Life learning to be a Luna

2. Plans

I wake up kinda early for a Saturday morning, and feeling the lash from last night. I start recalling how the evening went, and I’m instantly mad and hurt. I went up the stairs quietly, not wanting to wake the others yet. I turned on my phone. After a second, my ringer went off on the loudest setting. It was blowing up with missed messages and calls from last night from one person, Drew. I was so mad I didn’t know what to say. I ignored them and just decided to deal with the drama fall out later. I decide to go back downstairs, everyone was still snoring soundly. I decided to get some breakfast started being 6:30 but wasn't sure if I should wake them yet.

I thought it would be best to cook first, they did save me from the awful night. I wanted to make simple comfort food, so I settled on pancakes, bacon, sausage, hash browns, some freshly cut fruits, and juice. I was busy in the kitchen making sure I had enough before I went back down. I went over to the big bed and started shaking it, and yelling.

“EaRtH QuAkE!?!?”

Everyone was shaken awake and screaming, startled. Once they opened their eyes and saw me laughing, they wernt as scared more frustrated.

Andrea: “Oh My Goodness! Kim seriously? It's to early...”

Maggie: “You can always wake us up another way, you know!”

Me: “But this way is funny! Hahaha, OK, now that y’all are up, I made breakfast in the kitchen. Are you coming?”

That being said, they were both eager to come upstairs. We left Cathy and Jackson alone no one wanted to go wake up the angry Jackson.

While we were eating, we talked and made more plans for the trip. I tell the girls I’ll help them understand the basics of camping since I have been camping, and know more about the outdoors. We decide on what supplies we will need and how much food. We write down lists of what each person needs to get. Jackson and Cathy came strolling in soon after we were done eating.

Jackson: “Wow Kim, this looks amazing! Every time you are here I swear I gain weight.”

Me: "Well, you know I’ll cook for you anytime. It's something I enjoy."

Cathy: "It always looks good. Thanks, Kimmy"

We all sat down and told Cathy what we had come up with she was eager to get things going. I decided to go to the farmhouse to look for stuff I already had. We finish eating and Jackson took us to our vehicles. We thanked him for the sleep over as he pulled away. I decided to skip home and just hopped in my truck to get to the farmhouse.

When I get there, all my memories come flooding back. It’s a barn-style home, but it’s a big 4-bed, 2.5 baths, a big kitchen. It was my mother's design for her dream home. I haven’t had the heart to move anything since that night. It is as if mom and dad never left it. As I walk in, the smell of dad’s cologne hits me, like a meadow full of trees after a rainstorm. When I was little, that smell made me know I was home. I had to stop reminiscing before I got too emotional. I went to the closet in the hallway where we kept the camping supplies. I collect my sleeping bag, cooking supplies, all I can find. My family used to be avid outdoor people and I have lots of memories of the woods and our type of "survival training".

I find what I can and call the girls to see what else we might need.

*all way call*

Kim: "I found what I have, but there is stuff missing."

Cathy: “When do y’all want to get the rest of things?”

Maggie: "I see no reason we can’t get them today?"

Andrea: "We can go shopping! It would be fun."

Maggie: "Yea, I haven’t got much going on. Let’s go!"

We all meet up and go supply shopping! We got what we needed quickly plus some extra things. We had to make a rule for Cathy's girls trip meant no Jackson. They all avoided the Drew topic. I still hadn't responded to any of his messages. Even though it felt like millions of calls and texts kept coming.

We set the day: fly out on Tuesday 8:00am and we will drive back the following Monday. It will be a 3hr flight and a 14-hour drive home. We will stop in Kansas and sleep and continue coming home to Missouri on Tuesday. We plan on stopping along the way and see some of Kansas. Flying will be fun! I have not been flying, so I’m nervous.

Before long, we got in contact with one of the campgrounds that we had researched. We got a spot and I asked how to get everything there, since we couldn’t take it on the plane. The camp ranger suggested we could ship it to their headquarters, and they would save it for us when we got there. We shipped it all that day, so it was a head of us. They told us it would be 2 days to get there.

We are all set and ready. That is when Andrea second guessed the plan. She’s worried about anything that could go wrong and is worried about wild animals such as bears and wolves. But when we looked at the site online, it had ratings for easy hiking and marked for beginners. It would be a full moon the first night, and the weather was showing a beautiful week.

— a few days later

Monday night everything was in place except Andrea. She got called into an emergency at work (she’s a nurse and assists in surgery). We weren't sure about her still coming on the trip, but were hoping she could. Cathy and Maggie are still able to. We decided to stay at Maggie's, being closer to the airport. We want to get there on time.

Tuesday morning. 5am

I get up and double check all the packing and hop in the shower. I woke up the girls and called Andrea. She must be at work because got her voicemail. All of us were ready by 6:30, and we had an hour's drive to the airport to go. Traffic was slow even for a Tuesday, got in and through security pretty fast. We were on our plane, missing Andrea. She texted us before we took off saying she had just gotten out of the surgery. She was apologizing like crazy but we understood. She is a bright girl and has a very happy future ahead of her. She loves what she does, and we would always find stuff to do with her later or plan a half way point.

We were all set, and now we had 3hrs until we are in Colorado. Somewhere new and with some of the best people I have ever had in my life.

Before we took off, I pulled out my phone and texted Drew.

“Sorry I haven’t got back to you. I just have no idea what to say. I don’t want excuses. I don’t want an apology. I just want the truth. If you can't do that, then don't even reply to this. Why would you do this to me? How long has it been going on?…. I am so confused. I need space. I’m leaving for a week. I will let you get your things when I get back.”

With that sent, I shut off my phone and waited for us to land.