Maybe I am.
ButI’malso the parent here. AndBen ismykid.
“I’m going,” I tell her flatly. “You can come or not. But either way, this is happening.”
The silence that follows is thick enough to cut.
Then she exhales. Long and slow. “Of course...” She closes her eyes, and I swear her chin is quivering just a little bit. She squeezes both hands into fists before opening her eyes again.
“Of course I’m coming,” she says quickly.
I study her uncertainly. “You don’t have to...”
“Yes, I do.” Her voice softens just slightly. “Someone has to keep you from doing something stupid. And Ben will need me.”
She’s right. Ben will need her.
But I don’t say that out loud. Just nod once. “Okay. I’ll coordinate with Filepe on logistics.”
“When?” she asks.
“The coming weekend,” I reply. “Friday night through Sunday morning.”
She looks like she wants to argue more. But instead she just says, “Fine.”
I leave before either of us can say something we can’t take back.
I text Ethan and let him know the weekend plan.
He texts back:I’ll drop by tomorrow morning after my shift with some supplies.
I ping Filepe and Jag and update them on the situation.
Filepe promises to stage the route, while Jag intends to check the cabin access and confirm the ranger station phone number by tomorrow night.
Ethan showsup the next morning with a small duffel bag.
“Wilderness kit,” he says, dropping it in the mudroom. “Trauma shears. Bandage roll. Extra whistles. Two bear sprays. Satphone’s charged, right?”
“Charged and tested.” I open the bag and check the contents. Everything’s there as he said. “We already have bear spray.”
He shrugs. “Never hurts to have more.” He studies me. “You’re really doing this?”
“Yeah.”
“Mad man.” He shakes his head. “Jess going?”
“Yeah.”
He purses his lips, as if unsure that’s a good idea. Then shrugs again. “At least she’ll keep you honest.”
We head outside to wait for Ben. It’s one of those crisp mornings where the air smells like leaves and coffee and the city hasn’t quite woken up yet.
Jag’s waiting by the Range Rover. Filepe’s doing a perimeter sweep.
And across the street, there’s an unmarked sedan with tinted windows.
Ethan clocks it immediately. “That the one Luis flagged?”
