Off Season (13 page)

“I'm so glad you two came,” Ned said.

“Us too. It was a real experience,” I replied.

“Almost too much of an experience,” Kia added.

“You know the strangest part?” Ned asked.

“I can think of dozens of things that happened that could be the strangest part. Which one are you referring to?” I questioned.

“I was scared that you two would be really bored when you came to visit.”

Both Kia and I broke into laughter and Ned gave a big smile.

“A little more boredom would have suited me just fine,” Kia said.

“Maybe you can arrange for things to be more boring next summer,” I suggested.

“Next summer?”

“Yeah. Kia and I were talking about how it would be good to come back next year … that is if we're invited.”

“Of course you're invited!” Ned exclaimed. “They can come back, right, Mom, right, Dad?”

“No question,” Debbie said.

“No problem,” Dan added. “We'd love to have you back, and this time you should come for longer, as long as you want, maybe even the whole summer!”

“Thanks,” I said.

“Kia, Nick?”

I turned around. It was the flight attendant.

“I'm afraid it's time to go. You'll have to say your last good-byes.”

Kia gave Debbie and then Ned and Dan a great big hug. I hugged Debbie and then shook hands with Dan.

“Thanks,” Ned said as we finally shook hands.

“Thank you for inviting us.”

“I wasn't thanking you for coming,” he said. “I was thanking you for everything else.”

“Thanking me? You're the one who saved the day. I don't even want to think what would have happened if you weren't there.”

“It wasn't me,” Ned said. “It was us, all of us. We make a good team, don't we?”

“Not a good team … a great team.”

Ned wrapped his arms around me and gave me a great big hug. I hugged him back.

“See you next summer, cousin.”

“Next summer.”

Kia and I walked off with the flight attendant. We turned around and waved just before we ducked through a corridor leading to the plane.

“Are you two still nervous about having a pilot named Crash?” the flight attendant asked as we neared the door to the plane.

“I was never nervous,” Kia replied.

“And you?” she asked me.

I shook my head. “Not anymore. I just have one question.”

“What's that?”

“Does this Crash guy ever fly water bombers?”