“I love you too, Jack. I’ll have a scotch waiting for you.”
“I hope that’s not all you have waiting for me”, he said with a quick wink.
“Ugh - gross. Old people love” said Piper, making gagging noises.
Bella woke up early the morning of the launch. She moved quietly through the sleeping house and took her coffee out onto the deck and listened to the sound of the waves crashing along the beach, looking up at the stars still faintly visible in the pre-dawn sky.Jack will be up there later,she thought to herself. She finished her coffee, went back inside for another cup, showered and got the girls moving. NASA would be sending a car for them in a few hours, as they needed to be there and in the stands by 7am.
Arriving at Kennedy Space Center, they were escorted to the designated area for the families. Bella watched as Jack, Mike, Elena, and Margie left Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building, where they could wave at them, separated again by a barrier, and then escorted via vans to the launchpad, surrounded by their ground crew. Waving and smiling as they walked - confident and calm, every one of them.
Bella and the girls were then taken to the viewing area, and she was pleased to see the others were already there. Jerome was there — he'd somehow finagled an invite from Margie because of course he had. Carrie — always the most composed person in any room — looked nervous for the first time Bella could remember. Bella gave her a quick hug, before she met up with the rest of the family. Looking up at the large screens set up. She glanced over at NASA’s iconic, historic countdown clock, watching the numbers tick by. Jack had told her the closer they got to lift off the numbers would go faster, speeding up in the last 10 minutes, with automatic sequences starting 15 seconds before liftoff. She checked her purse for the earplugs she’d brought- Jack had said the sound of the rocket taking off would be extremely loud - so she’d brought them for herself and the girls.What is it with me and men with loud jobs?
After final checks and a game of cards - NASA has a longstanding tradition among flight crews before they leave the crew quarters to board the rocket. They play until the commander - in this case Jack - loses, the idea being he burns off all his bad luck. The astronauts entered theAuroraspacecraft, accompanied by the closeout crew, who would strap the astronauts into their seats, connect their suits to the spacecraft’s systems, and close the hatch. Bella watched all of this on the big screens in silence. Several hours passed, and the air grew heavy with anticipation, with less than 15 minutes left before liftoff.
“Bella!” She turned. “Big G!”
Bella saw Dr Phil Campbell walking over to them, the ever-present Mr. Jones and Mr Smith following closely behind.
One day I've GOT to ask Jack just what those two do.
“Phil, it’s a great day to go to space!” said Big G, greeting his friend.
“Bella, how are you doing?” Phil asked.
“I’m nervous but excited at the same time” she replied.
“Yes, yes, I understand. Try not to worry, Bella” he said, moving to greet the other guests there.
“Ms. Genovese,” Bella heard a deep, gruff voice say to her. It was Mr. Jones.
“It speaks,” whispered Jerome.
“Stop it” - she said.
“We wanted to say thank you for all the products you gave us. Our wives loved them.”
“I’m glad to hear that Mr. Jones. Does this mean my mind is safe from being wiped by the silver thingie in your suit pocket?”
Mr. Smith patted his jacket. “For today, Ms. Genovese, for today.”
And with that they fell back into formation behind Phil, dark suits, Ray-Bans, and all. Bella and Jerome looked at each other and burst into laughter.
The moment had arrived. The clock was ticking faster, and faster, and Bella felt the rumbling of the rockets in her chest, as they started to fire up, preparing to take the Diana IV crew into space. David, Debbie, and Jason stood behind her, with Big G and Mary next to them, along with Angela and Madeline. Bella was flanked on either side by Sloane and Piper. The clock flashed out 5-4-3-2-1and then it blasted into the sky, smoke billowing everywhere, with the rocket moving at what seemed to be an impossibly slow speed, as it cleared the tower. As the rocket went higher and higher into the sky, Sloane took one hand, while Piper took the other. She gave them both a gentle, reassuring squeeze.
Hey God. You’ve blessed me with so much in life, I feel guilty being greedy and asking for one more thing. But if you can watch over this ship and her crew, see they complete their mission and make it home safely, I’d really appreciate that. You see, it’s carrying our hearts with it.
Chapter 28
They stood watching until Aurora was no longer visible, then were escorted inside to a private secure room within mission control, where they watched the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) jettison approximately four hours after launch, sending Aurora and her crew toward the moon. Finally, Bella gathered the girls, and they were driven back to the beach house, where the rest of the family, along with Carrie and Madison, were joining them. Dinner was jovial yet somber at the same time. They would be leaving the next morning - back to Houston, where they would stay until Jack came home, while Angela and Madeline were each going back to their schools, for final exams before the end of the semester. Both sets of parents, along with Jason, would also be going home, with the plan to come to Houston a few days after splashdown.
Bella stood on the deck, watching the sunset.He’s well and truly on his way, she thought.
“You holding up okay, Bella?” Jason, Jack’s brother asked, coming out on the deck to join her.
“I’m okay Jason, thank you for asking. How are Sloane and Piper doing, really?” Bella replied, turning to look at him.
“They are fine, scared, and anxious like you, but proud of their dad. You’re doing a fantastic job of keeping us all together.”
“It doesn’t feel that way but thank you for saying that.”
