Two from the Heart(53)

Willow looks at Bron. “Sometimes you just need to hit it over the head.”

Bron folds his hands together and gives her a half bow. “Namaste.” Wrong use of the word, but she gets the idea. Bron turns back to the kids.

“Flight Control, repeat the countdown.”

Gonzalo starts again, his heart pounding. “Ten… Nine…”

At eight, the crowd picks up the cadence and counts along.

At four, Gonzalo looks up at Bron.

Bron says, “Wait. Hold the countdown.”

Gonzalo looks up, puzzled. What now? Bron leans over and whispers, “I just need a minute.”

Bron pulls a Sharpie marker from his pocket and walks to the launch platform. He leans over and christens the rocket with a name, writing on the fuselage in clear block letters:

SUNNY-1



He turns to Gonzalo and calls out. “Flight Control… proceed!”

Gonzalo yells, “Three… Two… One! He presses the V key. “Ignition!”

Instantly, a stream of red-yellow flame shoots out of the base of the rocket, along with a belch of gray smoke. The slender cylinder seems to tremble on the platform and then, it doesn’t just lift off… it BLASTS off!

In one second it’s a hundred feet in the air, then two hundred. A stream of smoke marks the path into the sky until it disappears. The computer screen lights up with a tracking arc—a quick upward curve, then a smooth taper downward.

At exactly one minute and thirty seconds into the flight, the screen blinks the words: “Parachute Deployed.” A cheer goes up from the kids around the computer. From somewhere in the crowd, a rooster crows with gusto.

Two miles away in the dark desert, a red-and-gray rocket floats gently to the ground. In the morning, it will be retrieved by a bunch of deliriously happy kids. But for now, mission accomplished!

It actually happened! The flight team is thrilled. Bouncing. Hugging. Laughing. It all worked! The fuel. The flight. The tracking. Everything!

Gonzalo looks at Ellie, standing at the edge of the crowd. Ellie looks at Baynes, who stands next to her with his arms folded. Baynes looks over at Delgado—and nods.

Delgado knows what that nod means. It means a reprieve. Not forever. Not for long. But maybe, at least, for another year. Baynes is smart enough to know you don’t coldly close down a school this cool. Bad PR.

Gonzalo runs to Ellie, but her body language warns him that a hug is not appropriate. She’s doing her best to maintain her businesslike composure. After all, her boss is right there.

“Well done, young man,” says Baynes, extending his hand to Gonzalo. Gonzalo shakes it.

Ellie reaches out to shake Gonzalo’s hand, too. Instead, Gonzalo tugs her down by the arm until her face is almost level with his—then kisses her cheek with a loud smack. Ellie covers her face with her hand, hiding a very broad smile.

Alphonse Delgado, school principal and former astrophysics major, wipes something from his eye. Probably just a speck of sand.





Chapter 45


BRON PRESSES the OFF switch on the computer while Vern powers down the generator. When the thrum of the machine stops, all Bron can hear is the high-pitched hum of happy kids, along with rousing laughter and excited conversation from the grown-ups in three languages—English, Spanish, and Spanglish. And then, in the distance…

… the fly-like buzz of a different engine.

Below in the flats, a single headlight weaves through scrub brush and cactus, then disappears from sight, the engine sound muffled, as it climbs the road to the plateau.

Suddenly, a motorbike bounds into view at the edge of the crowd, fishtailing to a stop about ten feet from Bron.

The helmet is black. The rider pulls it off and hangs it on the handlebar.

Her hair is straighter now—like in the black-and-white photos. But the freckles are back.

Bron feels like the breath has been sucked right out of him. The night is cool, but he’s suddenly sweating. His mouth is dry and there’s a burn in the back of his throat.

Sunny walks toward him, then stops. The whole crowd is watching, but it’s like they’re not even there.

“I came to congratulate Gonzalo. I didn’t think you’d be here.”

“That makes two of us,” says Bron.

They stare at each other for a few very long seconds.

“I’m sorry,” says Sunny. “I’m sorry for everything. I was part of something that wasn’t real—and when it turned real for me, I ran.”

She takes a few steps closer. She’s now within arm’s reach.

“If you want me to leave for good, I will. I’ll get back on that bike and ride right out of here. It’s up to you.”

Bron is really bad at this stuff. He reaches for her, but only manages to place his hands stiffly on her shoulders, like some kind of dancing robot.

Sunny gives out one soft burst of that beautiful laugh. She pulls his hands down around her waist, where they belong. She steps right up close, wraps her arms around his neck, and kisses him. Soft. Deep. Real.

A few of the eighth-grade boys whistle. The whole town applauds.

Luke and Timo clap the loudest. Even though the Mazda is good to go, they’re not going anywhere. The town has kind of grown on them. Especially the bar. Which they just bought. Turns out, this acting stuff can pay pretty well.