Lucky Ticket by Ed Lindsey (good book club books TXT) 📕

on the phone. Ted was more worried about Mary, than the airplane ticket that was stolen and was asking her if she was ok, and if the snatcher harmed her in anyway. Grace overheard the conversation and could not help to say to Ted. “That poor girl”., “Is she all right”? Ted was very understanding man, and told Mary not to worry, that he would be on the phone again, and call J.F.K airport to get another one, and he told her to get some rest, that 9:00 in the morning came early. He did not hang up until Mary assured him that she was ok, and safe and that someone was there with her. After Ted hung the phone back on the receiver, Grace had a few questions of her own. She wanted to know if Mary was all right, and saying to Ted that Mary is such a wonderful woman , and it is hard to believe that anyone would do this to her, Ted and Grace asked Mary over for supper about 3 times,and she became just like a daughter to Grace, a daughter that Grace could never have. Grace had 3 boys and wished for a girl, but it was not to be,the last boy she had, almost killed her, and her doctor told her she could not have another child! And now that Mary walked into Grace's life, Grace quickly took to liking Mary. And on occasion Grace and Mary went out shopping together, and Mary was always great with her boys, who were now 8, 10, and 12. Grace could not have anymore children of her own, and she so wanted a girl Mary found out, and it must be hard on Grace being home with a room full of men, and not being able to go out, and buy pretty things for a girl, or teaching your girl how to cook. Ted could now see this in Grace’s eyes, and knew what she was thinking, as he wrapped his arms around his wife, and told her everything would be all right, you will see, as he whispered into Grace's ear. We have 3 great boys, and a mother, and a very loving wife, that none of us could ever do without. He told her Mary was fine, and she could see for herself in a couple days, when they would fly to California for the conference. Maybe the reason Grace loved Mary so much, was because Mary had told Grace, that she lost her own mother, at the age of 6, and Mary and Bobby were then raised by her father, her father worked hard, and saw that Bobby and Mary never lacked the need for anything. Her father watched them both grow, and never remarried, and he passed away last year. And the nearest thing now to a relative, that they both have now, is an aunt in Colorado, and she is not in the best of health herself Grace learned. Grace also knows that Mary is very bright woman, and is a very hard worker, and that Mary could outwork any man, any day, of the week. Ted now let go of his wife, and told her that he was going to make some phone calls,and he would be in the den. And gave her a quick peck on her cheek and left.


Chapter Nine

Ted was now on the phone to one of the ticket agents of TWA, and he could not believe what his ear was hearing.
The agent had informed him that their computers went down about an hour ago. That some hacker got into their system, and the computers and files were all wiped clean by an unknown virus. Their computer specialists, are working on the system she told him, as they were speaking. She was sorry that Mary lost her ticket, and that now a new manifest of all passengers with tickets for the flight to California was being drawn up by hand, because the computers at this time are useless. They hope to have the computers fixed by tomorrow. She told him that tickets for the 9:00 flight, were almost gone anyway. And the only ticket she had left was for an aisle seat, in row 23, first class. He told her that he would take that one, and he would be right down to pay for it, and pick it up. Ted finally arrived at the airport at 10:15 and it was in complete bedlam, what with all the security walking about, and now the computers being down, and people rushing everywhere as far as the eye could see. He found the ticket agent, Barb her name was, and she was quite young, and very nervous with all the commotion happening around her. She again apologized to him for the inconvenience, as she sold him the ticket. With ticket finally in hand, Ted drove to Mary’s apartment, and knocked on the door, and Bobby answered it,and let Ted in. Bobby was still up, being a true journalist he was watching the late news on television. Mary, he said was busy trying to get some sleep before the morning’s flight,as Ted handed Bobby the only ticket left for 9:00, and said to Bobby goodnight, and left.


Chapter 10

Mary awoke refreshed from not having any dreams about her assailant. She could smell bacon, and eggs being fried, and knew Bobby was up and making breakfast. She looked at her alarm clock which awoke her, to see what time it was, and her still sleepy eyes tried to focus on the little hands. She finally made it out to be 7:15 a.m., and went to her bathroom for a shower, even though the smell of breakfast in the air was killing her. Her luggage was already packed and lying on a chair beside her bed. Her new dress and shoes were now safely inside a dress keeper that is hanging on the closet door. Her empty purse from last night was now filled with lipstick and a make-up kit, and a small package of facial tissues, a pen, notepad, and proof of identity, in case she was stopped for an airport security check. She also found her old wallet that she thought she threw out, and she put the money from her dresser drawer in that, until she could trade it at the bank for traveler’s checks. She was now all dressed from her shower, in a black pants suit, with a light green blouse, and black jacket over that. Bobby yelled that breakfast was ready as she walked out to the kitchen famished. Small talk and banter, from sister to brother, and brother to sister in America always is a morning’s tradition, and in this case theirs was no exceptions. Bobby finally remembered that Ted dropped by while miss gig a byte was on down time. He handed Mary her airplane ticket, and told her that he had the morning off to see that she got off safely. It was now 7:45 and they both had to hurry to make sure they made it on time to the airport. Bobby had already called a taxi service by phone earlier, and the taxi should be waiting outside the apartment, at this very minute. He peered outside from the living room window, and he could see that the yellow cab was outside waiting engine running, and probably the meter ticking away. They got everything of Mary’s that she would need inside the cab finally, with Bobby asking her, again, and again on how long she was going to be gone for ?And him standing over the bags, and shaking his head at her saying, "Unbelievable"! They stopped at the bank, and she traded the cash in for traveler’s checks, and she kept out just 200.00 dollars in cash just in case. And now they are on their way to the airport, and the time is 8:20 a.m.


Chapter 11


Mary and Bobby arrived at J.F.K. airport at 8:45 and the place was in complete chaos, what with all the security checks on baggage and passengers alike, and that now, Mary was finding out, that there was a computer outage, caused by a hacker and some kind of virus he planted. How ironic that she was going to a conference to sell her software to stop this very thing from happening. The Tracker, not only tracks the hacker but it immediately kills all viruses that the hacker leaves. This could never have happened if her software was in place at this moment. The 9:00 flight was now waiting for boarding as Bobby dropped the last of her luggage on the conveyor to be x-rayed, and now it was Mary’s turn to be scanned, by an armed guard for any metal that was on her. He gave her a hug, and wished her well as she went through the gate, and watched her as she handed her ticket to the stewardess, he watched as the stewardess checked off her name on the manifest, before going through the weather canopy, and entering the plane. Bobby stuck around, and went up stairs to one of the observation rooms, where families, and friends could see planes arrive and take off. He did not have to wait long, as TWA flight 17 to California taxied on the runway to take off. He could hear the engines whine as the pilot throttled the engines up for take off. The tower gave the all clear to the pilot, and he saw the big plane speed down the runway, and lifted off the ground, with his only family on board. He did not know why, but a single tear glistened and fell like a lonely rain drop from Bobby’s face. He also did not know why, but a feeling of loneliness’ set in, as he watched the plane climb, and slice through the heavy freezing downpour of rain on that November morning. His jaw now set, ,and his shoulder’s slumped, and he looked like a man, who just lost his best friend, Bobby turned and walked down the stairs to a waiting cab. Wanting his sister back!


Chapter Twelve

Mary was taken to her aisle seat, 23, in first class, by the cheerful stewardess who welcomed her onboard. People were being welcomed and seated everywhere in first class and as Mary was seated she could not see if anyone was seated in her old seat 26,by the window as of yet. Mary knew that the seat should be unoccupied during the whole flight, being that she had the only ticket for that seat, and if anyone was sitting there now, he or she bought it from a thief. Mary was watching as the plane was filling up, and the seat was still open. A stewardess was now helping this sweet looking old lady, who had a slight limp in her left leg, to her seat. And sure enough the sweet old lady