"Robert Tine - The Astronaut's Wife" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tine Robert)

hump, the amazing transition from earth to space.
SpencerтАЩs voice was conversational in tone, as if he had nothing more important to announce
.


than what was for lunch. тАЬWe have main engine shut-
off,тАЭ Spencer calmly informed Mission Control. тАЬWe are now in orbit...тАЭ

Jillian spun the globe. The orb whirled around, the countries and the oceans blending together
until the whole world seemed to be a multi-colored mass. Then she put her hand out and stopped
it abruptly. She looked around the room and down at the bright faces of her second grade class.
Twenty-four boys and girls stared back at her, each one hanging on her every word.
тАЬWhat do they have in Kansas?тАЭ Jillian asked. Instantly, there was a chorus of voices
responding to her question.
тАЬCorn!тАЭ
Jillian thought for a moment to think of another question. тАЬAnd what do they have in...
Georgia?тАЭ
тАЬPeaches! the class answered instantly.
тАЬ


Jillian jabbed a tiny portion of the globe. тАЬAnd what do we have right here in Florida?тАЭ she
asked.
Everyone in the class responded with alacrity. тАЬWe have oranges in Florida!тАЭ
Well, all but one said that. A lone little boy answered, тАЬWe have rocket ships!тАЭ His eyes were
bright at the very thought of such magical contraptions.
Jillian smiled at her space-obsessed pupil. тАЬYes, Calvin, oranges and rocket ships.тАЭ
 Just then the door of the classroom opened and young girl, a child a little older than the pupils
in Jillian ArmacostтАЩs class, came bustling, bursting with self-importance, into the room.
тАЬWhat is it, Lynne?тАЭ Jillian asked.
тАЬMrs. Whitfield sent me here with a message for you,тАЭ the girl said excitedly. Mrs. Whitfield
was the formidable principal of the elementary school.
тАЬWhatтАЩs the message?тАЭ
тАЬMrs. Armacost, you got a phone call!тАЭ

Phone calls at school were so out of the ordinary daily routine of the day that it was with a
mixture of apprehension tinged with a distinct sense of curiosity about who might be calling her
in the middle of the working day.
The secretaries in the school office were full of inquiring looks, consumed, as Jillian was, by
curiosity.
She picked up the phone. тАЬHello?тАЭ
The response was a manтАЩs voice, a voice she did not recognize. тАЬIs that Mrs. Armacost?тАЭ
тАЬYes,тАЭ she said, her heart sinking. She knew the voice of NASA when she heard it. She could
not help but wonder if something terrible had happened to her husband. тАЬYes, this is Jillian
Armacost.тАЭ
Jillian had guessed correctly. тАЬThis is NASA communications,тАЭ said the man. тАЬWe have your
husband for you.тАЭ
The man made it all sound so simple, as if he was putting through a call from somewhere
nearbyтАФacross town maybeтАФas opposed to from high up in outer space.
Jillian felt a tremor of excitement flash through her body. тАЬYou.., you have my what?тАЭ