Life’s Expectations

Just Keep Going

Grace drove like Andy said,then she stopped.She found a camp ground in the small town she had stopped in.She set the tent up like Andy told her or she tried.A guy saw her struggling and offered to help.She shyly accepted help from him.

“Are you here alone?We have extra wood.Do you eat fish?Do you like steak?Where you headed?Oh,sorry not trying to be pushy.Maybe a bit nosey,yes.But not trying to push. I am just very curious of a young lady that pulls up in camp on a motorcycle loaded down and with a cat.Not your usual camping essentials.”

She just watched closely as he put the tent together.She wanted to learn to put it together herself.

“This tent is super cool.It’s an old Army tent.You did some great upgrades to it.Is that wax on the exterior?And this door is really nice.This is how you put it together.You roll it out and the wooden pieces slide down the rope clicking into each other.And then you tie the ropes at the top of the door.You have to attach the hinges here.”Duncan said showing her how to do it.

She watched ,but didn’t answer any of his questions.He was going on and on as he put her entire camp together.She wasn’t sure what to think of him.

“My name is Grace.What’s yours?”she asked and he shot straight up from stacking wood by the fire pit.

“Oh man.Ummmmm my name is Duncan.Do you like steak,are you hungry?”he asked finishing the pile.She nodded,not adding anything more.He walked away and came back with a plate of food and a soda.He handed it to her,tipped his hat and walked away.

“Goodnight.” he said before heading down the path to his campsite.

Grace waved,then yelled.”Thank you!”She was glad he came.He got her firewood and water.Set up her tent and got her dinner.She went inside and set up her things.She was going to stay two days.So,why not be comfortable?She set up their bed and a dining table.She put her fan on a table in front of the window.It pulled in a nice cool breeze.She sat her food on the table.She put an insulated clothe Holly made her,to keep food hot over it.She made sure Salts was in her carrier,then she got her shower bag and shower shoes.She tool a lantern with her to the female shower stalls.She actually didn’t need it in the shower,so she sat it on the sink counter.She showered and put her night clothes on.Grace grabbed her lantern and bag.She walked quickly back to her tent.She zipped her tent up and let Salts out.She put her food on one of her plates and in a glass.She was cutting some steak up for Salts,when Duncan came back to her tent.

“Knock,knock.”he said.

“Hey.”Grace said.

“I brought your little baby some dinner.You didn’t say if you like fish,but I bet it does.”he said raising a plate covered in foil.

“Yes,she does like fish.Thank you.I don’t care for it actually.Here is your plate back.Thank you.”she handed Duncan the plate and took the new one.She put the fish in a bowl with a lid and gave him back the plate.

“I will bring you some good breakfast when you wake up.Goodnight Miss Grace.”

He said and disappeared in the dark.Grace wasn’t scared,there were so many filled campsites around her.That was the main reason she chose to come to a camp ground.She and Salts throughly enjoyed their dinner.Grace brushed her teeth,cleaned up their dishes and went to bed.Her bed was actually very comfortable and she slept rather well considering.

Grace dreamed of Thane as usual,but this time he seemed out of her reach.In her dream he had their baby,but an older man kept taking her from him.She felt like an intruder in his nightmare.She couldn’t console him or help him.Grace tossed and turned all night.When she woke she did remember the older man telling Thane they were going to find her.But apparently Holly had sent them in the wrong direction,so she felt safe to stay another day there.And she was going to enjoy her time there.She had already dressed and tied her curtains back to let in the sun and the breeze.She was waiting on her kettle of water to boil on her campfire.She went out to pour some hot water into her teapot.Grace was startled by Duncan when he came up.

“Oh I am so sorry.I didn’t mean to scare you.I told you I would bring you breakfast.Here you go.Do you want to go out on the boat with us today?”he asked her.

She took the plate from him and put it on the table.She came back out with two cups of tea,handing him one.Duncan took it,with a smile.

“That sounds fun.Would you like some homemade creamer or sugar?You may come in and seat.”she motioned to a large floor cushion and he took off his shoes at the door and sat.He sat looking at her setup.She had a very nice bed that licked together like the tent door.There were two nice big floor cushions that were on either side of a short Chinese style table.It was short and also made like the tent door.The design was to save on space,the frame of the bed and table were made from bamboo.To assemble them you just push them together.She had the ultimate camping setup.

“Where did you buy these things?”he asked her,she just shook her head.

“I didn’t,my dad made them.He designed and made them.My mom put beeswax on the tent and attached the curtains.She also sewed thermal panels that get snapped on to the walls for cold weather.And there is a wood stove pipe hole and panel to prevent fire,when I use the wood stove.Everything folds or rolls up for easier storage and transport.The tent,furniture and wood stove go into the trailer.I plan to pack more things in either them when I head out tomorrow morning.I left in a hurry so things were not well thought out.But I will pack most of it tonight,to make it easier.My next sleep spot I will stay for a few weeks or months,not sure.Camping sites will be much cheaper than renting a place.”Grace said sipping on her tea.He was shocked that she had shared all that and frankly so was she.

“So,where are you heading?Any place in mind?”he asked and she shook her head.He shrugged.

“I live in a friendly town down South,but there are a lot of friendly places down there.That tea was good.I never had hot tea before and never seen nobody put creamer in it.That creamer was somethin special.Did you make it?”he asked her putting his teacup down.

“Yes,I made it with my mom.”the more she called Holly and Andy her mom and dad,the more she missed them.

“Well you eat and come on down the hill to the boat launch.We will be down there getting ready.”he told her and walked down the hill.

She got dressed in her bathing suit and a sundress.She grabbed her beach bag and sun hat.She put the fan on for Salts and left.

She walked down the hill and saw them all loading the boat.They had a grill ,a large ice chest and several picnic baskets loaded.She was wondering how they planned to grill on a boat,it didn’t seem to safe.

“Hey!You came!”Duncan said surprised from the boat.He motioned for her to come over and he helped her on board.She sat on the bench at one side of the boat.

“You ready to have some fun?”a red head asked her seating in the back.Grace nodded.

“My name is Shelby,this is Erin.The guy driving is my boyfriend Ian,Erin’s twin brother.The guy on shore is Jake,Erin’s husband.And you know Duncan.”the young woman said with a smile holding out her hand to Grace.Grace shook her hand politely.She had never seen anyone with jet black hair in real life before and it was super long.Shelby had it in two French braids and a daisy band around her head.She wore a yellow bikini with a long fringe cover up,but it didn’t cover much.Grace had a blue one piece and cut off jeans on.She did still have baby fat to hide.Lucky Grace was prepared for if she went swimming,so she could get in if she wants to.Duncan and all his buddies were wearing cut off jeans.They boated out to an island and took everything ashore.Grace smiled and nodded to herself.They grilled out and played frisbee for a while.Then the girls decided to layout in the sun and listen to the radio.They hung out and swam all day.When they got back she thanked them and said their goodbyes.She was super tired,but packed up anyway.She fed Salts and then went to shower.She came back and Salts was already asleep at the foot of her bed.Grace climbed in to careful not to disturb Salts.That was the longest she had ever been in her carrier alone.They both slept soundly.Grace dreamed of Thane,still like she was interrupting a nightmare.This time as she woke,she felt like someone was watching her and Thane was all of a sudden in her face.”He’s no good.He means to harm you.”

Grace woke very shaken.She is had that feeling of being watched.She shook it off and started break down.

Grace handled break down very well and got everything repacked even better than before.She had managed to get most in the trailer and side car.She didn’t have to wear the backpacks at all.She put get to it quick things in the saddle bags,like her purse and raincoat.She put Salts in her spot,put on her helmet,pushed down the shield,climbed on her motorcycle and off she went.As she drove just a bit away from her campsite,she spotted Duncan exiting the woods.He was hiding behind the trees.She thought it was kinda creepy,but shook it off,waved and kept driving.She wanted to get through another state at least before dark.