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“Welcome back. I have some good news and some bad news,” the guy from yesterday tells us. Everyone sighs.
“The bad news your rafting guide had to stay home, so we had to cancel it. But Maria here,” he points to a young lady, who walks up next to him, “came in to take you all this morning.”
Everyone claps. Sarah turns and looks at me, brows raised, hands clenched at her chest.
“Nervous, Titmouse?”
“A little. But you are going to go on the same raft with me, right?”
“Absolutely.”
“Ok.”
She turns back around to listen to the rest of what he has to say. Then we all load back up and drive to the riverfront we will launch from. The float is only an hour long with two rapids.
Everyone gets their life vests on and we climb into the eight person rafts. The ride is smooth, and we see so many amazing birds. Sarah was smart and brought a waterproof camera and she is capturing everything. After the second rapid and getting drenched, we are only fifteen minutes from the end.
“That was amazing. What a rush,” she says towards everyone. They all agree and nod their heads. But my attention is at the slight commotion I see on the edge of the riverbed. Bright colors flying about, and I know exactly what they are.
“Sarah.” I get her attention. “Grab your camera and zoom in over there by those bushes. See where they get a little taller, right there.” I point my arm right past her head as she brings her camera up.
“Oh. My. Gosh,” she squeals, “Painted Buntings!”
And just like that the smile she had the day she fed the pelican is back on her face. She clicks a few pictures before passing the camera to everyone in the raft so they can look, too.
“That was amazing. That was one I was really wanting to see.”
I nod my head. “I remember.”
“Of course, you do, because you’re amazing.”
She gets her camera back, and twenty minutes later, we are loading into the vans and heading back to the site.
We all take it easy the rest of the day. Not roaming very far and taking a long lunch break. Everyone is tired from the last couple of days.
Tomorrow we fly to California, but right now the only thing I am looking forward to is having Sarah wrapped in my arms again.
Sarah
“So, tell me about your friends,” I ask Chris. We had ordered a pizza and decided the bed would be our table.
“There’s Curtis and his wife. They got married a few months ago. High school sweethearts. Then there’s Grayson and his fiancé Riley. Riley came in and wrecked Graysons world, but in the best way. And Troy. He's chill. Grayson is our deep thinker, Troy is the heartbreaker, and I guess I’m the funny one. Funny looking anyway,” he laughs.
“Well, I don’t agree with that assessment of you. Funny, yes. Funny looking, no.” I take a big bite of the pepperoni pizza.
He takes a bite of his own slice, and we sit in silence for a few minutes.
“Grayson is my best friend, though. I have known him since we were kids. Started pre-school together and graduated together.”
“That’s awesome. I’ve known Chrissy since third grade.”
“Nice. Gotta love friends that stay by your side.”
“Agreed.”
“Grayson’s and Riley’s story is actually the reason I decided to go on this trip.”
“Oh really? Will you tell me their story?”
