Seven hours later (with one quick bathroom stop and a drive through lunch) we arrive in Boulder Colorado. Just outside of the city Mama turns down a dirt path and winds the van up a steep road. We are at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. The aspen trees stand tall at the edges of the road and the circles of black on their white trunks blink at us like eyes. Mama is glowing. She hasn’t slept all night but she is full of chatter as we wind up and up and up. Higher and higher into the mountains.
“We’re almost there. Do you girls recognize it here?” Mama asks.
“I do.” says Eve. “We came here when I was little right?”
“Kinda.” I say. Sticking my hand out the window to feel the strength of the mountain air against my palm.
“Yes. Eve I think you were five and Makeda was still a toddler. And I used to come here too. As a little girl. With Aunt Sarah and your grandma Esther. We’ve been renting this cabin for years. We’re lucky I got a reservation so last minute. Thankfully someone just canceled.”
“Are there bunk beds?” I ask. “I remember bunk beds.”
Mama laughs. “Yes! There’s a loft above the main room with bunks. That’s where you’ll be sleeping. Last time you were too young to climb the ladder to the loft. You slept in the bedroom with me and Papa.”
Mama pulls off the main road onto an even narrower dirt road until we arrive at the cabin. It is made of golden logs and sits on the edge of a slope so that the back of the cabin looks down and out over a sea of trees and rocks.
“How long are we staying?” Eve says checking the service bars on her phone. “I was supposed to work all week. And who’s taking care of the chickens?”
“Oh come on. You’re no fun Eve.” Mama says stopping the car and jumping out. “Work will still be there when we get back. I asked Mr. John to take care of the chickens while we’re away. Let’s just live in the moment and soak up this scenery ok?” And with that Mama skips into the cabin.
“How would you know? You’ve never even been able to keep a real job.” Eve mutters after Mama.
I turn in my seat and look back at Eve. The expression on her face is somewhere between amused and annoyed. “Are you ok?” I ask.
“Yeah. I just don’t get it. She seems so happy. But I didn’t realize we were driving all the way to another state. It’s a little weird right?”
“A little.”
“Well. At least my phone seems to still be working even though we’re in the middle of nowhere.”
“WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING IN THE VAN?!” Mama is waving from the front door. “GET IN HERE. LET’S GO FOR A HIKE. THE VIEWS ARE GLORIOUS.”
“Come on.” Eve says then climbing out. “Maybe this is what we all need.”
“Yeah.” I say. “It could be fun.” And we grab our bags and meet Mama inside.