Grandma Cecilia brushed her off. “This is a proper meal, dear. Be grateful for what you have. Lots of people have less.”
Elana felt a twinge of guilt deep down inside. She knew she came from a privileged background, and she tried to be mindful of that fact. “You’re right, Grandma.”
Once the hotdogs were cooked, she removed them from the fire and offered one to her grandmother, who captured a hotdog in her bun as Elana pulled the stick away. Elana stuck her hotdog in a bun and tossed the two sticks in the fire.
She sat down and wiped the sweat from her brow. “It’s too hot for a fire in September.”
Grandma Cecilia laughed. “You won’t be saying that when we get farther into the mountains.” She took a bite of her hot dog and closed her eyes in delight.
Elana took a bite of her hot dog. She was surprised by how good it tasted.
They ate dinner in silence, and when they were done, Elana gathered the items for her tent.
“Do you need help setting the tent up, Elana?” Her grandmother tossed their paper plates into the trash and began putting the food away.
“There are directions, and it looks relatively easy. I shouldn’t have a problem.” Elana lined up the tent supplies and the sleeping bag on the ground.
“I’m going to grab a shower while you do that. I won’t be long.” Grandmother Cecilia took a towel and her toothbrush along with a small bag of clothes.
Elana watched to make sure she got to the public showers okay before she started setting up her tent. She was a sweaty mess when her grandmother returned.
“You got it up.” Her grandmother blinked.
Elana wiped her dusty hands on her jeans. “You sound surprised.”
Grandma Cecilia chuckled. “I am. Now, you go get a shower and when you get back, we’ll make sure the fire is out before we go to bed.”
Elana looked at her grandmother. “Are you sure you can sleep in the van? I mean, the bench seat doesn’t look very comfortable.”
Her grandmother gave her a wink. “I’ll be fine. Now go get cleaned up.”
Elana didn’t argue. She grabbed her stuff and headed to the shower. Kids were still splashing around in the pool while their parents sipped on drinks from red plastic cups. Elana wished she had a red cup filled with something that would help her sleep tonight.
Finding the showers empty, she locked the door before turning on the water. Quickly peeling off her clothes, she made sure the water was hot before stepping into the shower.
She stayed under the stream, letting the water wash away the day’s sweat and dust.
She had only been on the road one day, and she was already tired. While they drove, her grandmother had chatted about anything and everything. But when Elana had broached the subject of her secret boyfriend, her grandmother quickly changed the subject.
Maybe her father was right. Maybe Grandma Cecilia really was losing her ability to make sound decisions. The very idea made her heart squeeze in pain.
When her fingers turned wrinkly, she turned off the faucet and grabbed her towel. She dried off, brushed her teeth, and changed into some running shorts and a T-shirt to sleep in. Then she headed back to the campsite.
Her grandmother was already pouring a bucket of water over the simmering coals. A plume of smoke rose in the air, and the coals hissed.
When she saw Elana, she smiled. “Ready for bed?”
Elana stifled a yawn. “Absolutely.”
Grandma Cecilia looked relieved. “Good. I already put your sleeping bag in the tent. I’ll see you in the morning. Good night.”
Elana hugged her grandmother. “Good night.”
Once her grandmother shut the van door, Elana stepped into the tent and lay on top of the sleeping bag since it was too hot to get inside.
It wasn’t long before she drifted off to sleep.
CHAPTER6
