Page 226

Bed Of Leaves
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Chapter 16 - Page 226 - Flying To America

   Shanha woke up and saw what Rhasha was doing. "Mama," she said indignantly, "you didn't wait for me."

   Rhasha hugged Shanha and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. You were asleep and I didn't want to wake you."

   Determined not to be left out, Shanha gripped Jim's hand with both of hers and kissed him on the forehead. "Good morning, sunshine," she said, "you have beautiful eyes." Then she released Jim's hand and picked up one of Rhasha's hands. "Good morning, sunshine," she said, "you have beautiful eyes, too."

   Rhasha started to say something to Shanha, but Jim spoke first. "You're both crazy, but you both have beautiful eyes." He winked and smiled at both of them.

   Rhasha and Shanha each put a finger to her cheek and twisted the finger one way, then the other. They giggled and hugged each other. Jim gathered both of them into his arms for a hug and told them how much he loved them.

   The aircraft hit a series of air pockets, bumping along like a car hitting a pot hole. The turbulence was so rough it woke up Simbatu, who held onto his armrests with both hands and looked around fearfully, not knowing what was going on. Rhasha, Shanha and Jackie held onto their seats too.

   "Everything's okay," Jim said, "we just hit some turbulence."

   "But Jim," Rhasha exclaimed, "it feels like the wings are going to break off."

   "I promise you, sweetheart, it's normal. Planes hit air pockets all the time."

   Rhasha and Shanha's faces had paled-they looked like they had seen a ghost. Jim would have laughed, but he knew how scared they were, and kept a straight face.

   Mario slowed the plane as they flew through the turbulence, then brought it back to five hundred and fifty miles per hour a few minutes later.

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