THE BRIDGE TO CARACAS (Volume 1 of The King Trilogy)

CHAPTER 51

Servito ate a full breakfast at the Airport Hilton before checking out and heading for home. At 8:20 a.m., he entered the kitchen, barely avoiding a collision with Martha Perkins.

"Mr. Servito!" she exclaimed, startled and surprised at the rare sight of him at that time of the day. "How are you today?"

Servito smiled. "Just fine, Martha. Is Karen here?"

"No. I think she stayed at the hospital last night."

"I'm going to drive Phillip to school today. Is he ready?"

Martha nodded. "He's in the bathroom, brushing his teeth. I make him do that after every meal."

The kitchen door burst open and Phillip appeared. "Dad! How come you're here?"

Servito wrapped his arms around his son and lifted him from the floor. "I'm going to drive you to school today. Is that okay with you?" he asked, hugging him tightly.

Phillip jerked his head backward and looked into his father's eyes. "Did you have another fight with Mom?"

"No, I just got here. I just wanted to see you and take you to school today."

"In the limousine?"

Servito shook his head. "I don't have it today."

"Where is it?"

"Being fixed."

"Did you crash it?"

"No."

"Then why is it being fixed?"

"You ask too many questions," Servito said, playfully rubbing his knuckles on Phillip's scalp. "Let's get going. I don't want you to be late." With Phillip still in his arms, he marched to the door.

Martha handed Phillip his school bag when they passed by her. She shook her head, shrugged her shoulders, and then returned to the kitchen to finish her coffee.

The Corvette reached the front gates of Royal Canada College in less than five minutes. Just inside the enormous stone archway of the college gates, Servito turned to the side of the long driveway and stopped the car. "How would you like to take the day off school and have an airplane ride with me?" he asked, turning to Philip.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Phillip shouted without hesitation.

Servito completed a wide turn across the lawn of the school, drove back through the gates, and headed north on Avenue Road.

"You should call Mom and tell her where we're going," Phillip suggested, suddenly worried.

"That's a very good idea. I'll call her as soon as we see a telephone booth. You can help me look for one."

"There's one!" Phillip shouted seconds later, pointing to a telephone booth on the lot of a Texaco service station.

Servito turned onto the lot and stopped beside the booth. "I'll be back in a minute," he said as he opened the door. He jumped from the car, ran to the booth and pretended to make a telephone call. After an appropriate delay, he hung up and returned to the car. "We're flying today, son. Mom said it was okay with her," he said with a huge smile.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Phillip said, pumping the air with his fists.