For you, Lucy. (On Hold)

Chapter 9. Skydiving.

"Wake up, kid!" said Robbie cheerfully and the girl stretched out on the back seat, stirred.
"What's up?" asked Janis, her voice slow and drowsy.
"Honestly, we're going to be!" Robbie replied and she sat up immediately.
"We're here?!"
"Yep."
The excited girl leapt out of the car and began prancing around. Robbie followed at a more age appropriate pace but with an equally overjoyed heart. He got her to calm down and they headed to the building across the enormous ground. Walking in, they walked over to the help desk. There was no one in sight and it gave the place a deserted, lonely feel.
"Hello?" Janis called out to no avail.
Robbie knocked on the desk.
Once.
Twice.
Thrice.
Janis turned to face him, disappointed.
"C'mon kid." he said and they turned to get out and find life.
"Oh my God! I am SO sorry!!" cried a voice behind them and they turned back immediately to face a young woman, around twenty with big eyes hidden behind glasses.
"I..I'm new here. I just got this job and I'm still not used to this place!" she gushed and looked at them apologetically.
"Oh. That's alright. I talked to a.." Robbie glanced at his had where he had scribbled a name, "...Miss Rydell."
"Oh, of course! Are you Mr. Robbie Albert?" asked the girl and her big eyes seemed to grow wider.
Robbie nodded.
"For the..uh..skydiving adventure?"
Robbie nodded again.
"Oh! Please have a seat and I'll be back with Ms. Rydell." she said pointing to a sofa set in the corner of the big room before disappearing back to where she came from.

Robbie and Janis sat in an expectant silence before they heard the sound of footsteps and looked up to see the bespectacled girl return with a taller, leaner woman with a muscular body and mousy brown hair.

"Mr. Albert!" she said and Robbie recognised her to be the first person he talked to about the skydiving.
"Ms. Rydell." Robbie said in acknowledgement and shook her outstretched hand.
"Are you ready for your skydiving adventure?" she asked smiling and Janis nodded way too enthusiastically.
The Rydell woman laughed.
"We just need to get some paperwork done and then we'll get you to the training room." she said and Robbie nodded.
They walked over to the reception desk and the bespectacled girl; Viona, her name was; took out a file from one of the drawers and handed it to Robbie.
He read through it lightly. It was the usual, 'We will not be held responsible for any problems related to health..blah blah blah.'
He took his pen(God forbid he write with any other) out of his pocket and scribbled his name at the end of the document.
"And when shall I be paying for her?" he asked gesturing towards Janis.
"Oh, now will be fine. Would you like to pay by cash or cheque?"
"Cheque will be fine."
He signed his second paper in a minute. Viona took the papers and Ms. Rydell; or Jackie, as she said she preferred to be called; led them through the large swinging doors at the further end of room.
The room they entered was even bigger than the first and was carpeted with nylon. There were several hooks and ropes and pulleys and...skateboards? around.
In the middle stood a man in his late twenties or early thirties who bore a striking resemblance to Jackie.
"This is Josh, my younger brother. We run this place together," she said gesturing to the man.
"Josh, this is Mr. Robbie Albert and his granddaughter, Janis." she continued and Robbie glanced at Janis, who seemed as surprised at Jackie's assumption as Robbie. Nonetheless, the nodded smiling and shook Josh's hand.
"Now," said Jackie turning towards them, a playful smirk on her face, "we train."
   
                             *****

One and a half hours of posture training, emergency training and whatnot training, the four people made their way through a huge garage like door and faced the large ground which had a helicopter standing in the middle.

Robbie felt a pang of fear and froze, causing the rest of the three to stop and look back questioningly.

"Go ahead," he said. "I'll be there in a minute."

Come on Robbie. You can do this. Lucy would  have laughed at you if she saw you like this. can do this! If not for you, for Lucy.