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.

she looks over at me from

“You know

them hire us chefs,” I consider. She

pleased at the idea, and we

long into the

everything, chatting lightly about what

future but not touching on any of the big, scary

We all know that they’re there, after all – and

to leave them untouched

tonight is just about laughter,

as I bite into a smore that Sinclair hands me, the

a crisp just the way I like it. “Oh my god,” I

I chew. “This is so good, I

you’re going to get marshmallow all over

baby – ”

shaking my head and refusing to open my eyes

bite. “He

again as he comes and lifts

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

away from me, apologizing in

inconsiderate his mother is. I wave a

knowing

s’more and look around at my

and his grandchild while Cora and

not talking but clearly connected in

nice out here,” Cora says, wrapping her arms around

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

as much as this.”

about it, isn’t there?” Roger murmurs,

as he

stars and then

Roger, beaming at him.

smile from crossing my face as I

at each other, I decide that

stand up from my little camping

at me, curious and I nod

then towards Roger and Cora,

my gaze and then nods his understanding. He walks to

hand on his back, leaning down

as stealthily as we can

lifted into the RV

our way back into the

alone by the fire to have a moment

do you think they’re talking about,” I say to Sinclair as

shut behind him, the baby still curled

in the little kitchen nook, peering

through the tinted window.

spy?” he says, coming to

to give us our own moment, rolls his

bedroom, making some excuse about wanting to

know he

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

arms. “But you know I always want

murmurs, slipping his

baby and I warmly against him, resting his chin

look out at Cora and Roger, “I never cared as much

love life until

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255