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“True enough.” Norma Rose clapped her hands together. “We could build an outdoor dance floor and light fireworks at the end of the competition. Josie already has that all set up.”
“And we could hang Chinese lanterns from wires,” Twyla suggested, growing excited. This was exactly what she wanted, to plan and participate in fun and fascinating parties. “Josie’s already ordered several dozen of those.”
“Let’s go outside,” Norma Rose said. “Figure out where we want the dance floor so the groundskeepers can start building it.”
They deduced the large area from the balcony to the water fountain would serve perfectly. After the fountain, the hill started sloping toward the lake, but gradually enough that a few tables could still be set up around the floor. They were standing next to the fountain, and Norma Rose was talking about whether lights could be installed in the fountain when a familiar buzz sounded.
Twyla’s heart started thumping before she looked skyward, and increased when she recognized the tiny yellow plane in the distance. It looked smaller than a bird from where she stood. She knew Forrest couldn’t see her, but she clearly remembered what it was like. Flying. Looking down on the earth below. Once again she was reminded of Norma Rose’s snow globe and the miniature waterfall it held. “I bet Niagara Falls is going to be beautiful in person.”
“Ty promises it will be,” Norma Rose said. “You enjoyed flying with Forrest, didn’t you?”
The trees now obscured her view, but she could still faintly hear the buzz of the plane and imagined Forrest gliding toward the ground near his hangar. “It was amazing,” Twyla admitted.
“Ty hasn’t learned anything new,” Norma Rose said. “About Galen.”
Chagrin balled in Twyla’s stomach. She’d forgotten all that Forrest had going on in his life. All he’d always had going on. “You’re sure Ty would tell you if he did?”
“I’m sure,” Norma Rose answered.
Forrest may not love her, but he was her friend. Always had been. “I, uh—” Digging deep, she tried to come up with an excuse to leave. If she hurried, she could catch him at his hangar. “I need to put gas in my car,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d get a chance to today, with Josie being gone, but since you’re here, would you mind if I drove up to Scooter’s station?”
“Ask one of the men to put gas in for you,” Norma Rose said.
“I normally would,” Twyla admitted. “But this way I can ask Scooter about the fireworks and if he knows if we can have lights put in the fountain.”
“Call him.”
“You know he’s always too busy to talk on the phone.” Twyla curled her toes, excitement zipping up and down her insides at the prospect of seeing Forrest, if just for a minute.
Shaking her head, Norma Rose said, “Fine, go, but don’t be gone long.”
“I won’t be,” Twyla assured, turning around. Over her shoulder, she added, “I’ll call Wayne as soon as I get back.”
She took a shortcut through the ballroom and out the front door, as close to sprinting as one could get without actually running. Walter, the main groundskeeper, was at the garage where the family cars were kept.
“Going somewhere?” he asked.
“Just up to Scooter’s station,” she said. Walter most likely knew her car had a full tank of gas. “I have to talk to him about our Fourth of July party.”
“Does Norma Rose know you’re leaving?”
With their father in Chicago, his men were extra cautious of any and all comings and goings. Furthermore, old habits died hard; Walter had stopped her from leaving when she hadn’t had permission more than once over the years. “Yes, she does,” Twyla said. Every minute wasted put Forrest that much closer to his hangar. “I won’t be gone long.”
Walter’s look was skeptical, but he moved to open the large swinging door. Twyla scurried to her car and started the engine, ready to back out when Walter swung open the second door.
She considered taking the back road, as it was faster than the main one, but Walter was sure to question that, so she turned and made her way through the parking lot, driving so slowly her teeth clenched. As soon as she was out of sight, she gunned the car and tightened her hold on the steering wheel when the back of her coupe fishtailed.
She fought the wheel, and eventually won the battle of keeping the car on the road. Slowing a bit, she maneuvered the rest of the curves without any trouble and bounced over the railroad tracks a short while later.
Forrest had been angry with her yesterday morning, and might be again, but so be it. He needed help in assuring his father remained behind bars, and that’s what friends did. They helped each other. She could live with the fact he’d never planned on telling her he was leaving, but she couldn’t live with the thought of Galen hurting him again.
