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The truth is, I’ve been feeling a little off since before we left Vegas. There’s nothing major happening, but I don’t feel quite right. I keep telling myself it’s all in my head but now I’m starting to wonder if that’s really the case. Regardless, I brush it off and quickly slide to the end of the mattress, pushing open the van doors a moment later.
We stopped at a small camp site not long after we crossed into Utah, and much to my delight they have real bathrooms, which I am desperately in need of at the moment.
“I’m going to run to the bathroom and freshen up. Brush my teeth. Then we can get on the road,” I tell him, sliding out of the van.
The instant my feet hit the ground another wave of dizziness washes over me. I grip the door to steady myself and quickly recover before Abel seems to notice.
“Hurry back. I want to have time to stop and eat breakfast before we head to Zion,” he calls from behind me.
“Okay.” I nod once before setting off across the grounds toward the restrooms.
——
“You sure you’re okay?” Abel slows next to me as we make our way along the trail leading back from where we visited some amazing waterfalls.
After looking over many of the different hiking options available, we decided on this one. It was hard to pick because there are so many things to see here. As soon as we reached the water I knew we had made the right choice. But the hike, even though not very long, has definitely taken it out of me.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I force a smile. “Just a little tired.” I shrug.
“Come here.” Abel steps in front of me and crouches down.
“What are you doing?” I laugh.
“Giving you a piggy back ride,” he states like it should be so obvious.
“So you want me to get on your back?” I question, not moving from my spot behind him.
“Have you never had a piggy back ride before?” He straightens, turning to look at me.
“I can’t say that I have,” I admit truthfully.
“What?” He gives me a weird look.
“What?” I repeat. “Is that so hard to believe? Are piggy back rides something people do often?”
“I couldn’t possibly count the numerous amounts of times I’ve taken a piggy back ride.” He smiles like a kid. “When I was little I used to purposely pretend to get tired anytime we did anything that required us to walk for any period of time just so my dad would carry me around on his back.”
“Well, you and I clearly had very different childhoods.”
“Well, there’s no time like the present.” Turning back around, he says, “Come on, hop up.”
“I’m not sure I know how.” I bite my lower lip as I try to figure out my angle.
“Just jump up.” He crouches down further. “I’ll catch you and hoist you up.”
“Okay.” I laugh, placing my hands on his shoulders.
“Ready. One, two, three.”
I jump and Abel catches me effortlessly, locking his arms around my legs as he hoists me higher up his back.
“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” I hear the smile in his voice as he begins walking again.
“This is kind of nice,” I admit, resting my cheek against his shoulder as my arms tighten around his chest.
“Glad I could be your first.” He chuckles.
“Me too. My first at a lot of things it would seem.”
