“Talk about ingenious,” Miracle said. She handed Zing her sandwich. “When the peanut butter and jelly were in two separate jars, I used the same knife and was always getting peanut butter residue in the jelly jar and jelly residue in the peanut butter. So then I started using two knives. One for peanut butter and one for jelly. Now, I can use one knife and don’t have to worry about residue.”
“You humans are very resourceful.”
“Aren’t we, though? Eat up,” Miracle said.
Zing took a bite and studied the flavor. She swallowed and smiled her approval. “This is very good. I like it.”
Miracle cocked her head and furrowed her brow. “You’ve really never had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?”
“No.”
Miracle gave this some more thought—a little wrinkle appeared between her eyebrows.
“I bet there’s lots of things you haven’t tried,” Miracle said.
“I’ve led a vicarious life,” Zing said, sticking her finger into her sandwich and pulling it out. Peanut butter was sticky but smooth. She coated her lips with the peanut butter. She stuck her lips together and pulled them apart, then licked them. “Interesting texture.”
Miracle grabbed her arm. “Let’s get you cleaned up and then we’re going to have some fun. I know just the place.”
“But I’m supposed to be…” Zing tried to say.
“Supposed-to-be’s are overrated, darlin’. Come on.”
***
One hour later, Zing was dressed in khaki shorts and a flowing peasant blouse. The blouse was green and Miracle said it matched her eyes. Right now, Zing’s eyes were wide and staring up at the largest rollercoaster she’d ever seen. The rollercoaster had been aptly named The Monster.
“We’re going up on that?” Zing asked.
“We sure as shootin’ are,” Miracle said, a wild look in her eyes.
They were at the For Your Amusement Only Park. The signs around the park advertised “The World’s Best Amusement Park.” Aren’t I lucky? Zing thought. First I get the world’s best sandwich and now the world’s best amusement park.
There were more rides per square inch than Zing thought possible. Miracle had bought them a pass for all the rides, stating that they’d have only three hours before the park closed so they needed to get busy. “It’s possible,” Miracle said. “I once did all the rides in an hour and forty-five minutes, but I was wearing skates at the time.”
Zing watched the screaming people in the carts zoom up and down the The Monster. For the first time in her long existence as a guardian angel, Zing was terrified. She’d always imagined herself a brave thrill-seeker who’d been denied thrills. She understood now how Annabelle must have felt when she’d dived into Miracle’s risky activities in order to prevent her untimed death.
Miracle led the way up to the rollercoaster. A skinny kid with acne, who chewed gum furiously, punched their passes and pointed to a shiny red metallic cart. He must have sensed Zing’s trepidation because Miracle had her arm and was dragging her to the cart. He followed and pulled the safety bar over their laps. He leaned in to Zing and said, “Lady, you are in for the ride of your life, so hang on tight.”
“She’s got this down,” Miracle said confidently.
Zing did not feel confident. The cart lurched forward. Zing grabbed Miracle’s hand and whispered, “My chest feels cold, my hands are sweaty, and I think I have to pee,” Zing said. “I must have the flu.”
“You’re just scared,” Miracle said. “That’s what happens when you get scared.”
Zing had never been scared before. Having a body that did these things was weird and made her realize for the first time what she’d gotten herself into. This was BIG. Going back to HQ and her cubicle and vicarious living seemed like a good idea right about now.
Then she thought about Nell. Poor, poor, hairless Nell. She owed it to her to make things right. She couldn’t go back. Not yet.
The shiny red cart clattered and climbed. Higher and higher they went. “Are you sure these things are safe?” she yelled over the clacking and clanging of the cart’s wheels.
“No, I’m not. But that’s the best part—the not knowing, the embracing of letting go. If now is the time for me to die, then I can’t prevent it, so I’m embracing it,” Miracle yelled back. “It’s called livin’ out loud.”
They were almost to the top. Zing’s long red tresses streamed out behind her as the ascent rushed up at them. The cart teetered for a brief moment at the very top and then cascaded down so fast Zing felt like she’d left her body behind. Her body caught up with her at the very bottom and she screamed and kept screaming while the cart whirled and dipped, climbed, and fell again and again. She looked over at Miracle who smiled with wild abandon and had her arms over her head reaching for the sky. It touched some part of Zing. She stopped screaming, held her arms high, and smiled. She was living out loud. And it felt terrific!