Living Without Dreams

Chapter 29 - The Trip

“Can you get that?” Susan asked Greg when the phone rang while she was checking for packed lunches, homework, and other school day necessities and gave the children last minute instructions for while they were away, all while getting them out the door.

Greg nodded and disappeared up into their office where it was relatively quiet. The phone stopped ringing abruptly, and Susan turned her attention more fully back to the children. Greg returned just in time to add his goodbyes to Susan’s as Zackary and Jessie hurried out the door, anxious to be at the bus stop before the school bus arrived.

“That was the delivery dispatch for the furniture store,” Greg told her as they closed the front door. “We are first on their list. They should be here shortly after eight.”

Susan glanced at the clock they kept on the mantel in the front room.

“That’s less than thirty minutes from now,” she said looking pleased. “We should be able to leave by nine at the latest!”

“I thought you’d be pleased,” Greg told her. “What time is your meeting tomorrow?”

“Not until four-thirty. I didn’t think we’d be able to leave here until eight tomorrow morning,” Susan reminded him. “It’s usually an eight hour drive if you go directly up I-5 without any stops.”

“Since we have essentially an extra full day in which to accomplish the drive, have you an idea on how you would like to spend the extra time?” Greg asked.

“What would you think of going up the coast?” Susan suggested. “Take US-101 from here to San Luis Obispo, then take the Coast Highway 1 north from there? It’s so beautiful along that route, but I know the highway is really winding and slow. Do you think we could get there in time if we went that way?”

“It’s been years since I’ve been through that area. I think that is an excellent idea,” Greg told her. “And, I believe there are multiple connector roads that could take us back to the main highway, in the event we find it is taking us too much time.”

“We’d probably have to find some place along the way to spend the night,” Susan cautioned. “And we don’t have reservations anywhere.”

“I’m sure we can find accommodations somewhere, Susan. The Lord will provide,” Greg assured her.

Susan nodded. “I wonder if we have any maps of that region that show all the roads. I did pick some up from the Automobile Club, but I don’t know what’s on them.”

They went up to their office to consult the maps they had, and barely decided on the route they would follow when the doorbell rang, announcing someone was at the front door. Susan gathered up the maps to take with them while Greg went to answer the door and to direct the delivery men round to the back.

“The furniture is here?” Susan asked in confirmation as she came down the stairs.

“It is. We will finally have furniture instead of boxes for night stands and proper chests to put our clothes in,” Greg said smiling at the pleasure evident on Susan’s face.

The delivery of the whole suite of their bedroom furniture took some time as the pieces were carefully brought in, unpacked and set into place. Susan even had time to unpack one of the boxes into the tallboy chest of drawers while the delivery men attached their new headboard to their bed and the mirror to the larger of the two chests, while Greg put the others in their closet, to be unpacked upon their return. Susan was just taking the emptied box downstairs when the two men carried out the last of their packing materials and presented the invoice for Greg to sign.

“Did we get everything?” Susan checked.

“We did,” Greg confirmed.

He signed the document and the delivery men left. Susan grinned as they went out the door.