Page 25 of Perfect Storm

“Okay, okay. They have given me permission to tell you that much,” Sandy says, ushering Jenna onto the bus. “We’re in Estes Park. It’s a small town by the Rocky Mountain National Park.”

Archer gets his phone out to google it. “Reception is shit,” he notes. Others agree as they try to use their phones.

“It’s part of its charm,” Sandy laughs. “Everyone buckled in?” She nods to the driver, a short, stout woman wearing a thick green hoodie, and combat trousers.

She makes sure everyone is onboard, then the door is shut, and the bus sets off towards the exit. Sandy passes everyone a small black bag.

I take mine and open it. There are leaflets about Colorado, Estes Park in particular. And information on horseback riding, which has my eyes widening.

“Is he City Slicker-ing us?” Archer asks. When I look at him in confusion, he elaborates. “It was a nineties movie with Billy Crystal and that guy,” he clicks his fingers. “What’s his name?”

“Jack Palance,” Nick says from behind us. “Are we going cattle driving?”

“Yeah, him too, but I meant the other guy, the one from Home Alone.”

I’m incredulous. I don’t care about the cast of some old movie. I lurch up and turn to face Nick. “No way. I am not going anywhere near cows. This has to be a joke.”

Jenna laughs from across the aisle. “It might be fun.”

“You’re not riding a horse,” Adam says flatly.

She elbows him and gives him a look that saystry to stop me.Well, he can stop me. I am not riding a horse either.

“Horseback riding is amazing,” Elsa pipes up.

She would, with her California girl free spirit. She’s probably ridden horses through the surf since she was like three years old.

“Look at the mountains. I’m so excited to hike them. Oh shoot, I forgot to bring hiking boots.”

“You’ll have everything you need where we’re going,” Sandy says with a cryptic smile.

Everyone else is still looking in their bags. So I go back to mine. I pull out a room key on a varnished wooden keyring. It has mine and Archer’s name etched into it. I show it to him, andhe frowns, taking it and looking at our names. He doesn’t have one in his bag. Jenna and Elsa have their room keys, too.

I pull out a small bag of Denver Cheddar Kettle Head Popcorn, then a small gift box, I open it and find little bottles of chocolate labeled ‘Miette et Chocolat’. I’m assuming these are local treats.

It doesn’t give us any answers, other than we’re staying in a hotel and will be eating what amounts to movie snacks.

“Are we going to be watching City Slickers?” Nick asks, opening his popcorn.

“Nick, wait till we get there,” Elsa says.

“I’m hungry,” he answers.

Then there are tickets to the ‘Lower Valley Tour.’ I read through the information. I’m not a hiker. I don’t enjoy climbing and nature isn’t my friend.

“Waterfall sounds good,” Archer says, reading the information sheet that is attached to the tour ticket. “There isn’t much climbing,” he adds, knowing my fear of heights.

“Is it optional?”

“Live a little,” he sets his ticket aside. He’s opened his popcorn too.

“You see the festival info?” Jack calls from the back of the bus. “Bands, brats and beers? Count me in,” he grins.

“Mom? Why all the secrecy? If he wanted us to get away, he could have asked.”

“When was the last time you all got together and had some fun?”

Jenna and I look at each other. She’s right. I don’t think the two bands and their partners have all been in the same place at the same time before. Jordan and Alessa tie everyone together. If I think about it, it’s nice of them. Still, I’d much rather have stayed in New York.

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