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"Boston?" Teddy asked excitedly.
"Isn't that where PJ went by plane?" This time it was Gabe's turn to ask, getting excited for a completely different reason.
"Yes, the kind couple your father and I have been talking to are the ones who hosted PJ in Boston a few days ago, Dottie and Dr. Thomas," Mom explained excitedly.
"They wanted to meet all of us and invited us to spend two weeks in Boston," Bob added.
Ah, I remember Dottie had said she wanted to talk to my parents about it; I had completely forgotten.
"That's so awesome! I have to call Baja and Bianca; they're going to be so jealous," Teddy said, still excited, as she ran towards the house phone.
"I'm going to fly on a plane," Gabe murmured, completely lost in his thoughts, walking with his gifts hugged tightly.
"Are you happy?" Mom asked, smiling slightly as I was the last of her children present.
"Oh yeah, the Thomases are some of the kindest people I've met. I didn't expect to go back to Boston so soon," I replied, smiling happily.
"They're also excited to see you again; they couldn't stop praising you," Mom said proudly, pulling me into a tight hug.
A couple of hours later, the neighborhood kids, with their new toys received as gifts, came out to show them off to the other kids, as if it were a planned event.
Among all the kids, obviously, was Gabe, who, along with the younger Cooper kids and the Sparks, was in our front yard comparing toys, except for Sheldon, who had received books.
"Does your family do a talent show every year?" Cam, who was surely accompanying Georgie all day on the Coopers' orders, asked, surprised and a bit jealous.
"Yup, every year Dad does a magic show and Mom sings a Christmas song," I replied, amused by Georgie's discomfort with having his uncle with us.
His uncle was eager to fit into any interaction. With any other person, it would be quite easy to include them in the conversation; we would just need to continue talking about a common topic. But Cam was strangely desperate to be included, so much so that it was almost painful to watch.
It only took a few minutes for him to feel confident enough to change the topic of conversation to focus on himself.
"I wish my family, our family, had that kind of tradition," Cam said longingly, pointing at Georgie. "Instead, all we do is eat dinner as quickly as possible and go to bed to open presents early."
"I don't see anything wrong with that," Georgie said immediately, strangely offended.
"Yeah," Cam said, nodding slightly as he looked at his nephew. "You know," he continued, very excitedly remembering something, "I won the Cutest Baby contest at the Jasper County Fair in '74, which is kind of a talent show."
"What kind of talent did you have as a baby?" I asked amusedly, as Cam had once again found a way to steer the conversation towards himself.
"I was very cute," Cam explained proudly.
"Certainly a useful talent," I said, patting the robust boy's shoulder with amusement.
"Oh yeah, it is," Cam responded, laughing nervously.
After that, as usual when Cam was around, an awkward silence ensued.
"We should go do something," I said, tired of just sitting on the porch, standing up and lightly tapping Georgie's shoulder, causing him to stand up almost immediately. It seemed he couldn't stand being there any longer either. "I'll go get my keys."
"Hey, Dad, I'm going out with Georgie and his uncle. We might go for chocolate milkshakes or something," I said to Bob, who was watching TV in his usual spot in the living room, as I entered the house again.
Without even turning around, completely focused on his TV program and enjoying his vacation, Bob simply raised one of his thumbs.
When I went out again, I saw Cam heading back to the Cooper house on his own. "Hey, Cam! Where are you going?" I asked, catching Georgie's attention, who was distracted watching Gabe and Billy Spark playing with their toys.
"Oh, I thought—" Cam said awkwardly, stopping to point at us, then at himself, and finally at the Cooper house.
"Don't be silly. You're visiting; we have to give you a tour of the most interesting places in Medford," I said, glancing sideways at the disbelief on my friend's face next to me.
"Really?" Cam asked incredulously, clenching his fists and flexing his arms with excitement.
“Really?,” Georgie murmured next to me.
"Of course," I replied, discreetly nudging Georgie's side and smiling at the excited guy from Missouri.
"I'm going out, Kiddo. If you want to go to someone else's house, let Mom or Dad know first," I said, pushing Gabe's head lightly as I passed him, receiving a simple thumbs-up in response, just like with Bob.
"Let's go get Brock and Alan," Georgie said with a degree of pleading as we got to 'Debbie.'
"Obviously," I responded, moving the passenger seat so Cam could climb into the back of the car.
With Brock and Alan now in our group—David had left town to visit relatives—the interaction with Cam was initially somewhat awkward. But as time passed, Brock, who had basically just met Cam, got used to the other robust teenager, focusing mainly on teasing Georgie because we were hanging out with his uncle, who was only a couple of years older than him.
We gave a quick tour of the interesting areas of Medford—not many—before heading to the mall where many of the stores were closed due to the specific date. Fortunately, the store that sold happiness in cups remained open, allowing me to drink a chocolate milkshake.
Like that, the remaining days of the week went by, hanging out with our friends present in the city, with the addition of Cam, visiting many places to pass the time.
Before I knew it, it was Sunday, and we were all outside, loading our luggage into the trunk of Bob's horrible yellow van.
"Are you all sure you have everything you need? Not forgetting anything?" Mom asked worriedly, seemingly for the tenth time that day.
"We have everything," Gabe, Teddy, and I responded quickly in perfect unison, used to Mom's repetitive question.
"Last chance to use the bathroom," Bob said, finishing with the last suitcase and closing the trunk. "I won't stop on the way until we get to the airport," he warned, seeing no one say anything.
Inside the car, once everyone was in their seats, Mom turned around from the passenger seat.
"Alright, let's do a headcount," Mom said excitedly. "PJ," she called out seriously.
"Here," I responded, straightening my back and playing along.
"Teddy," Mom continued, nodding to me.
"Here," Teddy responded, imitating me and straightening her back as well.
"Gabe," Mom said, nodding seriously to Teddy.
"Yeah," Gabe responded, completely focused on his little video game, without lifting his head.
"Okay," Mom said, disappointed that she couldn't continue the game. "Bob, baby, and Amy," she said, pointing to Bob, then to her belly, and finally to herself.
"Ready?" Bob asked, adjusting his rearview mirror and receiving nods in response. "Let's go," he continued, starting the car and reversing out of the yard.
"Bob, I need to go to the bathroom," Mom said, embarrassed, immediately after the car was out of our yard, putting her hand on Bob's arm.
Closing his eyes for a moment and sighing loudly, Bob drove the car back into the yard, letting Mom quickly get out of the car.
"Me too," Teddy and Gabe said in unison, getting out behind Mom a second after she was out of the car.
"Thanks, champ," Bob said, turning in his seat and looking me seriously in the eyes.
"No problem, Dad," I assured, smiling at him.
The trip to the airport went without any problems. Listening to music and each of us distracted in our own world, the journey felt much quicker than last time.
While helping Bob unload the luggage from the trunk, I remembered the last time I went to Boston. "Where are we staying, by the way?" I asked, knowing the Thomases' house only had the guest room available, which wouldn't be enough for my whole family.
"Ah, Dr. Thomas is a friend of a hotel owner. Apparently, he owed him a couple of favors, so he gave us a two-week stay," Bob explained calmly.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
"Okay," I said, lowering the last suitcase from the trunk. It wasn't surprising that Dr. Thomas knew a hotel owner, but knowing his background, I doubted the hotel would be as trivial as Bob made it sound.
"I'll go park the car. I'll be right back," Bob said, getting back into his horrible van.
"Hurry up, Dad. I want to get on the plane already," Gabe said anxiously, struggling to carry his own suitcase.
"There are still a couple of hours before we board the plane, kiddo," I said, taking the suitcase from my brother's hands and ruffling his hair.
Without Bob, the rest of the family entered the airport. Teddy and Mom took seats on one of the benches, waiting for Bob, while Gabe and I visited some of the shops inside, especially Gabe, who was excited to see everything about the 'airplane waiting area.'
With Bob back, we quickly passed through security checks. The only thing left was to wait for our flight to be ready for boarding.
Everyone had their own things to keep them entertained. Gabe, Mom, and Bob each had a different form of reading material, from insect magazines to romance novels and comic books.
Teddy carried a disposable camera, taking pictures of everything she found interesting, including a photo of all of us taken by a kind stranger.
Out of pure habit and self-discipline, I began to observe the people I could see in the airport.
People returning from places with more tropical climates, judging by the tan lines on their faces. Some arriving from colder climates, given the extra clothing they carried. I could also immediately distinguish those traveling for leisure or work, those traveling alone, the drunk ones, and those who had obviously taken medication to avoid getting air sick.
Watching the people around me, studying their behaviors, and making diagnoses that couldn't go beyond a theory based on visible symptoms, time flew by. Before I knew it, our flight was being called for boarding.
"Is it time?" Gabe asked excitedly, leaving aside some snacks and another comic book he had bought, adding them to the small pile he was carrying.
"Yeah, don't forget your hand luggage," Mom said, equally excited, as she stood up, forgetting her own hand luggage as she walked towards the check-in desk.
Bob, carrying his own hand luggage and Mom's, as well as all the tickets, followed his wife and son, who had practically run to the boarding line.
"Enjoy your flight," the woman checking the tickets said kindly, especially smiling at Gabe, who was still excited about getting on a plane.
"Wow, look at this, it's like a bus that flies," Gabe said, walking down the airplane aisle, touching the seats as he passed by, impressed.
"This is us. Go to the window, kiddo," I said, pushing Gabe when we reached our seats, taking his hand luggage from him to stow it, along with mine, in the overhead compartment.
Mom and Teddy were also together. The only one sitting alone was Bob.
"PJ, something's wrong," Gabe said suddenly, worried, from his seat.
"What's wrong?" I asked, surprised, looking for any malfunction in his seat.
"The window won't open. How am I going to touch the clouds now?" Gabe asked, pressing his hand against the airplane window.
"Oh buddy, I'm sorry, but it seems that on this plane the windows can't be opened," I said, ruffling my brother's hair.
"Oh," Gabe said, looking sad for a second, making me feel bad for keeping the joke going. "My seat reclines," he said immediately afterward, forgetting about the window thing and reclining his seat as much as possible. Fortunately, there was no one in the seat behind him.
"Be careful with that, kiddo. If someone sits there, you'll have to give them space for their legs," I said, sitting in my own seat and showing him what I meant.
"Oh, ok," said Gabe, adjusting his seat and nodding while looking out the window at the runways with great interest.
Several minutes later, the boarding finished, and the plane began to move for takeoff.
"Don't worry, takeoff doesn't take long," I said calmly, seeing how Gabe was starting to tense up in his seat, putting my hand on his head.
"I'm not scared," said Gabe, squeezing the armrests of his seat tightly with his eyes closed.
"Well, I am," I murmured, ruffling my brother's hair once more.
"Really?" Gabe asked, surprised, finally opening his eyes.
"Of course I'm scared. After all, I'm not the one controlling the plane," I assured the boy, "but I also know that whoever is flying this plane spent a lot of time learning how to do it."
"But you don't look scared," Gabe said, puzzled, momentarily forgetting his fear of the plane's movement.
"That's because when I'm scared, I just think of something that makes me feel brave," I told the little boy, watching as he absorbed my words. "Look, we're already up in the air," I pointed out the window behind him before he could continue asking questions. We were already flying.
"Oh, look at that, the cars look so small," Gabe exclaimed excitedly, pointing out the window, thrilled by the new experience.
As before, the flight went without any issues. Four and a half hours after taking off from the airport in Texas, we arrived at the snowy runway of Logan International Airport.
All my family members, bundled up for the cold of the East Coast, grabbed our luggage from the conveyor belt before walking towards the airport exit.
Bob had mentioned something about getting a taxi service, but as soon as we reached the hotel reception, I could see the elderly couple who had welcomed me the last time.
"PJ!" Dottie exclaimed joyfully, hitting Dr. Thomas on the arm to get his attention as she spotted me.
"Oh, you must be Amy and Bob," said Dr. Thomas kindly, approaching us as we moved towards them.
"Ah, Don, move aside," Dottie said, pushing her husband slightly and pulling Mom into a hug. "I'm so glad to finally meet you. Welcome to Boston," she continued, hugging Bob as well. "You must be Gabe, as handsome as your brother," she said, walking up to Gabe and tenderly cupping his cheeks. "And you must be the beautiful Teddy. I hope you liked the clothes your brother brought home. I helped choose many of those outfits," she said, pinching Teddy's cheek.
"Yes, thank you very much," Teddy responded, smiling slightly, a bit uncomfortable with the woman's hands on her face.
"Oh, nonsense, come here," said the elderly woman, pulling my sister into a hug and laughing.
"PJ, I read the article. Congratulations, I'm sure it will be the first of many," Dr. Thomas said, smiling brightly after chatting with Mom and Bob for a while. "I even showed it to Josef. He's as excited as I am for you to come study."
Amused that it took only a few words for Dr. Thomas to push the idea of studying at Harvard, I shook the man's hand. "Thanks, Doctor, it was a surprise for me."
"Nonsense," Dottie said, finishing greeting my family and pulling me into a hug, pushing her husband aside again. "It was to be expected. If it hadn't happened now, it would have been soon."
"Dottie is right," Dr. Thomas said.
"I always am," Dottie said arrogantly before Dr. Thomas could continue.
"Yeah, you do," Dr. Thomas agreed, smiling affectionately. "It was only a matter of time before someone in a newspaper noticed you. Wherever you go, you leave people amazed. Every time we go to his restaurant, Alessandro asks about you first."
"So it's obvious there will be many more articles," Dottie affirmed sweetly, placing her hand on my cheek.
After the greetings, the Thomases led us out of the airport. Dottie, chatting happily with my sister, who quickly lost her discomfort, and Dr. Thomas, chatting cheerfully with Mom and Bob about the advantages of studying medicine at Harvard, according to what I could overhear.
"They're very excited to meet us," Gabe murmured to me, struggling with his luggage.
"Yes, the Thomases are some of the kindest people I know, Gabe. You'll like them," I assured my brother. "Besides, they have a butler. Do you know what his name is?" I asked, seeing Gabe's eyes widen in disbelief.
"No," Gabe replied, surprised, but I could sense the longing in his voice.
"Yes, they have a butler named Alfred," I said, amused by my brother's reaction.
"I'm going to love it here," Gabe said, walking faster.
Finally, outside the airport, the Thomases led us to the parking lot where a seemingly brand-new SUV was waiting.
"We bought this SUV a few days ago. I need to get used to it," Dr. Thomas said a bit embarrassed as he searched for how to open the trunk.
For some reason, I felt like they had bought the SUV just for our visit.
When the trunk finally opened, Bob and I carefully arranged the luggage, making sure not to damage the expensive-looking finishes of the new SUV.
"We'll take you to your hotel, let you settle in, and then we'll go to dinner. PJ knows where, but the hotel reception will know how to call a taxi for you," Dr. Thomas said calmly.
"Thank you so much for helping with the accommodation," Bob thanked the couple once again.
"No need to thank us, Bob. I told you, Wilfred is a friend of mine, and he owed me a couple of favors. This is nothing," Dr. Thomas assured.
"Anyway, at this time of year, it would be impossible to find accommodation on such short notice. I hope it's not an inconvenience for your friend," Bob continued.
Amused, Dr. Thomas snorted. "Don't worry, Wilfred couldn't care less. He was happy to offer me a couple of rooms," Dr. Thomas said casually.
The drive to the hotel took a few more minutes. As we drove through the streets of Boston, we saw dozens of luxurious-looking buildings. A moment later, Dr. Thomas began to slow down in front of one of those buildings.
It wasn't just any hotel.
"Dr. Thomas," Bob said nervously, looking out the window, equally surprised. "This doesn't look like a 'normal' hotel."
Laughing again, Dr. Thomas waved his hand dismissively at Bob's concern. "Don't worry about that."
Suddenly, the car door was opened by a hotel worker. "Welcome to the Tipton Hotel," the man said kindly with a strong foreign accent, helping Mom out of the SUV.
My siblings, parents, and I looked at the obviously expensive structure in front of us. A huge red carpet was under our feet while another small fleet of workers helped unload the luggage from Dr. Thomas's trunk. "Please come in; it's very cold outside," the same man with the foreign accent said, pointing to the hotel door.
Following the amused Thomases, we climbed the steps of the hotel's façade, ready to enter behind the elderly couple. Gabe, excited by the hotel's appearance, was the first to approach the door. Before my brother could get close enough, a pair of blond children came running from the side, accidentally bumping into Gabe.
"Ow, sorry," one of the two children, who were surprisingly twins, said, embarrassed.
"It's okay," Gabe assured, opening the door and quickly entering the hotel. Apparently, his excitement to see the building's interior was greater than the pain.
"Wow," the other child, who hadn't apologized, said, surprised to see Teddy. "Hello," he added, stretching the word pretentiously.
"Oh, hi," Teddy, who was taking pictures of the building's exterior and surroundings, responded with a small smile, making the boy smile even more.
Yeah, no. "Hi," I said, stepping in front of Teddy, frowning slightly at the boy.
"Hi," the boy replied nervously, stepping back along with his brother, who also retreated. A second later, they quickly entered the hotel.
"Good job," Bob murmured as he passed me, opening the hotel door and still looking around with concern.
Inside, the hotel was no less luxurious than the exterior. With art on all the walls, a beautiful chandelier hanging in the middle of the lobby, and decorations fitting the season, it looked like a place where a Christmas movie would be filmed.
"You must be the Duncans," a black man, impeccably dressed in his uniform, approached us with a broad smile. "My name is Marion Moseby. I'm the manager of the Tipton Hotel in Boston. Welcome," Mr. Moseby said, opening his arms slightly while maintaining his friendly smile.
"Mr. Moseby, we're back," the same kids we encountered at the door ran up to greet him as soon as he finished his introduction and speech, causing him to lose his smile immediately.
"Zack, Cody, good to see you again," Mr. Moseby greeted the children with a much more forced smile, obviously not happy.
"PJ," Gabe said, coming to my side and pulling my arm, dragging me away.
"What's up, gremlin?" I asked.
"Can I have a chocolate?" Gabe asked, leading me to a small shop inside the hotel lobby and pointing to one of the candies in the store.
"Yeah, sure," I assured my brother. "Hi," I called out to the cashier, who was surprisingly reading a school book during the holidays.
"Yeah?" the girl said, setting her book aside and forcing a smile, seemingly a bit annoyed at being interrupted. "Hi,"
she added energetically, suddenly enthusiastic upon seeing me and Gabe.
"Hi," I repeated, amused. "Can I get three chocolate bars?" I asked, pointing to the candy on her counter and smiling at the nervous girl.
"You can have whatever you want," the girl said dreamily, smiling.
"Sorry?" I asked, incredulous at the girl's lack of shame. Maybe it was an East Coast thing.
"I mean, is that all you need?" she quickly corrected herself, embarrassed.
"Yes, thanks," I replied, amused by her behavior. "I'm PJ, by the way. I'll be staying with my family for a couple of weeks," I said, introducing myself after paying for the chocolates and offering my hand for a handshake.
"Maddie," she said, taking my hand nervously and smiling.
"Nice to meet you, Maddie," I said, smiling. Maddie, still smiling broadly after a few seconds, didn't let go of my hand. "I need my hand," I gently reminded her.
"Oh, sorry," she said, immediately letting go of my hand, embarrassed.
She was funny. "See you," I said, walking away with Gabe, who was happily eating his chocolate.
"Thanks," my brother said, holding his chocolate. "Were you flirting with her?" he asked suddenly and shamelessly.
"Eat your chocolate," I said, pushing his head playfully as we rejoined our family.
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Author Thoughts:
As always, I'm not American, not a doctor, and not a fighter.
Yeah.
With that said,
I think that's all. As always, if you find any errors, please let me know, and I'll correct them immediately.
Thank you for reading! :D
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