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.

adds, sighing. Then she looks

“You know I can’t cook

we can make them hire us chefs,” I

idea, and

continues like this long into the night the

and everything, chatting

touching on any of the big, scary

conversation. We all know that they’re there, after

decide to leave them untouched

tonight is just about laughter, and fun, and

bite into a smore that

I like it. “Oh

chew. “This is so good, I can barely stand

Sinclair laughs, you’re going to get marshmallow all

baby – ”

care,” I murmur, shaking my head and

another bite. “He won’t mind

again as he comes and lifts Rafe from my arms. I

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

from me, apologizing in a loud murmur for

is. I wave a hand at him, dismissing

his words, knowing

look around at my

Sinclair and his grandchild while Cora and Roger

other, not talking but

wrapping her arms around herself and

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

as much as this.”

there?” Roger murmurs, raising a hand

Cora’s hair as he

at the stars and

Roger, beaming at him.

can’t help my own smile from crossing my face

at each other, I decide that

from my little

at me, curious and I

then towards Roger and Cora,

and then nods his understanding. He walks to

puts a hand on his back, leaning down to

by one, as stealthily as we can – which is not

to be lifted into the RV with

our way back into

alone by the fire to have a

talking about,” I say to Sinclair as he climbs last

him, the baby still curled in

nook, peering out the window at Roger

through the tinted window.

he says, coming to

give us our own

bedroom, making some excuse about wanting

know

I sigh, looking up at my mate and

you know

you know,” he murmurs, slipping his arms

against

out at Cora and Roger, “I never

brother’s love life until you

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