Lisbon Family Campground
Chapter 1
Trip Planning
I have been working on writing this story all summer long since I went on a couple of road trips. The title is from a campground actually named Lisbon Family Campground I saw along the way on my road trip to Ontario. This sparked inspiration for this story.
Lisbon prepared to pack their bags for the Canadian trip she and Jane agreed to go on with her brothers. She sighed worriedly as she looked at the suitcase and the baby bag she had laid in the living room. A tornado of clothes, both her and Jane's and the baby's blown across the couch. She wasn't one to go on family vacations. She liked to stay put and do her job. She never took time off all the years she had been a cop working in San Francisco and then at CBI because it was difficult to get away. Since she married Jane, things had been different. He always wanted to travel to explore new places. His carnie blood never left him. So, she decided to go along with him. No matter how much she protested she couldn't help but agree to it in the end. In a way she couldn't blame him since he was the one home with the baby. She had taken more vacation days now than all the years combined.
"Why did I agree to go on this trip?" Lisbon said as she saw her husband walk in the room. He looked at her.
"Because they're your brothers. Jane reminded. He walked to the couch and started folding the baby
clothes and putting them in the small bag. "And I thought it would be fun going camping."
"I must've been in a weak moment when I accepted." Lisbon said looking at her clothes. She folded
a pair of her own jeans.
"Oh, it'll be fine, dear. How bad can it be?" Jane responded placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Have you met my brothers?" Lisbon turned up her eyebrow.
"Yes, they've been my brother in laws for months." Jane said.
"It'll be a disaster. The idea of spending a whole week with them scares me." Lisbon said.
"Oh, come on. It'll be fine." Jane said. "They're good guys." He continued packing.
When Stan and his family asked a couple of months ago in April for her and Jane to go with them to Canada, Lisbon didn't know what to think. Years had gone by since she had gone on a family vacation with Stan, Tommy and Jimmy. They were all fairly young and their father was a better man and their mother was alive.
"Hey, T, Tommy and Jimmy and I are planning a trip to Canada. We're going fishing and camping. We'll be probably be staying in cabins. " Stan explained excitedly. "Or tents."
"That sounds fun for you three." Lisbon said. "It's good for you to get together."
" My whole family's coming. Tommy's Annie is coming. Tommy's bringing his girlfriend. So is Jimmy. I figured I might as well ask you and Patrick. I think there's an RV park for Patrick's Airstream."
"It's nice of you to ask but I don't think we're ready to take the baby that far. She's older since Christmas but it might be too much."
"T, my kids have been travelling since they've been in diapers. You said yourself that Lisby Michelle is a great traveler." Stan said.
"Yes, it's true, but I don't know. Why are you going to Canada? There's plenty of places in the U.S." Lisbon questioned.
"Jimmy decided he wanted to go there and Karen agreed. I have time I can take. I heard it's beautiful. Think about it Sis. We're getting passports." Stan raved.
"You've made so many trips down to Texas. I can't believe you'd want to travel more." Lisbon said.
"I'm caught up with payments, so yes, I'm ready for another trip again. Business is good. Please come!" Stan begged
"Fine." Lisbon sighed. "Ja..Patrick will enjoy going. He loves the great outdoors, since he built us a house in the middle of nowhere."
Getting back to packing from remembering the conversation with Stan,Lisbon paused. The plan was that they were going to fly to Chicago and the family were to drive to Detroit. Jane and Lisbon planned to rent a car as soon as they arrived at the O'Hare Airport.
Jane fished out his passport from when he and Angela were married. After he became being a psychic he and Angela traveled before Charlotte was born. He had to renew it when he found out it expired. Lisbon applied for a passport and they brought Lisby Michelle's birth certificate. Stan said he would get the camping supplies. Jimmy and Tommy would fly from Oklahoma City and Seattle and meet them in Chicago.
Sitting at the gate of Austin airport, Jane and Lisbon watched the crowds busily rush to their flights. Lisby Michelle curiously looked at the people while being held in her father's arms. She held her little bear she had grown to love. Their flight to Chicago was at 8:00a.m.
"I don't think I can handle camping. Why can't we just stay in a hotel?" Lisbon said.
"I think it'll be fun. We'll be roasting S'mores on the campfire, enjoying nature, and telling stories." Jane told excitedly.
"And getting bitten by mosquitoes, laying on the dirty ground, no running water, and getting sunburnt. Sure, it sounds like a real delight." Lisbon said sarcastically.
"You're going to be with your family. We're going to make fond memories for our daughter." Jane said.
"Oh, that's another thing. How are we going to deal with the baby. I'm worried as it is how she'll react to flying." Lisbon said.
"We'll manage. We have sleeping bags and we have the playpen." Jane reminded.
"I shouldn't get so worried. I'm worried about how you will deal with my can be pretty wild." Lisbon noted looking down at her watch for the time.
"I can handle them. They're good guys." Jane said.
"You did bring other clothes with you?" Lisbon looked at her husband in his three piece suit he never seemed to change. He became better at having other clothes but he always preferred the vest or his island shirts.
"Of course. I did. You saw me pack." Jane said.
"Parents with young children may start boardng United flight 221 to Chicago 'Ohare." The dark haired woman agent at the desk announced.
"That's us, dear." Jane said. Lisbon quickly grabbed her purse and Jane grabbed the diaper bag and carried Lisby Michelle.
Arriving in Chicago they rented a Ford Escape and Lisbon drove through the streets to her brother's house. They parked and Jane opened the door and opened the back seat and Lisby Michelle immediately held out her arms out to her father. Lisbon watched the scene and smiled. Sometimes she envied the relationship but she was also happy because she knew Lisby Michelle was everything to Patrick. He spent the most time with her. She knew her daughter loved her as well but she was daddy's girl.
"Well, we get to see your uncle and cousins." Jane said. They walked up to the door and Lisbon knocked on the door. The door opened revealing Stan. "Oh, hey sis. You made it. Come in." Lisbon walked in and Stan hugged his sister. Jane followed with the baby. "Hey, Patrick." Stan patted Jane on the back. "And hello, little girl." Stan spoke in the sing song voice to Lisby Michelle. She reacted with a babble. "You've gotten so big."
"Yeah, and she feels it." Jane said adjusting his grip on the baby.
Stan led Jane and Lisbon to the couch. "Have a seat. I'm sure you're tired."
Soon Karen came down the stairs with baby Paul who had grown himself since they last saw him. "Welcome. It's so good to see you, Patrick, Teresa. Annie, Jason, Brian!" Karen called. "Your aunt, uncle and cousin are here."
A pitter patter of feet came stomping through. Annie Lou, Jason, and Brian grinned as they entered the room. Annie Lou grinned as she saw her aunt and uncle.
"Can I play with the baby?" Annie Lou asked looked at Lisby Michelle.
"Now, Annie Lou, you have to ask your uncle and aunt." Karen said.
"I can get her toys from the car." Jane said. " It's fine." Jane handed Lisby Michelle to Lisbon who happily took her daughter. Jane went out the door and soon came back in. He set the bag on the floor, took out a blanket and set some baby toys on the blanket. Lisbon set the baby on the blanket and right away Annie Lou took the toys and showed her cousin. Jason and Brian joined Annie Lou and Lisby Michelle on the floor. Jane and Stan watched from the couch.
"Teresa, I bet you're as excited as I am about camping." Karen said knowingly as the women talked in the kitchen. "Heaven knows why Stan wants to camp."
"Yeah, I'm not really a fan of being out in the nature. Patrick loves it though. I do love our house area, don't get me wrong, but the idea of sleeping outside doesn't thrill me."
"I understand. Stan insisted that we go on a camping trip with his whole family including you and your brothers." Karen admitted.
"Patrick and I are here." Lisbon said.
"We're glad you decided to come. Stan appreciates it." Karen said. "He wants to spend time with his family."
"I know I haven't been around too much over the years. I've been busy with work, but I guess now I want to be there. Patrick's the one who influences me."
"He's a good guy." Karen said as the two women headed back in the living room.
A loud knocking echoed shortly after. Stan immediately reacted by springing up. "That's probably Jimmy and Tommy."
"Hey, Bro, we're ready for some outdoor fun." Jimmy echoed through the hall until his voice got closer. He and Tommy and their girlfriends and Annie walked in the living room.
"Oh, hi, Sis, Patrick, you're here. You mean T took time out of her busy schedule to go camping with us!" Jimmy looked at Lisbon standing. Jane got up and greeted and shook hands with his two other brother-in-laws and remained standing.
"Oh, she did. It's such a rarity." Jane grinned.
"I decided I wanted to spend time with my brothers." Lisbon smiled a embarrassed smile.
Lisby Michelle squealed with glee from the floor seeing her uncles from the floor.
"Somebody's happy to see us." Tommy responded.
"Wow, she's gotten bigger since I last saw her since Christmas. " Jimmy said.
"She's taken her first steps. Though she only does it shortly and when she wants." Jane said.
"Yeah, it took a couple days for me to see it." Lisbon said.
"Wow, that's wonderful." Karen said.
"We really want Lisby Michelle to get to know her cousins, uncles and aunt so she can grow and as she grows she learns about her family. Since you are family now, it's important to me to spend time with my newly found family as well because I really feel a part of the Lisbon family." Jane said.
Jimmy, Stan, and Tommy gathered around Jane and put their arms around him.
"Yeah, Bro, you're now our brother." Stan said.
"We're going to enjoy this camping trip." Tommy said.
"Right, T?" Jimmy looked over at his sister.
Lisbon grimaced and rolled her eyes and Jane grinned. Lisbon smiled secretly showing her warmness.
I hope you enjoy this little camping trip story. I plan to do at least four chapters. It's just a fun, family story with Jane and Lisbon and the Lisbon brothers and families. Feedback would be very much appreciated. I'm still working on Potential Pocket Rocket.