Chapter 54

They spent a few hours browsing through the gift shops. Some were really cheesy and touristy, with the type of T-shirt Jack had kidded about—and which he bought for his kids—as well as mermaids apparently cuddling thermometers or with clocks in their stomachs, and mechanical alligators that said, “Send more tourists, the last bunch were delicious,” which he also bought for them. But others had nice stuff, and he bought things there as well, an Arabian mare carved from driftwood for Becca, a baseball player for Tad.

In a gift shop called Aquatica, Tom found a pair of stuffed penguins for Becca. They came with an egg that would attach to the feet of either one with Velcro, and when it was turned inside out, a fuzzy baby penguin was revealed.

“Becca is gonna love that!”

“You think?” Tom stood there studying it while he gnawed his lower lip. “You don’t think it’s too childish, do you?”

“I don’t, but it’s penguins. Becca would love it anyway.”