Page 74 of Big & Lily

Brick walks off to call Frank, and when he comes back, he addresses the rest of the group. “Everything is going to be fine, folks. We’re still expecting a beautiful day, the visibility from the lake will be spectacular. Go get yourselves ready. Jace will start rustling up your breakfast, and you’ll be off soon.”

The men and Xavier return to their yurts, but my own angels, Luna and Mimi, remain at my side. Luna takes my hand in both of hers and says to me, “You are full of surprises,” and then to Brick, “Can we at least help them out of these clothes while you wait for Frank?”

He points at where the bear spray stained my pants and says, “That’s got to smart. Yes, sure. If you can.”

“Cut them off.” Lily adds, “And burn them all while you’re at it.”

I pull myself to a standing position and tiny Luna and Mimi wrap their arms around my waist. “Wait,” says Brick. “She’s put enoughweight on that ankle.” My friends step aside, and he lifts me up,An Officer and a Gentlemanstyle, and carries me to my yurt. Chivalry, even when this gentleman wants to throttle you, is not dead.

“I’m really sorry,” I say to him. “I know we broke the rules. We really wanted to see the sunrise. And we thought we’d be fine on a trail we’d already been on.”

“The rules are there for your safety,” he reminds me. Inside the tent, Brick puts me down on the cot. Lily, Luna, and Mimi follow us in.

“Yes, I can see why,” I say. Classic me. First time coloring outside the lines and I make a huge mess of it. “I guess there will be some kind of penance for this. Whatever it is, I deserve it.”

“You mean we,” says Lily. “Stop trying to take the credit for everything.”

Brick actually smiles at my sister’s attempt at playful sibling rivalry. “Alaska gives gifts, but she also teaches lessons. I’m thinking you both learned yours.” Lily and I turn to each other like six-year-olds who got caught drawing on the walls with permanent marker. “Besides,” he says, “you should see some of the stunts clients have pulled. Approaching grizzlies, wandering off trails. You wouldn’t believe the stupid things some people do.”

“What idiots,” I say, but I can’t meet his eye.

Lily smiles. “So, we’re not your worst clients? That’s saying something.”

“Jury is still out,” says Brick. “Let’s see what the doc says about these injuries.”

Frank arrives with the van; I can hear it groaning and squeaking down the dirt path to the campsite. Brick and Jace help us in. I get my own row so I can elevate my leg. Lily lowers herself onto the seatin front of me slowly, wincing at the pain in her ribs. Brick climbs into the driver’s seat and talks into the rearview mirror. “Make yourselves comfortable, ladies.” That’s a laugh.

Frank starts to pull the back door shut but stops midway as Luna steps up into the van. Followed by Mimi. They slide past me and sit down next to Lily.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“We’re coming with you. You’ll need someone to hold your hands. We happen to have a few spare ones.”

“No, guys,” I protest. “You’ll miss the hike. It’s your last day.”

“And this is how we choose to spend it,” says Mimi. “With our friends.”

I start to cry. “With your clumsy, klutzy friends.”

“Those are the best kind,” says Luna.

“Hold up!” says a voice from outside the van. A moment later, Dane jumps in. “I hear there is a party at a hospital nearby. They’re saying it’stheplace to be.”

“Oh, Dane, don’t be silly.” Lily says it as if she couldn’t be more annoyed with him, but only I see a slight smile appearing on her lips.

“What? I played an orderly inNew Amsterdam—that’s practically a doctor. I could do your stiches, if they’d let me.”

“The more the merrier,” I say to him. I’m not surprised that he wants to make sure Lily is okay. And I think it’s sweet.

“Are we all ready to go?” asks Brick.

“Not yet,” says Frank, who had started to slide the door closed again. “Looks like we got a few more coming.”

The passenger door slides open wider, and Ian climbs in next to Brick. Xavier jumps in the back and plops himself down in the last row of seats. I’m really confused. Ian is the last person I thought would allow our dumb mishap to interrupt his father/son OutwardBound experience. Everyone is quiet. They all must be thinking the same. Even Brick doesn’t put the van in gear.

Finally, Ian twists around and shrugs at all of us. “Xavier insisted,” he says. Luna reaches back and ruffles the boy’s hair. And finally, we set off on our last Alaskan adventure.

Chapter Thirty-Six