The Happy Camper

by Melody Carlson

  “Yes, of course. I really appreciate you doing this, Jordan.”

  “You better go in there and get Rose ready for traveling.”

  She suddenly remembered towing it before and how every loose item took flight. “Yes, it’ll take me a few minutes.” She pointed to the table. “I’ll just leave all this out here for now. I can wash up these things in the house.”

  She hurried inside and began tucking things snugly away. And then she hurriedly packed a bag to take into the house. Finally done, she looked longingly at her trailer. “I’ll see you again soon, Rose.” As silly as it was, she felt slightly teary to tell her beloved trailer goodbye. She patted the countertop. “I hope you get all fixed up—better than new.”

  Dillon went outside to see that Jordan had backed his pickup to the trailer and was already hitching up. “At least your hitch is good,” he told her. “But these chains look a little dicey.”

  “Yeah, that’s what Grandpa said too.” She dropped her duffel bag on the ground. “I’ll start lowering the jacks.” She got down and began to work the handle on one side while Jordan got on the other one, and before long, Rose was ready to go.

  Dillon picked up her bag. “Looks like it’s back to Grandpa’s saggy sofa for me.”

  “Hopefully it won’t be for long.” Jordan’s eyes lit up. “Or use my trailer if you like. That bed’s pretty comfy.”

  “Really? You wouldn’t mind?”

  “Not at all. After all, you’ll be working in there anyway. Make yourself at home.”

  She thanked him and, feeling a bit less discouraged, forced a smile and waved while she watched him tow Rose away. Although she knew some would think she was childish, she prayed that Rose’s mechanical work would be finished in time for the camping trip.

  Uncertain whether Margot and Grandpa would still be eating their dinner, Dillon decided to wait on doing her own dishes. Instead, she parked her car next to Jordan’s trailer and began to unload today’s finds. It was only a matter of time until his previously barren trailer looked like a mess with all the bags and boxes and stuff piled around. But she knew once everything was in place, it would look much better. Hopefully, it would look good!

  CHAPTER

  28

  Although Dillon had spent several hours working on Jordan’s trailer on Wednesday evening, there was still much to do. She went straight home after work the next day, and with Grandma’s sewing machine whirling along, she kept at it—sewing curtains and pillow covers. Before long she heard a knock at the door. Worried it might be Jordan, and not wanting him to see his perfect little trailer looking so completely trashed by her work in progress, she cautiously cracked the door open.

  “What’s going on in here?” Margot asked.

  “Oh.” Dillon opened it wider. “I thought I already told you I’m working on the interior of Jordan’s trailer.”

  “Yeah, but I thought you’d join us for a late lunch.” Margot held up a plate. “Did you eat yet?”

  “No.” Dillon smiled. “Thank you! I’m actually starving, but I didn’t even realize it until now.” She stepped outside to where she’d set up her camp chairs and invited Margot to join her.

  “So any word on your trailer yet?” Margot asked.

  Dillon shook her head as she chewed. She’d shared the sad news with Grandpa and Margot while doing her dishes in the kitchen last night. “I’d call Jordan to ask, but I don’t want to sound like a nag.” She forked into the salad.

  “So . . . I wanted to run something by you, Dilly.”

  Dillon looked up. Something about Margot’s tone sounded odd. “What’s up?”

  “Well, Don called me today.” She let out a long sigh. “He says he misses me.”

  “And did that surprise you?”

  “No, not exactly. But I guess I’m surprised at my reaction.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Well . . . I miss him too.”

  Dillon smiled. “I thought you did.”

  “As much as I love being here with you and Dad . . . I’m wondering if I made the best decision, you know, to leave Don and move back home.”

  Dillon just nodded.

  “And I feel bad for flip-flopping like this. Not that I’ve made up my mind. But I realize I started that lavender project and now I’m thinking of abandoning it. And I know that’s irresponsible and I hate leaving it on Dad.”

  “If it’s any consolation, I love the lavender project,” Dillon assured her. “I’d be happy to carry on for you and I’ll bet Grandpa would be too.”

  “Really?” Margot’s eyes lit up. “That’s good to know.”

  “As far as I’m concerned, you’re free, Margot. Do what you think is best for you. Besides, just because you’re not living here doesn’t mean you can’t remain involved.”

  “Yeah, that’s true. And, don’t get me wrong, I’m not committing to anything yet. Don really doesn’t know how I feel. I played my cards pretty close to my chest.”

  “Uh-huh . . .”

  “But I just wanted to talk it through with someone. Not Dad though. He’d just tell me we should get married—end of story.”

  Dillon wanted to advise the same thing but just kept eating.

  “But I am thinking about going back, and I’m curious as to your thoughts, Dilly.”

  Dillon set down her fork. “Well, I like Don. He seems to genuinely love you, Margot. And like I told you last week, you seem unhappy to me.”

  “Yeah, when you told me I needed God.” Margot wrinkled her nose.

  “Well, I still believe that. But it’s possible you need Don too.”

  Margot barely nodded. “Yeah, you could be right.”

  “And I know you won’t want to hear what I’m about to say, but it’s only because I love you and—”

  “You love me, Dilly? Really? Or are you just saying that?”

  Dillon considered her words. “I do love you. I know I don’t always act like it. And we don’t always see eye to eye. Plus we’ve had some pretty good fights over the years. But I do love you. You’re my mom.”

  “Well, that’s nice to hear.” Margot tipped her head to one side. “And I hope you know that I love you too, Dilly. I’ll admit I’ve never been the greatest at showing it.”

  “I guess we both could work on that.”

  Margot’s eyes narrowed. “Now what are you going to say that I don’t want to hear? Why not just get it out there?”

  “Okay, then . . . I agree with Grandpa. I think if you love Don, and it’s obvious he loves you, you guys should just get married.”

  “Why? What difference does a piece of paper make?”

  “It’s not just a piece of paper. It’s a legal agreement that proves you’re really committed to each other. And it makes it harder for you to just split because things aren’t going how you want on any given day. It proves to both of you and everyone around you that your relationship is solid and real and lasting. Call me old-fashioned, but I happen to think it makes sense.”

  “Sounds like you’ve given this a lot of thought.”

  Dillon shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.”

  They talked a bit longer, and Margot even agreed to think about the marriage suggestion. Then—to Dillon’s surprise—they hugged. It was like a true mother-daughter moment. Amazing!

  Dillon was on pins and needles during her trailer’s absence. Like an overprotective mother whose child was hospitalized, she fretted over the welfare of Rose. She knew it was silly—and she couldn’t confess her obsession to anyone—but she was really concerned. What if Rose wasn’t fixable? Would Dillon just have to keep her parked at the farm—never to take a real adventure?

  The other thing troubling Dillon was whether or not Jordan would like his trailer’s new interior design. By Thursday afternoon, Dillon was finished. She’d tried to respect the color scheme already in place and that this was a bachelor’s trailer, but she’d also tried to cozy it up. And she loved how it had turned out. Even Margot gave it two thumbs up. Hopeful
ly Jordan wouldn’t be disappointed when he came to pick it up.

  Dillon had considered inviting him for dinner, but worried that might be awkward if Jordan didn’t like his trailer, she decided against it. When it was getting close to six, she was literally pacing back and forth outside of Jordan’s trailer, checking the time on her phone and bracing herself for a humiliating rejection.

  She opened the door and peeked inside. And what she saw made her smile. The curtains she’d made from red bandanas and black-and-white checks were charming. The old-fashioned Coca-Cola items were cheerful, and the Italian red sports car collectibles, which Grandpa had told her the names of but she’d already forgotten, fit in perfectly. She fluffed one of the several throw pillows she’d made, confirming to herself that these fabric items had really softened the place up. Very welcoming! At least she hoped so. She closed the door and went outside, and there, coming up the driveway, was Jordan’s red pickup.

  She eagerly waved him toward her, and as soon as he got out she couldn’t stop herself from inquiring about her trailer.

  “I haven’t heard from Brent,” Jordan said with a concerned expression. “I suppose I should give him a call.” He reached for his phone.

  “Well, maybe you should check out your trailer first,” she suggested. As badly as she wanted to hear the news about Rose, she wanted to get this reveal over with. Bracing herself, she opened the door and, holding her breath, waited as Jordan went inside. Instead of following him, she remained outside—she wanted to allow him the chance to take it all in without her chatter or disclaimers. But when he stayed inside for several minutes, her concerns grew. What if he was so disappointed he didn’t want to come out and face her? Jordan was a nice guy—he wouldn’t enjoy telling her that it was all wrong.

  Finally, unable to stand another moment, Dillon went inside. “Well—what do you think? I mean, things can change if it’s not what you like. I know I took a lot of personal license with it, but I tried to keep you in mind and—”

  “It’s perfect.” He turned to look at her.

  She felt a rush of relief. “Seriously? You like it?”

  “I love it, Dillon. Really, it’s perfect.” He started pointing out all the things he liked and saying how surprised he was that she had thought of everything. “And this is going to be so great for Janelle and the girls too. They’re going to love it.” His eyes twinkled. “I might even win the grand prize.”

  “Grand prize?”

  “Yes. Every year we have a contest for the most attractive trailer. All the members vote. We actually have four categories. One prize for exterior only. One for interior only. Another prize for best overall campsite. And the grand prize is for the entire trailer.”

  “That sounds like fun.” Fun she would most likely miss out on.

  “Yeah, and it’s surprising how competitive it gets. Vivian takes it very seriously. She’s won the grand prize the past two years. I’ve actually won for exterior before, but everyone teased me about my Spartan interior.” He grinned. “Not this year. Thanks, Dillon. I really do love it.” He pointed to the curtains. “These are great!”

  She explained how that idea had come to her and some of the other things, and Jordan just kept praising her work. “You can’t believe how good it is to hear that,” she confessed. “I was so worried.”

  “Why would you be worried?”

  “Well . . . Vivian mentioned that you had specific ideas for it.”

  He laughed. “That’s because I didn’t want her to do it for me. She was chomping at the bit to do my trailer. But I didn’t want it to look professional, you know? Plus, I figured her prices would be outrageous. Speaking of that, how much do I owe you?”

  She handed him the envelope with the receipts with the total written on top. “I tried to be fairly frugal, but—”

  “No worries. I like it so much, I don’t really care.” He looked at the total. “Wow, this is way less than I expected. Are you sure?”

  She reminded him that a lot of items came from his own store. “You’ll see that bill later.”

  “No problem.” He looked around again. “You really could go into the rehab trailer business, Dillon. You have a natural gift.”

  “Thanks.” She sighed.

  “Speaking of trailers, why don’t I give Brent a call?”

  “Would you? I’m not sure I can stand much more suspense about Rose.”

  “I don’t blame you.” He got out his phone and she waited as he talked. “That’s great,” he finally said. “I’ll tell her.” He hung up and smiled. “As it turns out, my good buddy Brent is almost done. He said if you want, you can pick it up tonight. He thinks he’ll finish up in about an hour.”

  “Really? Rose will be all done? And road worthy?”

  “Sounds like it.” He repeated what Brent had just told him and the cost of the work. “How about you come with me? I’ll take my trailer home, we’ll snag a bite to eat, and then we’ll pick up your trailer and bring it back here. Sound good?”

  “Yes—I’d love that! Let me grab my purse and I’m ready.”

  As they dropped off Jordan’s trailer, Dillon tried to convince herself that this was not a date. It was only two good friends helping each other and getting something to eat. Still, she felt differently at heart. She felt certain that they were more than just friends . . . and she was eager for their relationship to take the next step.

  While they ate burgers, Dillon quizzed Jordan about the upcoming weekend. She asked how many people belonged to the club, what sorts of things she should bring, and lots of other questions. “You know what,” Jordan finally said, “I’ll forward you all the stuff that Vivian put together several months ago. She’s the secretary. Her last newsletter should answer all your questions.”

  “Thanks.” Dillon felt dismayed to remember that Vivian was so involved in the club. She might be imagining things, but she felt pretty sure that Vivian didn’t like her. And she suspected it was related to Jordan. “I tracked my awning,” she told him as they were finishing up. “It’s supposed to be delivered tomorrow morning.” She frowned. “Probably not soon enough for me to get it up before heading to the lake.”

  “Just bring it along. I’ll put it up for you.”

  “Great. Thanks!”

  “I’m leaving for the lake around noon—just to make sure our spaces are ready and everything looks good. When do you think you can get away?”

  “I plan to leave as soon as I finish my last lesson. Not long after that, I hope.” She cringed inwardly, trying to imagine how it would go towing her trailer all that way on her own. And what about when it was time to put her trailer into place? What if she had to back it up? “Can I make a little confession?” she asked meekly.

  “Of course.” He set down his shake. “Something wrong?”

  “Not exactly.” Now she explained her backing-up challenges. “It’s like I’m dyslexic or something. Grandpa tried to help me, but I just kept messing up. Do you think I’ll have to back up my trailer when I get to the campground?”

  “Probably.” He grinned. “But don’t worry, I’ll be there to help. And I’ll teach you some tricks.”

  By the time they reached Brent’s shop, the sun was going down, but it was still light enough to see Rose parked out in front. “Oh, she looks wonderful,” Dillon said. “And her new shoes are lovely.”

  “New shoes?” Jordan parked the truck.

  “Her tires, silly.” Dillon laughed as she hopped out. She ran over to Rose, resisting the urge to hug her as Jordan introduced her to Brent.

  “You’re all set to go.” Brent went over all he’d repaired and replaced, and Dillon handed over her debit card.

  “Thank you so much.” She patted her trailer. “Rose thanks you too.”

  Brent laughed. “You trailer nuts. You really take this stuff seriously.”

  “Of course.” Dillon nodded, watching as Jordan hooked Rose to his pickup.

  “Well, I gotta admit that this is a cute one. Have fu
n with her.”

  Dillon assured him she would. As Jordan drove her and Rose home, she felt her hopes rising even higher. The upcoming weekend promised to be her best birthday ever. She’d been trying to keep it under wraps that her birthday was Sunday. And despite the twins announcing it to everyone, she suspected that with camping preparations and all, they’d have forgotten it by now. Since she’d never been big on birthdays herself, she hoped this one would slip by unnoticed. Just being able to camp by the lake in her sweet trailer was more than enough to make her a truly happy camper!

  CHAPTER

  29

  With Grandpa’s help, Dillon was able to hitch Rose up to Jack. “Looks good,” he said as he gave one of the new chrome chains a jerk to check the connection. “I’m glad you got it all checked out mechanically, Dillon.”

  “Yes, I was silly to think it didn’t need some work. I’m just glad it got done in time for this camping trip.”

  “You feel okay about driving up to the lake by yourself?” he asked.

  “Sure.”

  “And what about backing it up?” He rubbed his chin.

  “Jordan promised to help.”

  Grandpa smiled and nodded. “Like the sound of that.” He removed a large envelope from his pocket. “You should have this.”

  “What is it?”

  “The registration and temporary license stuff for the pickup and trailer. I got it all changed into your name. You better have it with you. Just in case you get stopped. And I went ahead and put you on my insurance too. The card’s in there. You’re covered for six months. After that, it’s up to you.” He grinned. “Happy birthday, sweetie.”

  Dillon hugged him. “Thank you so much, Grandpa! This trailer and pickup, well, they’re absolutely the best birthday present ever.”

  “Seems meant to be.”

  Dillon checked her watch. “Well, I guess I should be heading out.”

  “Your mom asked you to wait for her.” Grandpa peered toward the road. “She promised to be right back.”