Page 60 of The Apparent Trap

It’s the first time I dare to look over at Lee, whose eyes flick to mine as well. Not what either of us wants to hear.

“You know,” Lee says, piping up, and I immediately get a pit in my stomach wondering where he’s going. “I actually have a great sleeping pill that really helps me when I’m traveling. It doesn’t knock you out or anything, just kind of makes you sleepier. When I’m away from home, I don’t sleep well either. Do you want one?”

He’s not looking at me, and I’m now convinced there’s some new scheme brewing.

But in for a penny, in for a pound, I guess. The grossed-out shiver from hearing my dad say he’s energized on his vacation with his twentysomething girlfriend has not fully subsided yet.

“Oh that’s a great idea,” I chime in. But then at least one bit of logic jumps out. “Not something prescription, though, right?”

Lee looks at me like he’s disappointed. “No, Ezzie. I’m not giving your dad off-label prescription meds.”

I hold up my hands. “I don’t know, I once took a friend’s extra Ritalin when I needed to finish an essay and was having trouble in high school!”

“Whoa there, juvie, we’re going to have to report you to a Scared Straight program with that level of defiance.”

I roll my eyes.

“Yes, Ezzie never even smoked a cigarette,” my dad says, apparently everyone now enjoying razzing on me. “She once told me the smell made her gag, so I knew I never had to worry about it. Although I probably wouldn’t have, anyway, since most Saturday nights I knew exactly where she was because she was on the couch watching a movie with me!”

“Yes, yes, very adorable, I’ve always been extremely boring, ha ha,” I chime in. The look Lee gives me is so confused you’d think I’d described myself as an alien with three heads.

“Anyway,” my dad says, apparently not someone who sees “boring” as a slur, “Lee, that would actually be such a lifesaver. I definitely need to get some sleep tonight.”

“Here, come with us to the room, I’ll grab it for you now.” Lee puts his hand on the small of my dad’s back and shuffles him along with us.

I have no idea what he’s playing at, but at least with the knowledge that all Lee has is some generic over-the-counter sleep aid, I’m no longer mildly worried about being part of some latent murder plot. We make the long walk back to our room, most of the discussion turning to the odds of seeing the northern lights. My dad explains the ins and outs of how to read the apps that give you a better sense of when they might arrive—they showcase various up-to-the-minute stats about the sun that the average person could never parse. And even though he’s not staying up, he seems optimistic for the chances of northern lights tonight. But I don’t want to get my hopes up.

When we get back to our room, Lee pulls out a pack of ZzzQuil, pops out two pills, and fills up a glass of water.

“It’s basically just the same ingredient as allergy medicines that make you sleepy. But it really helps me fall asleep, usually within like an hour of taking it.” He holds them out to my dad. “So since it’s late you should probably take it now.”

My dad, truly the most egregiously trusting human around, is more than happy to grab the pills and wash them down with the water.

“You’re the best. Thanks so much.”

“No problem.”

The two stand there awkwardly for a moment. It’s so comical I almost laugh. The fifty-five-year-old boyfriend snagging a sleep aid from his girlfriend’s forty-two-year-old father. My dad is so kind and oblivious that they’ve navigated without much weirdness whenever they’ve interacted, but I guess even the most unaware person has to catch on occasionally.

“Okay, well, good night,” my dad says, giving me a pat on the back that seems distracted at best, and walks out.

I immediately turn to Lee.

“Okay, what was that about?”

He holds up his phone. I look at a text he’s sent to Carmen. Hey, do you mind coming back and meeting me at the lodge for a couple of minutes?

“I don’t get it,” I reply.

“I know I should’ve run this idea by you,” he says, looking sheepish. “But it sort of came to me, and there wasn’t time.”

“What idea?”

“The grounds here are huge. The way your dad is going to walk back to their room, he won’t pass Carmen, since she’ll be coming from a different direction.”

“Okay . . .” I say, not understanding.

“This is going to sound extremely lame, but that medicine usually knocks me out in like twenty minutes.”