The South Carolina Dream - New Project

Bitty fell asleep hugging Freckles. She was thinking about Dad’s work days, and about how sometimes family is far away.

And then she was flying.

Not in the U.S.S. Grandpa. Not on Mt. Poopsalot.

An airplane. A real one.

Dassah was in the seat next to her, eyes huge. “Bitty! We UP!”

“YAAAAAY!” Bitty shouted. She pressed her face to the window.

It was their first time on an airplane. The feeling of take off pushed them back in their seats. The ground got smaller. Anchorage disappeared under clouds with Wasilla off in the distance.

Mom and Dad were across the aisle. Nation, Ocean, Harbor, and Psalm had seats too. Grandpa Malcuit was telling the flight attendant about propane heaters. Rowdy, somehow, was asleep under the seat.

“Where we going?” Dassah asked.

“South Carolina,” Bitty said, remembering the dream already in progress. “To see Ervin and Kaylee. And Mason and Hazel and Sulley.”

She hadn’t seen them since they drove from Alaska to South Carolina. Over two years ago. Sulley was born down there, so they haven't even met him yet.

The landing was the best part. That little floaty feeling. Dassah clapped. “Again! Do again!”

The airport was hot. Not Alaska hot. South Carolina hot.

And there they were.

Ervin, with his dark hair and darker skin, picking up Dad in a bear hug. Kaylee, fair skinned with medium brown hair, hugging Mom and crying and yelling in Fat Bastard's voice, "Get in my belly!"

Mason, 6, dark hair and lighter skin, ran right to Bitty. “Aunt Bitty! You’re here!” He's not used to calling her 'Aunt', but he thought he would try it for once.

Hazel, 3, came twirling right after him, giggling. “Aunt Bitty! Aunt Dassah! Watch me dance!” And she did. She spun and clapped and laughed. Even though she wasn't able to do this in reality yet, this was dreamland and everything could happen! Truly, the possibilities were endless!

Sulley, 1, light skinned with light brown hair, was on Kaylee’s hip. He reached for Dassah and said, “Da!”

Bitty’s heart felt too big. “It’s so good to see everyone together again.”

Ervin (E3) grinned. “Wait till you see the setup. We’ve got the fifth-wheel trailer. Two big diesel trucks to tow it. But tonight, we’re home base.”

That night it stormed.

Not a Wasilla snowstorm. A South Carolina thunderstorm.

Everyone sat in Ervin and Kaylee’s garage with the door open, sipping sun tea, and eating fresh fruit. The rain poured. The thunder cracked so loud Dassah hid her face in Bitty’s shirt.

Then the lightning came. The whole sky lit up white and purple.

“Whoa,” Nation said.
“Whoa,” Ocean said, taking notes.
“WHOAAA,” Harbor yelled.

Ervin put his arm around Kaylee. “We love watching these. Best show on earth.”

Bitty held Dassah tight. “It’s scary. But we’re safe. Lovely Law #1.”

The next morning was sun. Ervin took them fishing in his favorite lake. He taught Harbor how to cast. Kaylee packed sandwiches. Mason sat between Bitty and Dassah on the bank.

“Mason,” Bitty said, “you’re a big brother now. Like Nation. That means you gotta know the Lovely Laws.”

Mason nodded, serious. “What are they?”

“Lovely Law #1,” Dassah said, very important, “is love others as yourself. That means you take good care of Hazel and Sulley.”

Bitty smiled. “It means you keep them warm. You make them laugh. You help them when they’re sad. Even if you’re sad too.”

Mason looked at Hazel, who was throwing rocks in the water and shouting “SPLASH!” He looked at Sulley, chewing on a cracker.

“Okay,” Mason said. “I can do that. I’m gonna be the best brother... Like the man. But sometimes Hazel can be the man too.”

Bitty laughed. “Exactly. That’s how the Bromanlians and Timmy-Tomanlians figured it out.”

Then came the best part.

“Pack your swimsuits,” Kaylee said. “We’re going to Myrtle Beach. Hotel and everything.”

A hotel! Bitty and Dassah had never stayed in one.

The hotel had a pool. It had an elevator. It had a view of the ocean.

Bitty stood on the balcony with Freckles. The water went on forever. “It’s like Brown Valley,” she told Dassah, “but blue. And it doesn’t stink because there's no Diariver running through it.”

They built sandcastles with plastic cups and buckets. Mason taught them how to find shells. Hazel danced in the waves. Sulley ate sand and laughed. Dad buried Harbor up to his neck. Mom and Kaylee talked for hours. Grandpa Malcuit found a hat that said “World’s Best Grandpa” and bought it. It matched his MAGA shirt.

That night, everyone was sandy and sunburned and happy. They all squeezed into Ervin and Kaylee’s hotel room, eating pizza on the floor.

Bitty looked around. Mom. Dad. Psalm. Nation. Ocean. Harbor. Ervin. Kaylee. Mason. Hazel. Sulley. Grandpa. Dassah. Freckles. Rowdy, who’d snuck into someone’s suitcase.

All together.

“This,” Bitty said, sleepy and full, “is the best dream ever.”

Ervin ruffled her hair. “It’s not a dream, Aunt Bitty. We’re really here.”

But Bitty knew. She knew because Sulley was already walking, and he was only 1. She knew because Hazel hadn’t stopped dancing and twirling all day.

In dream land, everybody could do everything, just like with Jesus. Nothing was impossible.

The next morning, they were packing up the fifth-wheel.

“Where we going?” Dassah asked, climbing into one of the big diesel trucks.

Ervin winked at Kaylee. “Thought we’d show you something special. Something only family gets to see.”

Kaylee buckled Sulley in. “It’s a surprise. Aunt Bitty and Aunt Dassah are gonna love it.”

Mason climbed in next to Bitty. “It’s got water. And trees. And—”

Ervin put a finger to his lips. “Don’t ruin it.”

The trucks started. The fifth-wheel rolled. The whole Lovely crew followed in Grandpa’s rental motorhome and Dad’s rental car.

Bitty pressed her face to the window as they pulled out of Myrtle Beach.

She had a feeling. A big one.

The kind of feeling you get before the best part of the adventure.

She looked at Dassah. Dassah looked at her.

“What do you think it is?” Dassah whispered.

Bitty grinned. “I don’t know. But I can’t wait to find out.”

And just as the convoy turned onto the highway, headed for the surprise…

Bitty started to wake up.