Dissolving

Chapter 37 - Rage

Who would have thought that I could get used to the desert climate?

Definitely not me. After a horrible Monday (what with the storm) and a sticky and hot and generally upsetting Tuesday (that ended on a high note, when Jordan took me star-gazing), I have slowly made my peace with this inhumane place. I am even starting to understand why my brothers are so fascinated by the desert. Not only Jordan and Sam are fans, but they have managed to corrupt their younger brothers into finding this as fascinating as them. I am a tiny bit in agreement now, too.

Josh seems to be neutral about the whole thing. He appears content enough, but I am convinced that he would have been just as happy – if not happier – to stay in a comfortable spa hotel or hang out at our cabin in the mountains. I never had him down as much of an agreeable person, because he is such a stubborn individual with a very firm opinion on everything, so his nonchalance kind of surprises me.

He has been pretty relaxed throughout this whole trip, even when I had my various little melt-downs. Josh is obviously not known to be the most patient individual and if he thinks somebody acts unreasonable, he won't hold back and tell them directly to their face. I have experienced that plenty of times with him.

Maybe I have not been that unreasonable after all?

We spent yesterday in Death Valley and I have to admit, it is such an unusual place that it literally took my breath away. Both, because it was so hot that even breathing seemed to be too much of a task and also, because it really is incredibly beautiful.

I did a little experiment with my last piece of chocolate – I had wisely eaten all the rest of it before we crossed the border into the national park – and let it melt in the palm of my hand. I hadn't expected it to go that fast though, because within only a minute it resembled a chocolate fondue.

Noah almost died from laughter when I tried (and failed) to lick the deliciousness from my hand before it dripped onto the hot desert floor, forever going to waste. Sam and Jordan shared exasperated looks and Josh decided to finally let his true self reappear for a bit and he scolded me for making such a mess. Aidan just muttered some not so flattering things under his breath. And Jack once again proved that he is one of the nicest people in my family when he went to grab some hand wipes to help me get cleaned up, accompanied by some background baby noises curtesy of Aidan, which I gracefully ignored.

We spent the night at a motel outside the Death Valley national park and I was very relieved that not even my crazy, adventurous brothers demanded that we sleep in a tent in this heat. Jordan made me promise that I will go camping with him in "more enjoyable weather conditions" sometime later this summer break because I have gotten away with sleeping in the Beast for two nights.

He still doesn't believe me when I insist that I am not against camping. He says that my claims that I have spent a night or two in a tent before are worthless unless he gets to witness it with his own eyes.

Who knew that he could be such a bully?

I also don't know why it is so important to him that I sleep in a tent. I have asked Josh if he knows more but he shrugged it off and said that his twin is just weird like that. I am not even sure that he was completely joking when he told me that he is still surprised that Jordan built the studio flat above our garage and didn't just put up a tent in the backyard instead.

I startle out of my thoughts when Jordan's hand slaps against my thigh. It is still pretty early in the morning and we are on our way north, heading towards Yosemite National Park. Me on the back of Jordan's motorbike.

Apparently, that place isn't on our way home, but the guys decided that our road trip is so much fun that we should go on "a little detour" on the way back. It is very obvious that Jordan and Josh are addicted to riding their motorbikes. I think Josh is already sad that he will have to part from his rented one soon.