Conrad
We had been on the road for a few days. We had made a few stops along the way. We didn’t have much time in each state, but we made the most of it in the best way we could. If my sister wasn’t coming to visit, I would have probably made our trip longer. Maya has been happy with the short time we have managed to spend in other states. We tried the food, explored and took plenty of photos. We can do it properly another time. Maybe we can take an entire summer soon and make more stops.
We didn’t stop at a hotel last night. We have been on the road for the last twelve hours, only stopping to wake ourselves up for coffee or food and to switch places in the driver’s seat. If we stopped at another hotel or two, we wouldn’t have much time at our destination. We can only stay a couple of days before making our way back home. I had made plans for us—nothing too busy, but ones we can enjoy.
Maya fell asleep on me a few hours ago after I took over the driving, but I need to wake her up so she doesn’t miss the beautiful view as we drive.
“Maya, wake up, angel,” I say, massaging her thigh.
She opens her eyes, and the second she does, she is in complete awe of the view of the mountains.
“Oh, wow, it is beautiful. Where are we?”
“Colorado. We have arrived at our destination.” I smile.
“We are staying here?” she gushes.
“Yes. I have booked a beautiful cabin for us for a couple of days. It has an incredible view of the mountains and nature, and it has a hot tub, too.”
“Really! You are incredible. I love you so much.” She says excitedly.
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
“I am sorry I fell asleep on you.” She pouts.
I shake my head and laugh, “All is good. I have been enjoying the drive.”
It has been peaceful. I have enjoyed our journey here. We are exhausted from the travelling and driving, but it has been worth it. Maya has loved every second of it. I am surprised she has any memory left in her cell with the photos she has taken, not only of the places we visited but also of us. She has been happy and has not stopped smiling. It is all I could ask for on this trip. I had missed her pretty smile and beautiful laugh.
I leave her to enjoy the passing view until we arrive at our cabin. I stop at the reception area to pick up our keys for the place. The area only has a handful of cabins, which means there won’t be too many people around. We will need to do some shopping, but there is a store within walking distance where we can get what we need. There aren’t any restaurants nearby, so we will have to make dinner in the cabin. There is a café, but it is only open until three where we can have breakfast and lunch.
The second the car stops, Maya takes the key from me and rushes over to unlock the door. I chuckle at her excitement and cuteness. I step out of the car and grab our bags. I smile when I see the beautiful river that flows in front of the cabin.
I head inside. The place is stunning. It has high ceilings, and the walls and floor are all made from cedar wood. There is a beautiful bay window that looks out to the mountains. The furniture and décor are all warm colours: cream and tan. There is a wooden staircase that leads from the bottom floor up to the second floor, where the bedrooms and shower are. The kitchen is open-plan and massive. Everything is either black or cream.
“Maya, where are you?” I call out after admiring the place.
She appears, leaning slightly over the railing upstairs. “Up here. The bedroom is huge. They all have king-sized beds and ensuite bathrooms. You can see the mountains, trees, and the river. It is stunning. Come and see,” she gushes.
She has fallen in love already. I head upstairs to join her. She takes my hand, leading me towards the bedroom she has claimed as ours. There are three bedrooms in total, but she has definitely picked the best one.
Maya drops my hand and tosses herself onto the bed. She pats the spot next to me and says, “Come test it.”
I drop the bags, kick my shoes off and climb onto the bed, lying down next to her.
“Comfortable, right?” she gushes.
“Indeed.” I agree.
“We can test it out properly later.” She smirks, nudging me.
I smirk back, “Mmm, yes, good idea.”
“I thought you would like that, but we should unpack and explore for now.” She says, jumping to her feet.
“Yes, we will need to walk to the store to pick up some things.”
Maya begins to unpack our things, and I finally move out of bed. It is so comfortable; I don’t want to move. I give her a hand to speed things up. I am eager to get out and explore. We drove overnight so we could get here at a decent time. It’s ten in the morning; we still have the entire day.
“Do you want to go to the store first or shower?” I ask.
“We can go out and get what we need. When we return, we can shower and then go for a walk. We should buy something for lunch to take with us. I am sure there is plenty of beautiful space to sit and eat with the incredible view.”
“It sounds like the perfect day, my love.”
“Yes, it does. I can’t believe how beautiful it is here.” She smiles.
We finish off unpacking and organise ourselves to head out.
“Um, do you know where the store is?” she laughs.
“Yes, the receptionist told me how to get there, but we can take our time and admire our surroundings while we walk.”
I take her hand in mine and go to find our way to the store. Maya is too busy looking around she nearly drips on a large stone.
“Easy, sweetness. I know you are excited, but I would prefer we don’t end up in the emergency room while here. I have better plans for us than that.” I tease.
She giggles, “Sorry. I am too distracted.”
I drop her hand and slip my arm around her. “I think this will be safer,” I chuckle.
“Probably. At least you can hold me up if I nearly fall again. My hero, as always.” She smiles widely and kisses my cheek.
I kiss the top of her head, “I like being your hero, sweetheart.”
She glances up at me, “You will always be handsome.” She coos.
“I love you so much.”
“I love you too, Conrad.”
The next couple of days are going to be special. Memories will made we will remember for the of our lives. She continues to look around rather than forward. I will need to continue to hold her close and keep my eye on her.