Page 48 of The Fault Between Us
Frannie felt the pang of recognition. She knew about that.
When their shift finally ended, Frannie and the girls met the boys in the parking lot where Paul was putting the top down on the convertible. He took her bag, stowing it in the trunk. “Me and Jerrylynn get shotgun,” she said and vaulted into the front seat.
Sam scowled, but it was too late. “Hey, why don’t you let me drive?” Sam said to Paul. “Nope,” Paul answered. Frannie was glad—it was about time he stood up to Sam.
“Where are we going, anyway?” Ernie asked as they pulled away from the lodge.
“It’s a surprise,” Paul said with a glance sideways at Frannie.
Frannie gave him a wink. She and Paul had met up after dinner the night before, when the rest of the crew trekked across the bridge to Whittaker’s for beer and supplies. Yellowstone was packed to the gills, and the chances of getting a campsite in any of the popular places were slim to none. Paul suggested a place outside the park that sounded cool, and they’d decided to keep it a secret from the others, just to make Sam crazy.
“Hey, nerd,” Sam said. “That’s not fair.”
“Don’t call him that, birdbrain,” Frannie threw over her shoulder.
Jerrylynn played the peacemaker. “We’ll know when we know, Sam. I just want to get away from the crowds.”
“Fasten your seat belts,” Vicky said in her Bette Davis voice. “It’s going to be a bumpy night.”
Paul pointed the convertible toward the lowering sun, and Frannie turned on the radio. This was the life. The wind in her hair, the top down, and the radio blasting. She could die right now and be happy.
“Hey,” Sam said as they passed by the West Entrance and the girls waved and threw kisses to the ranger in the window of the station. “You never said we were leaving the park.”
“We’re leaving the park,” Paul said, and Ernie and the girls erupted in laughter. Sam didn’t laugh.
“Aw, don’t be sore,” Paul relented. “Listen, I know a guy over on Hebgen Lake who works at the fire tower. We’re going to camp there and then go up the lookout tomorrow. He’s got a telescope and everything.”
“Cool,” Jerrylynn said.
“Climbing the fire tower?” Vicky asked. “That will be a blast.”
Even Ernie looked impressed.
Paul had more to say. “This guy says he’s felt some tremors up in the lookout for a couple weeks now, and there’s a fault line north of the lake.”
“What’s a fault line?” Jerrylynn asked.
“Kinda like a crack in the earth,” Paul said.
“Sounds neat,” Frannie said. It really did. She liked hearing about all the stuff Paul knew.
“Sounds lame,” Sam griped. “Bunch of bookworms talking about rocks.”
“If you don’t like it, you can get out any time,” Frannie said. She wished he would. Whatever she’d seen in Sam, she didn’t see it anymore. “How much farther, Paul?”
Paul passed her the road map and she unfolded it over her lap. She traced the road from Madison to the West Entrance, and then north to a road that wrapped around Hebgen Lake. She saw Riverside on the map, a tiny dot beside the Madison River, but didn’t say a word about them going right past her sister’s house.
Frannie did a quick measure with her fingertip. “One mile to West Yellowstone, then head north on 191. If we hurry, we can find a campground before dark.”
Paul turned up the radio and Jerry Lee Lewis sang, “Shake, baby, shake.” Frannie laid her head back on the seat, threw an arm around Jerrylynn’s shoulders and sang at the top of her voice, “Shake, baby, shake. I said, shake, baby, shake.”
This was going to be the best night ever.
chapter 30:CLAIRE
By the time Claire got to Riverside, Jenny was red-faced and howling.
She parked the truck and hurried Beth inside. “Do you know how to change a diaper?” Beth nodded and Claire gave her a clean diaper, a washcloth, and the powder. “Change her on the couch. I’ll get her bottle ready.”
