* * *
"Wasn't that great, Mom!" Maddy inquired enthusiastically as she and
her mother disembarked from Soarin', Epcot's latest ride sensation.
"Wonderful!" Monica agreed. "If the line wasn't so damn long, I'd get
back on it again."
"To think, Lori was worried you'd be scared!" Maddy laughed.
"Your sister thinks I'm a baby! That was absolutely beautiful. It's
amazing how they can really make you feel as if you are hang-gliding over
California."
"I know, wasn't it cool when it looked like we were landing on the
aircraft carrier? That was my favorite part!"
"Yes, and I loved the beginning when you come out of the clouds
and see the Golden Gate Bridge and all that water! That was really
something!"
The two women boarded an escalator to bring them back up to the
second floor, and the exit to the Land building. They were planning to
head to Spaceship Earth next, where they'd board a slow-moving train
within the geo-sphere globe, which would transport them through a
historical journey of communication-from the dawn of civilization right
up through modern times and beyond. However, they looked up to find a
large crowd of soggy Disney vacationers, dressed in plastic ponchos and
hanging around just inside the main doors.
"Uh-oh, looks like it's coming down pretty hard," Maddy sighed. "We
should wait here for awhile."
As she and her mother observed the endless parade of strollers,
scooters and kids of all ages excitedly rushing in from the rain or walking
determinedly towards the attraction of their choice, Maddy was consumed
with thoughts of Ken. Had her letter safely reached him? Did he have a chance to
read it yet? How would he react? What if he wasn't really divorced, in spite of the
evidence to the contrary?"Madeline! Did you hear me? It stopped raining. I think we should
make a run for it, before the skies open up again!" Monica spoke with
urgency as she took her daughter by the arm.
It was only their first day and already her legs ached. Between running
up and down ramps to catch monorails, maneuvering around hordes of
people who wielded their baby transport systems as weapons, and
standing in incredibly long lines, it was enough to test the mettle of
someone half her age. It didn't help that a long, cold winter had prevented
her from regularly walking the trail at Ridley Creek State Park.
Maddy shook her head in agreement as the two women dashed
outside, taking care to avoid the endless, messy puddles as they hurried
towards their next Epcot adventure.