Chapter 45

Adele lowers her arms and goes over by the window. She leans in and gently blows her breath against the frigid pane of glass; causing it to fog up. Then she starts doodling upon the canvas of condensation. "Then…what kind of wishes do they grant?" "I don't know…stuff like…maybe arranging for you to meet a famous person that you've always wanted to meet, or…like sending you on a vacation somewhere that you'd like to go to." "Oh." Adele wonders aloud, "If that lady was here to grant you a wish…how come your mom made her go away?" She turns to Nadine. "Don't you want a wish granted?" "I don't know…I never really have thought about…sure; I suppose…maybe." All of a sudden, thoughts of everything she's going to miss out on start racing through her mind. Nadine looks at Adele happily scribbling away on the frosted window pane…becoming aware of how chilly the room feels…and scrunches down slightly into her bed, drawing her comforter up to snuggly wrap herself into; when a wish pops into her head. "Well…if I could have one wish now…I think I'd like to go to Hawaii." "Hawaii?" "Yeah." "Why?" Nadine scoots down further in bed and attempts to draw deeper into the comforter. "Because at least there it's nice and warm. It's so cold here." Adele immediately goes to Nadine, tucks her in tighter, and sits down beside her. "Is that better?" Nadine looks up to her and smiles. "Yeah…a lot better." Adele smiles back, while tenderly stroking Nadine's kerchief adorned head. Nadine continues… "Adele; I've always wanted to go to Hawaii…ever since I was a little girl and saw some brochures on it my mom brought home from work. They were having this contest where the realtor who sold the most houses that year would win a trip for them and their family to go to Hawaii. Those pictures were so beautiful…the clear blue sky and ocean…the white sand beaches…the exotic flowers…oh; and the waterfalls, Adele…" Nadine closes her eyes and begins visualizing the photos in the brochures. "I wanted her to win so badly; so we could've gone there." Adele replies, "It sounds really pretty…" but then warily points out, "but aren't there sharks in the ocean there? And volcanoes?" Nadine opens her eyes, looks up at Adele and takes hold of her hand. "Yeah…but I don't think the sharks bother the people too much out there. And the volcanoes are pretty much dormant." Adele exhibits a befuddled expression. Nadine explains… "They're not very active. There's very little chance that they'll erupt." "Oh." "Besides, Adele; you shouldn't let a few negative things about a place keep you from going somewhere that you'd like to go to. Isn't there anywhere you want to go?" Adele immediately responds, "No. I'm happy being at home with Grandma." "Yeah; I know you are. But isn't there anywhere else that you'd like to go?" "Well…I like coming here and being with you and your family." Nadine smiles and gently squeezes Adele's hand. "And we like it when you're here, too. But isn't there anywhere else that you'd like to visit…anyplace at all? Isn't there someplace that you've read about that caught your interest? I mean; come on, with all those books you've read, there must be someplace that you want to go to." "Nadine; those stories are make believe." "Yeah; but they happen in real places that exist." Adele looks bewildered. "Really?" "Really. The authors of those books used real locations for their stories to take place in. Didn't you know that?" Adele shakes her head. Nadine smiles and tells her… "Well, they did. So…now that you do know that…isn't there any place that you'd like to visit?" Adele thinks for a moment; then simply answers with earnest, childlike conviction, "Narnia." Nadine laughs as she takes Adele in her arms and endearingly embraces her. Adele hugs her back while asking… "What?"