The Notorious R(uth) B(arakat) G(rimaldi)

Epilogue

End of August, north of Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite

"So who exactly is it you know that got us in to this incredible place?" Elliott asked with a grin as he looked around, taking in the incredible scenery.

Ruthie looked up from where she was staking down their tent. Around the clearing, five or six other tents were going up in similar fashion as the sound of hammers echoed around the campsite. Over at the cars, Pepsi and Gordon were unloading sleeping bags and coolers of food.

"The Van Derweide's uncle is a ranger here," she answered. "He's in charge of all the campsites, and this is an overflow site, one of the ones that they only open up if the ones in the lower valley fill up. It's one of the really nice ones, very isolated, with access to that lake, and he lets us come up here for free, every year, because we spend the day cleaning up the trails on the other side of the lake. Small price to pay, don't you think?"

"Definitely," Elliott answered before turning back to arranging the fire pit in the middle of the sandy clearing. He'd never seen such scenery before in his life, and had spent most of the drive through the park in stunned silence. Yosemite Valley was incredibly beautiful.

"Come on, guys, let's get the place set up by lunch so we can get the clean up finished by this evening," Gordon called. "That way we'll have all night tonight, all of tomorrow, and all day Sunday to play, okay?"

Everyone called out agreement and went back to their assigned tasks with renewed vigor.

Later that evening, as everyone took a well-earned swim to cool off after a long afternoon picking up trash and neatening up the trails, Ruthie put her arms around Elliott as they trod water in the comfortable water of the beautiful lake. The sunset dusk created a glowing picture on the surface of the calm water.

"I'm so happy you decided to come back from England to do senior year in Warren," she murmured, leaning in for a comfortable kiss. "I can't believe you did, though, when you had a chance at more work on the West End." She kissed him again as he slid his hands up her smooth, wet back. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," he responded, smiling at her. "There was no guarantee of work, anyway, and there's no harm in getting a high school diploma from an American high school, yeah?" He shrugged. "Feel free to thank me again, though, if you like," he suggested, puckering his lips as he leaned in with a smile.

Rughie laughed her beautiful laugh and kissed him once more, pressing warm lips into his, this time wrapping her legs around his hips under the water. Elliott lowered his hands to grasp her bottom, giving a little moan as he squeezed her and pulled her close.

"Fuck me, you're sexy," he gasped.

"Yeah, and I'm sixteen now, too," she reminded him.

"Oh, I know," he answered, leaning his forehead against hers, eyes closed. "Why do you think I suggested you pitch our tent so far away from everyone else?"

"Elliott, you naughty boy," Ruthie laughed, squeezing his hips with her legs, making him groan.

"Come on, everyone, dinnertime," someone called from the shore.

"Thank Christ," Elliott said with a laugh of his own. "Come on, jellybean, let's go eat some hot dogs and smores."

Dinner was set up buffet style, and everyone tore hungrily into the food that had been brought, including the wonderful salads prepared by Ruthie's pop.

"Oh god, Ruthie, what are we underclassmen going to do when you go off to college and we don't get this amazing chicken salad anymore?" someone moaned.