Loco Motive by Mary Daheim

Bill’s watch, even though he never remembers which way to move the hands. Mr. Science, he’s not.”
    â€œAnd you’re not exactly Mrs. Science,” Judith pointed out.
    â€œYeah, right. But I do know it’s ‘fall back’ and ‘spring forward.’”
    Judith nodded. “Go on.”
    â€œWhat I did sounds confusing.” Renie shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “Well, it is confusing. I reset everything last night before I went to bed so that we’d be on time for Mass. If Bill wakes up before sunrise, he doesn’t look at the digital clock on the armoire, but at his watch on the nightstand next to the bed. It glows in the dark.”
    â€œThe nightstand? The watch? Bill?”
    Renie made a face. “You’re not being your usual patient self. Now I’m even more muddled.” She frowned. “Where was I?”
    â€œWatching Bill glow in the dark?”
    Renie made a growling noise. “Stop it. When Bill got up this morning and went into the bathroom, I changed his watch, just in case he might check it later in the day, which he rarely does.”
    â€œWow,” Judith remarked drily. “The things I never knew about you and Bill. Cut to the chase before my head explodes,”
    â€œCammy’s dashboard clock was tricky,” Renie said. “I didn’t dare change it until Mass was over. Bill and Joe were chatting outside. I hurried to the car and moved the clock just as he was about to get in.”
    â€œCan you finish this story before we get to Idaho?” Judith asked wearily.
    Renie looked irked. “I’m almost done. After we got home, I realized the clocks should be set back two hours, but I couldn’t remember if I’d done that last night.” Frowning, she paused. “Let’s start over. I’m telling this all wrong.”
    â€œThat could describe it,” Judith murmured.
    â€œThe point was to make Bill think we were leaving when he said we would.” Renie fingered her chin, apparently sorting through her addlepated scheme. “I knew Bill wouldn’t agree to go later,” she finally said. “It’s not how he operates.”
    â€œRight. So what did you do with your clocks at the house?”
    â€œI…” Renie scowled. “I’m not sure. You know how confused I get with anything that has to do with numbers.”
    â€œOh, good Lord!” Judith leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. “Never mind. I wish I’d never asked.”
    â€œThat probably was a bad idea on your part,” Renie conceded.
    â€œDon’t be so grumpy about it. Whatever I did, it was for you. Frankly, it wasn’t worth the effort. Your family adventure sounds like a fiasco.”
    â€œIt was,” Judith admitted. “Mike and Kristin should’ve made sure we knew they were coming for Halloween. I couldn’t changemy plans, but I’d have warned them I had to leave this afternoon and spared myself a near nervous breakdown.”
    â€œSkip the regrets,” Renie advised. “It turned out for the best. You showed Kristin you’re not really spineless.”
    â€œWe’ll see,” Judith murmured, realizing that they were suddenly in the dark. “Have you got me so confused that I’m going blind?”
    â€œNo. We have to go through a tunnel under the downtown area before we take the northern route across the mountains.”
    Judith shook her head. “I think you’ve infected this train. Who knows where we’ll end up? Alaska? Peru? Jupiter?”
    Renie shrugged. “I’m not the engineer. Let’s get organized while we’re still going slow. What do you want from your carry-on?”
    â€œNothing now,” Judith replied. “Where’s the rest of my luggage?”
    â€œOur other stuff’s in the downstairs luggage rack,” Renie said.
    â€œI saw it when we boarded because ours was