Brad hadn't seen Grandma Joy for six years since their fierce argument. At his brother's wedding, he 1 her again. He saw her walk unsteadily into the church and helped her get to the seat. But they didn't say much.
Six months after the wedding, Brad hiked the Appalachian Trail. He found himself 2 a lot about his grandmother and the time they had spent at Blue Rock State Park, which is close to her house. There, they'd lift rocks in the river to find fish. It puzzled him why that 3 in particular stayed with him. He decided to call Grandma Joy.
It would be their first real 4 in years. She invited him over and he said "yes". When the door opened, everything inside looked the same. But he was looking at a woman who had 5 . They made small talk. Grandma Joy said that she had many 6 in her life. One of them was hat except her time at Blue Rock State Park, she'd never had the chance to see what she called the great outdoors.
Brad left his grandmother's house and went back to his routine. But he couldn't help thinking of Grandma Joy and her sadness of not seeing more of 7 . She just lived a simple life that stopped at the edge of the county line. He thought it would be a lifelong pity if he didn't 8 her. Then he came up with an idea that even he knew was 9 . He would take his 85-year-old grandma on a camping trip to a national park. He told her his crazy idea. The old lady 10 him by asking, "When do we leave?"
Having arrived there, Brad made a campfire. They sat next to each other, feeling the warmth and looking at stars. They 11 the lockbox of their past, talking about families and friends, about loss and pain. They told each other they'd wasted too many years being 12 . So they decided to go on more trips together.
They have now visited 62 national parks. The open road provided time for the pair to 13 their secrets. Grandma Joy highly valued Brad's company during the trips. She said she wouldn't 14 him for anybody. Now, they're not just traveling partners, not just grandmother and grandson, but 15 ,.
