Millie loaded the movie into the DVD player, and we pulled out of the parking lot.
We got to the park, and it was already packed full of people. Margie practically flew out of the car. She had been bouncing around in her booster seat almost the whole car ride. She just couldn’t contain her excitement, and it made me feel good that she was able to experience something like this.
“What do you want to do first?” Millie asked Margie after we walked into the kiddie land area of the theme park.
“I want to ride the roller coaster!” Margie yelled, excitedly. “But I’m scared; will you ride with me, Daddy?”
“Of course, lead the way,” I said and followed her to the line for the kid coaster.
It took fifteen minutes before we could get on the ride.
“We’re next,” I said to Margie as we watched the ride take off.
“I’m scared, Daddy,” she said.
“We don’t have to do this one. But I promise you, it will be more fun than it will be scary.”
“Okay, Daddy,” she said and smiled at me.
The ride came to a stop, and the riders unloaded. We were the first ones in line, so we got our choice of seats, and Margie led me to the front. For being scared, she sure was being brave to go right for the front.
The ride employee bucked us up and told us the rules.
I leaned over to Margie and grabbed her hand. “Are you ready, pumpkin?”
She squeezed my hand and nodded her head.
The ride started, and the look on her face was pure happiness. She yelled in excitement as we went over the two little hills. We went two more times around with Margie yelling, “I love this!”
When the ride came to a stop, and we were loaded off Margie ran right up to Anna.
“I loved that! I want to ride it again; will you ride with me?”
“Of course, sweetheart. Let’s go,” Anna said and let Margie drag her back into the line. This time, they were near the end, so they got the last seat, but I could see from where I stood with Tom and Millie, that she was still as delighted as ever.
We watched them go around.
“Hi!” Margie would yell as she went past us.
Millie snapped a few pictures of them together.
When the ride ended, Margie bounced over to us. “That was amazing!” she yelled.
“Do you want to go on the Ferris wheel?” I asked and pointed at the large wheel ride.
“That looks too scary,” Margie said.
“It’s not scary. It’s fun. I’m sure we can see the whole city from the top,” Anna said. I could tell she was trying her best to make Margie feel better about the ride.
“I don’t know. It seems scary,” Margie said again.
“You two go; we’ll take her to get some cotton candy,” Millie said.
Margie squealed in delight. Anna and I looked at each other. “You want to go?” I asked. Anna nodded her head.
I led Anna to the Ferris wheel. The line was longer than it had been for the kiddie coaster. It took thirty minutes to get onto the ride, but we passed the time talking and laughing. Anna’s voice was something I enjoyed and wished I could hear all the time.
“I love Ferris wheels,” she said when we were almost to the front of the line. “When I was little and my parents would take me to the carnival, it was the first ride I rode on. My favorite part was when riders would get on, and the ride would stop right when I was at the top. I loved being able to look out across the city.”