Chapter 17

© Copyright 2010 by Elizabeth Delayne





They spent the evening around the camp fire talking. There was a range of laughter to nostaliga as George told stories of his college life twenty years prior, as well as winces and interest of a different scope as Cameron told about his stunts and injuries. They each, save Felicity, told about a place they wanted to go and what they hoped to experience on this odd reality show journey.

Then they began to tell ghost stories. After all, what else was a camp fire good for, Cameron enthused. It offered, Jamie thought, the cameramen a story to film.

Deep in the woods of Yellowstone, in the territory of grizzlies and other wild animals, only made them all the more jumpy.

With the long hike an ache in their bodies, it didn’t take long to retire into their tents.

For whatever sleep they could get in a sleeping bag on a foam mat—on ground where nature walked.

As Thessa checked her sleeping bag for the third time, she grumbled, “I’m going to kill Cameron for bringing up the spiders.”

Jamie shivered a little. She looked over at Felicity who’d climbed in and seemingly fallen into sleep without a problem, then checked her bag one more time before climbing in. As she lay there, listening to the night, she thought about Felicity.

It wasn’t that she was withdrawn, she was just quiet. She was interested in what others had to say, though she didn’t ask questions like the others did. She didn’t get involved. She didn’t share.

As if she was still watching on television instead of participating.



The next morning as they broke camp, Tyler pulled Jamie aside. “You up for a hike this morning?”

“As long as no one pushes me down a hill,” Jamie said wirily, even as she took a step back from him. There was nothing wrong with a little physical space, she thought. “Tyler I’m no more sore than anyone else. We all pushed ourselves yesterday.”

“I’m supposed to ask.”

“Well, thank you for asking,” Jamie said. “You want to pair me up with Felicity today?”

“We have a challenge up ahead. She’s strong enough with her outdoor skills, I think you two would make a good pair.”

“You—George, Cameron—Thessa?”

“That’s my plan, or about. Maybe Cameron, George.” He touched her arm, waited until her eyes found his. “Just be careful okay.”

“I was careful last time,” she reminded him. “Maybe you should trick the camera men into following someone else.”

“If only,” he winked. “Then I’d pair up with you and we could see where we could go.”

“You’re funny,” she said, then walked away even as she knew the camera watched her go.



After a quiet breakfast in the early morning sunlight, the team set off through the Yellowstone wilderness. Jamie fell into step beside Felicity, too enthralled with the view around her to say much at all. Still together with the team, they followed a running stream for awhile, walking against the current, before venturing off into the trees.

Jamie was thankful for the flat ground, knowing it could change at any moment. She was already stiff from exertion, from sleeping on the ground. And while her knee didn’t hurt, she could feel the tenderness there.

If she’d ever complained about the hotel beds, or even worse, her brief stints on the bunk beds on the R.V., she’d not known quite the same level of discomfort.

And she couldn’t voice the complaint. In the back of her mind she still heard her grandmother’s voice.

Be on the journey for yourself. That’s the only thing that will make it worthwhile.

So she’d camped out in the back country of Yellowstone. She’s looked up and tried unsuccessfully, for the first time to count the stars, recalling the promise of God to Abraham. It was a promise that had troubled her as a child, growing up in Chicago. Her father had taken her up to the roof of their apartment building, and pointed out all the light that distorted the night sky.

Even pretty, useful things, he’d said, distort the reality that God has given us.

Reality. It held a different meaning now. Maybe when she got back to Chicago, she’d go up on the roof again, just to talk to her father. Sometimes, she wished that she’d never left home.

But then, where would she be? On this journey now? For better or for worse?

She’d awoken from a hard bed to go on a hike, was surviving without a shower and on a mere cup of camp fire roasted coffee.

Which, thanks to Felicitiy’s skill, wasn’t so bad.

And surrounded by the forest, she had the most amazing view that she’d ever had on any morning.

She looked up, watched as Tyler turned his head to say something to George. She could tell herself to ignore the dimples, or the muscles in his arms ... but it was harder to avoid the kindness and the way his eyes seemed to take everything in.

Be on the journey for yourself. That’s the only thing that will make it worthwhile.

How could she ignore the fact that he read books—all kinds of books. From old enlightenment thinkers to C.S. Lewis and Augustine and modern day theologians. He liked to discuss things, to push her ... or lead others into reading with him so he could have discussions.

He was reading a book with George, and talking about one that he’d gotten her to read as well. They’d fallen into somewhat of a pattern over the last few days on the bus. He was sit beside her, lean over, see where she was and get her to talk about it.

He must have seen her struggling ... not to please him exactly, but to think.

She wasn’t usually that deep of a reader. Books were usually for escape.

But now ...

She sighed fearing that she would be the googly eyed female on tv screen, destined for web chatter. How often did these reality show hook ups really work? She wasn’t exactly a fan, but she doubted it happened often.

Six people, chanced to be together, out of their own habitat and relationships.

It wouldn’t work. There was no way it could work.

And Tyler?

He could have just about any girl in the world he wanted. Maybe. He’d even appeared on the red carpet of award shows, mixed in with celebrities.

He wasn’t going to fall for a overly anal O.R. nurse.

Luckily, her she gained control of her thoughts as they left the open trail and headed up. Now that visibility was to a minimum, they began to make noise. Clapping, talking, snapping. Anything to keep from surprising a bear or whatever wild animals meandered through the back country of Yellowstone.

With the steep climb, she was now having to favor her leg. It had been over a week since the previous injury. Now though, she was beginning to feel a sharp ache.

She looked up ahead.

If she stopped, she would slow her team down. If she stopped, the cameras would be on her.

Again.

I need some help, she prayed.

Moment’s later she heard Tyler’s call. “I think this is it.”

They made their way into the small clearing where the trail forked into three paths. There was a standard Yellowstone sign that pointed to the left toward Bear Lake, straight toward Winsome Falls, and right toward Deer Head Way.

They gathered around Tyler who had pulled out their instructions.

“Bears and Deer and Bison, oh my. Lots of wildlife on your path to choose from. Though in this moment breath a sigh, some winsome choices your way have come. Three paths to take, enough to separate, and piece together your pie.”

“So we’re separating,” Thessa said.

“We knew that already,” Cameron brought out. “I think.”

“So what do we do, Chief?” George asked.

Tyler looked to their guide, camera crew and producer who traveled with them. None of them said a word.

“We follow directions,” he said. “The camera guys are trained hikers.” He looked at the one who’d followed Jamie the last time, to her. “Some of them.”

She shook her head, but smiled and looked at the offending camera guy who only shook his head. In the last week she’d learned that he’d been with the crew nearly from the time Tyler arrived on the scene.

“So we split up. We look for whatever they left us. Bring it back here.”

“That’s it?” Thessa asked.

“I don’t know,” Tyler said. “My best guess is that because this is a minimum impact zone, being that we’re in the back country, and we’re surrounded by the wild side of mother nature, it’s not about finding whatever we’re looking for. I don’t think it will be hidden. We stay on track, retrieve it, bring it back here, and find out about each other in the process.”

“That’s it?” Cameron asked.

“They’ll cut out my explanation, capture the shock you just had on your faces with what I just said, and make it a whole lot more exciting then it seems,” he looked around. “Just don’t take any chances. Be careful. Our assignments are going to get more tough as we go on. It’s essential we know each other first.”

He looked toward Felicity, as if he expected her to chime in. She simply looked down.

But Jamie had heard it before. Eventually they would be quizzed on each other. They would be tested on the information they had heard on the trail.

And later they would be expected to trust each other.

Tyler turned to the park ranger. “Which on of these trails is the less rocky and steep?”

The ranger looked at the sign, then pointed toward Deer Head way. Tyler stepped over, had a breif conversation with him, then stepped back.

“All right. Jamie, you and Felicity head that way. Cameron, you and Thessa take the Bear Lake trail and George and I will go the Winsome way.”

They nodded, Cameron slapping Thessa on the back as he immediately headed down the trail. She glared at him, before she let out a sigh and followed. Tyler held up a hand, halting Jamie and Felicity.

“You two okay with this?”

“What is there to be okay with?” Jamie asked.

“You’re favoring your leg.”

“I’m fine.”

He just looked at her, his look grim.

“Tyler—“

“Get some ibuprofen from our friendly producer before you start.”

He reached out, ran a hand down her ponytail. It wasn’t until that moment that Jamie realized how close he stood. She drew in a deep breath, looked at him, but stepped back as his hand fell away.

And then he was gone.

“Jamie?”

She turned to find Felicity holding out a bottle of water and two pills.

And as she reached to take them, she saw the camera on her. Great.

* * *

“So what’s up with you and Tyler?” Felicity asked when they were on Dear Head trail, accompanied by Jamie’s favorite camera guy Carl. She’d already warned him—a little cheekily—to be careful on the trail.

“Nothing.”

“Oh—that was so not nothing.”

Jamie laughed and wished it hadn’t come out so broken. So guilty.

“What are you talking about?”

“Back there—he was so wanting to kiss you. Or at least thinking about telling you he wanted to kiss you.”

Jamie shook her head. “He was not. And I don’t kiss anyone on ... I mean we’re not even dating. There haven’t been any dates. Or discussion of dates ... and I’m going to shut up now.”

“What is your definition of a date? Technically, you two could be going on dates everyday. I mean you guys sit side by side on the bus together all the time, talk, laugh, tell each other stories. And he always seems to sit near to you at meals.”

“Tyler sits with everyone.” She made sure of it.

And it was the type of guy that Tyler was, the type that made him both a good leader and a good guy. He found a genuine interest in people, in getting to know people.

“He doesn’t look at the rest of us like that.”

“Like what?”

Felicity laughed. “Like he wants to kiss you.”

“I’m sure it’s in his contract. Look soulful at the girls.”

“He’s never looked at a girl like that before. Not on the show. He’s had girls off camera. I mean, they could have cut it out of the filming, of course, but why would they? If he even looked like he might have been missing his girlfriend, they would pan into his face. And who knows how many phone calls you had the opportunity to watch him have in his first two seasons. When he broke up with his girlfriend over the phone in his second season, they made a huge big deal about it over several shows. You know, the buildup to and fall out of it all.”

“He broke up with his girlfriend over the phone? On TV?”

Felicity waved a dismissive hand. “You’d have to see the season. It just ... fell apart.”

“That’s what I’m saying. It fell apart on national television.”

“International,” Felicity mused. “But since then ... he’s been handsomely single. Except for a brief momentary laps with this New York wanna be model Samantha. I don’t know if it was something the network wanted or something he was playing with, or if it was just a trick of the camera ... but they—the show—made it look semi-serious for about two episodes. And the message boards are always discussing this and that, trying to hook him up. It’s so hot.”

Jamie breathed out a laugh. “It’s so not.”

“You’re blushing!” Felicity teased. “I mean—wouldn’t you want a guy like Tyler to be ... interested?”

Interested? He was a nice guy.

Who wouldn’t, she thought—and nearly said it, but stopped the words before they came out. It didn’t matter that he was what she would have considered outside of the show; nice, Christian ... they were part of the show.

“I’m so not having this conversation.”

“Then that means you would,” Felicity said.

Jamie sighed. It was a time for change of topic. “All right, Miss I know everything about Unwheeled. Care to tell me why you’re so interested?”

“In you and Tyler?” Felcity asked. “Or the show? The first is easy. I like you both. I just ... I get good vibes, or goose bumps, or a good feeling when I watch you two together.”

“Does this happen often?” Jamie asked dryly.

“What?”

“Your good feelings about two people. Two people who consider you their friend,” she glanced at Felicity briefly, and saw the uncertainty flash.

“It’s just nice to see two people together. You know ... like being around two people who are comfortable with each other. Together. It’s just nice.” She sighed, somewhat frustrated. “I mean ... sometimes, when you don’t have a guy, its just nice to know that there are healthy people with healthy relationships around. Around you.”

“Okay, you’re in college. You should be around a lot of healthy relationships.”

“I was,” she said. “I ... started back last semester, but it’s different. You know, different then going in the first time. I mean ... I haven’t really told you guys everything. I haven’t really said everything.”

“Like what?”

“That brave, flirtatious girl I was trying so hard to be in the beginning?” she said. “That’s not me. That hasn’t been me in a long time and I don’t know how to be ... anything. I don’t know anymore.”


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