Chapter 14

The next day the entire group decided to go on a trail walk, Joanne and Maureen held hands as they followed behind. Mrs. Jefferson then turned around, with a bright smile.

"You guys want to sing a camp song?" she asked.

"Oh please Mom, we're all adults now." Tara said.

"I want too!" Cole bounced.

"Okay." Mrs. Jefferson said. "He's the youngest, so what he says goes."

"Wait what just happened here?" Maureen asked Joanne.

Joanne smirked. "We're going to sing a camp song."

Maureen's face scrunched up. "A camp song?"

"Harold would you like to start?" Mrs. Jefferson asked.

Mr. Jefferson grinned brightly. "I would love too. Everyone has to sing along too."

"Do I?" Maureen whispered.

"Maureen you love singing…" Joanne said.

Before anyone could respond Mr. Jefferson took a deep breath, and let the words flow pass his lips… "John Jacob Jingle-Heimer Schmitt, his name was my name too…"

"I love this song!" Cole shouted, as he began singing along, with everyone else.

"Maureen you're not singing…" Mr. Jefferson smirked.

Maureen shrugged. "I don't know the song…"

"Oh come on everyone knows this song." Mr. Jefferson said, while swinging an arm around her shoulders, his voice now getting louder, causing Maureen to cringe.

A half hour later, they were all still singing, everyone except Maureen and Joanne, who decided to slow down their pace.

"Joanne…I have to admit I was enjoying your family at the start of this trip, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill them now."

Joanne giggled while swinging an arm around her waist. "It's okay, we're almost back home."

"When ever we go out, the people always SHOUT!" the rest of the family sang.

"That's not fast enough!" Maureen said.

Just then out of the corner of Maureen's eye, she saw a small green thing slither by.

"EW! Joanne!" Maureen cried, her arms wrapping around Joanne's neck.

"What?" Joanne asked with alert, her eyes scanning the area.

"Anaconda!" Maureen answered, causing everyone to stop singing, so they could see what the fuss was all about.

"What's going on?" James asked.

"There is an anaconda on the loose in the woods!" Maureen said.

"Maureen, there are no anaconda's in these woods." Joanne assured her.

"They live in the Amazon." Mr. Jefferson chuckled.

Maureen still held on to Joanne for dear life. "Well what did I just see?"

"This?" Cole asked, while holding up a small, green, harmless snake.

"Ew Cole put that down." Tara said.

"Yup…" Joanne said while eyeing the snake. "Sure does look like an anaconda. Maybe we should call animal control,"

"Shut up." Maureen said, while hitting Joanne on the shoulder. "It could have been a python."

Joanne laughed at the comment. "Oh honeybear."

"What?" Maureen asked her eyes still on the snake that Cole was playing with. "I can't believe you are holding that thing…"

"Its harmless." Joanne said, but Maureen didn't think so, because the grip around Joanne's neck was getting tighter.

"Okay Cole, set him free in the woods, I think Maureen is going to strangle me to death." Joanne laughed.

They all watched as Cole put the snake down, the animal now slithering away and into the woods.

"So is everyone okay?" Mr. Jefferson asked.

Maureen dropped her arms, but she quickly wrapped them around Joanne's arm, staying as close as she could. "I'm good now…"

"Good, now lets get back to singing!" Mr. Jefferson said with a smile.

Maureen rolled her eyes. "I'd rather take my chances with the snake…"

After dinner everyone gathered down by the dock so they could watch the sunset. Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson sat alone with each other, cuddling up, while Tara sat on her own towel, watching as James, and Cole played around in the water. Joanne and Maureen sat by themselves, waiting in silence, as the sun began to set.

Maureen's eyes however weren't on the sun; they were on Cole, James, and Tara. She watched as James and Cole ran out of the water, and towards Tara who had warm towels for each of them. Maureen couldn't help but smile at the sight; James wrapped a towel around himself, and then wrapped a towel around Cole, while at the same time he picked him up in a hug. Finally all three of them settled down, all clumped together as a happy family, waiting for the sun to set.

Maureen looked towards Joanne, who was staring out towards the lake. She studied her for a moment before speaking "I want that…"

Joanne was confused at the sudden words, so she turned her head to face Maureen, the look urging Maureen to give more information.

Maureen pointed to Tara, James, and Cole. "I want that…with you."

Joanne couldn't help but smile at what she was hearing. "But I thought…"

Maureen shrugged. "I thought too. But after watching them, and spending time with Cole, it sort of changed my mind. I want to be a family, and bring them here, and teach them how to roast marshmallows, and comfort them from a storm. And the only person I want to do it with is you."

Joanne's eyes filled with tears, she never thought she would see the day where Maureen Johnson wanted to start a family. All Joanne could do now was answer her, but she was unable to answer her with words, so she leaned in and kissed her.

"So you wanna?" Maureen asked with raised eyebrows, once they pulled apart.

"I would love too." Joanne finally answered.

"It's about time you said something." Maureen giggled. "I though I freaked you out or something."

"You just shocked me." Joanne replied.

Maureen laughed as she crawled in between Joanne's legs, her back resting against Joanne's chest. "I shocked myself too."

Joanne only smiled as she wrapped her arms around Maureen, holding her close. Maureen leaned back, her body relaxing against Joanne's, the both of them now watching as the sun slowly set in the sky.

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So there will probably only be 1-2 more chapters left.