Chapter 19 - Choosing the Future

XL with his mom, sister, and friend spent another relaxing evening at the campsite, and slept well that night. In the morning, they slept in later this time, so they weren't ready for breakfast until 9 AM. They went down the elevator, and they ate breakfast in Beeba's screen tent, as they had the previous morning. Then Beeba packed up the tent, because it was their last day at Waskesiu and they had to leave the campsite that morning.

"I have an idea for another enjoyable activity," he said to the others. "XL, take us to the beach. I have something to show you there."

XL was curious what it might be, but apparently it was a surprise so he didn't ask. They took the tent up the elevator, XL set the destination, and soon Saucer1 was floating over the beach. They parked it over the end of the beach farthest from the beach parking lot, hoping not to raise a lot of attention. They didn't want more tourists, but only to relax.

The sun was shining in a cloudless sky, and even though it was still morning, it was already warm out. Beeba had convinced them to wear beach attire, so when they came down the elevator, they each wore a bathing suit and a T-shirt, and walked in flip-flops. Beeba had fetched a big blue bag, which he brought down with him. It was heavy, so when they got off the elevator, XL helped him carry it to the beach.

"So, here is my surprise," said Beeba. He unzipped the bag and folded it back. Then he reached down and pressed a button. There was a sound of air pumping, as a battery-powered pump inflated a yellow boat in front of them. In a couple of minutes it was ready-to-go. It was about 3 meters long, with room enough inside for three of them at once. Beeba finished by assembling the oars, which were made with telescoping aluminum tubes.

Meanwhile, Anna had brought some inflatable beach toys with her: they were floating tubes shaped like donuts, one for each person to sit on in the water. "We can float on the tubes or paddle in the boat, she said. This will be fun!"

So they waded along the shore, and took turns paddling the little boat back and forth along the beach. They floated on the tubes too, even though the water was still cold at that time of year.

After a few minutes, Anna noticed a lady approaching from the village end of the beach. As the lady got closer, Anna recognized her. "It's Susan," she said.

XL and Beeba were standing in the water, but they came onto the beach to greet Susan as she approached. Anna and Larissa came with them.

"Hello XL," she said. "I wasn't sure where to find you, but I knew I would find your airship floating around here somewhere."

"Welcome," replied XL.

"I read the letter from my mother last night," she said. "I have written a reply, and I could put it in the mail, but I thought perhaps you would like to deliver it to her. It would be faster that way."

"Sure, no problem," he answered.

"And, you can tell mom that I would be very glad to see her sometime. It has been a long time that we were apart, and I thought perhaps she didn't want to see me again. But now I realize that wasn't so, and I'm glad that she found me."

"She will be very pleased to hear that," said XL. "She sent a letter to your brother too," he added. "Have you heard anything from Fred lately?"

"No, I haven't," answered Susan, "but he sometimes comes to visit us in the summer. I will phone him when I have a chance. Perhaps we can have a re-union where mom could meet all of us together."

"That would be very nice," said XL, "but you may find that Fred isn't ready for that."

"I understand how he feels," said Susan. "He thinks that he was treated unjustly."

She paused for a moment, and then she added, "When he was young, he wanted to be a lawyer or a judge. He believes that justice demands that the offender be punished, and in his mind his mother is guilty."

"Perhaps he should consider forgiveness," said XL.

"I'll talk to him about it," replied Susan.

At that moment Anna joined into the conversation. "When you talk to him, here are some ideas to discuss. You might ask him what is the purpose of a punishment. What does it achieve? Usually it is done to reform the offender. But what if the offender already regrets what happened, and would never make the same mistake again? Then what purpose does it serve?"

"That's a good point," said Susan. "It would only serve to create additional unhappiness."

"Yes, and it's unhappiness for both Fred and Florence," said Anna. "The past cannot be changed, but the future can. His wife and children could meet their grandmother and have some nice times together. But if they don't meet, someday they will surely wonder why, and wish they could have known her. There is a limited window of opportunity here."

"You make a very good point, Anna," she replied. "I will try to convince him. He is kind of stubborn, but he and I get along well together, as do our families. He may change his mind eventually."

They continued their conversation for a while, with the topic drifting to other things, such as the activities available in the park, and the weather. Larissa continued to chat with her for a while as XL, Beeba, and Anna returned to their activities at the beach. Then Susan left, walking away along the beach. She said she would stop at a town store before returning to her family at their ranch.

After a while, XL, Beeba, Anna, and Larissa finished with their activities at the beach. In the early afternoon, they went back aboard Saucer1, to eat their lunch as the airship took them back toward their home.

"This has been a very nice trip," commented XL, as at last they neared his home.

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