Are you all packed?
I am.
Show me.
You first.
He gives me that half-smile, that one that makes me want to rip my clothes off and throw them to the floor. God. Kill me now so this is the last thing I see.
He picks up his backpack and unzips it. It contains a couple of neatly folded outfits, his chargers (which is funny but he never doesn't pack them first) and a blanket. He's got another big beach bag with towels, food for a few days and two huge water bottles, plus sunscreen and bug spray.
He picks up my bag, and opens it, next to his. Inside is a tub of sour soothers, my dogeared copy of Practical Magic and a flashlight, my favorite hoodie (Breaking Benjamin pullover, XL, from the Dark Before Dawn tour when I finally got to see them live and cried the whole time holy fuuuuuckk) and two cans of Margaritas. Because campfire drinks. Oh, and fifteen packets of Mystical Fire. Because I like my fire pretty like my boys.
Lochlan laughs. This is exactly what I expected.
Right?
You got the Devil in there somewhere?, he says quietly.
No. He doesn't fit and he's not an appropriate type of baggage for this trip.
I am rewarded with a wide smile. What are you going to wear?
I put my arms out. Bikini underneath, I confirm and he nods.
Yes. Nothing has changed since 1980. So here's your actual bag. He pulls out my backpack. Inside is three outfits (I get an extra to every two of his because I was traditionally, historically messier), my chargers and a hat.
He never ever forgot a hat, even if it meant I was stuck wearing his green baseball hat, ponytail pulled through the hole which would be on the smallest setting and still way too loose.
Nice.
You're welcome.
THANK YOU. Also what's for lunch?
You'll find out after the morning's activities.
Which are?
Orienteering. You have to find camp first.
It's at the camper. Right at the end of the-
No, it's a treasure hunt. There are more things along the way to make our time fun, and you have to find them all to make your way to camp.
Oh! Awesome! Will you help me?
Maybe.
Just say warmer or colder when necessary.
I can do that, Peanut.
I can't wait.
****
They placed bets. I did not pass orienteering on my first try. Or my second.I found nothing. On my third attempt, when tears of frustration threatened to ruin the entire summer before I even made it to camp, Ben stepped in and gave me the world's fastest lesson on map reading. HUH. He yelled things like TURN IT OVER. NOW PUT IT SO THE COMPASS IS IN THE TOP LEFT. JESUS BRIDGET. HAHAHAHAHA.
SHUT THE FUCK UP BEN-
AH! You don't get badges if you indulge in profanity, Bridge. Lochlan's laughing so I don't even know if he's serious.
I'm going to call my mom to pick me up. I threaten, trying to hold my ground. The one I don't know where it is.
Your mom?
PJ!
No, I've gone to Europe for the summer. Sent my kid to sleepaway camp. No phones. She'll be fine. (PJ yells this from the pool deck where he is watching me with amusement, along with everyone else.)
For FUCKS SAKES-
How about we learn orienteering during free time?
Because free time is SUPPOSED to be FUN-
I'll make it fun.
Like this?
I didn't think you were still THIS bad at finding your way with a map, Peanut.
When would I have had a chance to get better? I point out. Can we have lunch now?
We can. And maybe over lunch we'll have that first lesson, then. I think I'll scale back some of this week.
You guys do everything for me, I complain. You're the worst offender! I remind him.
Christ, someone's hangry, PJ says under his breath.
Don't you have somewhere to be? I ask PJ. Rome? Paris? Warsaw?
Warsaw?
Whatever!