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MARCUS

FIVE YEARS AFTER THE CHANGEUP

“ H appy anniversary,” I crouch beside the bed, and gently wake my wife. “I’ve got a surprise for you, but you have to be awake first.”

“We can’t just spend the day in bed?” She grumbles, sinking deeper into the bed. “That would be fun.”

“Well, you can stay in bed if you want to…and I’ll go to the conservation center myself.”

“Conservation center?” She sits up in bed, suddenly awake. “Which conservation center?”

“One I think you’re going to like.”

With surprising quickness, Jenna throws off the covers and jumps out of bed, headed straight to the bathroom for a shower. While she gets ready for the morning, I work on breakfast for us, including a large pan of homemade hashbrown potatoes. When she comes out of the bathroom, I hand her a glass of water and her morning medication, before pouring us each a very large cup of coffee.

There’s a wildlife conservation center in Idaho that is the only place in the country where you can bottle feed and pet bear cubs. I made reservations months ago after meeting some of the scientists from the center on one of Jenna’s hikes. As soon as Jenna is out of the shower and dressed, we start our drive just across the state lines into Idaho.

“How are you feeling today?” I ask, reaching over the console and taking Jenna’s hand in mine.

“Not bad. A little achy, but that’s pretty normal these days.”

“You tell me when you’re ready to call it quits today, okay?” I know she won’t, but I remind her anyway.

“Of course,” she answers, squeezing my hand. “Don’t I always?”

“No,” I laugh, “you almost never do. That’s why I’m reminding you. If you get to the point that you’re just…done…tell me. I don’t have any expectations for the day other than you enjoying yourself.”

“I’m with you,” she says with a contented sigh. “It’s going to be a great day.”

The minute we walk into the conservation center, Jenna forgets I exist, and that’s okay with me. Watching her talk to the scientists, veterinarians, and conservationists is like watching a master at work. She’s in her element as she learns about the research the center does and the way that their work supports the work in Yellowstone as well.

And then, the reason we’re here.

We’re led to an enclosure and given instructions on how to interact with the animals and then we’re each given a bottle. Jenna reaches for my hand, practically vibrating with excitement as she leans in and presses a soft kiss to my cheek. “Thank you, ."

“You’re welcome, Jay.”

A couple of bear cubs are brought into the enclosure and Jenna and I have the opportunity to feed them. It’s quite possibly the coolest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Every animal here at the conservation center has been rescued and removed from the wild for one reason or another, and the cubs that we’re feeding were found abandoned and brought here to be rehabilitated, and as part of that, they require bottle feeding.

Jenna is fully in her element, petting and feeding the cub that was brought to her. My cub accepts the bottle warily, warming up to me once I start petting her, running my hand over her dense, thick fur. The little bear closes her eyes and nuzzles her head into my hand much like a cat would ask for more pets, and I can’t turn her down.

“I want one,” Jenna says with a laugh, “I know it’s impractical and we could never do it, but I want one.”

“They are pretty cute, aren’t they?”

“The cutest.”

When the food is gone, the bears are taken to a wide open enclosure where they are allowed to run, climb and explore, and Jenna and I get to watch from behind a fence. Her arms wrap around my waist as we watch them play together.

“I will never forget this day, . Thank you for this.”

“The day’s not over yet.”

After the conservation center, we drive into the park for dinner at the same hotel where our wedding reception was held just a few years ago and after parking, I take two bags from the trunk, relishing the look of surprise and confusion on my wife’s face as I do. It’s not often that I’m able to surprise her, but I’m always satisfied when I can pull it off.

“We have dinner reservations,” I pull Jenna close, tucking her against me in the elevator, “but we’ve got time if you want to shower and change first.”

“Yes please.”

Once in the room, Jenna hustles off to the shower and I check out the view from our windows, not at all disappointed to look out and see Old Faithful, steam rising from the fissure in the ground as people gather on the boardwalk to wait for the show. There are other, far more impressive, geysers in the park, but none as consistent as Old Faithful who continues to live up to her name.

My own Old Faithful (though she’d hate that I called her old) hums an old standard as the water shuts off in the bathroom, and a few minutes later she’s changing into one of several things I packed for her to choose from. While she gets dressed, I change into dress pants and a button down shirt, that was a gift from my brother-in-law who told me that I’m never allowed to wear the sleeves down and cuffed. They are apparently meant to be rolled up. And judging by the look on Jenna’s face as she watches me adjust the sleeves, that is very sage advice. I will never tell her that it came from her brother.

We eat dinner on the patio at the back of the hotel, enjoying the cool fall air, knowing that it won’t be long before snow starts to fly and winter will be setting in. But for tonight, I have the warmth of my wife beside me as we share a meal together, and when the meal is over, I offer her my arm as we walk carefully to the boardwalk and around to the front of the hotel.

“Do you want to watch from here, or up close?”

“Up close,” she wraps her sweater tighter around her shoulders as she steps closer to me and we find our way to a bench.

The sun is almost below the horizon and the boardwalk is nearly empty this time of night, allowing us a bench to ourselves. I sit and tug Jenna down beside me, wrapping an arm around her waist as she leans her head against my shoulder. Steam continues to pour out of the nearby vent, and every now and then water bubbles up, signaling the imminent eruption.

We’ve had our fair share of those over the years, but every time I watch one of these geysers, I’m reminded of our first summer here, and that night in the laundry room. I’m reminded of walking back home to Jenna, my Old Faithful. Steadfast and true when I need her the most.

“Thanks for another year of being my forever hiking buddy,” I turn and press a kiss to the top of her head. “I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else.”