“Oh, I hadn’t realized it was that time yet! My goodness. What am I going to do with my fish while we’re gone?” she asks forlornly.
“Don’t you worry about that. I’m an expert fish cleaner,” Grandpa assures her as he takes her precious cargo from her. “I’ll have it all ready for you when you get back.”
“Thank you!” She turns back to me. “I’m going to run use the restroom and wash my hands, and then I’ll be ready.”
She hurries off in the direction of the bathrooms, and I turn back to Grandpa. “What are you up to?”
He shrugs. “I like her. You should keep her.”
He struts off in the direction of the fish cleaning station as if those two short sentences explained everything.
Shaking my head, I start the car and pull around to wait for Lucy at the bathroom.
She jogs out of the building and jumps in the car. “Thanks for doing this.”
We start the thirty-minute drive to town and enjoy the views without conversation.
I love that I can be quiet with Lucy. We can ride in the car in complete silence, and it just feels refreshing rather than awkward. I never knew there’d be someone that I didn’t feel like I had to perform with. But with Lucy, I can just be.
When we reach Sisters, Lucy tells me she’ll just wait by the car for her friend, who she texted with a dropped pin location so she doesn’t want to move. I, on the other hand, have my eye on the Sisters Coffee Company right across the street.
“Want me to grab you something?” I say.
Lucy shakes her head. “I drank so much of the coffee that your dad made this morning. I’d better not, or I’ll be shaking.”
“How about a little snacky?”
She purses her lips as she thinks about it. “If they have some yummy baked good, then yes.”
“You’ve got it.”
I walk across the street, taking advantage of the cars stopped for the crosswalk.
By the time I get my coffee and a bagel for Lucy, I see a car parked directly behind mine in the parking lot. A young woman climbs out and greets Lucy with a smile and a hug.
This time, I have to actually wait at the crosswalk for a minute since no one seems inclined to let me pass. I flat-out refuse to carry the giant orange crossing flag. I’d rather die in a road accident than have to wave a flag to let someone know I’m here.
Because of how many tourists Sisters has, and the amount of foot traffic, someone decided that pedestrians should carry a large orange flag so that they don’t get run over by all the through traffic.
I’ll take my chances.
A semitruck that’s probably not supposed to be on this side road slows to a stop. I lift my coffee cup in a slight wave to him and hurry across.
Lucy’s friend is opening the back door of her car, and a blackish-brown blur leaps from the car and straight toward Lucy. Even though she’s braced as if she’s expecting the attack, the large dog knocks her to the hard asphalt.
“Lucy!” I yell as I run toward her.
She’s laughing and clinging to the dog when I reach her.
“Are you all right?” I ask.
“Yes,” she gasps between laughter. “Just dented my butt.”
“What a shame,” I mutter. I offer her an elbow to grab since my hands are full.
Lucy latches onto my arm, and I pull her to her feet.
Her friend is already back in the car, leaning out the window. “Are you okay, Lucy?”
