Chapter 5: On To NYC!
(On the road again, Miranda driving)
"Well that was very fun. I'm glad we got to stop at that amusement park. It's not the best one I've been to, but I really enjoyed the rides," Miranda said.
"Too bad we couldn't get Lizzie on the Tower of Doom, you chicken!" Gordo teased.
"Yeah, let's take the girl who is terrified of heights up 300 feet in the air so we can watch her freak out, what friends you are!" Lizzie exclaimed.
"It was great. That free-fall feeling is so much fun. Even if you are afraid of heights, the whole thing is over so fast. When you get to the top, you sit for about 5 seconds, the next thing you know, you're on the ground!" Miranda said.
"At least you didn't miss out on the Mind Eraser. That was my favorite," Gordo said.
"That was the best roller coaster," Lizzie admitted," I like having your feet dangle like that. Being in the cars is, I don't know, scarier somehow. And that wooden coaster, talk about jerky, I think my ribs are bruised from that restraint and the fifty times I bounced off it."
"Yeah, I mean I love roller coasters, but that one was a bit too rough for my taste," Gordo said.
(Much closer to the east coast, Gordo driving, Lizzie riding shotgun)
"So what are we going to do now?" Miranda asked," we're getting pretty close to the eastern seaboard. It's almost time to start heading north."
"I don't know, but it's on to NYC no matter what!" Lizzie proclaimed.
"Yeah, on to NYC!" Miranda shouted.
"I'm not sure what there is on the way now. I'll have to look at the map when we stop for lunch. Let's just keep going east for now," Gordo said," I'm sure we'll eventually find somewhere for lunch."
"Well, I know that when we go through Pennsylvania, we should stop and see the Liberty Bell," Miranda said.
"Yeah, it's a big historical icon. We could see that, take pictures, so our parents believe we did spend more than 30 seconds on educational stuff," Lizzie agreed.
"Cool, I didn't think you girls would be interested in historical stuff like that. We could also stop in DC if we want. See the Lincoln Memorial and all that stuff," Gordo had a huge grin on his face.
"Oh now, Gordo's inner-nerd is coming out!" Miranda exlaimed.
"Hey! It's not my fault history is interesting," Gordo pouted.
"Put your nerd attitude away," Lizzie warned," this is supposed to be about having fun, remember?"
"You're right. I got carried away. Let's go to NYC. I know you guys are gonna be dying to go shopping," he rolled his eyes.
"You're just cruising for trouble aren't you?" Lizzie pretended like she was going to slap him," I suppose you'll go see some museum or something while we shop."
"Nah, I'll probably shop with you. The stores there at least will be new interesting, not like going to the same ones over and over in Hillridge," Gordo decided.
"Oh shoot. We should probably call our parents now too," Miranda piped up.
"Good point, it's been a while since we've called. I'm sure they'll freak out. My parents are probably dying for me to come home, it's been nearly two weeks now since we left. It's nice stopping and spending days in other places though," Lizzie pulled out her cellphone.
(Back in Hillridge)
"Oh, I'll get it," Matt shouted when the phone rang.
"No, it's probably Lizzie, let me answer," Jo McGuire shouted.
Matt answered anyway," Lizzie my man, how's your trip going?"
"It's been really fun. We've been to all sorts of places. I'm sure mom's dying to talk though, can I talk to you when she's through?" Lizzie asked.
"Sure," Matt replied. He liked his sister now, they were both older and got along much better. He handed the phone to his waiting mother.
"My baby!" she screamed," how are you?!"
"Whoa Mom, I'm not deaf," Lizzie said," I'm fine."
"How are Miranda and Gordo?" she inquired.
"They're fine too," Lizzie said," how are you?"
"I'm great. I miss you so much. Your dad's been busy painting lawn gnomes. I keep telling myself to get used to it though. You are going off to college sooner than I'd like and who knows where you'll go," Jo sighed.
"Oh I miss you too Mom, but I'm having the time of my life! It is so much fun, going to other states and seeing things I wouldn't see otherwise. We've been past actual farms. I've never seen an actual dairy farm before," Lizzie said," boy do they stink!"
Jo laughed," Sounds wonderful dear. I don't want to keep you too long though. I'm sure you want to talk to your father, that is if I can tear him away from his gnomes."
Lizzie could hear her mother searching for her Dad. Then she heard," Sam it's Lizzie."
"Hi Lizzie. Are you having lots of fun?" Sam asked his daughter.
"Yes. This is the best time I've ever had," Lizzie gushed," it's just so awesome to be free to go and stop whenever we want. I haven't thanked you enough times for talking Mom into letting us go. You are the best, Dad."
"Oh I remember what it was like to be young," Sam reminisced.
"We'll be sure to bring you a lawn gnome from somewhere," Lizzie promised.
"Really? That's great sweetheart," Sam smiled," I'll let you talk to Matt now, if you want."
Sam handed the phone to his son," Lizzie, it's me again."
"So how is your summer so far," Lizzie asked her brother.
"Ah, just the usual. You know, boring younger kid stuff. Lanny and Melina hang out a lot. We don't get into trouble like we used to though," Matt laughed, remembering his days of trouble-making.
"Sorry you couldn't come, but you understand, this is a friends thing," Lizzie explained.
"Oh yeah, I understand completely. Besides, now Mom and Dad will be more likely to let me do something like this when I get to be a senior," Matt said.
"Well, when we get back, I'll be sure and do something with you, so at least your summer won't be totally boring," Lizzie said.
"Cool, well, I'm gonna let you go. I'm sure you don't want to be on the phone all day," Matt said.
"Bye Matt!"
"Bye Lizzie!"
(In the car again)
"Whew," Lizzie breathed," my mom wasn't as bad as I thought. She finally seems to accept the idea that I won't live at home forever."
"Yeah, college is next year, you'll be moving out for a long time then," Gordo said.
"These several weeks away should be like a practice for her," Lizzie said.
"Well, I'm pulling off next exit so I can call my parents too," Gordo said," though I'm sure they won't have much to say, other than 'David, you are getting some educational experience right?'. I love them, but sometimes they can be so annoying."
Miranda, who had been on her phone, hung up," My parents weren't worried. They just said to be sure and call when we actually get to New York."
A/N: So sorry. I got so busy this year that I didn't have time to work on this story. Now I can write it, and it'll be like a retrospective on this school year for me. I think the next chapter will be the final one of their road trip. I'm tired of it, and I think they should get back to school. I apologize for this story being put on hiatus for so long. I really appreciate the reviews I received though, hope you're not too upset about it being left to sit for such a long time. At least now, I have plenty of ideas to work with. All reviews are appreciated greatly. Don't worry, it won't be another 7 months before I update again. I just needed to take a break from this story and it was May before I realized it!
(On the road again, Miranda driving)
"Well that was very fun. I'm glad we got to stop at that amusement park. It's not the best one I've been to, but I really enjoyed the rides," Miranda said.
"Too bad we couldn't get Lizzie on the Tower of Doom, you chicken!" Gordo teased.
"Yeah, let's take the girl who is terrified of heights up 300 feet in the air so we can watch her freak out, what friends you are!" Lizzie exclaimed.
"It was great. That free-fall feeling is so much fun. Even if you are afraid of heights, the whole thing is over so fast. When you get to the top, you sit for about 5 seconds, the next thing you know, you're on the ground!" Miranda said.
"At least you didn't miss out on the Mind Eraser. That was my favorite," Gordo said.
"That was the best roller coaster," Lizzie admitted," I like having your feet dangle like that. Being in the cars is, I don't know, scarier somehow. And that wooden coaster, talk about jerky, I think my ribs are bruised from that restraint and the fifty times I bounced off it."
"Yeah, I mean I love roller coasters, but that one was a bit too rough for my taste," Gordo said.
(Much closer to the east coast, Gordo driving, Lizzie riding shotgun)
"So what are we going to do now?" Miranda asked," we're getting pretty close to the eastern seaboard. It's almost time to start heading north."
"I don't know, but it's on to NYC no matter what!" Lizzie proclaimed.
"Yeah, on to NYC!" Miranda shouted.
"I'm not sure what there is on the way now. I'll have to look at the map when we stop for lunch. Let's just keep going east for now," Gordo said," I'm sure we'll eventually find somewhere for lunch."
"Well, I know that when we go through Pennsylvania, we should stop and see the Liberty Bell," Miranda said.
"Yeah, it's a big historical icon. We could see that, take pictures, so our parents believe we did spend more than 30 seconds on educational stuff," Lizzie agreed.
"Cool, I didn't think you girls would be interested in historical stuff like that. We could also stop in DC if we want. See the Lincoln Memorial and all that stuff," Gordo had a huge grin on his face.
"Oh now, Gordo's inner-nerd is coming out!" Miranda exlaimed.
"Hey! It's not my fault history is interesting," Gordo pouted.
"Put your nerd attitude away," Lizzie warned," this is supposed to be about having fun, remember?"
"You're right. I got carried away. Let's go to NYC. I know you guys are gonna be dying to go shopping," he rolled his eyes.
"You're just cruising for trouble aren't you?" Lizzie pretended like she was going to slap him," I suppose you'll go see some museum or something while we shop."
"Nah, I'll probably shop with you. The stores there at least will be new interesting, not like going to the same ones over and over in Hillridge," Gordo decided.
"Oh shoot. We should probably call our parents now too," Miranda piped up.
"Good point, it's been a while since we've called. I'm sure they'll freak out. My parents are probably dying for me to come home, it's been nearly two weeks now since we left. It's nice stopping and spending days in other places though," Lizzie pulled out her cellphone.
(Back in Hillridge)
"Oh, I'll get it," Matt shouted when the phone rang.
"No, it's probably Lizzie, let me answer," Jo McGuire shouted.
Matt answered anyway," Lizzie my man, how's your trip going?"
"It's been really fun. We've been to all sorts of places. I'm sure mom's dying to talk though, can I talk to you when she's through?" Lizzie asked.
"Sure," Matt replied. He liked his sister now, they were both older and got along much better. He handed the phone to his waiting mother.
"My baby!" she screamed," how are you?!"
"Whoa Mom, I'm not deaf," Lizzie said," I'm fine."
"How are Miranda and Gordo?" she inquired.
"They're fine too," Lizzie said," how are you?"
"I'm great. I miss you so much. Your dad's been busy painting lawn gnomes. I keep telling myself to get used to it though. You are going off to college sooner than I'd like and who knows where you'll go," Jo sighed.
"Oh I miss you too Mom, but I'm having the time of my life! It is so much fun, going to other states and seeing things I wouldn't see otherwise. We've been past actual farms. I've never seen an actual dairy farm before," Lizzie said," boy do they stink!"
Jo laughed," Sounds wonderful dear. I don't want to keep you too long though. I'm sure you want to talk to your father, that is if I can tear him away from his gnomes."
Lizzie could hear her mother searching for her Dad. Then she heard," Sam it's Lizzie."
"Hi Lizzie. Are you having lots of fun?" Sam asked his daughter.
"Yes. This is the best time I've ever had," Lizzie gushed," it's just so awesome to be free to go and stop whenever we want. I haven't thanked you enough times for talking Mom into letting us go. You are the best, Dad."
"Oh I remember what it was like to be young," Sam reminisced.
"We'll be sure to bring you a lawn gnome from somewhere," Lizzie promised.
"Really? That's great sweetheart," Sam smiled," I'll let you talk to Matt now, if you want."
Sam handed the phone to his son," Lizzie, it's me again."
"So how is your summer so far," Lizzie asked her brother.
"Ah, just the usual. You know, boring younger kid stuff. Lanny and Melina hang out a lot. We don't get into trouble like we used to though," Matt laughed, remembering his days of trouble-making.
"Sorry you couldn't come, but you understand, this is a friends thing," Lizzie explained.
"Oh yeah, I understand completely. Besides, now Mom and Dad will be more likely to let me do something like this when I get to be a senior," Matt said.
"Well, when we get back, I'll be sure and do something with you, so at least your summer won't be totally boring," Lizzie said.
"Cool, well, I'm gonna let you go. I'm sure you don't want to be on the phone all day," Matt said.
"Bye Matt!"
"Bye Lizzie!"
(In the car again)
"Whew," Lizzie breathed," my mom wasn't as bad as I thought. She finally seems to accept the idea that I won't live at home forever."
"Yeah, college is next year, you'll be moving out for a long time then," Gordo said.
"These several weeks away should be like a practice for her," Lizzie said.
"Well, I'm pulling off next exit so I can call my parents too," Gordo said," though I'm sure they won't have much to say, other than 'David, you are getting some educational experience right?'. I love them, but sometimes they can be so annoying."
Miranda, who had been on her phone, hung up," My parents weren't worried. They just said to be sure and call when we actually get to New York."
A/N: So sorry. I got so busy this year that I didn't have time to work on this story. Now I can write it, and it'll be like a retrospective on this school year for me. I think the next chapter will be the final one of their road trip. I'm tired of it, and I think they should get back to school. I apologize for this story being put on hiatus for so long. I really appreciate the reviews I received though, hope you're not too upset about it being left to sit for such a long time. At least now, I have plenty of ideas to work with. All reviews are appreciated greatly. Don't worry, it won't be another 7 months before I update again. I just needed to take a break from this story and it was May before I realized it!