Page 100 of This Heart
With another smile given when she saw Winnie, Betty Lou turned to me and dropped the smile. “I ordered that book on how to survive an apocalypse. Has it come in yet?”
Liam coughed next to me and before I could answer, Lou came sweeping up with Winnie, who was carrying five books in her little arms.
Motioning toward the other end of the counter, Lou said, “I’ve got it up here, Betty Lou.”
Glancing back over her shoulder, she said to Liam, “The books are on the house, Liam. The boss is on vacation and I’m in charge.”
I shook my head and laughed. “Luna is in my office, we’re heading out.”
“Have fun!” Lou called out as I heard Betty Lou ask, “Where are they going?”
As Liam, Winnie, and I made our way to exit the back of the store. I heard my sister say, “To elope, but that’s between you and me.”
I rolled my eyes as Liam tripped over something that wasn’t there.
“What did she just say?”
Wrapping my arm around him, I guided him along. “Trust me, it’s a much tamer story than what Betty Lou would have come up with.”
Liam
We pulled into the long entrance drive of Adirondack Mountain Resort, and I had to admit I breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a while since I drove my father’s RV, and even though Aurora hadn’t said anything, I could see the whites of her knuckles as I maneuvered this beast on the roads.
Adirondack Mountain Resort featured a large resort building, cabins, and RV spots, all situated on a lake called Heart Lake. My father had suggested it, and I thought it was the perfect place.
“Oh, this is beautiful,” Aurora said as we drove down the perfectly manicured and tree-lined driveway.
“There are cabins as well as a few RV spots. My father rents a spot up here all year long, so it wasn’t a problem getting in last minute like this.”
“Does he camp a lot?” Aurora asked.
“Yeah, he’ll pack up the fifth wheel and spend a couple of nights at one of his favorite spots. I think he pays for like five different spots around the area. He likes to get away and spend time in nature.”
“We’re surrounded by nature in Moose Village.”
I turned and looked at her. “It’s not the same thing.”
She nodded. “I guess I could see that.”
“The large resort has space for twenty-eight guests, and from what my dad tells me, it’s booked all year long. There are private rooms, bunk rooms, and a loft in the main public area of the resort where you can just chill and read a book. I guess it’s kind of their quiet space. I think it’s still warm enough for us to swim in Heart Lake. You did bring a suit, didn’t you?”
She nodded as she took in the scenery. We were surrounded by spruce, pine, hemlock, and beech trees. The colors of fall were just starting to dip their toes in oranges, yellows, and reds.
“Liam, we have to come back up here in the fall. I bet it is beautiful.”
I smiled. “We can totally do that. I think Winnie is old enough to collect leaves, and we can press them. I think she would enjoy that.”
Once we parked at the office, I went to check in while Aurora and Winnie waited in the truck. An hour later, we were almost done getting everything set up.
“This is so fun!” Aurora said, spreading out the rug that lay at the bottom of the RV’s steps. Winnie was sitting at the picnic table, eating a bowl of fruit.
I wiped the sweat from my brow and surveyed our little campsite. The stove and portable table, and sink were set up on one side of the table, near the water. The other side had a small, screened-in area with chairs and a space for Winnie to play. I was silently thanking my father for having all of this stuff and for thinking ahead when it came time to buy a portable, screened-in area for Winnie.
“Gosh, we are having a heat wave for September, I swear!” Aurora said, wiping the sweat from her own face. “It looks so cute!”
I laughed. “It does look pretty good, doesn’t it?”
“I like the little area for Winnie to play, and we don’t have to worry about any bugs. Speaking of, does she have bug spray and sunscreen?”
