Diamond S Ranch

37-Spring Break (part 4)

The black four wheel drive truck wound it's way up the dirt drive towards the cabin. It had started raining again about three hours ago and the now muddy rain slicked dirt road let you know it hadn't let up since.  The truck bounced and splashed over deep pot holes filled with muddy water, dodging fallen branches along the way.  The entire drive to the cabin gave you the impression that this drive way had not been used in a while.

They finally pulled up in front of the weathered old large log cabin.  Garrett volunteered to get out and go get Gage, that was fine with Jake, he would just assume not get out in this pouring rain anyway. He pulled out his phone to check for any messages. He noticed that his phone barely had three bars for service, no two, no wait three, no....what the....now it had no bars of service. What the heck? He gave up trying to get any service, noting they really were out in the middle of no where. 

Garrett knocked on the door and then went on in. He knew just about everyone who was up there so he figured he didn't need an invitation to be invited in.  As he stepped in he couldn't help but notice the thick wooden pieces of furniture scattered about the room, all sporting the same hard looking cushions fashioned in a gold, orange and brown plaid.  To Garrett, it looked rather uncomfortable.  

He heard voices coming from his right so headed that way and walked through a swinging door into the kitchen. There he found Gage, with about four of the other guys sitting at an old kitchen table playing poker. Gage looked up when he saw the doors swinging open, when it registered in his brain that it was Garrett he jumped right up. Abandoning his cards he rushed over to Garrett and gave his brother a giant bear hug.

"Oh, man, thanks for coming." He said sounding very relieved to Garrett, it made him glad now that he had made the trip. "Come on, let's get out of here." He said as he steered Garrett back towards the door he had just come through. 

"Hey Gage," one of the guys called out, "you aren't going to finish playing this hand?"

"No, I'm out." He said rather enthusiastically. 

"What about your money here." Someone else called out pointing to a really pitiful small pile of pennies, nickels and dimes he had accumulated. 

"You guys keep it. Split up, whatever, I don't care. I gotta go." He tossed over his shoulder as he practically dragged Garrett with him out of the kitchen.

While the guys at the table shrugged and started dividing up his money, Gage walked over towards the front door where he had already had all his stuff packed and ready to go. 

"Dude, you just don't know how glad I am to see you." He said as he reached down and picked up his bookbag along with his duffel bag. Garrett grabbed his sleeping bag and pillow.

Gage headed towards the door, "So, who drove up?" He asked as he swung the door open and stepped out onto the porch, "Jordan or Ka...." He instantly stopped in his tracks when he saw Jake's truck. In a panic, he whirled back around pushing Garrett back inside, causing him to stumble, then he slammed the door shut.

"Dude, you brought Jake?!" Gage gasped falling back against the door, barricading it with his whole body. His voice cracking, his eyes reflecting disbelief as he looked at his brother. Garrett was not amused.

"Yes," Garrett answered flatly.

"But why him?" Garrett asked, really trying not to sound like he was whining, as he lifted himself up off the closed door and walked over to the window.  He pulled the edge of the curtain back as he attempted to peek out the window to see if Jake was still there. He was.

Gage rolled his eyes, "You do know he knows you are here...right?"

"But why him?" Gage hissed, dropping the edge of the curtain as he dramatically pointed through the wall to where the truck sat waiting.