I packed my things, arranged the flight from Ohio, and looked forward to having a peaceful week with my family.
Then, just before I was supposed to leave, Luke received an unexpected business assignment.
He had to travel.
The trip was supposed to last only two or three days.
He apologized repeatedly.
“I’ll be back before you know it, Mom,” he told me.
I assured him it was fine.
I still wanted to see the children.
And, frankly, I didn’t want to disappoint him.
So I flew to their city as planned.
By the time I arrived at the house, it was already late.
Gabrielle greeted me at the door.
She wasn’t exactly warm.
But I had learned over the years not to expect warmth from her.
I smiled anyway.
After setting down my suitcase, I asked the obvious question.
“Could you show me where I’ll be sleeping?”
Gabrielle looked at me.
Then she smiled.
It wasn’t a particularly friendly smile.
“Sure.”
She led me through the house.
We passed the living room.
Then the hallway.
Then the bedrooms.
And finally, she opened the back door.
I followed her outside.
She walked across the yard.
I looked around, confused.
Then she stopped.
And pointed.
At a tent.
A small, borrowed-looking tent sitting on the grass.
For a moment, I genuinely thought she was joking.
I laughed nervously.
“What’s that?”
Gabrielle folded her arms.
“The thing is, all the rooms were painted this morning.”
I stared at her.
“Painted?”
“Yes.”
She continued as though she were explaining something completely ordinary.
“There’s only one room left that hasn’t been painted, and I’ll be sleeping there with the kids. There’s nowhere to sleep inside the house.”
Then she tilted her head.
“But you like camping, if I remember correctly, right?”
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
I wouldn’t exactly describe myself as someone who “likes camping.”
The last time I had slept outdoors was about ten years ago.
And even then, my back wasn’t exactly thrilled about it.
At 68, with arthritis in both knees and a painful hip, sleeping on the ground wasn’t my idea of a vacation.
But what was I supposed to do?
I certainly didn’t want to argue.
And if the entire house really had been painted that morning, perhaps staying outside was safer than breathing paint fumes.
So I swallowed my pride.
