Helen stepped into what had once been a very seventies, but at least functional, kitchen. The countertops were gone, as was the sink, the dishwasher unplugged and at an angle for the workmen to better reach the plumbing concealed behind it. She turned to the refrigerator, which now stood in the center of the kitchen, one of two remaining functional appliances, though the stove was due to go that day.
She sighed, resigning herself to at least another two weeks of the mess, comforted by the thought that there would soon be pristine counters and a dishwasher that didn't sound like a freight train/jet plane hybrid trying to run on diesel fuel.
Looking around to see if anyone was watching, she took a swig of orange juice straight from the carton. At this point, she'd do anything to avoid dirtying a glass that would have to be washed in the basin taking up precious floor space in the girls' tiny bathroom. More than the dishwasher, more than space to prepare food, more than anything else, she missed the kitchen sink. Oh, how she missed the sink.
She heard the rumble of a bus and called out, "Jake, are the girls ready for the bus? I can hear it coming."
Not waiting for a reply, she walked to the living room and peeked out the front window to see Daria and Quinn at the bottom of the driveway, waiting for the yellow behemoth to take them to day camp. Helen was relieved the girls at least, would be out of the way while the construction crew was working. Jake, on the other hand, had used his week's vacation to make sure someone was at home while the crew was there during the start of renovations, though Helen was pretty sure it was more out of curiosity than worry over things being done on time. With the stress he'd been under lately, she wasn't going to complain about him taking some much needed time off.
She shrugged as she grabbed her briefcase and purse. They wouldn't be taking a family vacation anytime soon, anyway, she thought. Not if I ever want to be anything but a junior lawyer. She took a deep breath and headed out to tackle another day of proving herself to people who never seemed to notice. And now with the equity credit they were using to remodel, she needed to climb the ladder even faster. What we need is to get out of this damn small-minded town.
"Leaving honey?" Jake asked from just behind her.
"AAAH!" Helen jumped, hand over her heart. "Yes. Make sure the girls get on the bus all right. I'll pick up something for dinner on the way home."
"Yeah, I can't really cook with the stove getting hauled today..." Jake mused.
"Thank God." Helen muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing!" Helen said brightly. "See you tonight."
Helen backed out of the driveway, waving to the girls as she drove off. Quinn was hopping in place, singing to herself. Daria stood stoically silent, as always.
"Nature hike, nature hike, we're going on a nature hike..." Eight-year-old Quinn's singsong tone was grating on Daria's nerves.
"You know that means you have to walk out in the woods, right?" Daria asked.
Quinn's chant stopped. "Yeah, so?"
For once, Daria and Quinn were not in the same age group at camp. Last year they had been, and next year, if their mother forced them to go again, they would be, but for one blissful year, neither had to deal with the other at camp, though they still had to endure the bus ride. Quinn's group had a nature hike scheduled for that day. Daria's group had gone the day before.
Daria cocked and eyebrow at her sister. "That means outside. In the sun. With the bugs."
Quinn shrugged. "They said we'd go find pretty flowers and stuff. I'm sick of making those stupid lanyard things anyway." She launched back into her song.
Daria had to admit she had a point, but still..."What about the bugs?"
Quinn rolled her eyes. "If you must know, Jeremy Miller said he'd bring me special bug spray so I'd be safe."
Just then the bus pulled up, negating the need for further interaction. Daria gratefully sat by herself, glad she'd be spared Quinn's musical inclinations for the rest of the day, though she knew that evening's dinner would be filled with her tales of the nature hike and how everyone had doted on her. Daria glared out the window with a mulish expression. On her group's hike yesterday, no one had bothered to check the bathroom and she'd been left behind. Seeing as her group was gone, the counselors had forced her into arts and crafts with Quinn's group. Since she'd finished her lanyard key chain yesterday, Daria was hoping they'd let her do something else today. She doubted it.
The day started out like every other, camp greeting, splitting into groups, and starting the "activity rotation." Quinn's much looked forward to hike wasn't until after lunch. The girls spent the morning rotating through archery, kickball, and the dreaded arts and crafts. Lunch came and went without incident.
Daria's group was changing for swimming lessons while Quinn's group lined up for their hike. Hanging back slightly, Quinn put on her best I'm-cute-do-stuff-for-me smile and walked over to Jeremy.
"Did you bring me special bug spray, like you said you would?" Quinn batted her eyelashes, like the ladies did in those books her mom had, but didn't think anyone knew about.
The eight-year-old boy grinned at his two buddies. "Sure, Quinn, it's in my bag. I'll go get it." Laughing, the three boys ran to the cubbies where the kids kept their bags and lunches during the day.
Quinn smiled prettily when they returned, Jeremy holding something behind his back. "Okay, Quinn, ready? Here's your....BUG SPRAY!"
Jeremy whipped out the Bag-A-Bug he'd snitched from his front yard that morning. He'd checked to make sure it was full of dead and dying June bugs. Shaking the bag gleefully over a horrified Quinn, he ran away, laughing with his two friends.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Quinn screamed. "GET 'EM OFF! GET 'EM OFF MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Stunned councilors rushed over to try to calm Quinn while two others tried to calm hysterical campers who had started screaming because Quinn was. Another rounded up the three boys to be dealt with.
Daria had been in the change house/bathroom when she'd heard Quinn's shriek. She stopped what she was doing, knowing the difference between her "I'm grossed-out-but-being-cute" shriek and her "I'm-absolutely-terrified-for-real" shriek. This was definitely the latter.
Just as she was wondering what happened, two of the female councilors rushed into the change room and stripped Quinn's shirt off. Quinn was sobbing and hopping around, flailing her arms. Daria's group watched in shocked fascination as the girls tried to get all the bugs out of Quinn's hair and clothes, more than a few backing away from the loose bugs with wide eyes.
When they'd finally managed to calm Quinn down, one of the councilors looked around. "Where's Daria?"
Daria raised her hand and was delegated to watching her sister while they tried to calm all the campers down. Outside, the prank had startled many of the other girls and most of the younger age group into crying fits. After a few minutes, everyone was settled and the groups went back to their scheduled activities, except for the three boys, who were told to sit in the office until their parents could be called, and Daria and Quinn. Quinn refused to go on the hike and Daria was forced to join her in the younger group's arts and crafts instead of going with her group to swimming.
"She'll feel better if you stay with her, Daria," the councilor had said when she protested.
Outwardly resigned to another hour spent making lanyards and listening to Quinn's occasional sobbing hiccups, Daria decided, somehow, she would get revenge.
The only bright part of the whole ordeal, Daria thought, was that Quinn remained quiet for the rest of the day, or at least, for the rest of camp. The idyllic silence ended as soon as they got off the bus in front of the house. Quinn spied the Bag-A-Bug Jake had staked by the tree in the front yard and whimpered.
"What if the bugs get out?" Quinn wouldn't go up the walk which ran a good eight feet from here the bug trap was.
Daria sighed. "They won't. The bag is special so they can get in but not out."
"They got out okay at camp!" Quinn yelled as she started to tear up again. "I HATE CAMP! I HATE BOYS! I HATE BUGS!"
Quinn sobbed and ran for the front door. Jake was opening it as she rushed up. "Hey, Princess! Mom's on the phone, what do you want on your pizza?"
"Buuuuuuuugs!" Quinn continued her wail as she ran up to her bedroom.
"Bugs? Ewwwwww." He shuddered. "How about pepperoni instead?" He turned back to the phone.
Daria sighed as she entered the house. If that chapter on childhood trauma in her mom's 'Child Psychology in Five Minutes a Day' was any indication, Quinn was going to be unlivable. Knowing her mom and the pizza could be hours off, she plopped her bag in the hallway and made her way to the kitchen, wondering how she was going to survive years of Quinn freaking out every time she saw a bug.
Later, rinsing out the now empty peanut butter jar in the bathroom, Daria was struck by an idea. She went into the living room and dug through the toy box. Finding what she was looking for, she set to work.
Ten minutes later she opened the screen door to the backyard. "I'm going out back, Dad!"
"Okay, kiddo! I'll call you in when your mom gets home." He called back.
Jake knocked on the girls' bedroom door and opened it to peek in. "Quinn, honey? You didn't really want bugs on your pizza, did you?"
There was an ear-shattering shriek.
A few hours later, a frazzled Helen came home carrying one large pepperoni and one large cheese pizza. She figured they could have the leftovers for lunch and save some dishes. Jake happily took the pizzas to the kitchen table that now resided in the living room. "Girls! Pizza!"
"How is Quinn doing, Jake?" Helen asked as she searched for paper plates and napkins. The camp had called her to tell her about the bug incident.
"Mmmpfff?" Jake asked, his mouth full of pizza. "Ow! Cheese burn!"
Helen rolled her eyes. She realized the camp hadn't called him, and doubted Quinn or Daria had said anything. Great, one more thing to deal with by herself.
Daria and Quinn came in and sat. Daria dug into her first slice, but Quinn eyed hers suspiciously before picking it up.
"Quinn, honey, the camp called and told me about the bug-" Helen started gently.
"I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT BUGS!" Quinn shouted.
"Okay, sweetie." If she was still that upset about it, Helen figured it would be better to talk to Quinn later. Besides, it would give her a chance to skim 'Child Psychology in One Minute a Day's chapter on childhood phobias. She turned to Jake. "How was your day, honey?"
"Great! They came to haul the stove away..." Jake enthusiastically launched into the work the construction crew had done that day. Helen only half-listened, thinking of how to talk to Quinn about the bug incident.
While her parents were distracted, Daria leaned over to whisper to her sister. "Come outside after dinner, I have something to show you."
Quinn cringed away, thinking Daria was up to no good. Daria rolled her eyes. "You'll like it, I promise."
Quinn was still unsure, but Daria had yet to break a promise to her, which is why she didn't make them that often. She nodded.
While their parents cleaned up, Jake delegated to washing glasses in the bathroom, Daria and Quinn went out into the backyard. The sky was getting dark, but there was enough light from the windows that Daria could show Quinn what she'd been working on.
Quinn hopped nervously from foot to foot, rubbing her arms. She knew mosquitoes came out at night, who knows what else did?
"I wanted to show you not all bugs are bad, so you wouldn't be scared anymore." Daria started. When Quinn looked about to launch into a fit, she gave her sister a stern look. "Look, I wanted to finish my book today but instead I came out here, so the least you can do is listen."
Quinn closed her mouth. Well, Daria had promised she'd like it. "Okay," she said in a small voice.
Daria picked up a pickle jar with the lid screwed tightly on, though she'd punched small holes in the metal to let air in. "The lid's on tight so they won't get out, okay?" Daria held up the jar. "They're ladybugs. See? They're beetles, too, but I know you think they're pretty. Look, they even have different kinds of spots."
Daria held out the jar. Quinn bit her lip, but eventually took the jar containing four small ladybugs. After a minute, she decided they weren't scary. "I like the one with lots of spots. How did you catch them?"
"It's easy, they like to eat the little green bugs on mom's rosebushes. They'll just walk right onto your hand. It tickles." Daria replied, glad her sister seemed to be doing okay. "Wanna see?"
Taking the jar from her sister, she carefully unscrewed the lid and stuck her hand inside. She managed to get the most spotted ladybug to crawl onto her finger. She put the jar down and left it open so the others could get out. "Hold out your hand."
Quinn looked apprehensive but decided it was only one, after all. Daria placed her hand over her sister's and waited for the ladybug to scoot onto Quinn.
When it did, Quinn didn't shriek. "It does tickle!"
"If you blow on it, it'll fly away and you can make a wish," Daria suggested, repeating some nonsense she'd heard the councilors tell the younger kids at camp.
While Quinn made her wish, Daria reached down and picked up the other jar, unscrewing the plastic lid she'd punched holes in. "This one's empty." She handed it to Quinn. "I made it special for you."
"What's it for?" Quinn asked. Daria had taken the Skippy label off and put two of Quinn's sparkly dragonfly stickers on the sides.
Moving further back in the yard, away from the house lights, Daria motioned for her sister to follow. "Look."
Quinn squinted into the dark. Tiny dots of light flashed here and there.
"Those are fireflies. Bugs that light up. Try to catch some." Daria made sure all the ladybugs had gotten out of the pickle jar. "It's easy, watch."
Daria scooped the jar in the air but when she looked inside she frowned, seeing she hadn't caught anything.
"I bet I get more than you!" Quinn declared then ran out to where the tiny lights were flashing.
Helen watched from the kitchen window, smiling.
When they arrived at camp the next day, Quinn stopped her sister when they got off the bus. "Um, thanks, Daria." She hurried to catch up with her friends, but stopped and ran back to her sister to whisper, "I heard Jeremy got poison ivy on the hike. Serves him right."
Just before camp greeting, Daria went up to Jeremy holding a folded-over oak leaf.
"Look, I don't need you yelling at me about your stupid sister, too, okay?" Jeremy snapped as he scratched at his arms.
Daria shrugged. "She's a pesky brat, I'm glad you did it. That's why I brought you this." She held out the oak leaf. "The leaves inside are an old Indian remedy for poison ivy. Rub it on and it'll go away really fast."
Without so much as a thank-you, Jeremy unwrapped the leaf and started rubbing the smaller leaves vigorously on his arms. Daria smiled a Mona Lisa smile as she walked back to sit with her group.
One of the councilors saw what Jeremy was doing and ran over. "Jeremy, stop! What are you doing? That's poison oak!"
Shaking off the memory, Quinn decided the rest of her closet clean-up could wait until the next day when she had natural light with which to properly assess color.
Daria looked up at the knock on her door. Seeing Quinn standing there, she turned back to the box of books she was packing to take to college with her. "I told you, you can have my closet, but you have to wait until after I'm gone."
Quinn sighed. "Forget it."
Daria saw her expression as she turned to leave. "Wait, what is it?"
"I was just wondering...um...wanna catch fireflies after dinner?"
Before Daria could ask her if she'd suddenly developed a brain tumor, Quinn held out a very old peanut butter jar with a very faded label that read 'Quinn's Pretty Bugs'.
Daria couldn't believe she'd saved it all these years. "Yeah, okay."