Page 10 of Capture the Moment
Maisie alternated between reading her guidebook about Grand Teton National Park and looking out the window at the stretch of highway guiding their journey from Denver to Jackson. Parts of it were familiar to her, and the prospect of spending the summer with Pops filled her with happiness. Well—as much of the summer as her mom would let her. As the car hummed along the road, Maisie had been reading aloud from the guidebook. “Fun fact. The name JacksonHole means a valley. It was named after a trapper named Davey Jackson.”
Her mom murmured, “Interesting.”
“Mom, are you listening to me?”
“Of course. You said Jackson Hole was named after Davey Jackson.”
Good. She was listening. Sometimes it was hard to tell with Mom. “I can’t wait to see Pops! It’s been too long. I have so many things to tell him.”
Her mom smiled. “Remember, he does have a full-time job.”
“I won’t get in his way.” Maisie wiggled on her seat. “I hope he has Sundays off. He usually does, for church.”
Mom’s expression shifted slightly, her gaze thoughtful. “Well, you know, you don’t have to go with him. I can have a chat with him.”
Maisie furrowed her brow, puzzled. “Why would I do that? I like going to church with Pops. It’s part of our thing.”
Her mother sighed. “It’s good to have traditions and rituals, I suppose. Just remember, church doesn’t have to be a building. It can be wherever you find meaning.”
Maisie tilted her head, considering her mother’s words. “You mean ... like nature?”
“Exactly. You can connect with the divine by appreciating the beauty all around you.”
Maisie wrinkled her nose. “Pops calls that pantheism.”
“It’swhat?”
“Pantheism is like, believing God is in everything, alive or not. Pops believes creation was made by God.”
Mom cast a glance at her, shrugging. “Same thing. God is everywhere.”
“Huge difference, Mom. Huge. Pops can explain it way better than I can.”
“Pops has his way of thinking about God, and I have mine.”
“Do you, Mom? Do you think much about God?”
Mom’s back stiffened. “Why are we on such a heavy topic, anyway?” She breathed out an uncomfortable huff. “We’re almost to the park. Let’s talk about something a little lighter.”
“Okay. What did Pops say when you told him I was coming?”
Her mother looked out the window at a passing motorcycle. “Well, you see, I thought we could surprise him.”
Maisie’s jaw dropped, and her eyes widened in disbelief. “What? You didn’t tell Pops I’m coming? How could you? What if he has plans or something? What if he has a girlfriend?”
“Pops? A girlfriend?” Mom scoffed. “I highly doubt that.” She glanced at her. “Surprises are fun, Maisie. The super heavy tourist season hasn’t started yet. Besides, Pops is always thrilled to spend time with you.”
Maisie slumped back in her seat. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell him.”
Her mother waved that off. “Trust me, he will drop everything for you.”
On the left side of the road was a small airport. Maisie opened her mouth to spout off a fun fact—this was the only airport in a national park in the entire United States—but then she closed her mouth. She was too bothered with her mother for springing her on Pops without warning. It wasn’t fair.
And all because her mother wanted to go on a retreat to find herself. As far as Maisie could tell, her mom was on a permanent hunt.
After dinner, Kate returned to Oxbow Bend. The sun cast long shadows across the water as she adjusted the focus on her camera. She crouched behind a cluster of bushes, trying to capture the perfect shot of a moose grazing near the water’s edge. The symphony of the wild surrounded her—birdsong, rustling leaves, and the babble of the Snake River.
Click.Click.Click.
