Chapter 4-Departure

 

 

The passing of two weeks found me trying to fit three-weeks worth of supplies into a large backpack that I was going to have to carry at times. Our meeting in The Bowl had led to a huge debate over how our luggage was to be handled. Even my heart had sunk when Kyle brought up the fact that we would probably have to carry everything we were bringing for long periods more than once. Surprisingly, Katreena had seemed the least phased by this, except for maybe Joseph but one could rarely tell what he felt about such matters. She explained that this was because she planned on living in clothing that could be compacted in a very small area, she added a meaningful glance at Joseph with that point, and that all she really needed were those and a few art supplies to be happy. We also opted not to bring anything very valuable since who knows what could happen on those deserted roads. When my mother learned of our plans she immediately flipped from her casual side to her ultra-protective mother mode. I had made the mistake of allowing her to help me pack. She seemed to be on constant watch for every little detail of my luggage. After awhile she broke down.

"Why don’t you guys just stay somewhere normal?" she demanded. "Somewhere with phones?"

"Don’t worry mom," I assured her. "I’ll call as often as I can."

"Plllease take your cell phone," she begged.

"Well, we agreed not to take anything valuable…" I attempted.

"If you lose it, I’ll get a new one. I don’t care. I just want to be able to talk to you!"

"Well, okay…"

"The other thing I would like you to do is absolutely live in cargo shorts, then you can keep everything in those giant pockets," she said, casting a stern eye on my apparel choices. "We’ll go out and get some later. I wish you’d wear some sort of waterproof fanny pack as well, they’re on sale at-"

"Mom!" I interrupted. "Phone equals good suggestion. Cargo shorts, okay. Fanny pack, no."

She sighed and gave me a hug. "I just want you to be safe," she said sadly. "But then you’re going to be going to Colorado soon and I’ll have to get used to your being on your own."

I smiled and returned her embrace. "Mom," I said. "You have nothing to worry about. This is going to be great and I’ll have loads of stories to spend the rest of the summer telling you."

She mussed my hair and continued helping me pack without comment. I left space among my t-shirts, Hawaiian shirts, underclothes, bathing suit, assorted shorts (some already cargo), and my two dresses for the additional cargo shorts she insisted I bring. I pointed out the space to her and she laughed, I was glad to have broken the silence. Among my clothes I had a few books by my favorite author, Anne McCaffery, my standard toiletries, and my hair supplies. In a small backpack I put my journal, money, phone, tickets, a hairbrush, and legal papers.

"Well," I said, checking everything over. "Looks like I have everything." I checked the clock. It was 2:10. "Well, the plane leaves at 5 and I agreed to meet everyone at 2:30 so we could drive to Seatac together and catch the plane."

"At The Bowl?" asked my mom.

I nodded in reply and asked, "Would you give me a ride? I’d rather not leave the car there."

My mom’s face brightened. "I’d love to!" she exclaimed. I was glad to have made her a little happier with my request.

A few moments later I shouldered the two bags and walked down to the car, where my mom waited with the engine running. Her eyes watched my bags. I could see the sadness in them. I decided not to say anything more to her but I did put my hand on her shoulder. There it stayed until we reached The Bowl.

Not a car stood in the driveway so I knew everyone else must have had the same idea or hadn’t arrived yet. "Well," I said. "Looks like I’m off." I looked over at my mother and then she enfolded me in a giant hug.

"You take care now," she said to me, her voice choking.

"I love you mom," I said. "And I’ll see you in three weeks. I promise." I emphasized my last words. She gave me a sad smile and pressed her fingers to her lips, then put them on my forehead. I stepped out of the car into the afternoon light and looked over at my mom, taking a mental picture of her face before I turned and walked to The Bowl. I could hear her pull out the car behind me; she didn’t waste any time. I sensed that my reaction was similar because I was walking quickly toward the door.

Katreena and Kyle lounged inside the room, chatting excitedly. Kat gave a happy shout when she saw me and jumped up, giving me a big hug. Kyle grinned cheerily but didn’t stand. He merely waved.

"Hi girl!" said Kat, her eyes shined brightly. "Isn’t it exciting? We’re really going! I can’t believe this day has finally come!"

I grinned at her. "Yeah, it’s wonderful. Though I hope my mother’s heart doesn’t break while I’m gone," said with a sigh.

Kat’s smile vanished and she seemed to emulate my sigh. "Yeah, my parents didn’t think it was such a hot idea. They’re worried about what could happen," she said regretfully.

Kyle looked over at us in surprise. "You’re parents were worried? Mine were happy to see me go!" he said with a small laugh. I grinned back at him but didn’t laugh.

Kat smiled a bit but then shook her head and said, "They really made me think though. This is going to be fun but it will be dangerous."

Kyle stood quickly and walked over to us. He wrapped an arm around each of us and said, "Don’t worry girls, this is going to be great. We guys will protect you." He ended with a wink.

Kat’s smile returned and she punched his arm. "You protect us?" she said mockingly. "We’ll be the one’s protecting you." Kyle grinned and gave her a small push. Surprisingly Kat stumbled back a bit. "Hey," she said. "What’s the big idea?"

After a pause, Kyle ran over and picked her up. Then set her back where she was standing. Kat’s frown vanished and she was all giggles. Kyle flexed and winked, saying, "Conditioning." I shook my head and grinned.

Just then we heard Mitch’s voice say, "Conditioning or no, I could still beat you down." He was standing in the door and had obviously been watching us for awhile.

Kyle turned to him and waved. "Anytime you want to test that," he said to Mitch, giving him a high five. "Just call me up." Then Mitch pounced him and they went wrestling off in one direction. My heart sang a little as Joseph stepped through the door and over Mitch’s dropped bags.

He gave me a smile then said, "I see I’m the last to arrive."

Kat stepped up beside him and said, "No need to worry, we haven’t been waiting long." I glanced at the clock. Its face read 2:35.

"All right," I yelled over to the guys. "We best be on our way if we want to guard against traffic and any other mishaps." Mitch and Kyle rose from the ground, dusting themselves off.

"Sorry I came so late," said Mitch, glancing at Joseph. "My parents practically tied me down. I had to slip past them and bike all the way here. Mind if I lock the old two-wheel inside here?" He directed the last question at me since I seemed to have taken a position of authority.

I bowed and waved my hand toward the door. "Go right ahead," I said. He smiled and bowed back then ran outside. A few minutes later he had rolled it inside. We all grabbed our bags and walked outside. Suddenly, something occurred to me. "Um, did anyone drive their own car here?" I asked. I knew the answer was no because the ground was bare and nobody ventured to say they had parked their car in the nearby trees. Before anyone could say anything, Mitch ran back in the house and started riding across the fields toward Kat’s grandparents’ house. I called after him, "Don’t hurt anybody for the keys." He waved back at me but kept on riding.

"What a great start," muttered Kat.

"We’ll be fine," I assured her. "Consider this the beginning of the adventure aspect." She smiled at me and stretched out on the ground.

Kyle was staring off in the field after Mitch. "There, he’s crashed it already," he said with a grin. I looked off and on the edge of our view Mitch suddenly stood up.

"I’m fine!" I heard him call out.

I chuckled and went to lean against a porch railing of The Bowl. To my surprise, and delight, Joseph came and sat down next to me. "Well," he ventured after a few minutes. I smiled over at him and he seemed to loosen up. "This is sure going to be great." I nodded. "I can’t thank you-you guys enough for letting me come."

"We’re glad to have you," I said. His dark eyes were beautiful when they were brooding but they were even more appealing when he smiled. I found myself staring at them, and he stared back at mine. Our gazes held until Kyle approached and cleared his throat. "Yes?" I asked, blinking as I turned my eyes to him.

He looked slightly amused and gestured back at the road. "Either a couple of people are drag racing down this beautiful country road or Mitch is on his way," he said. Kat sat up at his voice and she quickly spotted Joseph and I sitting together. Her expression darkened for a moment but then something changed and she shrugged. I stood up and walked to her.

"Ready to go?" I asked cheerily.

She stood and didn’t say anything, then leaned toward me. "Listen Mel," she whispered. "Though you guys deny it, for my benefit which I appreciate, you two are really interested in each other. I won’t stand in your way any longer. Besides, I suddenly realized if I cling to him the whole time, I don’t be able to meet any cute islanders. Which simply can not be." I grinned and hugged her.

"You’re a great friend," I replied.

"No," she said with a shrug, then a sly smile. "I’m just a big flirt." Suddenly Mitch pulled into the driveway, coming to a skidding halt. He had borrowed the grandparents’ large suburban. It was big enough to hold all of them and have plenty of room to spare.

"Did you ask them?" Kat asked him warily, though she was climbing in whatever his answer turned out to be.

"Yes, yes, now come on guys!" he said encouragingly. Kyle sat up in the front with Mitch, while Kat stretched out in the back seat. That left Joseph and I in the middle. There was plenty of space between the two of us but my face still seemed to flush. I looked out the window.

"Where’s your bike?" Kyle asked.

"I left it as collateral for the car, though I don’t know they thought it was sufficient. They let us borrow it anyway. I think my insistence won them over," Mitch replied.

Someone chuckled, I think it was Kyle. We were moving down the road quickly.

"Well," I said. "We’re likely to make up for lost time at this rate."

Mitch grinned back at me. "That’s the plan he replied." We sped off down the road toward Seatac and the waiting plane.