“I’m done in the mop closet if you want more privacy than this fake tree,” I reply.
He smirks, despite his tension.
Thorn leaves me alone in the dark enclave, and I swear it already feels a few degrees cooler now that he’s gone.
This is going to be fun.
3THORN
It’s always something.
Just once before an expedition, I’d love for it to go as planned. If it’s not bad weather, it’s a wildfire. If it’s not a wildfire, it’s one of our trekkers forgetting something important—medication, sunscreen, hiking boots, underwear. The list goes on.
Today’s interruption to the schedule is a new one, even for me.
“I’m sorry, shewhat?” I ask Danica, my boss, who’s usually pretty good about letting me take care of any last-minute issues on my own.
Usually, the last-minute issues don’t involve me being left without a coleader an hour before we’re supposed to head out.
“Jess is still stuck in Hawaii,” Danica repeats. “She had a delayed reaction to a jellyfish sting and missed her rescheduled flight.”
I curse under my breath. “Itoldher it wasn’t a good idea to commit to a hike the day after vacation.”
At the time, all I was thinking of was the jet lag—notthe possibility that she might still be far across the Pacific when we’re scheduled to head out.
“You know Jess,” Danica says.
I do know Jess. Stubborn and optimistic, gives her whole heart to whatever she tries, writes absolutely nothing down and usually gets away with it.
“So what now?” I ask. “Delay again until she gets a flight home?”
“Unfortunately, her entire right foot is swollen up past her ankle. I don’t think she’ll be ready to walk on it anytime soon, let alone do the hike.”
“I’m on my own, then?”
“Well…not exactly.”
Danica pauses for long enough that I actually start to worry. I’m not the worrying type—Jess and I are the same in that way, though I can’t say I relate to her chaotic approach to…well, everything.
“What?” I ask. “What is it?”
“It’s not that we don’t trust you on your own, Thorn—if there’s anyone who could handle a group alone, it’s definitely you. You know the rules are there for a reason, though, right?”
Every hike must have apairof certified coleaders, just in case, so that inexperienced trekkers won’t get stranded in the wilderness on their own.
It’s a good policy. Less pressure on me, and always good to have someone else around who knows what they’re doing.
That said: I’m wary of how Danica’s tiptoeing around whatever it is she’s reluctant to tell me.
“Who’s taking Jess’s place?” I ask since she’s still quiet on the other end.
“I’m sorry, Thorn—I tried everyone else first.”
I can practically hear her biting her tongue.
“Who?” I repeat.
Danica sighs. “Matteo.”
