Free Message Received by Rosemarie Naramore Page A

breathe deeply of the salty air.  She turned to grin at Ike.  “I
can’t believe we’re here.”
    “Well, honey, believe it.”  He squeezed her hand
and together they walked to a nearby restaurant overlooking the breaking waves.
    Inside, they were seated by a window with an
exquisite view of the ocean.  “Ike, this is lovely,” Liz said, smiling as she
scanned the horizon.  “Oh, I can’t wait to put my foot into that ocean.”  She
studied it for a moment.  “It’s so different from the Pacific.”  She leaned
forward, in an attempt to see to her left, and then to her right.  “I’d read
before that this beach isn’t rocky like our own beach, and that the whole
region is basically at sea level.”
    “That’s right,” he said, and then flashed a
smile.  “It’s very different from our own beach.”
    Liz focused on the sand below.  “It’s a golden
brown color.  Ike, are those shells on the beach?”
    He nodded.  “Yes, and they come in an assortment
of pretty colors.”
    “I can’t wait to do some beachcombing,” she said
eagerly.
    A waitress arrived at their table, took their
orders, and with a smile, scurried away.  Liz continued to stare out at the
ocean.  Ike continued to stare at her.
    Her face was so peaceful, her mouth set in a
serene smile.  It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her
shoulders.  He suspected it was the first time she’d ever been able to leave
her worries behind.  Perhaps she hadn’t ever had a real vacation before.
    As if on cue she said, “I’ve never really had a
getaway like this,” she admitted.  “Even if I’d had the money to afford it, I
never had the time.”
    “Raising children alone is a huge
responsibility,” he said with understanding, and then tapped the table.  “But
you deserve a vacation, and I want you to enjoy every minute of this trip.  I don’t
want you worrying about the grandkids…”
    Liz gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. 
She slowly lowered it.  “Oh, Ike, I actually forgot all about them.”  She gave
a giggle.  “That’s bad.”
    “No, honey, it’s not.  They’re fine.  Besides,
I’m sure they’re both back to their jobs and so intently focused on work,
they’re not thinking about us at all.  And frankly, right now, that’s a good
thing.  I don’t want them interfering with our plans.”
    She nodded.  “I do think we should call them and
at least tell them we’re okay, and will be back home soon.”
    “Who says we’ll be home soon?”
    She giggled delightedly, but reluctantly
sobered.  “Well, I should call Amanda, and you should call Brady.  Let’s do it
now, so we won’t have to worry about it anymore.”
    “Oh, okay,” he said resignedly, and pulled his
phone from his pocket.  He made an alarmed face.  “I don’t have any bars.  My
phone is dead!”
    Liz checked her phone and gasped.  “Oh, no.  My
phone is dead too.  I didn’t think to bring a charger, not that we’d stopped by
the home to get it if I had.”
    “I didn’t think about it either,” Ike admitted. 
“Well, hey, we’ll just have to run by a store and buy a couple.”  He gave a
dismissive wave.  “We have time.”
     
    ***
     
    Brady checked his phone.  No messages.  He sent
a glance at Amanda.  Her face was still flushed from the alcohol she’d consumed
on the plane, and she still hadn’t gotten her balance back.  He held onto one
of her arms, while trying to deal with his carry on, and hers too.  “Let’s sit
down for a minute,” he muttered.
    She gave a numb nod and dropped into a chair. 
“My head is killing me,” she moaned.  “I’m not used to drinking.”  She gingerly
tipped her head from side to side and made a face.  “My neck is killing me
too.”
    “I’m sorry.  Did you check your phone?”
    She nodded.  “No message.”
    He gave an exasperated sigh.  “What do you want
to bet their phones are dead?  It probably didn’t occur to them