Page 49 of The Summer Request
“No, let’s walk. It’s so close! And so pretty.”
Lisa’s hips were stiff from being stuck on the floor the day before. Walking wasn’t appealing in the least. “Why can’t we drive?”
Michelle shook her head before turning and walking off. “We’d have to fight over parking.”
Lisa followed her inside and watched as she ordered Val upstairs to change into “hiking or walking-appropriate clothes.”
Val didn’t protest, instead diving into the suitcase she’d left on the living room floor. “What if I didn’t bring walking clothes, exactly?”
“What!” Michelle stared down at her from the midway point of the stairs. She was ready, dressed in a short-sleeved moisture wicking shirt, heavily pocketed shorts, and hiking boots.
Lisa suppressed a smile. Apparently, this was the moment Michelle had been waiting for.
“I didn’t have room,” Val whined. “I needed to fit all the stuff for Miami and LA.”
Michelle crossed her arms. “Do you at least have sneakers?”
Val nodded. “Yes ma’am.”
“I can loan you clothes, then, and we can wash them before our hike tomorrow.”
“I’ll just save that for tomorrow,” Val said, making a face only Lisa could see.
Michelle shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
Lisa rushed up the stairs. Her small suitcase hadn’t allowed for much, and she needed to run a load of laundry, but she at least had her gym shoes and a few pairs of shorts. That would have to do for now.
When she returned, Val was half-dressed and arguing with Michelle.
“It’s on the itinerary,” Michelle said, holding up a sheet.
“A hikeanda bike ride? Doesn’t that seem like a lot?”
“We’ve been sitting around eating and drinking for days!Doesn’t it seem overdue?”
Val shook her head and plunged into her bag. “No, not really.”
“There’s a national park just down the street,” Michelle said. “We are not going to miss out on it. Zora marked a bunch of Justine’s favorite hikes. We have to at least try some.”
Val emerged, gripping a handful of shirts in her fist. “Fine. I’ll do a hike. But just one.”
“Where’s the bike ride?” asked Lisa. “Along the shore? That’d be nice.”
Michelle shook her head, eyes filling with glee. “No, we’re going to bike on the carriage roads in Acadia. John Rockefeller built them so people could enjoy ‘motor free travel.’ You can bike, ride horses – ”
Lisa interrupted her. “Oh! I love horses!”
“No,” Val said firmly. “No horses. I don’t trust anything with a mind of its own.”
“Sorry, Lisa,” Michelle said before turning back to Val. “The trails can get hilly, though, so we should probably rent e-bikes. They have a motor to assist up hills.”
Val scoffed, lacing up a pair of perfectly white sneakers. “Again, no thanks with the mind of its own thing.”
Michelle crossed her arms. “It has no more mind of its own than a car does.”
“What’s the point of going on a bike ride if you don’t get any exercise out of it?” Val stood, pulling on a shirt from the pile. “I’m going to be renting a traditional, non-motorized bike.”
Lisa made herself look away. She hadn’t meant to stare, but Val had kept herself in such great shape. Maybe she should follow her lead and rent a regular, non-motorized bike, too?
