Christy Miller Collection, Vol 4

by Robin Jones Gunn

  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 apron 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.

  “Don’t they remind you of a nursery rhyme couple?” Todd asked Christy. “You know, that one about the Jack guy who couldn’t eat any fat and his wife who was totally into carbohydrates. Only these guys have it in reverse.”

  “Katie just doesn’t know what’s good for her,” Doug said. He lifted his bulging burger up to her mouth. “Come on. just one little bite. You can’t go organic the rest of your life.”

  Katie turned her head away and playfully said, “Get that thing away from me, Michael.”

  The instant she said “Michael,” everything stopped.

  “I mean, Doug,” Katie said sheepishly, her bottom lip beginning to quiver.

  “Hey, that’s okay,” Doug said calmly.

  Christy could tell that Katie was trying not to cry, but it seemed impossible for her to hold back the tears. Doug’s tender words were equivalent to the thumb of the little boy plugging the great sea wall in Holland. Perhaps Doug realized that, because he pulled his chair over next to Katie’s and putting his arms around her, he offered her his broad chest to cry on.

  “Go ahead,” Doug said, gently pulling Katie closer. “You can cry. It’s okay. Go ahead.”

  Christy thought Katie would pull away, but to her surprise. Katie fell into Doug’s embrace and began to cry. Actually, she began to wail like Christy had never heard anyone cry before. She glanced around, aware that they had an audience of all the tourists sitting close to them in this open-air patio. Dozens of people who thought they were spending their day at “The Happiest Place on Earth” seemed dying to know what was wrong with the wailing redhead.

  “Come here,” Doug said, tenderly helping Katie to her feet while her face was still smashed against his chest. “We need to step inside my office.”

  Then, making eye contact with Todd, he said, “Keep the birds out of my fries. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Christy and Todd, along with the rest of the lunching tourists, watched as Doug led Katie away from the crowd and under some trees over by the swan-filled moat that surrounded Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. He sat down with her on a bench away from the main path of vacationers. With his arms still around her, Doug let Katie cry. She wasn’t wailing anymore; at least Christy couldn’t hear her.

  Christy turned to Todd, aware that people were watching them. “I hope she’s okay. Do you think I should go over there?”

  “Probably not. She’s in good hands with Doug. He has the gift of mercy. That’s what she needs right now.”

  Just then, a small brown bird hopped up onto the back of Doug’s vacated chair and cocked his head, eyeing Doug’s French fries.

  “He wasn’t kidding about protecting his fries from the birds,” Christy said. “Come here, little guy. You leave Doug’s fries alone. I’ll share mine with you.”

  She broke off the end of one of her fries and tossed it on the ground near Katie’s chair. Immediately the eager bird was joined by his brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins, all pecking at the one scrap of French fry.

  Christy smiled and began to feed the whole flock. As she did. Todd prayed aloud, with his eyes open, and thanked God for the food and prayed for the Holy Spirit to comfort Katie. Then he added, “I know You care, Father. Your Word says You care about even the smallest bird that falls to the ground, and You provide for all Your living creatures. I know You care about what Katie is feeling. I know You will provide for her emotional needs. Thanks, Papa.”

  Over the years, Christy had become accustomed to Todd’s open way of talking with God. It felt natural and comfortable, even here, out in a patio restaurant in the middle of Disneyland. She felt God’s presence, and she felt hopeful that the worst might be over for Katie. She couldn’t explain why, but Christy felt strangely comforted and confident that her heavenly Father would always take care of Katie.

  Todd and Christy had both finished eating and were tossing their last fries to the birds when Doug and Katie returned. Katie looked red-faced but much more peaceful.

  “I’m sorry about that, you guys.” she said quietly as she slid back into her chair.

  “No need to apologize,” Todd said.

  “Did you keep the birds out of my fries?” Doug asked.

  “It wasn’t easy.” Christy said. “We had to lure them away with our fries. But it worked.”

  “Your food is probably cold by now,” Katie said sympathetically. “Let me buy you another lunch.”

  “Since when did a little cooling off stop me from eating anything?” Doug asked, chomping into his big burger. “This tastes fine to me,” he garbled through a mouthful of meat.

  Katie nibbled at her veggie burger.

  Todd asked. “Where to next? You guys think you can handle something a little tamer, like maybe the Jungle Cruise or the Pirates of the Caribbean?”

  Doug squinted one eye and in his best pirate accent said, “Methinks the bloke has Adventureland in his plans.”

  “We could split up,” Christy suggested. “I mean, if you guys don’t want to go in the tree house and all that.”

  “No, I like the tree house,” Katie said. “And we have to go to New Orleans Square.”

  “That’s right,” said Todd. “I want to get a mint julep and an apple fritter.”

  “More food?” Doug said. “Count me in!”

  It seemed as if nothing had happened. Katie appeared mellow. Apparently releasing the pent-up tears had helped. Doug seemed his happy self and quite unaware that he had single-handedly saved the day.

  They finished their lunch without incident, and then Doug turned to Katie and with genuine compassion asked. “If I bought you a Fantasia ice-cream cone, would you eat it? Or do you just want a bite of mine?” />
  “Maybe a bite of yours,” Katie said. “I haven’t had real ice cream in so long, it might make me sick.”

  “Wait here, then. I’ll be right back. Anyone else want one?”

  “I’m too full.” Christy said.

  “Sure, I’ll try anything.” Todd reached for the money in his pocket. “How much do you need?”

  “My treat.” Doug jogged over to the ice cream line. He returned a few minutes later with two huge scoops of what looked like a greenish Rocky Road ice cream.

  “You want the first bite?” Todd said, offering his cone to Christy.

  “What? Am I your guinea pig? If I gag on it, then you’ll know you should accidentally drop it for the birds to clean up?”

  “It does look a little weird, doesn’t it?” Todd agreed.

  “Trust me,” Doug said. “It’s great stuff. Gourmet. This is the only place you can get it.”

  “Since when did Doug become a gourmet? He’ll eat anything!” Katie said. “Here, let me try it.”

  Doug held out his cone, and Katie took a dainty bite. Christy and Todd watched.

  “That’s good,” she said. “Let me have another bite. I only got a little bit.”

  “I’ll be glad to get you your own cone, if you want.”

  “No, just a bite.” Katie took another nibble. “I’m not kidding, you guys. This is really good!”

  Todd and Christy leaned into Todd’s cone at the same time and almost bumped noses as they each took a bite. They both leaned back laughing, and at the same time said. “It is good!”

  “Told you guys,” Doug said. Looking at Katie, he asked, “Would you hold this for me for a second?”

  Katie took the cone, and Doug popped up and headed for the ice cream window. “Protect that cone from the birds for me, Katie. The only way to do it is to eat the whole thing and don’t let a single drop fall to the ground.”

  “Very tricky,” Katie said. “Forcing me back into an addiction to sugar. You should be ashamed of yourself, Doug!”

  “Don’t get one for me,” Christy called out. “I’ll share Todd’s.”

  “Oh, you will, huh?” Todd took a big chomp out of the side of the cone.

  “This is really good,” Katie said. “What are all these little chunks?”

  “Cherries,” said Todd, taking another bite. “And chocolate chips, I think.”

  “Wait.” Christy reached for her camera. “I have to get a picture of this for the yearbook. Nobody will believe I caught Katie eating ice cream during her senior year. Smile!”

  Katie held up the cone and willingly smiled for the camera.

  Just then Doug appeared with another cone in each hand.

  “I said don’t get one for me,” Christy said.

  “Who said this is for you?” Doug teased.

  “What, you think you’re going to eat both of those?” Katie asked.

  “No, one is for Todd since Christy demolished half of his.”

  “I did not!”

  Doug handed the cone to Todd, and Todd handed the half-eaten one to Christy. “Sounds good to me.” Todd took a man-sized bite out of the new cone.

  “Isn’t this great stuff?” Katie said. “I love it!” Katie eagerly licked around the bottom of her cone where it was beginning to drip. “This is so good, you guys!”

  Doug and Todd looked at each other as if to say, “It’s good, but not that good.”

  “You’ve been away from sugar for too long.” Christy teased. “Welcome back, Katie!”

  “You know what?” Katie said with a glimmer of joy returning to her green eyes. “It’s good to be back.”

  “So you really think you’d like to live like this?” Doug asked Todd as the four of them crowded into the very top of the Swiss Family Tree House and surveyed the fake jungle below them.

  “Oh yeah! Can’t you just hear the tropical birds and smell the fragrance of the rain-washed leaves on the banana trees?” Todd said.

  “Those are mechanical birds with little tape recorders inside their bellies,” Katie informed him. “And that’s not the scent of rain-washed banana trees. It’s the smell of mint julep on Doug’s breath. He had three, remember?”

  “They were small,” Doug said. “Besides, Katie, I didn’t see you having any trouble putting away your entire apple fritter.”

  “I know,” Katie said with a giggle. “Those were so good!”

  Christy was the only one who didn’t make fun of Todd’s dream to live in the jungle. She saw something wild and wonderful and terrible in his eyes. What was it? The call of God on a man’s life? It seemed to Christy that something deep inside was calling to Todd, and he would not rest until he had responded to this mission that for years had whispered to him deep in the night.

  “Your turn to pick the next ride, Todd. Jungle Cruise or Pirates?” Katie said.

  Todd was leaning over the railing of the tree house, staring at the clumps of scurrying people below. He didn’t seem to hear Katie’s question.

  Christy moved closer to him and put her arm around his shoulder, looking down at whatever it was he was staring at. She tried to imagine what he was thinking. Was he dreaming about jungle life? Sleeping in a hammock? Paddling in his canoe to a neighboring tribe, taking along only his Bible and a spear to catch a fish along the way?

  “You know what, Kilikina?”

  She loved it when Todd called her by her Hawaiian name. She leaned her head against his shoulder and listened with all her heart.

  “There are more lost people in the city than in the jungle today.”

  Christy pulled back. Where did that come from?

  “We’re going on down, maties,” Doug said in his pirate voice. “We’ll be waitin’ on ye at the line for the Pirates. Look for us on the starboard side.”

  “Let’s go.” Todd quickly shook himself from his daydream and took Christy by the hand.

  She wanted to ask him what he meant by his comment. Was Todd thinking that God was calling him to something other than being a missionary in the jungle? After all these years of knowing Todd, she still didn’t have him figured out.

  Will I ever?

  The Pirates of the Caribbean was fun. It reminded Christy of when they had gone on that ride last time and had eaten at the Blue Bayou Restaurant.

  When they went on the Jungle Cruise, she noticed that Katie and Doug seemed to be almost cuddled up together. At least they were sitting close. Well, everyone in the boat was, she had to admit. But Doug had his arm across the back of the seat, which made it convenient for Katie to lean up against him. Katie seemed in great spirits. Either she was over her mourning for Michael or she was on a sugar buzz. Or maybe both.

  Next they went exploring on Tom Sawyer Island. Katie seemed to have more fun than the other three put together. They ran across the wobbly bridge, hid in the rock caves, teetered on the balancing rock, and then went on the canoe ride around the island.

  Christy took her place in the canoe and held her paddle like an expert. “This is where all my experience from canoeing at summer camp last year is going to pay off,” she said.

  “But are you sure you can paddle fast without your buns being covered with red ant bites?” Katie said loud enough for everyone on the canoe to hear.

  “Doesn’t sound like the kind of summer camp I’d like to go to.” a large man in front of Christy said over his shoulder.

  Christy felt her face turning red and looked down, pretending to adjust her camera.

  “Is that getting heavy?” Todd asked. “I can carry it for a while if you want.”

  “Actually, I should be taking some pictures.” Christy took the camera from its case and snapped a couple of shots of Doug and Katie and then two of Todd.

  “Here.” Doug laid his paddle across his lap while everyone else paddled through the water. He reached for the camera. “Let me get one of you and Todd.”

  Christy leaned against Todd’s chest and turned halfway around to face Doug. Todd and Christy smiled. Christy already
imagined the kind of frame she was going to buy to put this picture in, a heart-shaped one with flowers around the border.

  After the canoe ride, the foursome seemed to be exploring at a slower pace. It was soon dusk, and Todd and Christy left Doug and Katie in the long line for Splash Mountain in order to go retrieve their sweatshirts. They made plans to meet in an hour in Bear Country. Todd and Christy walked hand in hand all the way to the lockers, gathered up the sweatshirts, and headed back down Main Street.

  Todd stopped in front of one of the stores. “I want to buy something for you.”

  “You don’t have to,” Christy said, surprised at Todd’s sudden pronouncement.

  “I want to. The last time we came here I bought all those things for you with your aunt’s money. Ever since then I’ve wished I had bought something for you with my own money. Something special, just from me to you.”

  As far as Christy could remember, this was the most tender Todd had ever been. With his arm around her, they browsed through the shop and examined shelves and bins loaded with Disney paraphernalia. Then Christy saw it. It was perfect.

  “I’d like this.” she reached for the porcelain heart-shaped frame. It was exactly what she had in mind. “I’m going to put the picture of us in the canoe in this. You know, the picture Doug just took.”

  “Cool,” Todd said. “See anything else you can’t live without?”

  “Yes,” Christy said with a sly grin creeping onto her face. “You.”

  Todd seemed surprised but honored. “You could live without me, Christy,” he answered.

  “But I wouldn’t want to,” she said softly.

  Before she knew what was happening, Todd took her face in both his hands, tilted it up, and kissed her. When he drew away, Christy caught her breath and noticed a single tear caught in the corner of his eye. Todd blinked quickly and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug.

  Into her hair he whispered, “Kilikina, if you only knew. If you only knew.”

  “Knew what?” Christy whispered back. She was aware that people in the crowded store were looking at them, but after Katie’s wailing at lunch, this seemed mild.