fanny pack snapped around her waist. It must be a tiny present.
Once they hit the highway, Maggie dozed off, giving Liz plenty of time to think about her birthday party tonight. Rachel had texted that she’d left the invite message on Ryan’s voice mail and hadn’t heard back. Liz didn’t know which would be worse—if Ryan showed up or if he didn’t. If he showed up, she’d have to deal with the awkward we-kissed-and-I-kicked-you-out scene. If he didn’t show, she’d feel like a total loser on her birthday. It was a classic lose/lose scenario.
The big three-oh promised to be just as horrible as Liz had imagined.
She woke Maggie two hours later after she took the Laurel Mountain exit.
“Where to now?” Liz asked. “Should we just drive around?”
“Oh, no, I have a destination in mind,” Maggie said. “Just stay on this road and follow the signs for Adventure Zipline Tours.”
Liz’s stomach dropped. “Maggie, are we—”
“Happy birthday, Liz!”
Liz drove in stunned silence.
“What’s the matter, dear?” Maggie inquired. “You look a little pale. Don’t worry. I saw the video on their website. This is going to be a blast. We’re going to fly like a bird through the forest. Talk about a change of scenery!”
“Talk about…” Liz repeated numbly.
Maggie pointed frantically. “Ooh, you almost missed the sign, turn here. Right! Right!”
Liz jerked the wheel right and considered a U-turn.
“They’ve never had an accident.” Maggie patted Liz’s arm in a gesture of comfort. “I wouldn’t give you a birthday gift that would kill you. What fun would that be?”
Liz stifled a groan. When a sweet seventy-two-year-old woman was braver than you were, something was definitely wrong. Either with her or with Maggie, she wasn’t sure which.
But even worse than that, Ryan thought she was so the opposite of wild that she should be a calming influence on his grandmother. Maybe Liz needed a little bit of wild in her life.
Maybe Maggie was the one who had life all figured out and Liz’s safety-first attitude was wrong.
Liz surprised even herself when she said quite firmly, “Okay, I’ll do it.”
~ ~ ~
“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!” someone screamed in a high pitch that startled all the birds from the trees. Wait, was that her? Liz clung to the handles of her zipline with a death grip as she hurtled across the forest canopy, praying she landed on her feet when she hit that platform. Dear God, she was going to knock right into their tour guide, Will. “Lo-oo-oo-ok out!” she hollered as the platform raced up to meet her.
“Yay, Liz!” Maggie shouted. “Me next!”
Liz landed on her feet on the platform, where thankfully Will had stepped out of range. Will’s assistant, a baby-faced Lorenzo—seemingly unaware of the great height they were at—nimbly moved forward to release her from the zipline. He guided her to where Will and the rest of the group stood at the other end of the platform.
She placed a hand on her pounding heart. She couldn’t believe people paid good money to go through such terror! Will gestured as he pointed out the red spruce and paper birch trees found at this altitude of the mountain range. She made the mistake of looking down, got dizzy, and bent at the waist, putting her head between her knees. Breathe, breathe. You’re wearing a harness and a helmet . Ha! she thought somewhat deliriously. Like a helmet would do any good when she was four hundred feet above the ground. Why did she think this would prove she could be wild? More like terrified.
“Woo-ooo-ooo-hoo!” Maggie hollered.
Omigod . Liz straightened and turned to see Maggie hurtling through the forest, hands up in the air. Like a crazed witch without her broomstick.
“Don’t let go of the handles!” Liz shrieked. “Hang on!” Her hand flew to her mouth as she willed Maggie to hang on. She was almost there, the platform only a few feet away.
“Look, Ma, no hands!” Maggie cackled gleefully. She
Once they hit the highway, Maggie dozed off, giving Liz plenty of time to think about her birthday party tonight. Rachel had texted that she’d left the invite message on Ryan’s voice mail and hadn’t heard back. Liz didn’t know which would be worse—if Ryan showed up or if he didn’t. If he showed up, she’d have to deal with the awkward we-kissed-and-I-kicked-you-out scene. If he didn’t show, she’d feel like a total loser on her birthday. It was a classic lose/lose scenario.
The big three-oh promised to be just as horrible as Liz had imagined.
She woke Maggie two hours later after she took the Laurel Mountain exit.
“Where to now?” Liz asked. “Should we just drive around?”
“Oh, no, I have a destination in mind,” Maggie said. “Just stay on this road and follow the signs for Adventure Zipline Tours.”
Liz’s stomach dropped. “Maggie, are we—”
“Happy birthday, Liz!”
Liz drove in stunned silence.
“What’s the matter, dear?” Maggie inquired. “You look a little pale. Don’t worry. I saw the video on their website. This is going to be a blast. We’re going to fly like a bird through the forest. Talk about a change of scenery!”
“Talk about…” Liz repeated numbly.
Maggie pointed frantically. “Ooh, you almost missed the sign, turn here. Right! Right!”
Liz jerked the wheel right and considered a U-turn.
“They’ve never had an accident.” Maggie patted Liz’s arm in a gesture of comfort. “I wouldn’t give you a birthday gift that would kill you. What fun would that be?”
Liz stifled a groan. When a sweet seventy-two-year-old woman was braver than you were, something was definitely wrong. Either with her or with Maggie, she wasn’t sure which.
But even worse than that, Ryan thought she was so the opposite of wild that she should be a calming influence on his grandmother. Maybe Liz needed a little bit of wild in her life.
Maybe Maggie was the one who had life all figured out and Liz’s safety-first attitude was wrong.
Liz surprised even herself when she said quite firmly, “Okay, I’ll do it.”
~ ~ ~
“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!” someone screamed in a high pitch that startled all the birds from the trees. Wait, was that her? Liz clung to the handles of her zipline with a death grip as she hurtled across the forest canopy, praying she landed on her feet when she hit that platform. Dear God, she was going to knock right into their tour guide, Will. “Lo-oo-oo-ok out!” she hollered as the platform raced up to meet her.
“Yay, Liz!” Maggie shouted. “Me next!”
Liz landed on her feet on the platform, where thankfully Will had stepped out of range. Will’s assistant, a baby-faced Lorenzo—seemingly unaware of the great height they were at—nimbly moved forward to release her from the zipline. He guided her to where Will and the rest of the group stood at the other end of the platform.
She placed a hand on her pounding heart. She couldn’t believe people paid good money to go through such terror! Will gestured as he pointed out the red spruce and paper birch trees found at this altitude of the mountain range. She made the mistake of looking down, got dizzy, and bent at the waist, putting her head between her knees. Breathe, breathe. You’re wearing a harness and a helmet . Ha! she thought somewhat deliriously. Like a helmet would do any good when she was four hundred feet above the ground. Why did she think this would prove she could be wild? More like terrified.
“Woo-ooo-ooo-hoo!” Maggie hollered.
Omigod . Liz straightened and turned to see Maggie hurtling through the forest, hands up in the air. Like a crazed witch without her broomstick.
“Don’t let go of the handles!” Liz shrieked. “Hang on!” Her hand flew to her mouth as she willed Maggie to hang on. She was almost there, the platform only a few feet away.
“Look, Ma, no hands!” Maggie cackled gleefully. She
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