Bitsy woke up the next morning, tears having welled up in her eyes. She had no idea why she would've been crying in her sleep or what she would've been crying over, but she soon decided that it didn't matter. She was just going to focus on the upcoming trip back home. After fully coming to, she looked up to see Lionel standing over her.
"You awake now, Bitsy?" Lionel asked her.
"I-I think so," Bitsy replied, still somewhat groggy. "Why? What's going on?"
"We're supposed to be going home today, remember?"
"Oh yeah..." Bitsy tilted her head at him. "When are we supposed to leave?"
"Right after breakfast. C'mon, get up. Breakfast is supposed to be ready in ten minutes."
Bitsy sat up and stretched. She then watched as Lionel left the room, quickly got out of bed, and started to get ready. She couldn't wait to be back home. She couldn't wait to put the new hotel staff to work. She was getting excited just thinking about it. As she got ready, Bitsy couldn't help but think of all the new possibilities that awaited her back home. She was confident that her new ideas would revolutionize the hotel industry. She was ready to go home and start her plan. As soon as she finished getting dressed, she joined him, Helen, Ike, the rest of the hotel staff, George, and Marlene in the dining room.
For breakfast, Marlene served up scrambled eggs, hash browns, and plain waffles. Everyone sat down and started to eat. Bitsy was extra excited this morning and couldn't wait to get started. She was so worked up with excitement that she managed to eat everything on her plate.
"Wow!" George exclaimed. "You must have been really hungry, Bitsy!"
Bitsy chuckled awkwardly. "I guess I was."
"I'm glad to see you liked the food," Marlene interjected. "Would you like some dessert?"
"That depends…" Bitsy just stared at Marlene. "What kind of dessert?"
"Well..." Marlene proceeded to smile. "I made something special just for all of you. Would you like to try it?"
Bitsy nodded her head. Marlene handed out the desserts, and everyone happily enjoyed their treats. Bitsy was especially thankful for Marlene's thoughtfulness. Hard as it was to believe it, it was somewhat nice to get a reprieve from all the crazy things that had been going on over the last several days. Indeed, Bitsy was starting to get tired of trying to wrap her head around family secrets. She just wanted some semblance of normalcy, and Marlene's act of kindness was a welcomed distraction. Bitsy felt grateful for having Marlene in her life, and she decided to keep the dessert as a special reminder of her thoughtfulness.
"Glad to see you like my baking," Marlene said. "I stayed up all night making them."
"Wow!" Lionel exclaimed. "You must have been exhausted. Thank you so much."
Marlene smiled. "It's my pleasure."
"Okay, so I think after this, it's time for me and the gang to take our flight back home."
Marlene's face lit up. "Oh, okay! Go ahead and go! You all have been wonderful guests here."
With that, the guests at the table quickly got up from the seats, gathered their luggage, and then quickly bolted out the door, hoping to catch the flight back home to New York. It hardly seemed real, but they would finally be going home.
Upon arriving at the Honolulu International Airport, Bitsy, Helen, Lionel, Ike, and the rest of the new hotel staff decided to make a beeline for some seats and sit down and wait until it was time to board the plane. All around them, it felt as if a whole civilization was bustling and thriving inside the building. As overwhelming as it was, though, they couldn't wait to get back home and start anew. After all, the Brandenham sorely needed a change.
"Anybody else feel antsy about all this?" Ike asked.
Lionel nodded. "We all are, Ike. This is going to be a huge change for all of us."
"I know, but I'm so excited. I don't doubt it'll be strange, but at the same time, this could be the start of something new."
"I couldn't agree more."
"Let's just hope that we make the right decisions. I really don't want to screw things up at our new workplace."
"Me neither, but we'll do our best."
The group waited for a while as flights came and went. It seemed to go on forever. As time seemed to drag on and on, they found ways to entertain themselves. It was the best they could've done in this situation. Eventually, they could hear the announcement for the final boarding call for their flight. They ran as fast as they could, dodging other passengers and pulling their suitcases behind them.
"Come on, come on!" Bitsy yelled. "Let's go! We gotta hurry!"
Do you know the way to San Jose?
I've been away so long
I may go wrong and lose my way
Do you know the way to San Jose?
I'm going back to find some peace of mind in San Jose
When they finally made it to the gate, they were out of breath and sweating. The flight attendants looked at them with a mix of annoyance and sympathy as they scanned their boarding passes and ushered them onto the plane.
"Hope you make it home!" one of the flight attendants called out to the group.
LA is a great big freeway
Put a hundred down and buy a car
In a week, maybe two, they'll make you a star
Weeks turn into years, how quick they pass
And all the stars that never were
Soon, the plane took off and the journey began. The passengers relaxed and took in the view of the passing landscape. As the group settled into their seats, they couldn't help but laugh at the frantic dash they'd made through the airport. It may have been a whirlwind trip, but they were glad they were now going to be heading back home.
Are parking cars and pumping gas
You can really breathe in San Jose
They've got a lot of space
There'll be a place where I can stay
I was born and raised in San Jose
As the plane took off and soared into the sky, they looked out the window and watched as the city below disappeared from view. They had enjoyed their time in this new place, but they knew better than anyone that there was no place like home.
I'm going back to find some peace of mind in San Jose
Fame and fortune is a magnet
It can pull you far away from home
With a dream in your heart you're never alone
Dreams turn into dust and blow away
And there you are without a friend
"Don't quote me on this, but I think 1985 will be our year," Ike confidently said.
Lionel nodded. "I think so too, Ike. I see a lot of new opportunities in our horizon."
"Yeah, especially in New York."
"Especially in New York."
You park your car and ride away
I've got lots of friends in San Jose
Do you know the way to San Jose?
Oh, LA is a great big freeway
Put a hundred down and buy a car
In a week, maybe two, they'll make you a star
Weeks turn into years, how quick they pass
And all the stars that never were
Are parking cars and pumping gas
You can really breathe in San Jose
Oh, do you know the way to San Jose?