The Camping Trip

Chapter 5

        Sitting with Ryan was really comforting for Jack, but when he starte to fall asleep, he knew he should put the fire out. He gently woke Ryan up and went to grab a bucket of water. After dumping it on the fire and making sure it was all out, he realized something: Ryan waould freeze with just a pillow and a blanket. Thinking about it, he came up with an idea. Telling Ryan he would be right back, he ran into his dad's trailer, being careful not to wake his dad or Natalie. He quickly grabbed one of their extra sleeping bags and went back to the truck. He quickly unzipped both the sleeping bags and zipped them together, making a huge sleeping bag. Walking over to Ryan, he noticed she had wrapped herself in the blanket.

        "Come on," he wrapped his arms around her. "You're sleeping with me."

        "But-"

        "No 'but's. I won't let you freeze out here." He pulled her to the truck. "I'm not taking 'no' for an answer."

        "Alright, fine." She sighed. "Can you at least set me in? I'm too tired to jump." She said, exhaustion obvious on her face.

        "Anything for you." He chuckled. Grabbing her hips and lifting her sit in the truck, he noticed how small her hips were. It almost seemed unhealthy, so he kept that in mind. She crawled in the sleeping bag, resting her head on her pillow. Climbing in next to her, he couldn't stop looking at her, even if it was just the back of her head. It wasn't long until she turned to face him with a worried look.

        "What's wrong?" he asked.

        "Do you think my dad loves me?" She asked, her voice cracking as a few tears fell across her face.

        "Oh, Ry... C'mere." He pulled her to his chest and held her as her small body shook with each sob. While playing with the ends of her hair and rubbing her back, he whispered soothing words in her ear. After she calmed down and was only whimpering and sniffling did he decide to answer her question.

        "I'm sure he loves you, Ry. He's probably just stressed with all your younger siblings and just lost it."

        "Th-then why would he s-say things like he did?" she whispered.

        "Things like what? What did he say?" Jack asked, becoming even more protective of Ryan instantly. 

        "That he b-basically doesn't want me an-and that I'm a burden to him." She spoke, her voice cracking from all the crying. Jack's hold on her tightened, immediately. Looking down at her face, he grabbed her chin, gently, and tilted her face to look at him.

        "Don't listen to him. You're perfect in every way possible, and he should feel proud to have you as a daughter. You hear me?" Looking at her crying was making Jack get teary eyed. When she nodded slightly, he wrapped his arm back around her as she burried her face into his chest.

        Eventually, Ryan's breathing evened out and when Jack looked down, she was fast asleep. He grinned at her face as she had a kind of pout on her lips. Sighing, he kissed the top of her head softly and cuddled her closer. And pretty soon, he was fast asleep too.

        Blinking open his eyes to the bright sun, Jack noticed someone missing from his arms. Quickly sitting up and throwing the sleeping bag open, he stood in the bed of the truck. It didn't take him long to spot her long, brown, wavy hair. She was talking to Sami, and neither of them looked very happy. When he walked over, Sami looked up at him and smiled. He was going to ask what was going on, but Sami spoke first.

        "You better take care of her for us, Jack." She said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

      "What are you talking about?" He asked, genuinly confused. But instead of answering, Sami looked to Ryan.

        "I had to tell her, Jack. She can talk to my dad for me. They're going back home." Ryan glumly said.

        "You're not going with them?"

        "No, I'm staying here with you." 

        "But won't  the others ask why you didn't go home too?" 

        "I've already talked to them about it." Sami spoke, "And I'm soory, Jack. I had to tell your dad. But he's okay with it. In fact, he's proud  you found Ryan. She'll be staying with you guys until her dad calms down." She turned to Ryan. "You should probably go get your bag while your dad's out on the ATV."

        "Okay." Ryan ran off dissappearing into the trailer.

     "I'm not opposing to her staying with me," Jack started, "but, why doesn't she stay with her mom?"

        Sami sighed before answering, "You're gonna have to ask Ryan. It's not my secret to tell. If you have to, just wait. It takes her awhile to open up about that stuff, okay?"

        "Okay. I'll take care of her though. I promise." Ryan came back out with her drawstring bag and her phone. Jack looked to Ryan with a sad smile. "Just put your stuff in the truck with mine, I'll be there in a minute, okay?"

        Nodding, she gave Sami a big hug goodbye and want to wait in the truck. Jack and Sami exchanged numbers in case anything happened. Walking back to the truck, he saw Ryan with her knees to her chest as she stared at the blankets. Sitting in front of her, he caught her attention. He was going to ask, but when they made eye contact, he already had his answer. Grabbing a pillow and placing it in his lap, he had her rest her head there. Nothing was said and neither of them did anything. Jack only wanted to make Ryan feel better and if this was the way to do it, then so be it.

        However, the silence didn't last very long as they heard the engin of the ATV. Jack could feel Ryan's muscles tense as she froze to the spot. While tracing circles over back, he looked over his shoulder to see her dad getting off the ATV while glaring in their direction. Looking back to Ryan, he saw her eyes pinched closed as her breathing became uneven. Leaning down to her ear, he gently whispered words of reassurance.

        "You're okay. I'm here; I'll protect you. You'll be fine." Kissing her temple, he continued whispering. When they heard Ryan's dad's 4Runner start up was when all of her siblings came to say goodbye. Jack noticed Ryan trying not to cry and thought she was trying to keep a brave face for the younger ones.

        It wasn't until her siblings had climbed in the car and her dad had driven off out of sight, that she broke down in Jack's arms. She burried her face in his neck and sobbed. She wasn't normally like this - a broken mess - but she couldn't help it. She held in the tears from the point she woke up, to the point her family left her, which had to be at least two and a half to three hours. She couldn't do it anymore. But Jack helped her through it by not pushing it, but just by holding her. He also gave her something she'd been searching for from everyone else around her: acceptance.