"I found a nice place where we can spend the July 4 weekend," Eric said one evening during dinner.
"Where?" I asked, even though I had a mouthful of spaghetti.
"Up in the mountains, about five hours from here. Four hours to the base, and about an hour upward. A place which rents out small cabins in the mountainside forest. Plenty of Nature around us. People are rare there, so it would be just you and me and the animals in the area. Yet it still has most of the amenities we're used to, including electricity and running water. No high-speed Internet, though -- dial-up only."
I shrugged. "I can deal without any Internet access for a weekend."
He smiled. "So you're interested in going?"
"Absolutely! You were right: We definitely need to get away for a while. But we couldn't leave until Noon on Thursday, though. Because of the holiday, the library is closing at Noon and operating on a skeletal staff that morning, and it's too late now to try to get the full day off."
"That's fine. We'd still be there in time to enjoy the sunset."
Underneath the table, I slid my ankles against his. "I'm looking forward to it."
"We'll need to come back Saturday, though, so I have time Sunday to deal with the work I know I'll need to do over the weekend."
"I don't mind," I assured him with a smile. "A few days away will be perfect for us both, I think, especially if it's truly just us out in the middle of nowhere."
*****
We packed the night before, and that morning Eric had his car quickly checked over to ensure all was working properly under the hood. Not long after the library closed, I met him by the fountain, and we bought lunch as I often did at the sandwich cart, eating on the way to the car.
The first phase of the drive was four hours, but seemed more like four minutes. I was definitely looking forward to spending so much time truly alone with my big brother. For once, I would not need to worry about how others might view us and our relationship. For once, I would not need to keep quiet as I was eaten, or use a pillow to mask my screams as my body was being repeatedly filled. For once, I would not need to keep all the blinds closed so that I could walk around mostly or completely naked in my forbidden lover's presence.
For once, I could truly be a little sister, Eric could truly be a big brother, and we could truly be fated lovers.
At the base of the mountain, we stopped at the "front desk," a small base from which the rental operations were situated. We picked up the keys to the cabin as well as a very good map to guide us the rest of the way, and also picked up some food and fuel at the small grocery store across the street. Then it was back into the car for the trek up the mountain.
My big brother was right: It was indeed a secluded place. The winding road followed the contours via numerous switchbacks cut through the mountainside forest. With the windows down, the scent of the mountain filled my nostrils and the calls of the birds filled my ears. Already, I was certain that we would return to this place as often as we possibly could.
When we came to the third plateau, we continued straight along a dirt road instead of following the switchbacks, and shortly after rounding a bend came to a gate. For me, the gate was unexpected, but it was a nice symbol: keeping society away from us during our private time together.
Eric handed me the key, and I got out of the car to open the gate. He drove through the opening, and I closed and locked the gate, sealing us into our cocoon of privacy, into our personal sanctuary of forbidden love.
*****
The cabin was small but beautiful, with a rustic visual appeal and modern electric and telephone lines running along the dirt road to a point opposite the chimney. There was a narrow porch which wrapped around three sides of the cabin, allowing someone to walk out the front door and use the porch to reach the back door. A few wooden chairs and a pair of short wooden benches provided seating on the wrap-around porch. A wind chime tinkled softly in the cool mountain breeze, and I realized that one of the nice benefits of being here would be that we would not need air conditioning for once.
As he rounded the car, I heard Eric breathe deeply, savoring the clean mountain air. "Tastes different from the city air," he commented, and I nodded in agreement. Without the sprawling asphalt to hold in the heat and the millions of vehicles to create an ever-present haze, the air did indeed taste different, not dissimilar to how my mouth feels after a dreaded visit to a dentist.
My big brother soon unlocked the front door of the cabin, then he surprised me: He picked me up in his arms, carrying me inside. The symbolism was not lost on me, and I was as giddy as a young schoolgirl from this unexpected display of my big brother's love.