Jim Lovell's family was in front of their television with the other astronauts' families. It was a long wait.
"We can see Odyssey," said the man on the televisio happily.
"The astronauts are back on Earth!"
The Lovell house went crazy. Jim's wife put her head in her hands and cried. The families of the other astronauts jumped up and down. But Jeffrey didn't move.
"My father is OK," he thought. "My father's coming home.
My moon rock isn't important. He's coming home!"
Inside the command module, the astronauts smiled.
"Hello, Houston," Jim said into the radio. "This is Odyssey."
"Hello, Odyssey," Ken answered.
Odyssey moved slowly on the ocean. The orange parachutes were in the water now, too. The astronauts were quiet. They listened for the sound of an airplane. When they heard it, they smiled. They closed their eyes. They were OK. Now they only had to wait for the men from the Iwo Jima.
The door opened and the three astronauts walked out.
They were very tired and Fred was very sick. Jack's arms and legs hurt. But they were OK.
Then the men from the Iwo Jima opened the command module door. Through the door, the astronauts saw the blue Pacific Ocean. One of the men from the airplane helped Fred out the door.
"You're home," said the man.
Jim watched the men help Fred and Jack into the airplane.
"It was a good trip," he thought. "We didn't walk on the Moon, but we're back. That's the important thing. We're back."
Five minutes later, Jim was in the airplane with Jack and Fred.
He looked down at the wonderful blue ocean and smiled.
The airplane flew to the lwo Jima. The door opened and the three astronauts walked out.