Melinda’s Journal

Tuesday, March 6

I have never been to California. I have a long list of things I want to see. The beach. The Beverly Hills mansions. The Hollywood sign.

But most of all, I can’t wait to see who Pat and Walter really are when they’re home. This is going to be the best vacation ever.

Melinda’s Story

Tuesday morning, Pat and Walter went home to repack their bags for their trip to LA. When they returned a few hours later, I was a little surprised to see their father in the front seat. I had assumed he was still touring with his band.

After promising to call my mother when I landed, I gave her one last big hug and headed to the car. Pat helped me load my suitcase into the trunk before I climbed in back with Walter.

Mr. Adam turned around as Pat slid behind the wheel. “Hi, Melinda. We’re glad you could join us.”

“Thank you so much for inviting me. How’s the tour going?”

Mr. Adam shrugged. “Honestly, I am really thankful for this break. I feel like I’ve been going non-stop since the beginning of the year. Next month, we start the European leg of the journey. I’m looking forward to a week home with my family.”

The airport wasn’t very far from my house. When Pat got off the highway, he stopped at a local pizza parlor to pick up the lunch Mr. Adam had thought to order ahead. He charged Walter with running inside to collect the two pies, and my mouth watered the rest of the short drive to the airport. I wasn’t sure how the insatiable Walter could handle having all that food so close to him.

Mr. Adam looked at all of us as Pat pulled out of the lot. “I know you guys are hungry, but we need to get airborne. Pat, I want you to set up the beds. Melinda, you can sleep in Meghan’s bed.”

I nodded, but I didn’t think Mr. Adam saw me. He was too busy glaring at Pat. Walter smirked as Pat avoided his father’s gaze. After a moment, Mr. Adam continued. “Walter, I want you to bring all the luggage aboard. I’m going to check in with the pilots. I asked they be ready to go as soon as we arrive.”

I looked around. “You guys aren’t flying?”

Pat shook his head. “It’s going to be a late night. We probably won’t get home until around midnight. LA time.”

His father nodded. “I was up late then on a bus with my loud brothers. I’m too tired for such a long flight.”

Pat parked the car beside the Barnstormers building and I carried the pizzas while Walter and Pat brought the luggage to the plane. I followed them through the lobby into the attached hangar. I had no trouble recognizing Mr. Adam’s plane. It was the largest one in the room.

I placed the pizzas on the counter beside the sink and went to help Pat make the beds. I followed him through the bathroom to the cargo hold, where he removed three plastic tubs, each a little larger than a pillow. He passed them to me.

“Go put these on the couch and come back.”

I returned to the front of the cabin, where on either side of the aisle sat two chairs facing each other with a window between them. Behind them, a couch faced a television screen. After depositing the boxes, I returned to the bathroom and Pat passed me two black bags about the size of my suitcase. I placed these on a chair and turned around.

I had intended to go back to the cargo hold, but Pat was at the conference table behind me. I watched as he folded the sides of the table into the center, then lowered the table to the ground. He turned to me.

“Come on. You’re going to help me.”

Together, we muscled a large black bag onto the table. Despite its size, it was surprisingly light. Pat unzipped it to reveal a stack of white foam folded in on itself. He reached into a side pocket to remove a small black fan, which he then attached to a small hole in the side.

I pointed to it. “That’s like the inflater on the airbed you guys used at my house.”

“That’s because this is an airbed. Watch.”

Pat pressed a button, and the foam inflated. Two wings unfolded from the center to land on the double seats facing them. When it finished, it looked like the size of my bed at home.

“That’s amazing!”

Pat shrugged. “Don’t get too enthusiastic. Now we have to make it.” He placed the fan under the bed, then opened a plastic bin he had placed on the couch between the bed and the front seats. I helped him place a waterproof cover on the bed, then red sheets and finally a lightweight blanket. Two travel-sized pillows had already been zipped into red pillowcases.

I stood back to admire our work. “That wasn’t so bad.”

“Glad you think so. Because now we get to do it two more times.”

“Can I do one?”

Pat pointed to the two chairs across the aisle from where I had deposited the boxes. “By all means. That one can be yours.”

I watched Pat place one of the black bags on the floor between the chairs. I did the same across the aisle and opened the bag. I found the inflation machine, surprised it attached so easily. This bed rose as it spread its wings. When I was done, I made the bed with pink sheets and a matching lightweight blanket.

I turned around. Pat had already made his bed with black sheets and returned the plastic tubs to the cargo hold. Walter emerged from the bathroom a moment later, going straight to the attendant’s room across from the galley that he had declared his own. Pat came in through the front hatch, followed by a pilot. As Pat stowed the pizza into one of the locking cabinets, I watched the pilot raise the stairs and close the front hatch. Mr. Adam exchanged a few words with both pilots before closing a sliding door and ushering his sons into the cabin.

“I am exhausted. I need to rest. I highly recommend you kids do the same.”

Walter plopped himself onto the couch. “The only way I’m going to fall asleep is if we watch a really boring movie.”

Pat joined his brother. “I’m game.” He pulled me into his lap.

“Pat!” I hissed as I squeezed between the boys. “Your dad’s right there!”

Walter pointed a remote at the television. “What about this one?”

I read the description and shuddered. “That’s likely to give me nightmares.”

While we scrolled the menu, Mr. Adam pressed a button on a screen in the galley. All the window screens lowered, and the lights dimmed. The pilot announced we were ready for takeoff and Mr. Adam sat in his bed with a book. I secured my seatbelt even as we continued searching the menu.

By the time the plane was airborne, we had found a movie we could stream. Mr. Adam had already fallen asleep. Walter immediately retrieved the pizzas.

Within ten minutes, Walter was wiggling in his seat. “I can’t get comfortable.”

Pat turned to him, glancing over me. “Let’s open this up.”

At Walter’s nod, the boys stood, leaving me baffled.

Walter smiled. “Come on. I’ll show you.” He held out a hand to help me to my feet. I watched as the boys removed the cushions from the couch, stacking them on the floor near my bed. Together, they slid a panel out from beneath the couch. While Walter arranged the cushions flat to create a mattress, Pat disappeared into the bathroom. A moment later, he returned with another small plastic tub. The boys placed a quilted mattress topper over the cushions, then added brown sheets and a light blanket. Walter went to retrieve his pillow from his room while Pat grabbed the black and pink ones from our beds. We placed the pillows under the windows and Walter flopped onto the bed with two more slices of pizza.

“There we go. It’s like when I visit your room.”

I raised my eyebrows as I sat beside him. “How?”

Walter shrugged. “We sit sideways like this. Much more comfortable.”

As Walter resumed the movie, I snuggled close to Pat. I had to admit, it was a lot more comfortable.

Pat’s Story

After breakfast Tuesday, Walter and I went home for a few hours. I was a little surprised to see Dad when we got there. He gave us each a hug.

“Congratulations on your exam,” he said as he released me.

“Does that mean I get to fly to LA today?”

Dad shook his head. “No. I’m exhausted. I barely know what day it is. I can’t be your second, and I can’t monitor your brother. I love your uncles, but man, are they loud when I’m trying to rest. Besides, I want you guys to get some rest as well. It’s going to be late night.”

I was only a little disappointed. Being a passenger meant I could spend the flight with Melinda.

I went upstairs and emptied my laundry, then repacked for LA. Most of what I would need was there already. I grabbed a few essentials, like my tablet and laptop.

We weren’t home long before we hopped back in the car. Dad had me drive to pick up Melinda, then head to the airport. He was anxious to get in the air. After picking up a couple of pizzas to go, Dad spent the rest of the drive giving instructions.

“I know you guys are hungry, but we need to get airborne. Pat, I want you to set up the beds. Melinda, you can sleep in Meghan’s bed.”

Dad glared at me, as if I was going to challenge his decision. What exactly did he think I was planning on doing with him in the next bed? I kept my eyes on the road until he resumed his list of chores.

When we arrived at the airport, Dad hopped out of the car to go find the pilots. Uncle Vinny’s plane had been replaced by Dad’s slightly larger one.

While Walter loaded the luggage into the cargo hold, I started making the beds. Melinda helped me, fascinated by the way the mattress inflated to cover the opposing seats. I was so used to it, I found it more of a chore, especially when we had to add the sheets and stuff. But Melinda made her own bed, so I didn’t have to.

After I returned the storage boxes to the cargo hold, I went back to the car to make sure Walter hadn’t forgotten anything. And that he had locked it. Good thing I checked. Doofus had left the car unlocked.

I climbed back into the plane just ahead of the pilot who had been securing the cargo hold. As I passed through the galley, I saw Melinda had placed the pizza on the counter. I smiled to myself. That pizza would be on the floor by the time we hit cruising altitude. I stowed it in a cabinet before Dad sent me into the cabin.

“I am exhausted. I need to rest. I highly recommend you kids do the same.”

Walter decided we needed to watch a boring movie in order to put us all to sleep in the middle of the day. Since I agreed, I plopped down on the divan and dragged Melinda into my lap.

“Pat!” she hissed as she squeezed between me and Walter. “Your dad’s right there!” She was so adorable, I wanted to kiss her. But my brother was sitting right there. And Dad was in the galley, closing the windows and dimming the lights for a night flight, even though it wasn’t yet noon. I settled for putting my arm around her.

Walter pointed a remote at the television sitting on a table across the aisle. “What about this one?”

Melinda read the description before declaring it would give her nightmares. Although I agreed, I said nothing. I didn’t want her to think I was a scaredy-cat.

The pilot announced we were ready, and I showed Melinda how to strap herself into the seat. Dad crawled into his bed with a book. By the time we were at cruising altitude, he was asleep.

Walter brought the pizzas to the table under the television. We found a movie to bore us to sleep, but discovered a problem with our plan.

Walter squirmed in his seat. “I can’t get comfortable.”

Neither could I. I turned to him. “Let’s open this up.”

Walter and I had converted the bed so often, we were pros. I grabbed the linens from the lavatory, and we had the bed made in under five minutes. We returned to the divan, but now we could stretch our legs in front of us comfortably. Even better? Melinda snuggled right up against me.

Attention Hammerheads

Melinda is always trying to build her vocabulary. What were some words in this episode that were new to you? She will add them to her vocabulary journal.