BRIDGER by Megan Curd Page A

could tell he was simply humoring Jamie by laughing at the appropriate times.   He motioned for us to come join the group.
    “Let’s get these girls back to the house, what do you say?” Jesse called out as we neared everyone.
    Jamie clapped her hands together, as though she was having an epiphany.   “Is there a pub around?   I want to see an Irish pub!   Do you guys eat fish and chips like they do in the TV shows?   I want to try it all!”
    One of the copper-haired boys laughed, clapping the other on the back.   Those two were definitely related.   “I like this girl already.   Ashlyn, you’ve got good taste in friends.”
    Jamie beamed in exultation.   I was never going to get her away from here with the guys encouraging her like this. “Jamie, it’s probably not a good idea to hit the pubs. We’re not legal.”
    The other copper-haired guy chuckled. “Ash, you’re responsible. You’re definitely a McVean even if you don’t look like one on the outside.”
    It was strange to have everyone know me, yet not know any of them.   I tried to be polite while trying to learn names.   “Uh, thanks.   What’s your name?”
    “Oh, sorry.   I’m Desmond and this is my brother, Issac.   That’s our friend, Liam, and those are your cousins Thing One, Two and Three,” he said, grinning and dodging a punch that came from Thing One, Two, or Three, although at this point I didn’t know which.   There was no way I was going to remember all of this.   They couldn’t all be staying with us.   If I knew who we’d be staying with, I’d focus on their names a little more.
    Jesse shook his head.   He was obviously the leader of the group.   “Let’s take them home first before we set them loose.   There’s plenty of time to sight-see.”
    We headed to the parking lot. I wasn’t sure what kind of vehicle we were going to find.   I always thought of Europe having those mini smart cars.   Those wouldn’t fit three of these guys in there, let alone all of our luggage and the extra “family.”
    Instead of a smart car, Jesse directed us to the oldest, biggest jalopy of a car I had ever seen.   At some point, it had been a station wagon.   However at this stage in life, it could be better compared to a rusted toy wagon with a lawnmower engine.
    Jesse introduced us to the car as though it were another person.   “Ladies, this is Queen Elizabeth.”
    The guys chuckled behind us.   Jamie, on the other hand, looked like she might throw up as she watched Jesse start the car. The engine groaned to life and a cloud of black smoke erupted from the exhaust pipe. “Are you sure this is safe?   Don’t you have e-check or something over here?   This can’t be good for the environment.”
    Waving the smoke away, I pulled on the trunk door.   Rust flecks covered the palm of my hand as I tried in vain to make the door open.
    Laughing, Desmond came forward and yanked on the handle mercilessly.   The trunk popped open, more rust flying in every direction.   “Sorry about that, you can’t be gentle with her,” he said, grinning ear to ear.   The happiness that emanated from this crew was infectious.   I grinned in spite of myself, already feeling at home.
    Packing all of our belongings in the back, we moved to get in the car.   Literally sitting on one another, I laughed at what we must look like in this wagon.   We could pass for clowns escaped from a low-budget circus.   Jamie had no problem sitting on someone’s lap.   One of my cousins seemed to have already taken an interest in her.   They were chatting away, getting to know each other. Jamie played the field with the best of them, regardless of whether she had a steady boyfriend or not.
    “Don’t worry, it’s not too long of a drive,” Jesse called to us in the back, hitting another pothole in the road.   The shocks on the car were long gone.   The back bumper hit the ground, rattling the entire body of the car.   I was going to lose