Vacation Adventure

“Hurry up Max!” Elli shouted into the house.

“Coming!” Max shouted back in a strained voice. A minute later, he came through the door to the garage carrying their two heavy suitcases while still managing - just barely - to pull behind him a smaller carry-on bag.

“Geez, Max. You know there is such a thing as two trips.” She teased and popped the trunk for him. She was sitting in the front passenger seat looking up the directions to the airport while he took care of the heavy luggage and packing.

“I know I could take two trips,” he paused for dramatic effect, got into the driver’s seat, and continued, “but, I wanted to look strong.” He leaned in toward her and waggled his eyebrows with a grin that said I’m-being-silly.

“Looking like a couple of luggage bags are going to kill you while struggling to the car does not make you look strong.” she giggled before leaning over and kissing his cheek. “Start the car mister, or we’ll be cutting it close on time.”

He started the car and the newly weds were off on their way to the airport.

* * *

At the airport, Max once again grabbed the three suitcases from the trunk, but Elli grabbed the rolling carry-on insisting that she didn’t take it because Max looked like an idiot struggling haphazardly with the three suitcases and the small backpack they were taking, but because she wanted to feel useful.

The two made their way into the airport, both waddling slightly, Max from the two suitcases he swore must have bricks in them and Elli who’s baby bump kept growing larger. Ten minutes into the airport and they were rushing. The officer checking their bags must have thought they were transporting bricks too because as Elli and Max had waited, the officer unzipped, partially unpacked, and sifted through the contents of one of the two suitcases with the claim that “It was too dense too see through on the scanner.”

Now they were speedwalking through gate F to get to 14 which was, fortunately for Elli, close to a bathroom. As they were walking toward the tiny sign all the way at the other end of the gate, the announcer announced “Direct flight D2542 from San Antonio to Tokyo would be boarding in five minutes.” Just enough time for the bathroom she thought and handed off her bags with Max before hurrying there immediately.

* * *

Their seat toward the front of the plane paid off during the five or so times Elli got up to go pee in their fourteen hours on the plane. The plane touched down in Tokyo, and before long, the two were off of the plane, and Max was yet again struggling under the brick ladden suitcases he carried. He would have been rolling them, but one had a broken wheel and the other a broken handle which made them hard to transport.

A cab was called and they were taken to their hotel room, a pretty, modern room with a kitchen on one side and a king sized bed on the other with a bathroom through a glass door. Max set down the suitcases in a corner with a chair and a lamp while Elli sat down on the bed. They simultaneously sighed, then giggled at their shared relief in being freed momentarily from their weights. Tired from their long day of travel, ordered food from the hotel, and got ready for bed.

* * *

The next day was full of site-seeing and food tasting, but they soon realized was not the right place for their vacation as the doctor had told Elli to stay away from sushi and any other raw fish. This made their food selections smaller, and they ended up eating a lot more noodles and soups. Their favorite stop was the beautiful gardens surrounding Tokyo Imperial Palace.

* * *

A week went by quickly and their final day in Tokyo was only one day away.

On the nineth day in Tokyo, Elli's water broke before they were even out the door to begin their site-seeing for the day. The twins' due date wasn't for another three weeks! They didn't know where to go for a hospital and didn't know how to ask for help from the front help desk without a translator, who at the moment was nowhere to be found. Google Translator was their guide for the time being and they were directed to a nearby hospital by the crazed-looking front desk man who looked like he might be close to fainting.

A tall, white, windowed, building stood before them when they got out of the cab. Looking up, they saw a great many stories and began their walk inside. The lady at the front directed them to the right wing and were eventually brought to a pale blue room with a navy blue couch and white hospital bed. Early next morning, Jack and Josie were born into the noise of the city and the quiet of the pale blue room. Both of the babies were healthy which made the two new parents very happy.