If it hadn't been for the hand painted sign that read, The Town of Aspen Creek, I would have never guessed that this was the place. At first glance, it looked like all there was to it was a gas station, a hotel, and a little school. But after the long journey, I didn't care what this town looked like. All I cared about was finding some food before we went searching for answers. So we made our way to the gas station and stocked up on some groceries. And for a remarkably small town, their gas station was well stocked. I was able to buy some things to make sandwiches and snacks that would last my little guy for the rest of the day atleast.
After thanking the gas station attendant, we made our way across the street to the only hotel in sight. As we entered the lobby, we were met by a wary looking women. She took in our shoes and clothes, dirtied by the 10 mile walk, and our stuffed backpacks.
"May I help you?" She finally broke the silence and asked.
"Yes," I replied. "We would like a room."
Without missing a beat, she quickly said, "I'm sorry we're all booked."
I looked at her in disbelief. "Please, we've been traveling for a week now."
"I'm sorry—" She began to say.
"Momma, does this mean we have to walk all the way back to the bus?"
I looked down at Nico, his green eyes looking up at me, and I could feel the exhaustion that I had been holding off at bay begin to sink in. Before I could think of a reply, the woman began talking again.
"And where are you from?" I looked up and realized that it wasn't me she was addressing her question to. It was Nicolás.
"Well first," he began in that self-certain voice that only five year olds have. "We took a train for a full day. Then we went on all kinds of buses until one dropped us off far, far away and made us walk the rest of the way here. But I liked walking. I got to pick up some new rocks. Wanna see?"
Before I could stop him, Nico had thrust his hand in his little pocket and pulled out a handful of pebbles and stood on his tipy toes and with an outstretched arm so the lady behind the counter could see.
I didn't know what to do first: try to convince the lady to give us a room, scold Nico for sneaking rocks in his pockets again, or fall down in exhaustion. But I didn't need to do either, because in the next moment, the lady was handing me a key for room 18 and asking me to write my name in the sign-in log.
"The room is 40 dollars a night and you can pay upon check out. The rooms are cleaned every other day, and if you need any more towels between then just come to the front desk and ask for them."
I looked down at the key in my hand and back up to the old lady. "Thank you," I managed to choke out.
The only indication that she had heard me was her stern reply, "Your room is down the hall to the right."
The room was sparse, with a bed, a bedisde table with a phone, a small bathroom, and an even smaller closet. My surroundings didn't bother me though. We had slept in far worse before.
"Hey," I said to my son. "Let's unpack first. Then you can take a bath while I make you something to eat. Sound like a plan?"
"Yep!" He answered, and as I went in to start the bath, he unzipped his backpack and started pulling out what little possessions he owned. He didn't have much, just a pair of pajamas, a pair of pants, three shirts, and a week's worth of underwear and socks. And at the bottom of his pack, his most valued possession: a white wolf stuffed animal. He slept with it every night and played with it almost every day.
My backpack wasn't any better. I had the same amount of clothing as Nico, in addition to a tube of mascara, chapstick, a bar of soap, a travel size bottle of shampoo that was running low, a tube of toothpaste and our toothbrushes, as well as a single vanilla scented candle and a lighter. I'd sold all my other possessions for anything I could get, including any jewelry that I may have owned at one point in my life.
While Nico was busy trying to carefully fold his few articles of clothing and placing them in the bedside table, I went into the bathroom and turned off the water.
"Whenever you're ready, buddy." I said as I reentered the room and took to hanging up my clothes in the closet. It didn't take long, so I took over for Nico so he could get into the bath while it was still warm.
When all our clothes were hung and folded, and our backpacks on the closet floor, I took the grocery bag and started dinner. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. I used half the loaf of bread to make peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches. I knew Nico would have no problem eating them all.
And true to form, the pajama clad five year old ate every bit of his dinner. Well, except for the crusts, which he always ate around. But that was okay, because I ate the crusts for him. And as a little treat for behaving so well on our trip, I let him eat four cookies with his gallon of milk.
Finally, after putting Nico to bed, I was able to jump in the shower and wash away the day's grime. I couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief. After months of planning and saving every cent I could, we had arrived at the only place where we could find answers. Hopefully.