Get-Away Challenged

We drove up the snowy, winding road towards the cozy A-frame cabin. This trip was a last-minute decision, and we were both eager to settle in and relax for a few days. Jesse had stopped the car twice, once to fill up with fuel and the second time for snacks. I was ready to get out of the car. I had slept the whole way and needed to stretch my legs. My mind was as tired as my body. Mental exhaustion is as dangerous as physical exertion. I deserved some downtime. Jesse did too. I wanted a glass of chardonnay, a view of the mountains, and a good soak in the advertised hot tub.

Jesse put the car in park as the snow flurries drifted on the hood of the car. The warm engine melted them as soon as they landed. He unbuckled his seat belt and looked at me with wide eyes. The cabin porch light twinkled in the fading light of the day. It looked as inviting as the photos we found online.

“I wish we knew who to thank for this treat,” Jesse said, the excitement in his voice was palpable.

The voucher had arrived in a plain cardboard box, delivered to our doorstep early in the morning. Three nights, pre-paid, at the destination of our choice. It seemed too good to be true. There was no note included, no card, just the mysterious voucher. The video doorbell recorded a drone depositing the box yesterday morning while we ate breakfast. We debated for two seconds, decided it didn’t matter who sent us the voucher. We weren’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I chewed on half a piece of toast as I began packing our suitcases. Jesse scoured the website for the ideal place to go. It didn’t take him long to find this place.

Jesse unloaded our bags from the trunk. I helped Sam, our German Shephard out of the backseat. Sam was our constant companion. I consider him our fur kid so of course Sam had to go on vacation with us. There were lots of pet-friendly options on the site, but Jesse and I both agreed that this was the perfect place. It wasn't too far from home so we could drive and avoid the airport. And bring the dog. It was a win-win.

I stuck my tongue out, trying to catch the falling flakes as I buckled Sam’s leash to his collar. Sam was already jumping and frolicking in the snow.

Jesse trekked toward us with a luggage strap slung over each shoulder. In his hand he carried one of Sam’s favorite toys, a neon green colored stuffed dragon, sans one eye, with hot pink dragon scales. Sam had chewed it beyond repair long ago. Sam noticed his toy and lunged toward Jesse, his mouth biting at it as he dragged me through the snow behind him.

“There weren’t always dragons in the valley,” Jesse teased, waving the dragon up high just out of Sam’s reach. Sam was going berserk, leaping up at the dragon as Jesse switched the toy from hand to hand.

I shook my head. “Technically we’re on the mountain,” I say. “We drove through the valley on the way here.” Jesse rolled his eyes and kept dangling the toy dragon over Sam’s head.

“Don’t get him all wound up. I just want to get inside and get comfortable.” I said.

Jesse held the dragon stuffed toy high in the air as he started walking to the porch. “Come on Kate,” he urged.

I didn’t have much of a choice, Sam’s leash was locked in place, and he pulled me along behind him as he chased after his toy.

“Quit provoking him! He’s going to break free and run off!” I scream, holding Sam’s leash with both hands.

Jesse laughs as he lowers the toy dragon to Sam's eye level. Sam snatches it from his hand and begins to bite down on the dragon, making it squeak over and over again.

“You’re right. I don’t want to spend our weekend searching for the dog. I can see the headline in the local newspaper now. Dragon and toddler lost in the forest,” Jesse said, smiling. He’s teasing me. He knows how I feel about Sam. He is our child. For now, anyway.

“Thank you,” I say as the leash grows slack now that Sam has his prize.

“Let’s get inside. I can start a fire,” Jesse says, as he shivers in the cold.

I wrap my arm around his. “Oh, that sounds good. We can take turns telling campfire ghost stories,” I say.

Jesse rolls his eyes as we walk up the cabin steps.

“Or we could just drink wine in front of the fire?” He suggests as he locates the fake rock that hides the front door key.

“Well, that sounds nice, too.”

Jesse unlocks the door and holds it open for me and Sam to go in first.

The cabin is cozy yet well-equipped. A fireplace takes up the whole wall in the living room. A small but adequate kitchen flanks the main living area. The ceiling is open all the way to the top. A spiral staircase leads to a loft bedroom. There’s a set of French doors on the back of the house. That must be the deck where the hot tub is located.

It’s the perfect getaway spot.

Jesse sets our bags on the hardwood floor. “This reminds me of Uncle Bill’s cabin. Before the fire.”

I laugh. “That was a memorable Thanksgiving,” I say. Jesse’s family had the distinction of having the ultimate holiday hi-jink story.

Jesse’s Uncle Bill had tried deep frying a turkey one year. Uncle Bill always had a cocktail in his hand, so he was distracted easily. He didn’t monitor the grease and he let the temperature get too hot. Way too hot. When the turkey exploded, the bird flew one more time. Pieces of it landed on the deck first. Then hot grease rained down like the ashes on Mount Vesuvius. Aunt Sheila, the chain smoker, screamed. Her mouth lost its grip on her half-smoked Camel cigarette. We all watched helplessly as the cigarette tumbled to the ground. A layer of hot turkey grease was on everything so the spark was immediate. The deck burst into flames.

Once the fire department extinguished the fire, the back half of the house was gone. We all went to P.F. Changs for Thanksgiving dinner.

“When is the last time you called your dad?” I ask. Jesse’s father hadn’t ever let his brother live down nearly burning the house down. Whenever we all got together, he always had some joke about that day.

“Thursday. I told him we’d be out of pocket for a few days.”

I nod as I walk to the sink to get Sam some water for his bowl. Jesse starts to get a fire going.

“The owners have great taste in books,” Jesse says. “This one looks interesting. It’s about aquariums,” he says as he holds the book up to show me the cover.

I take the book from his hand. “Home in the mountains, obsessed with the sea of fish, makes no sense at all,” I say.

Jesse nods his head. “That’s a good haiku,” Jesse says, setting the book back on the coffee table where he found it.

Sam lays down in front of the fireplace, his face resting on his paws. His favorite stuffed dragon is discarded on the floor beside him.

Jesse wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me in close. I feel the warmth of his body. He dips his head to mine as he licks his lips.

A train whistle vibrates through the quiet between us.

“What was that?” I ask.

Jesse nuzzles my cheek with his. I feel the stubble on his chin. I don’t mind it.

“I think it’s the wall clock. A runaway train,” he whispers. “Very romantic,” he says as his lips find mine.

I pull my lips away and take Jesse’s hand in mine. Sam has fallen asleep against the warmth of the fire. I lead Jesse towards the spiral staircase.

“I feel so relaxed,” he says as he follows behind me.

I nod. “Me too. A vacation is a new world for us, baby.”

Jesse places his hands on my hips as we climb the stairs, on our way to new heights.

“Let’s plan a getaway every year from now on,” I suggest.

I hear him laugh in the moonlight. The cabin has a skylight, too.

“Sounds like a plan," he says, spinning me around to face him.

"We’ll plan a get-away every year. Just like Summer Camp,” Jesse promises as his lips find mine again.