Romantic novels and movies only told the stories of how the in-love couples danced to the music in the wind as the sun set low in the horizon and crackling fire burnt nearby. They never bother to mention the trouble of collecting those twigs if none of the two remember to get some from a camping-hiking gears shop alike. Or how you lit the fire if you don't have a lighter with you.

Auggie was feeling a little bit too adventurous that week. While I was all into the mood and buzz, it kind of frightening when it came to Auggie. He could really came up with many crazy ideas if he wanted to. And he didn't just want to, he worked them up inside his pretty little head. On the morning as he brushed his teeth, on the drive to Langley, on coffee break, lunch break and it goes on.

I turned all of his ideas down. I mean, could I really let him go to Joan and ask for a summer of backpacking through Europe? The idea was great. And I'd admit that it did gave all this amazing feelings and pictures in my head. But there was no way in hell Joan could possibly allow both of us that long of a vacation. Despite our stellar record of never absent from work. You get my point.

"How about we go camp in the beach?" Auggie asked as he poured himself a glass of orange juice. That was a new habit he had lately, drinking juice instead of taking his usual bottle of beers. Came to think of it, I didn't think we had any beers anymore these days.

"Camp? As in with tents and fire and marshmallow?" I asked, coming in to the kitchen with a half-put on dress that early evening. The buttons on the back were troublesome but I didn't realize how much that'd be when I bought it. The texture was cool to the touch and I just remembered it'd be nice to wear on off-work trips. "Buttons," I said, nudging at his arm and turning my back to him.

"As a former eagle scout, I can assure you there are more to camp than that," his hands found my waist, and instead of going for the buttons, he wrapped them around it to my stomach. He bent down and nuzzled the exposed skin of my shoulder. "I like this dress," he mumbled, tugging it down.

I caught his hands, "The buttons,"

"They're undone already," he said, spinning me around so he could he kiss me properly, hands ghosting over the skin of my back, sending shivers down my body.

I fell to his kisses. Hell, how could I not? The dress was sliding down my body when I caught myself. "As much as I like where this is going, I need to go and pick up Chloe and Katia." I slipped up the dress again, amused at his pouted face.

"Can't they wait?" He whined.

I smiled, touching his hand before turning around again. This time, he obliged, though he did tease me with small caresses.

"Thank you," I kissed the tip of his nose.

"I'm not kidding about the camp, though." He said when I left to get my purse.

"Yes, you are."

He made his way to me, his face looked dead serious. "See that once my little army gets here."

I rolled my eyes. "Now, be a good boy and make us some dinner while I pick up your little army."

So, that's how it happened. Two bundle of youth excitement and energy tumbled in my little car and demanded to know where we would be camping tomorrow. I had no idea we really were going camping. We both did cleared our schedule for the weekend specifically for their short visit, but I assumed we'd just do something else. Something else other than camping.

To his credit and luck, Auggie had dinner ready when we got back so I reconsidered the timing of my questionings and punishment. The girls were in bed two hours later, fully satisfied by Auggie's full grand plan for the next day that he told them after dinner.

"So, what was that?" I asked from the sofa in the window bay as he entered our bedroom after seeing his little army to bed.

"What?" He asked, puzzled. He seemed to sense my demanding look and said, "Oh, that," with a sheepish smile. "We write emails now and then," he shrugged.

"Okay." I resumed reading the book in my hand as he went to the bathroom, thinking just how far their corresponding had been all these times.

Moments later, the bathroom door opened and he leaned against it. "Are you mad?"

I looked up to him, surprised. My husband of three and a half years was secretly crafting a plan with my teenage nieces behind my back, I should be worried. Yes. It took a lot more to be mad at him, though.

"Depends." I said.

"On what?" Finding my position, he joined me in the couch.

I took his hand and made some room for him. "Am I going to be read in?"

He grinned. "Camping for Beginners, dear Mrs Anderson, will begin in the morning, 0700 sharp."

And little did I know that I'd be both the lecturer and the student.

"What else do we need?" I asked no one in particular as I reviewed my list of things to be packed for the camp.

Chloe and Katia had wanted to go to the beach. I suspected it was all Auggie's idea, but who was I to deny two young girls wanting to spend time out in the wild nature while others had to kick their children to go out?

"I think we've got everything we'll need, Aunt Annie," Katia said, trudging down her backpack.

"Yeah." I glanced at her and back to the various stuff in the kitchen counter: food, water, first aid kit, a pack of some serious things for emergency-only. I rubbed at my forehead, wondering what was not already there. Auggie's spare cane was not there, I realized.

He always had a couple of them stashed in the closet in case the one he used broke or just too worn out to be used. And I packed one with me whenever we go on a trip together just in case.

"Hey," I said as I walked into our room.

"Hey, all ready?"

"In a bit. I haven't packed my stuff."

He got my backpack and joined me in our shared closet. Hundreds of times of packing had taught me to pack quickly and neatly. Well, neatness was something Auggie rubbed off on me.

"Yours done?" I asked, pulling out a bathing suit from a drawer. He just nodded and leaned his frame against his drawers.

"I called the hiking shop, we could pick up the tent on our way."

"Good,"

"I'm sorry I didn't mention the plan to you."

So, he noticed my tone. I almost thought he was too excited to notice the way my voice was rather clipped to him all morning.

...

"Where are they off to?" I asked, coming over to our little picnic spot where Auggie was lounging against the food basket with a beer and some jazz tunes playing from his phone. I had gone to get my camera from the tent because the girls asked for some photo to share with their friends.

He shrugged, "Something about shells."

I glanced around, spotting them playing in the water in the distance. The wind blew with their laughter.

"Doesn't look like shell hunting for me," I directed my lens to the girls, but they were too far for my fixed lens to capture little more than their shapes against the brilliant orange, gold and dark purple of the sky and sea.

The song that played from Auggie's phone changed. And despite his serious love for jazz, now he actually listened to some music from this century, too, even if he only acquired them digitally unlike those jazz tunes. I recognise the song playing from his phone this time was John Legend's All of Me, with a violin accompanying the piano.

Auggie started to hum and moved his shoulders a little in tune with the music. I couldn't resist the temptation to take a picture of him. He seemed to realize that as his smile grew mischievously. Then, he stood and offered me his hand.

"What?" I asked with a laugh.

"Would you like a dance?"

"Okay," I put the camera on top of the basket and took his hand.

We swayed slowly as he continued to sing softly in my ear. Questions could be asked later, I just enjoyed the moment, leaning my head against his strong chest and listening to the lyrics coming out of his lips. The words sink to my heart, causing it to swell with more love and adoration for him than what I thought possible. I never thought I could contain this much feelings for someone.

The song ended, a single tear escaped my closed eyelids silently. We continued the dance to the next song, a jazz tune from David Miles.

"Annie,"

I hummed a reply to tell him that I heard him.

"Is there anything different you noticed lately?" He asked, his tone low and careful.

I looked up to study his expression. He wore a mask of calm, but I could see the underlying nervousness. That's enough to make me alarmed.

"Auggie, what is it? What's wrong?" I felt my head spun with hundreds of possibilities. The lack of beer... was he sick? Oh, God.

"Shh," he rubbed the small of my back where his hands rested, trying to ease the tense that had spread all over my body. "I'm okay, but…" his hand went to the pocket of his shorts, retrieving a small box which suspiciously look like…

"Oh. What is that?" I asked, even though I was pretty sure that I knew what it was.

He smiled brightly, presenting the box between us like it was some sort of a miracle. Maybe it was. "Do you remember when was the last time…"

My mind was already in work, calculating dates and weeks. "Two and a half months ago…"

His smile grew, "Yeah."

"Oh my God," I gasped.

I remembered wondering why I was late, but I was overseas in both times and didn't thought more of it, just putting on a mental note to see an ob-gyn once I was back in the state. And my regular check ups was in ten days so it could probably wait until then. But, I imagined I'd be the one presenting this tool to him in the chance that I was really pregnant, not the other way around. At least, it was brand new and came in its packaging box.

"How… I'm not even…" I paused, trying to control my thoughts. It could've been something else entirely. And he was already on happy mode.

"Shh… that's what this little thing's job is. So, let's see." The box was still on his hand, but he was handing it to me.

"Right now?" I asked, incredulous, once I figured that he really meant here and now. He confirmed with a nod and unwavering smile. "Auggie! I love you and I want to know, I do, but I'm not taking a piss out here."

"Well, there is the public bathroom. Somewhere around here." His hand waved around.

I knew what he was talking about. Campsites usually had those. And now, I understood why he insisted on camping here rather than in the more secluded area where the Auggie that I knew would prefer.

I glanced over to check on the girls, they seemed to be enjoying the water and wouldn't be back anytime soon.

"Okay. Come on." After making sure the area was empty of suspicious people in vicinity, I took his hand to my elbow and started for the bathroom stalls I saw earlier.

Twenty minutes later…

We were back at our little picnic spread, cuddling we waited for the result to show. I wanted to pace but he kept me close and I knew from the weight of his arm on my middle and his chin on my shoulder that he wouldn't let me up to pace around. Sometimes he just wanted me there.

"When did you buy it?" I asked.

"Last week." He replied. "I noticed it last month but thought to wait it out."

"I was going to see a doctor next week."

"I know. But, I wanted to know with you, not after."

"If it's even a…" I trailed off, feeling my breath left me as the marks showed itself.

Katia and Chloe were running back, but they were as the waves were lost to her.

"Uncle Auggie!" Chloe called as she came near them. "Did it worked?" She asked excitedly.

"Yes." I mumbled softly, in time with Auggie's reply to Chloe.

"You two are about to have a cousin." He added.

And then there were wet hands and bodies around us, happy exclamations and tears of joy. Finally, after more than a year, it came off, I thought.

No, we don't have bonfire like in the movies because the camping-hiking gear shop was running out of them, of course, it's just our luck. We searched for some twigs, well, the girls tried while Auggie and I sort out our tent. It's not their fault if they abandoned the task to pick wild berries instead. And the twigs they did gather would only manage to make fire that'd last for half an hour, that saying if I succeeded in making fire out of those very twigs because our lighter was not in any of the bags we packed.

In my opinion, this was perfect though.


I know, two updates in less than a week. Now, that's a first. I've had this planned for a while and just got around to smooth it and get it done last night. Still not very happy at how little the girls' appearance here, but I just couldn't find the moment for them. And John Legend's song they danced to was All of Me featuring a violist, Lindsey Stirling.

Thank you for reading!