed in and immediately curled up against Todd's chest. He circled her with his arms and whispered, ”Scaredy-cat?”
Christy answered with a little ”meow” just as the car lurched forward and the ride began. Squeezing her eyes shut, she clung to Todd's arm and clenched her jaw to keep from screaming. She could hear Katie shrieking and Doug laughing from the seats in front of them. She wondered how many other adrenaline-pumping rides they would coax her onto before the day was over.
The answer was five. They went on every fast ride they could find. The only comforting part was that each time she could cuddle up with Todd, close her eyes, and feel his strong arms around her. She had never felt this close to him before. It was as if Todd was sheltering her, protecting her, and letting her lean on him for strength. She wondered if he felt the closeness too.
Each time they stepped off one of the wild rides. Christy kept her arm around Todd's waist. She wanted to feel his arms circling her all day. All week. All year. The rest of her life. This was where she belonged.
”Anyone hungry besides me?” Doug asked around noon.
”I think your stomach has a timer,” Katie said. It goes off about every hour, doesn't it? I mean, it couldn't be much more than an hour since you had that popcorn.”
”Hey, I'm a growing boy,” Doug said.
”I'm just giving you a hard time,” Katie said. ”I'm hungry too. What do you guys want to eat?”
They were near the center of the park, by Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Todd suggested they grab a hamburger at the Carnation Cafe.
”Did you know they have Fantasia ice cream here?” Doug asked as they stood in line to order their hamburgers a few minutes later. ”I think this is the only place in the world you can get it.”
”What is it?” Katie asked.
”It's kind of hard to describe. It has maraschino cherries in it and other stuff.”
”Did you know there's enough red dye in ajar of maraschino cherries to kill a laboratory test rat?” Katie asked. The minute she said it, everyone looked at her, including people standing in the line next to them. ”At least, that's what I've heard,” she said in an apologetic way.
It was her turn to order at the small window. Katie asked the girl in the striped ap.r.o.n if they had whole wheat buns.
”No, sorry.”
”Okay, well, this is what I want. I want a hamburger with extra tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and onions and no meat.”
”No meat?” the girl asked. ”I think it's still the same price.”
”That's okay.” Katie said.
”Hey,” Doug said, sliding in next to Katie and bending to address the girl inside, ”put her hamburger patty on mine. I'll eat her meat.”
”I'm not sure we can do that. Maybe you two could swap your own meat.”
”Fine with me.” Doug said.
”Okay,” Katie agreed. ”Are your French fries prepared in pure vegetable oil by any chance?”
”Are they what?” the girl asked.
”Never mind,” Katie said. ”No French fries. Just the burger with all the extras.”
Once they had ordered and found a place to sit, Christy thought she noticed a cloud beginning to form over Katie's countenance. Did her attempt to order healthy food make her think too much about Michael?
”Slap that baby right here.” Doug opened the bun of his double cheeseburger and waited for Katie to slip her meat inside. ”You want my tomatoes?”
”Sure,” Katie said. ”I'll take your lettuce too if you don't want it. I don't care about the pickles.”
Doug swapped his lettuce and tomatoes for Katie's hamburger. She patted the top of her ”veggie burger,” looking pleased with the trade.
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