The Long Journey to Jake Palmer by James L. Rubart Read Free Book Online Page B

if you want to go. I’m asking if you’ll be there. Simple question, simple answer.”
    “Yeah, I’ll be there.” The words felt like taffy being pulled out of his mouth. “And I won’t be a downer for anyone. I’ll fake it if necessary.”
    “Yes! I promise, you won’t have to fake it. It’ll be good for—”
    “But I’m only going on one condition.” Jake sat up and stared out his window at a half-full moon. Or a half-empty moon. All in the perspective.
    “What?”
    “Change of scenery. We go to a different lake this year. That’ll give me a chance to have a good time.”
    “What? A different lake? What are you talking about?” A sigh of exasperation came through the phone. “You gotta be kidding. What kind of a tenth-year anniversary trip would we have if we go to a different spot?”
    “I just told you what kind of trip it will be. One I can try to enjoy. It’s the people that make the trip, not the place.”
    “It’s the people and the place,” Peter said. “That’s where all the great memories are.”
    “Exactly. That’s where all the memories are. I’m not going to jump into a shower of heart-shredding scenes from my past like I did last year. That was a bloodbath.”
    “Can’t you just ignore them?”
    “Sure. No problem. I’ll be like an alcoholic getting a shot of whiskey offered to him every five seconds. Easy to ignore. You’re right. Let’s not switch.”
    Peter blew out a long breath. “The rest of them aren’t going to like it.”
    “I get that. If going back to the Okanagan Valley is that important to them, go there. I’ll stay home and everyone will be happy.”
    “All right, I’ll convince Camille, but you get to tell Susie and Andrew.”
    “You really don’t want to give me a reason to change my mind.”
    “Fine. I’ll tell ’em.”
    Jake pushed off his covers and made his way to the window, continuing to stare at the moon. Half full. Peter was right. Even though it would be tough dealing with the memories, being around Peter, Susie, and Andrew would be good for him. Camille? He’d put up with her. Small price to pay.
    “Next question.” The sound of Peter chewing floated through the phone. “If we’re not going to Okanagan, where are we going to go?”
    “I met a guy on a plane.”
    “Oh yeah, this sounds promising.”
    “It’s a good story, I’ll tell you sometime. He told me about this lake in Oregon. I checked it out. It’s about halfway down the state, far enough inland to have guaranteed warm weather, but close enough to the coast that if we wanted to drive out there we could make it in about two hours.”
    “Hey, Clark?”
    “Yeah?”
    “All pressure and joking aside, I really think you need this trip.”
    “Yeah, okay.”
    “And more than that, I think this trip is going to be a life changer for you.”
    Jake considered staying silent, but if he couldn’t confess how he felt to Peter, who could he tell?
    “It needs to be, so I agree.”
    “You do?” Peter’s voice went up. “What do you mean it needs to be?”
    “I’ll tell you if I’m right once the trip is over. See you, Peter.”

6
    J ake didn’t want this journey. Didn’t need it. Now that the trip had arrived, he regretted committing.
    As he zipped down I-5 toward Oregon on a warm July morning, he checked the weather for the area surrounding this Willow Lake, where the five of them would be staying for ten days of riotous fun. Yeah, right.
    His phone said nine out of the ten days would be full-on sunshine. Wonderful. How exciting. Jake tossed his cell onto his passenger seat and bumped his fist into his forehead. He didn’t need sun while they were there. He needed rain. Every day. Wouldn’t have to put on shorts that way. But that was another fantasy that wouldn’t be coming true.
    Come on. He needed to shake off the Mr. Gloom act and believe good things were coming. Wasn’t that the other thing he’d promised Peter? He would act happy. Besides, he didn’t need to