Accidental Surrogate

The trip improves by leaps and bounds the moment we stop at the campground for the night.

“Finally,” I sigh, taking a deep breath of the fresh air as I climb down the steps of the RV, my baby curled in my arm and looking around him with bright and interested eyes. “It’s good to be on steady ground again.”

“Remind me never to take you on a boat,” Sinclair murmurs, coming down the stairs behind me. “If you didn’t like this…you won’t respond well to that.”

“Yes sir,” I say passively, smiling down at the baby, who frees one of his arms and reaches out into the cool evening air, clasping his fingers at a firefly who passes close by. I don’t mention that I liked the sea voyage to the desert much more than I liked this, even though the accommodations weren’t as nice.

“What about this?” Sinclair murmurs as he steps down the final step and comes to stand behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I smile as I lean

back against his chest. “Is the forest an improvement?”

I look around our isolated campsite, lit with grey and blue tones in the dying light

of the day. I smile at what I see, appreciating the cool air and the blinking light of

the fireflies that float lazily through the space.

“Yes,” I say with a decisive nod. “This will do quite well.”

“Good,” Sinclair replies, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek before releasing

me and moving to a luggage compartment low on the RV, I watch as he opens it

and begins pulling out camping gear chairs, a cooler, some bags with extra

snacks and bug spray.

“Oh!” I say, surprised by it all as my mate begins to set it all up around a burnedout ring where a fire goes. “Oh, we’re very prepared.”

“Of course we are,” Roger says, climbing out of the RV with Cora behind him.

When he reaches the ground, Roger flicks the switch that prepares Henry’s little

elevator. “We’re always ready to go glamping in this family.”

I laugh at the term, settling into a chair that Sinclair waves me towards, smiling

down at the baby. “What do you think, Rafe?” I whisper to him. “Do you like

glamping?” He gives a happy little coo in response and I laugh, grinning up at

his father. “I think that’s a yes.”

“Kid has taste,” Sinclair says, winking at me as he continues his work. We’re all

settled around a fire much faster than I thought was possible and I smile as I

watch Sinclair and Roger set a little grill across it, apparently preparing to make

us our dinner as well.

“They only cook,” Henry whispers, leaning over to Cora and I and giving us a

smile, “when it’s outdoors. Otherwise, they’re not interested.”

“Not true!” Sinclair protests, his eyes still on the fire.

“Absolutely true!” Roger chimes in, making us laugh. “If I’m making food, it’s

grilled. Otherwise I’m getting takeout.”

“Guess your baby is gonna eat a lot of hotdogs,” I murmur to Cora.

sighing. Then she looks over at

mine. “You know I

make them hire us

pleased at the idea,

the night the family gathered

everything, chatting

not touching on any of

behind the conversation. We all know that they’re there, after all – and

decide to leave them

is just about laughter,

as I bite into a smore that Sinclair

I like it. “Oh my

so good,

Sinclair laughs, you’re going to get

baby – ”

head and refusing to

another bite. “He won’t

he comes and lifts Rafe from my arms. I

to be alone with my s’more anyway. Cora, Roger, and Henry

Rafe away from me, apologizing in a loud murmur for

is. I wave a hand at him, dismissing

words, knowing that he’s

my s’more and look around at

his grandchild while Cora and

talking but clearly connected in this

out here,” Cora says, wrapping her arms around

camp. “I didn’t think I’d like sitting outside in the

as much as this.”

there?” Roger murmurs, raising a hand to

hair as

says, looking up at the stars and then turning her head to look

Roger, beaming at him.

my own smile from crossing my face as I watch

each other, I decide that

I stand up from my little

Sinclair. He looks up at me, curious and I nod my head

Roger and Cora, who begin talking

gaze and then nods

his back, leaning down to speak a whispered

by one, as stealthily as we

Henry has to be lifted into the RV with a noisy platform –

us and the baby make our way back into the little mobile house,

Roger alone by the fire to have

they’re talking about,” I say

pulling the door shut behind him, the baby still curled in his arms.

kitchen nook, peering out the window at

through the tinted window.

little spy?” he says, coming to sit with me on the

perhaps wanting to give us our

bedroom, making some excuse about wanting

both know he doesn’t watch

sigh, looking up at my mate and reaching for my baby, who

into my arms. “But you know I

know,” he murmurs, slipping his arms low around

baby and I warmly against him, resting his chin on my

Cora and Roger, “I never cared as much

brother’s love life