the missing Cipro. And because he was tired of carrying everything on his own shoulders, he told them about Lloyd’s condition, which really surprised no one, because they had all witnessed several instances of Lloyd’s forgetfulness, and it was an easy conclusion to draw. Still, both Abo and Dixie, like JT, wished that Ruth had disclosed it on the medical forms.
“What a trip,” sighed Abo. “Think there’s something about the number one twenty-five?”
“Don’t even go there,” JT said.
26
Day Six
Mile 93
Downstream a bit, over margaritas, Susan was telling Jill about her divorce.
“Out of the blue,” she said. “He didn’t love me anymore. In fact he never loved me. He didn’t want marriage counseling. He was filing papers the next day. Fifteen years,” she said. “Just like that. Up in smoke.”
“Was it another woman?”
“Of course. Though he denied it at the time. They always do. Then he married her.”
“Are they still married?”
“Oh, they’re a happy little Brady Bunch,” said Susan. “They have a big happy house in Boston and go to Maine every summer.”
Jill was about to ask Susan if she herself had a romantic interest, when a shadow loomed behind them. It was Mark. Quickly she drained her margarita.
“Have you seen the boys?” he asked.
“I thought you had them.”
“I went to shave,” said Mark. “When I came back, they were gone.”
Jill untangled her legs and stood up slowly. The canyon walls tilted one way, then another. She reached out to Mark, to steady herself.
Mark sniffed her mug and frowned.
“Mark,” she scoffed, “I had like half a mug.” Which was not true; she and Susan had each consumed one back at the kitchen and taken a second downriver. She cleared her throat. “Sam!” she called, her voice rattly. “Matthew!”
“I thought you didn’t like alcohol,” said Mark.
“Well, sometimes I do. Boys!”
“How much has she had?” Mark asked Susan.
“Not too much, really,” Susan said.
“Well, they can’t have gone very far,” Jill said, trudging through the sand. “Did you check our tent?”
“Why would they be in our tent?”
“I don’t know, Mark, maybe just because it’s there?” Indeed, when they got to the tent, they heard hushed voices coming from inside.
“You go,” Matthew was saying.
“No, you.”
“They’ll notice me. They won’t notice you.”
“I don’t feel so good,” said Sam, and Jill and Mark heard that pregnant silence that precedes the surge.
“Not on Mom’s pillow!”
Mark cleared his throat, and Jill squatted to unzip the tent flap. She immediately smelled vomit and backed away. Mark finished unzipping things, and there was Matthew sitting cross-legged with the two mugs. Sam retched again.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” said Mark.
“It was Sam’s idea,” said Matthew.
“How much has he had?”
Matthew began to cry.
“Stop it,” said Mark. “Is that Mom’s sleeping bag?”
“No,” sniffed Matthew. “Maybe.”
“Get up, Sam,” said Jill. She reached in and wiggled Sam’s foot.
“What were you thinking?” Mark said. “I told you boys no. What on earth got into you two? Hasn’t there been enough excitement for one day?”
“It was Sam’s idea.”
“So? You’re older. You’re responsible for him. What, I can’t go down and shave without keeping an eye on the two of you?”
Jill reached underneath Sam’s arms and hauled him out of the tent. She propped him in the sand, struggling to keep him upright. The boy’s eyes were half closed, and he mumbled something.
“What?” asked Mark.
“I said I’m sorry!” cried Sam.
“What’s the problem?” said JT, joining them.
“Sam and Matthew got into the margs,” Jill sighed.
“‘Margs’?” Mark asked Jill. “Up on the lingo, aren’t we?”
“We told them no,” Jill said to JT, “but then Mark went down to the river to shave.”
“It doesn’t take much when you’re that size,” said JT. “Sam! Sam buddy!”
“Hey,” said Sam, struggling to keep his eyes open.
“How much did you drink, Sam!?”
“I don’t know,” said Sam.
“Stand up.” JT helped Sam to his feet, and Sam took two steps. “I’m fine,” he said, and then he sat down again.
JT sighed. “Let’s get a little coffee going. I’m sorry about this.”
“It’s not your fault,” said Mark. “These boys. I just don’t know.”
“They’re kids,” said JT. “I’ve seen much worse.”
Something about this comment caused Mark to bristle. “Actually, that doesn’t really comfort me a whole lot,” he said. “And I do think it’s your fault, frankly.”
“Mark,” Jill said.
“You guys must have underage kids all the time on these trips,” Mark said. “Haven’t you figured out a way of monitoring things?”
“He was dealing with Ruth’s leg,” Jill said.
“Abo wasn’t,” said Mark. “Dixie wasn’t.”
“I think I’ll get the coffee going,” JT said.
“I’m just accepting his apology,” said Mark when JT was gone.
“You’re