Jeremy couldn’t wait! Each summer he spent a week in the woods with his dads, Adam and Wei. That week was finally here!
It had been a tradition ever since Jeremy had first been adopted, from before he could even walk. Now that he was nearly twelve, camping meant hiking, rock climbing, and – if he was lucky – maybe seeing a bear!
The night before their trip, Wei walked into Jeremy’s room. He was a tall, thin man, with eyes that twinkled when he smiled. “Looking forward to tomorrow, érzi?”
“Absolutely!” said Jeremy, setting aside his field guide.
“We have a surprise for you.” Wei pulled out a shiny Swiss army knife.
“Wow!” Jeremy’s eyes grew wide. “Is that for me?”
“Every year you talk about it. This year, maybe it’s time.”
Jeremy held the knife carefully. It was heavier than he had imagined. “I bet this could cut through anything!”
“Now listen, it’s not a toy, it’s a tool. We’re trusting you with it, understand?”
“I understand,” said Jeremy. “Honest.”
“Daddy A was nervous, but I was able to convince him you were ready. Don’t go letting me down!”
Jeremy did not doubt that Daddy A had been nervous. Daddy A’s favorite camping activity was drinking hot tea out on the porch of their cabin and reading mystery novels. He was pretty good at making jokes and making everyone laugh, but just about anything else made him nervous.
Jeremy folded the knife and said, “You got it, dad.”
*
When they got to the cabin, Jeremy excitedly opened everything up right away, so that the cabin filled with fresh air.
Wei hefted out the bags from the back, while Adam grabbed for the broom on the front porch.
“It’s always so dusty!” he complained, bringing out all the rugs and shaking them out.
“I don’t mind some dust,” said Jeremy. “What’s the big deal?”
In response, Adam sneezed.
“There’s still some daylight left,” said Wei, setting down the last of their things. “Want to get in a hike?”
“Yeah!” said Jeremy.
“You two go ahead,” said Adam, bringing out the pots and pans from above the stove. “I’ll start some noodles.”
*
The dirt beneath his feet clumped within the grooves of his hiking shoes. Jeremy heard the high-pitched call of a warbler, and then another in reply, but he couldn’t see either of them through the branches overhead.
“Someday I’ll take you and Adam to Beijing,” said Wei as he inhaled deeply. “I went on some beautiful hikes when I was your age. The Baihua Mountain…I can still smell the flowers.”
“Were there any bears?”
Wei laughed. “There are many bears in China. I think you would like moon bears the best.”
“Moon bears…” Jeremy liked the sound of that. Of course, no matter how cool they sounded, Daddy A wouldn’t want to be within a hundred feet of one. “You and Daddy A sure are different,” he said.
“You’re just now realizing that?” Wei smiled as they stepped along the edge of a ravine. “We’re more alike than you realize. He’d do anything for us, just like I’d do anything for the two of you. This one time when we were in college…”
Just then, they heard a dry rustling coming from nearby, something large moving through the woods. “Quiet,” Wei cautioned. “Get down.”
Jeremy’s heart nearly beat right out of his chest. Plodding its way through the forest was a black bear, about twenty feet away. They were close enough he could see the moisture on its nose.
“Remarkable!” Wei carefully reached into his backpack and slowly pulled out his camera. He scooted back just a tad as he held it to his face.
Jeremy had never been this close to a bear before. What if it attacked them? It would be up to him to protect them both! He would pull out his trusty pocket knife…
Unthinking, Jeremy did just that. He pulled the blade out so that it reflected the sunlight as he held it aloft.
“Jeremy!” Wei whispered. “What are you doing? Put that away!”
Startled from his daydream, Jeremy dropped the pocket knife into some dry leaves.
That small sound was enough. The bear glanced back at the two of them in surprise.
“It sees us!” Jeremy called out.
“Don’t panic..!” Wei began. Standing up, he stumbled over an exposed root. He lost his balance and went tumbling over the edge of the ravine.
“Dad!” Jeremy yelled. “Are you okay?” Cautiously, he peered over after Wei.
“I’m fine…” Wei muttered. He was lying on his back in some large rocks, at the bottom of a long slope. “Where’s… where’s the bear?”
“Running away. What should I do?”
“Go get Daddy A.”
In a moment, Jeremy was off, running as fast as he could. “Daddy!” he called out. “Daddy!”
“What’s the matter?” asked Adam, opening the front door of the cabin. “Where’s Dad?”
“He’s hurt!”
Adam whipped off his apron and took off after Jeremy.
When they made it to the ravine, Adam called out, “What are you doing down there?”
“I twisted my ankle. I can’t stand up!”
“Hold on!” Adam leapt from rock to rock.
“Careful!” cautioned Jeremy, suddenly feeling nervous himself.
Finally, Adam came to where Wei lay. “Don’t worry, old man, everything’s going to be all right.”
“Old man?” Wei laughed. “And just how do you intend to get me out of here, zhàngfu?”
“Hey, you’re the one who’s always prepared! Don’t you have some rope?”
“Sure, in my backpack.”
Adam took it out and tossed one end up to Jeremy. “Tie this end around a tree trunk!”
Jeremy caught it and found the closest tree he could find: a thick, sturdy oak.
“All right, hold on!”
Slowly, the two men made their way up, Wei holding onto Adam, and Adam grunting as he pulled himself up.
“Wow!” said Jeremy after they’d finally made it to the top. “You were great!”
“We still have to make it back to the cabin,” said Wei. “Let’s sit and rest for a while.”
“It’s all right, it’s good for noodles to get cold and then have to be reheated. I heard they’re better that way. Say, Jeremy, isn’t that your new pocketknife lying on the ground?”
“I’m sorry!” Jeremy blurted. “It’s my fault. I was playing with it when I shouldn’t have.”
“I know a good use for it,” said Adam. “Something to remember this little adventure by.” He stepped over and found a fallen branch. Using the knife, he began whittling on it, then he set it in the crook of the tree for anyone to see: W + A + J, in a heart.