Chapter 6

Chapter 6 ~ Where are they?

   “Matthew?” Adrienne stood up and paced around the edge of the campsite, “They aren’t back yet and it’s…” She pulled her watch out of her pocket and glanced at it. “It’s four o’clock and they have been gone since nine o’clock this morning.”

Matthew looked up.

“They’ve been gone that long?!”

Adrienne sighed and nodded.

“Okay,” he sighed” We should go look for them now; do you have a flashlight?”

Adrienne nodded quickly and hurried to the truck to get it. Matthew pulled his flashlight out of his pocket and they headed up the trail. Matthew flashed his light around the trees looking to see where the girls were. Mom’s gonna kill me for letting them get lost. He glanced over at Adrienne  who looked rather worried and was fiddling nervously with her brown hair.

“You sure you want to come with me to look for them? I could send you back home.” Matthew stopped and looked at Adrienne, waiting for her answer. Adrienne shook her head.

“I’m staying with you; besides your mom would find out sooner, so let’s keep going.”

She spoke with such confidence Matthew was surprised; if it had been light out you would have been able to see the prideful sparkle in his hazel green eyes. His eyes to some people would be considered gorgeous and kind, but to others they might only see the prideful sparkle and not the kindness. Adrienne on the other hand was the kind of person who noticed the gorgeousness and the kindness first and the prideful sparkle later on. Adrienne’s brown eyes, at this point, were very nervous and almost shy still, even though she had spent the whole day by herself with Matthew. She glanced hesitantly over at him, but all she could see was his brown hair that had grown slightly longer than usually, making it curly. She smiled softly, reflecting on the fact that Matthew liked her. The thought was too much to comprehend.

~*~

   Emilie lay on the ground, thinking about her family. I wonder how Christopher and  Mairead are doing? I wish I could visit Ireland and see Mairead’s parents. It’s so cool that Mairead was born in Ireland!  Mairead Kathleen Maureen O’Callaghan Cherveaux her name is beautiful! Much prettier than mine: Emilie Clare Rosalind Cherveaux. Mine is so very simple compared to Mairead’s. She stuck her tongue out. But I guess if my name was different I wouldn’t be Emilie Clare Rosalind Cherveaux, I would be someone else, like Jane or Anne. So I guess that means if Mairead wasn’t Mairead Kathleen Maureen O’Callaghan and she hadn’t married Christopher, I wouldn’t have two adorable nieces and two adorable nephews!  Oh I wish I could see Liam and Chase and Alaia and Caitlin! Especially Caitlin and Chase, they are so cute!  Emilie sat up and began taking twigs and.  Oh! And Becca! And Devon and Stephan. Henry and Amelia and Dominic and Elodie…oh I miss them so much!  Emilie burst out crying. I mustn't let Joy hear me! Emilie scrunched herself up into a ball, trying to silence her sobs. A hand ran up and down her back. She got the feeling that it was Katherine.

   “Shh it’s okay.”

Mhm, it’s Katherine, was Emilie’s last thought as she fell asleep.

~*~

   “Okay honestly, really?” Matthew muttered. He glanced at the watch on his wrist. Midnight!  He kicked the dirt. Adrienne placed a gentle hand on his arm; her look asked the question she didn’t dare breathe for fear of what he might do. He smiled grimly and walked to one of the  trees a little bit away.  His whole body shook with the sigh he heaved as he turned around and stared at her.

   “Adrienne, I’m sending you home. You need to tell my mom.”

   “But...”

   “You have no choice.” He sighed again. “I’m sorry.”

Matthew handed the keys to her and pointed back the way they came. “If you head back that way you’ll hit the campsite. Just follow the road down. Be careful, Adrienne. I –“ he paused,  “want you in one piece when I come back.”

Her breath caught in her throat.  He turned and headed quickly into the dark, his flashlight flashing up and down as he disappeared in the trees. Adrienne took a deep breath and turned around, heading back the way they had come.  He said he wanted me back in one piece! Did he really mean it? Of course he did, why wouldn’t he have? Adrienne quickened her pace as she hurried along in the cold dark.  Her flashlight glowed dimly, the light bouncing up and down in front of her as she jogged along the path. She was almost there, she could see the glowing embers from the campfire creating a hazy glow up ahead.  She could see the flashlight glinting on the pickup truck. She broke into a run and pulled open the door on the driver’s side and hopped in, started the engine and was soon racing down the mountain before she realized it had started pouring rain. The truck felt uncomfortably chilly and damp, forcing her to turn the heat on, which seemed absurd in July.

‘I want you in one piece when you get back.’

Adrienne slowed, slamming her foot onto the brake pedal.  The wheels screeched as she tried to stop it, but it kept sliding down the mountain. She bit a scream back and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. The pickup truck finally came to a stop; she was breathing heavily. Okay calm down, Adrienne Annmarie  Lesching. She sat silently listening to the rain pouring down in torrents, and thought of Matthew, Emilie, Joy, and Katherine out there in the dark and pouring rain. She sat up straight, determined to get home and to the Cherveaux’s mom by morning. She hit the gas pedal and shot down the mountain barely going more than sixty.

~*~

   “OH!” Emilie shot up from the ground and yelled at the sky, “COULD YOU KEEP THE RAIN TO YOURSELF UNTIL WE GET FOUND?!”

Joy laughed sarcastically at Emilie. Katherine shot her a look that showed fear, but Emilie appeared to not hear her. Katherine sighed and turned back to Emilie.

   “Calm down, Emilie. Please?” she pleaded.

   “Fine.” She went and stood underneath the shelter of the weeping willow.

~*~

   Matthew hurried blindly through the rain; he looked everywhere, but he still couldn’t find them. He thought of what he had said back there to Adrienne.  Had he really said that to her? Honest? What had come over him that would’ve made him say that? Was it true? Yes it was. A small voice in his head told him, Yes it was true and you know that. He continued his slow meditative pace playing the flashlight about the dark, damp, and cold forest. All of a sudden he heard a voice yelling something about keeping rain to itself.

   “Is it?” He broke into a run. “EMILIE!! KATHERINE!!! JOY!!!”

~*~

   Joy paused from walking in the other direction.

“Matthew?” Emilie perked up and separated the curtain of leaves and stepped out.

“Did you say Matthew?” Katherine grinned.

“Yes!” Emilie nodded and looked all around,

“Which direction?” Joy asked. They heard the tramping and thrashing of someone trying to get through the forest at breakneck speed. Emilie broke into a run heading towards the direction of the footsteps.

“MATTHEW!!!!” She saw him break through a group of trees and she flew straight into his arms. “Oh, Matthew!”

He hugged her tightly and rubbed his hand up and down on her hair.  “Mom’s gonna be so mad when she hears you got lost.”

Katherine and Joy came up.  “Where’s Adrienne?”

Matthew stood up.  “I sent her back home.”

Emilie sighed, “So we have no way of getting home? I see.”

A grinned spread on his face and he laughed and gave her a one armed hug. “Oh we’ll get home alright. Do not worry. Come on.” They began the long hike back to camp.

~*~

Somehow miraculously Adrienne made it to the Cherveaux home in four hours without getting pulled over for speeding half the time. She breathed a sigh and turned the engine off and opened the door to find the rain had stopped. She barely gave it a second thought and hurried up to the front door. The glass window glinted in the moonlight as she pounded on the door. She pulled her watch out, checking the time. Four fifteen in the morning.  Sighing, she pounded again.  Come on! Someone wake up and answer the door! She heard footsteps approaching on the other side and Mr. Cherveaux opened the door. He stepped back in surprise.

“Adrienne? What are you doing here? Where are Matthew and Emilie and the girls?”

Adrienne sighed.  “May I come in?”

Mr. Cherveaux stepped back, out of the way.

“Yes, sure, come in.”

He looked confused as he led her into the large, but comfortable family room. Adrienne sat down, but then stood up and walked flustered around the room. Mr. Cherveaux looked at her, confusedly, .

“Are you alright, Adrienne?”

“Could you get Mrs. Cherveaux, please? I might as well get it over with.”

He nodded as he headed out of the room and upstairs to get his wife. They were back in a few moments; there was a worried look on Mrs. Cherveaux’s face.

“Is everything alright Adrienne? Where’s Emilie?”

Adrienne sighed and fumbled with her hair.  “It’s all three of them, Mrs. Cherveaux, not just Emilie.”

Mr. Cherveaux stood up.   “What happened?”

   “Well, they went on a hike. Matthew said it was perfectly alright if they went by themselves; so they did. But we didn’t really think about it until I realized it was four o’clock so we set off to look for them.” Adrienne sighed and sat down on a flowered couch. “Finally Matthew sent me home though, I know he- I mean I didn’t want to go. So he went on and I came home.”

Mrs. Cherveaux stood up and paced the room, then she turned to Adrienne.

   “So you’re telling me they are lost???”

   “Yes, I’m sorry Mrs. Cherveaux.”  Adrienne’s face was so very pale, almost as pale as death.

Mr. Cherveaux patted his wife gently on her shoulder.  “But I trusted you! I told you to take care of her!  Of them! Adrienne, you said you could do it!” Mrs. Cherveaux yelled at her.

Adrienne gasped. “But!”

   “How dare you! Leave this house at once!” Mrs. Cherveaux’s voice trembled with remorse, sadness, and anger. Mr. Cherveaux tried to calm his wife down, but she wouldn’t let him.

   “Go Adrienne Lesching!”

Adrienne was breathing heavily and excitedly, she had never seen Mrs. Cherveaux like this before. Adrienne hurried out of the house as fast as possible. She ran down the sidewalk.

   “Wait! Adrienne!”

Adrienne stopped and turned around and saw Aden standing in the doorway.

   “What?”

   “Don’t worry, my mom doesn’t mean what she said. Honest.” Adrienne shrugged her shoulders.

   “It’s fine, I deserved it.” She turned and walked off down the street.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5 ~ ‘Could This Get Any Worse?’

   Her eyes roved across and around the tent when all of a sudden she pointed her finger at the roof.

   “AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”” the scream broke the incredibly cold and foggy silence of the tent.

   “What?! Who!?” Matthew yelled, sitting up fast; everybody sat up quickly and stared at Emilie. Her face went bright red as she realized that all she had seen was the shadow of tree branch cast over the tent from the early morning sun.

   “Sorry I thought it was a real spider.” Emilie stared at Matthew who looked about ready to kill anything in sight. He slapped his face.

   “Emilie, could you please make sure next time what you see is real and not fake before you wake us up?”

   “Yes, Matthew.”  Katherine began to giggle and Joy joined her.

I would put this part before Katherine and Joy begin giggling.)

   “Sorry Em!” They tried to stop themselves, but then realized that she was also giggling with them.

Matthew made his bed and stood up.  “I guess the girls won’t be letting us sleep any longer.”

Adrienne smiled at him and much to her surprise he walked over to her and held out his hand; Adrienne took it and stood up. The girls broke into a fresh round of giggles. Joy waved her hand to Adrienne.

   “We’ll do your bed, Adrienne.”

   “Thank you, girls.”

Matthew opened the grill and turned it on.

   “Girls what’s for breakfast?”

   “Pancakes!”

   “Bacon!”

   “Pancakes and bacon it is.” he began to get the ingredients out. Adrienne ducked back into the tent.

   “Are you ready to head to the bathhouse?” Adrienne asked.

Emilie, Katherine, and Joy jumped up and hurried out of the tent and over to the truck where they were keeping their duffel bags. When they had their stuff, they took off down the path followed by Adrienne who hurried to keep up with the girls.

   “First one to touch the door is the winner!” Emilie cried out as Katherine pushed ahead of Emilie and Joy; Joy, with her long legs though, was soon ahead of both of them and just as she was about to reach out and touch the door Emilie came running with her hand outstretched to reach the door first. But much to their surprise, Adrienne won.  Emilie gasped for breath and stared at Adrienne who was also being stared at by Joy and Katherine. Adrienne laughed at their startled faces.

   “Didn’t think I could do that? It’s not like I’m an old lady or something.”

   “You’ll never been an old lady, Adrienne.” Emilie laughed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you were ninety and you’ll still be doing the stuff you do now.”  Emilie grinned crazily at Adrienne who laughed at her.

   “Well I can’t exactly say that will come true,” she said thoughtfully, “But maybe it could be true.”

Joy came out from getting dressed wearing a pair of blue jeans and a long sleeve purple shirt underneath a gray sweatshirt with a red heart on it. Katherine didn’t take much longer and was wearing a pair of jeans that looked almost white and a brown sweatshirt pulled down so low that you couldn’t see what shirt she was wearing; on it, it said “The Lark Family”. Emilie wore a pair of green jeans and a mint green shirt over a matching tank top with lace on the edges.

   After they were all dressed and had eaten breakfast, they lounged around the campsite. Emilie suddenly remembered what Katherine had suggested last night when they were talking in the tent. She jumped up and ran over to Matthew.

   “Matthew, may Joy, Katherine and I go hiking right now?”

   “Um...” Matthew thought for a little bit and then looked over at Adrienne who nodded her head slightly. “Yes you may.”

Katherine started jumping up and down in surprise. He had actually said yes!

   “Yippee!!!!!!!!!”

   “Honest, Matthew, I didn’t think you would say yes,” Joy told him with an honest look on her face, he laughed in surprise.

“Why not?”

“Because of what you promised your mother,” Joy replied honestly.

“Don’t worry, Joy, nothing will happen to you girls.” Matthew responded. Emilie came back from the pickup truck.

“I’m all ready!” she grinned excitedly, slinging a backpack onto her shoulder.

Matthew stood up.  “What’s in there?”

Emilie rifled through her backpack and pulled various things out of it.  “Um...I have three food bars, one for each of us, and also some water bottles. Aha! My special!” she held up a crumpled and rather soggy map. “The map!”

“Why is that your special, Em?” Joy wrinkled her nose at the soggy map.

“Uh ‘cause it helped us get here.” she shrugged.

“How did it get wet?” Katherine took it in her hands and stared at the blurry paper.

“Uh, that I do not know!” she grinned, “but who cares! Let’s go!” She loaded everything back in and re-tied her sneakers that were slightly tight because of her fuzzy pink socks that she was wearing. Joy picked up Emilie’s backpack and headed onto the path. Katherine and Emilie hurried after her. They waved goodbye to Adrienne and Matthew who both looked sort of uncomfortable being left behind at the campsite by themselves. Katherine began to giggle as she looked back over her shoulder at the campsite and Matthew and Adrienne.

“What?!” Emilie asked for the third time and finally got Katherine’s attention

   “I just was laughing at how awkward they both look.” She pointed over her shoulder. Emilie snuck a look and broke out laughing. Soon both Joy and Katherine were laughing along with her.

~*~

   After hiking for an hour, they came across a very silent part of the forest, and began to explore the area. They separated, but stayed within calling distance from each other. A scream split the air and made Joy stand up real fast.

   “What was that?” she called to Katherine. Katherine stood up as well.

   “It sounded like Emilie.” Katherine began to run to where they had left Emilie with Joy “Girls!”

   “Where are you, Em?” Joy called out to her.

They caught a glimpse of Emilie’s green shirt and ran faster. They were soon by her side, but Emilie wasn’t looking at them. She was staring petrified at a small opening in the trees.  Emilie pointed and they both looked quickly to where she pointed. Joy screamed loudly, Katherine jumped up scared and grabbed Joy and Emilie’s hands so fast that they didn’t have time to react. The girls sped far into the woods until they figured they were far enough away from the bear. Emilie began to cry Katherine hugged her tightly. Joy looked slowly about the circle.

   “Um, guys?”

Katherine looked at Joy. “What?”

   “I think we’re lost.”

Emilie screamed.  “Oh my gosh!” she yelled as she panicked, which wasn’t good. For when Emilie panicked she went hysterical.  

   “Calm down, Em,” Joy said nervously as she shifted from one foot to the other. Katherine looked scared, but there was also an excited glint in her small blue eyes.

   “I’ve never been lost before, but I’ve always been petrified of being lost, and now I am!” Emilie threw her hands up in the air as she exclaimed to no one in particular. She screamed again, making Joy jump and swat at her to stop so she could think.

   “Well....” Joy thought real hard, “What if we turn around and head back the way we came from?”  Katherine sat down on the slightly damp, grassy ground to think about what Joy had suggested. She stood up again.

   “Let’s try that.” She decided; she clasped Emilie’s hand in her own and pulled her along, afraid that if she didn’t, Emilie wouldn’t come follow them. Emilie raved on and on, repeating everything she said, but she was so scared she didn’t realize it.

   “Ya know we’ll probably run into that freakin’ lion again and we’ll be fried meat.”

   “Lion?” Joy glanced over at Katherine who shrugged and smiled back. They walked on and on until Emilie stopped and looked about.

   “Uh, guys?”

   “What?”

   “We’re still as lost as CAN BE!” Emilie screamed and kicked a towering elm with her knee. “Ouch!” she quickly pulled it back. Joy began to pace around the trees agitatedly and chastised herself.

   “What is Matthew going to do to me?”

   “What do you mean what is Matthew going to do to you?” Emilie stopped panicking long enough to ask.

   “I’m the oldest! I should be watching where we’re going! And we didn’t even use your soggy map.”

   “Shut up!” Emilie came out of her trance and stared at Joy who looked taken aback.

   “Why? Why do I have to shut up, Missy?” Joy stared stonily at Emilie. Katherine stared at them and wrung her hands and moaned.

   “Because I said so! You are the meanest person in the world.”

Joy gasped.

   “How dare you? Sometimes I really wonder why you’re my friend, Emilie Cherveaux.” her voice dripped with disdain. Emilie looked as angry as a lion when his lunch was taken away.

   “Girls…” Katherine moaned. Emilie looked over at Katherine.

   “Please stay out of this, Katherine. I don’t want to ruin our friendship.”

Katherine slapped her forehead in frustration. Why oh why?  Where’s Matthew when you need him?  Katherine pushed back her shoulders, took a deep breath and stepped forward.  She put a hand on each of their chests and looked at them both.

   “Okay, girls, listen.  Nothing’s going to happen if you argue, nothing at all! So until you stop arguing and we figure out what to do, we’re stuck. No one will benefit from this argument except some very angry people.” Katherine cringed as Emilie and Joy both glared at her.

“Unless- Unless you want to argue loud enough for Matthew and Adrienne to hear you and come and find us then do so, but I’m going to bed.”

She walked over to a tree and plopped down with her back to them. Emilie grimaced and marched over to another tree and lay down.  Joy stomped, muttering random things, over to a weeping willow and crawled underneath the leaves. Soon they were all asleep.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 ~ ‘Today’s The Day!’

“Today’s the day!!!” Emilie jumped out of bed and threw on pair of jeans and a hot pink shirt. “Girls, wake up! We have a lot to do!” 

Katherine groaned and sat up. “You didn’t have to wake me up like that.” She stuck her tongue out at Emilie who grinned back. Katherine gently punched Joy. “Wake up Sleepy head you're the last one up.” 

Joy yawned and stretched. “I’m gonna get you back sometime Katherine.”

“Not a chance,” replied Katherine, pulling on an aquamarine shirt and tan capris. (Sometimes you can combine sentences where someone’s speaking and then does something right after.  You have Katherine speaking, and then putting on some clothes. ) “Emilie, I have no idea how you can wear hot pink, to me it just seems incredibly bright.” 

Emilie giggled, “It helps me stand out better!”

 “You already stand out so much, Emilie, you don’t need the help of a hot pink shirt,” Joy laughed.

    “Girls! breakfast is ready!” Mrs. Cherveaux called from downstairs.

“Coming Mom,” Emilie called back.

After Joy put a pair of jeans on and a turquoise tank top, they followed the smell of waffles into the kitchen. They each grabbed plates with three waffles each and sat down at the big golden-brown table. Emilie grabbed the jug of maple syrup and poured it all over her waffles, drenching them completely.

“Hey! Save some for us!” Katherine grabbed the jug from Emilie and poured her syrup,then passed it on to Joy. “You might want to hide that from Emilie or the rest of her family won’t get any.” Katherine grinned at Emilie who stuck her tongue out at her.

    “Are you ready to leave, girls?” Mrs. Cherveaux looked up from cooking the waffles, Joy, Katherine and Emilie burst out laughing, “Mommy, we just woke up. We’re not ready yet,” Emilie gasped out.

 Mrs. Cherveaux smiled. “Then you girls need to get a move on.” 

The girls giggled. “Yes Ma’am.”

After they finished breakfast they ran upstairs to pack.

~*~

    “Joy, are you ready yet?” Katherine sat on the edge of Emilie’s bed impatiently.

“Not yet, Katherine, honey,” smirked Joy, giggling.

Katherine tapped Emilie on the head with her foot.

“It’s almost one o’clock, at this rate we won’t get there until night time, won’t we Emilie?”

The doorbell rang; Emilie jumped up from her spot on the floor.  “I’ll get it! I bet it’s Adrienne, You better finish packing, Joy!” she called as she ran downstairs to the front door. 

“Hello Adrienne!” Emilie stepped aside to let Adrienne in.

“Are you girls ready?” Adrienne smiled at Emilie and slid her flip flops off and followed Emilie upstairs.

“Adrienne!” Katherine cried out, “You're here!”

Adrienne laughed, “Yes, I am here, is everyone ready?”

Joy put a folded shirt into her small duffel bag. “They’re ready,” Joy nodded to Emilie and Katherine, “but I’m almost done.”

Matthew stuck his head inside the room, “Are y’all ready yet?”

Joy zipped her duffel bag shut and picked it up, “Yeppers I’m ready, so are Emilie and Katherine.” 

    “Good.” Matthew went downstairs. The girls followed him downstairs with their bags; once downstairs Adrienne picked up her bag and followed them out to Matthew’s truck and they put them into them under the back seat. Emilie hurried back inside to say goodbye to her mother and Joy and Katherine each ran to their houses to say goodbye.

    “Bye Mommy! I’m gonna miss you!” Emilie gave her mother a big bear hug, Mrs. Cherveaux hugged her back.

    “I’m going to miss you too Sweetie.” Mrs. Cherveaux hugged Matthew, “You better keep her safe, Matthew.”

Matthew smiled.  “Mom, I promise wholeheartedly that Emilie will not get into any harm at all.”

Mr. Cherveaux came into the room; Emilie rushed to him and hugged him tightly. “Oh Daddy! I’m gonna miss you!”

“Have fun my dear!” Mr. Cherveaux told his daughter cheerfully.

Emilie laughed.  “Oh Daddy, I’m gonna come home with wonderful tales for all of you!” 

Aden came into the room followed by Angelo. “You better or we’ll tickle it out of you!”

Emilie smirked at him. Joy and Katherine came running back in.

“You ready, Emilie?”  Joy asked excitedly. 

Matthew looked at his watch and said, “They’re right, Emilie, let’s go.” With a chorus of goodbyes, the group was soon on the road driving towards the Tehachapi Mountains.

~*~

    “I said remember this moment, In the back of my mind, the time we stood with our shaking hands, the crowds in the stands went wild!!” the girls sang along to the song coming from the speakers. Matthew sat in the driver’s seat thinking. He sat quietly watching the road. I wonder if she likes me? Hmm I hope she does. That would be just awesome!  He glanced over his shoulder to see Adrienne watching him.

    “You okay?” She smiled sweetly.

    “Yeah, just thinking.” He replied looking back at the road.

    “Do you mind if I ask about what?” Adrienne asked him, glancing back at the girls who were bouncing around in their seats. “‘Cause if you have a problem maybe I can help you out.”

 Matthew tensed up.  How did she know? 

    “Uh, hehe, thanks for asking, but that’s alright, I’ll let you know.” S

she smiled at him and then turned back to her book. Emilie tapped him on the shoulder and giggled.

    “Matthew, uh can we stop at a restroom?” 

Matthew glanced back at Emilie.   “Uh, sure. Just a couple minutes, I’ll let you know.”

Emilie sat back and began to whisper with Joy and Katherine.

    “There’s an exit!! And there’s places to stop!!!” Emilie shouted pointing wildly at an exit. Matthew laughed at her and turned onto the off ramp and pulled into a parking lot. Joy, Katherine, and Emilie jumped out of the car and hurried into the restaurant, which left Adrienne and Matthew in the truck alone. Adrienne fingered her shirt awkwardly.

    “So Matthew, what are we going to do to keep theses girls occupied this whole week?” 

    “It shouldn’t take much, but the usual camp activities: fires, smores and hot dogs, hiking, fishing…” Matthew laughed. “We’ll just see once we get there I guess.”

Adrienne nodded and they sat in an awkward silence for a few moments. A shout caught their attention and they looked out the window and saw Katherine waving to them. The two of them climbed out of the car and went into the restaurant and found the three girls staring at a TV that was hanging crookedly on the wall of Dairy Queen. Matthew strode over to them followed by Adrienne.

    “What’s up?” he asked them. Katherine pointed to the screen which showed the weather report for the week.

    “Look!” they looked at the screen and listen to the weatherman.

    “This coming week there is a watch for a snow storm! around the upper Tehachapi Mountain area, so be prepared.” The weatherman announced. Emilie gasped, her face had grown pale.  “Matthew, isn’t that where we are going?”

    “Yes” Matthew grimaced. Joy groaned; Katherine flopped down on a chair and Emilie, much to Matthew’s disgust, burst into tears. Adrienne hugged her tightly,

    “But this can’t happen! This was supposed to be the best week ever in my life! Now a snowstorm is going hit! This can’t be happening, no it can’t!” she sobbed this all out on Adrienne’s shoulder as if  her life had ended.

Adrienne touched Matthew on the shoulder and nodded her head towards the truck; she turned and headed to the truck with Emilie next to her and Joy and Katherine following behind her.  Matthew brought up the rear. Matthew started the truck and they drove off down the highway; the back seat was strangely quiet now compared to earlier when they been bursting with excitement. Matthew looked back at his sister whose face was tear stricken.

    “I’m sorry Emilie, but I’m still taking you up there.” Adrienne turned to look at him surprised, Emilie sat forward.

    “But you told your mother you would keep her safe, and taking her up on the mountain when there’s a snowstorm isn’t keeping her safe.” Adrienne broke in.

    Joy spoke up, “We aren’t going up super high anyways so we won’t be too near it.” Matthew sighed and looked out the window.

    “Actually, that isn’t true, Joy, we’re going up pretty high.” his words sank in and the realized what he meant. Matthew handed Joy his iPhone and told her to look up the weather in the north eastern area of the Tehachapi Mountains. They sped down the highway passing the sandy beaches, the small remote towns, the large fast-paced cities, and the grassy meadows and tall dense mountains of California.

Joy looked up and said, “It doesn’t say if there will be snowstorms; it looks pretty clear right now. Around our campground, the area is pretty wooded and it tends to stay pretty cool. It says that the temperature is usually in the forties.”

Joy handed the iPhone back to Matthew who put it on the dashboard; Emilie sat back and sighed with relief. With that almost tragedy over, what’s next?