Page 62 of One Hot Daddy

And promptly fall asleep.

In the morning, everyone is refreshed and ready to explore the Badlands.The starkly beautiful landscape stretches out before us like something from another planet.Red rock formations jut up from the earth in impossible shapes, carved by millions of years of wind and water into a landscape that seems more suited to Mars than South Dakota.

Henry presses his face against the window."Whoa.This is so cool!It looks like where aliens would live."

"That's exactly what I was thinking," I agree, craning my neck to take in the towering spires of rock."It's like we've driven into a science fiction movie."

Fletcher pulls into the visitor center parking lot, and I can tell he's as impressed as the rest of us.His whole expression changes as he surveys the dramatic landscape stretching toward the horizon.

"Right then," he says, turning off the engine."Everyone ready to explore?"

The kids practically tumble out of the van in their excitement.Josh immediately starts rattling off geological facts about sedimentary rock formations that he must've memorized.Charlotte immediately starts planning the best photo spots now that her dad bought her a camera.We had nixed the idea of letting our kids sign up on any social media site.A camera is the next best thing.

"Did you know," Josh announces to anyone within earshot, "that these formations are called 'badlands' because early settlers thought the terrain was too hard to cross?"

Amelia rolls her eyes."Fascinating."

Despite her seeming disinterest, I catch Amelia snapping a photo of the dramatic rock spires.

The grandparents emerge from their rental van looking surprisingly spry despite the long journey.My dad immediately starts pointing out geological features to Fletcher's father, while the moms huddle together, probably mapping out our itinerary down to the minute.

"Look at that formation over there," Fletcher says, pointing toward a particularly striking red and white striped cliff."It's like layers of history written in stone."

I love watching him get excited about things like this.The cricket match really did unlock something in him.He's confident, virile, cheerful, and focused on our children more than ever before.

"Can we hike one of those trails?"Charlotte asks, bouncing on her toes as she studies the visitor center map.

"Yes, why not?"Fletcher replies."But we stick together as a group.No wandering off."

Josh already has his nose buried in a park brochure."What about the fossil trail?It says here that you can see actual prehistoric remains embedded in the rock."

Henry's eyes go wide."Like dinosaur bones?"

"More like ancient sea creatures," Josh explains with the patience of someone who genuinely loves sharing knowledge."This whole area used to be underwater millions of years ago."

I watch Fletcher absorb this information, nodding thoughtfully.Six months ago, he would have been checking his watch or suggesting we skip ahead to the next attraction.Now he's immersed in the moment, genuinely curious about the natural wonders around us.

The change in him is unmistakable---and wonderful.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Fletcher

Our last day in the Badlands takes us to an unusual, intriguing location called Wall Drug, a sprawling tourist attraction that we've heard has become a legend in its own right.I've been seeing billboards for this place for the last hundred miles, each one more outrageous than the last.Free Ice Water at Wall Drug!And,Only 50 Miles to Wall Drug!The children have been counting them like some sort of bizarre road trip bingo game.

As we pull into the parking lot, I find myself grinning at the sheer audacity of the place.Wall Drug sprawls across what looks like several city blocks, a maze of wooden storefronts designed to look like an Old West town.The whole thing is delightfully kitschy, and I can already see the children's eyes lighting up.Even Jennifer seems entranced by the eccentric atmosphere.

"This is crazy," my wife whispers beside me, but she's smiling as she says it."How did a pharmacy in the middle of nowhere become this massive tourist destination?"

"Marketing genius," I reply, watching as Henry presses his face against the van window."Free ice water during the Great Depression, then they just kept adding attractions until it became this wonderland of American roadside culture."

"Says an Englishman.You Brits must have your own wacky destinations too, though."

"Oh yes, indeed we do."I wag my eyebrows at her."We've got Stonehenge, which is essentially a pile of rocks that people travel thousands of miles to see.And don't get me started on the various museums dedicated to cheese-rolling or Morris dancing.I can't forget the Gnome Reserve in Devon either, where hundreds of garden gnomes live in a woodland setting.Visitors are encouraged to wear pointy red hats to make the gnomes feel comfortable."

Jennifer laughs, linking her arm through mine as we exit the van."I'd love to see those someday.Maybe that should be our next family vacation---showing the kids your homeland."

"They would love it.Henry would go mad for the Tower of London---all those gruesome execution stories."