EARLY TWENTIES

Madge sat parked in the Hawthorne's gravel drive and stared at the old two-story company house. It had been built in the late 1800s by District Coal. The whole town, originally a company town, had been built and owned by District Coal until 1940. After the company merged into a larger corporation and the town was granted independent jurisdiction, the house was left to rot. Gale's grandfather purchased it for next to nothing. Gale's parents added on the second story, slapped on a fresh coat of white paint, which had peeled and faded over the years, and put in the gravel drive.

The house was a piece of the town's history and Madge loved it, peeling paint and leaky roof and all. She especially loved that the Hawthornes hadn't taken down their Christmas lights. It was mid-July. She'd been here for Christmas. It wasn't the first one she'd spent with the Hawthornes, but it was the first she'd spend with them as Gale's official girlfriend. She came back for Vick's high school graduation just last month. Driving down that pot-holed, gravel drive, she felt more like she was coming home than she did driving through the iron gates of her father's mansion.

I'd like to live here someday.

Madge was startled by her own thought. The house belonged to the Hawthornes and she was not a Hawthorne. She didn't expect to become one. Or did she? After all, she and Gale had been dating for almost two years now. But marriage? That was crazy. She wasn't one of those girls. She didn't have any aspirations for the future. Being happy in the moment, being happy with Gale just the way they were, was all she cared about. Or was it?

Gale appeared through the front door and Madge shooed away the fleeting thought of marriage.

"Figured you'd be halfway to Canada by now," said Gale, grinning at her. "How many times did you get lost?"

"None," said Madge, crossing her arms. Gale glanced pointedly upwards at the darkening sky. She was supposed to have arrived around lunchtime. "Okay, fine, once or twice. These back roads all look the same and there aren't any street signs."

Originally they were going to drive together, but then Madge had been called in at the last minute for a late-night shift. She'd insisted that Gale go ahead without her, as planned, so that he could help his family prepare for the big trip. He knew she'd get lost, even with the detailed directions he'd left for her. She could get lost in their apartment on the way to the kitchen, but she was stubborn, she knew how important this trip was, and she didn't want him to miss any part of it.

"It was a long drive," said Madge. "Tease me later. After I've had something to eat."

"Deal," said Gale. "Pop the trunk. I'll go ahead and load up your bag."

"Now?" she said, even as she popped the trunk.

"We're hitting the road early tomorrow." Gale rounded the car, looked down into the trunk of Madge's ridiculous clown car, and then raised his eyes back to Madge. "Seriously, a rolling suitcase? You plan on wheeling that through the woods?"

"It's the only thing I have," she said, blushing in indignation.

Gale hefted the suitcase out of the trunk and let it hit the ground with a heavy thud. "Christ, Undersee, what did you put in here, the annual resources of a small country?"

Madge slapped his shoulder with the back of her hand. He knew very well she'd never been camping. How was she supposed to know what she needed? It was better to be too prepared than not prepared enough.

Gale caught her wrist and kissed her hand. "We'll sort through it tonight. I'm sure we've got a spare pack lying around. It's my fault, really. Knew I should've helped you packed before I left."

Madge jerked her hand away from him and placed it on her hip. "I'm not a child," she said.

"No, you're a virgin."

She arched her brows. If that was so, what had they been doing for the past few years? Gale chuckled. "A nature virgin," he clarified. "You just need some experience. Don't worry. I'm an excellent teacher."

Even though she was tired, sweaty, nervous and ravenous, she couldn't help grinning back at him. She never should have agreed to come on this trip, but saying no to Gale Hawthorne was almost impossible. Especially when she knew what it meant to be invited in the first place. She might not by a Hawthorne by name, but after this trip she would be an honorary member of the clan.

The things that Madge considered camping necessities were spread out on Gale's bed. He picked up her fluffy bunny slippers and chuckled to himself. Most of what she'd brought was useless, but he'd suspected this would happen and he was prepared. He'd gone over to his aunt and uncle's house that morning to borrow some of Katniss' old clothes. Her feet were two sizes bigger than Madge's, so he'd hit up the shoe store afterwards and splurged on a new pair of hiking boots. They weren't cheap. He didn't plan on telling Madge just exactly how much of a dent they'd put in his pay check, because he knew she'd insist on paying him back, which was stupid considering she hadn't wanted to go camping to begin with. She hadn't said as much. She didn't need to.

It wasn't that Madge didn't like the great outdoors. She liked helping his mother in the garden. She liked spending the afternoon reading at the park. She was always up for a picnic. She did all of these things as long as she could return to the air-conditioned, bug-free indoors after a few hours. As Gale continued picking through the things she'd packed, he tried to imagine the Undersees on a camping trip. He smiled at the image of Mayor Undersee in a flannel shirt, instead of his suit jacket and tie, and Effie cooking beans over an open flame. No, the Undersees just weren't that sort of family. When they went on vacation they stayed in five-star hotels, had their meals prepared for them, rested their heads on feather pillows.

Madge wasn't quite so picky. She never complained about roughing it in a cheap motel whenever the gang took a trip to the beach. She was alright with living on vienna sausages and pork rinds for a few days and she could even deal with the bugs. They had their fair share of spiders in the apartment, after all, and she wasn't squeamish about beating them to death with the nearest shoe. But in some ways she was still a spoiled brat. She complained when there was no hot water and she could be a downright child if she forgot to pack her stupid bunny slippers, so Gale set them on top of Katniss' borrowed clothes, even though they were likely to be ruined. He'd buy her new pair when they got back.

He'd splurge on an Undersee style vacation when they got back, too, one with breakfast in bed and kitschy bus tours, the kind of stuff he hated. Madge was stepping out of her comfort zone for him. The least he could do was return the favor. Although he hoped she might actually enjoy herself this week. Camping was a big deal to his family and he wanted her to be a part of it.

"Who's clothes are those?" said Madge, startling him from his thoughts. He turned to find her standing in the doorway, her hair wrapped up in a towel, eyeing the pile of clothes on the bed.

"Katniss'," he said.

Madge stooped over to pick up the new hiking boots on the floor. "And these? Don't tell me they belong to Miss Bigfoot, too. How much did they cost?"

"Don't worry about it," said Gale.

"I told you not to-"

"They're second hand," he said. "Dirt cheap, I swear."

Madge inspected the boots. Second hand, yeah right, she thought. Before she could further protest the purchase, call him out on his lie, Gale crossed the room. He unwrapped the towel and ran his fingers through her still wet hair.

"I haven't kissed you in over twenty-four hours, Undersee, so just shut up for a second," he said. Seconds later, they were on the bed, twisted up together on top of all the useless stuff she'd brought. The edge of her silly first-aid kit (a Disney princess lunch box containing Disney princess band-aids and a tube of Neosporin) cut into Gale's back, but he didn't care, not with Madge pressed against him, her wet hair tickling his face, her mouth on his. He was working on untying her bathrobe when someone cleared their throat.

Madge squeaked and nearly rolled off of the bed. Gale stayed where he was and glared up at Rory, standing at the foot of the bed.

"Ever hear of knocking?" snapped Gale.

"Ever hear of locking the door?" said Rory. He looked to Madge. "Found this for you," he said, tossing her the empty pack in his hands, before turning his smarmy smirk back to Gale. "Ma wanted me to tell you to finish packing and go to sleep. You're a grumpy pain in the ass when you're tired and none of us want to deal with that tomorrow."

Gale threw one of Madge's pink Keds at his brother's retreating back. Without turning around, Rory flipped him off, before shutting the door. "Little shit," muttered Gale.

"He's right, though," said Madge, still blushing, but smiling now. "We should sleep." She set the empty pack on the bed and began filling it with Katniss' clothes. She stopped suddenly when she noticed the initials stitched into the front pouch of the pack. H.H. Henry Hawthorne. She looked at Gale.

"This was your dad's," she said. Gale nodded. "I can't use this. It's not...I mean...it wouldn't be right."

"It's not a big deal." Gale scooted over to her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her down onto his lap. "I don't think he'd care if you borrowed it."

"It just doesn't feel right," said Madge.

Gale sighed. He pressed his forehead to her's. "Remember in middle school, when you were in the hospital?"

"I remember," said Madge, rolling her eyes. "You gave me a concussion."

"Let it go, Undersee. It was an accident."

"Bullshit," she said.

"Anyway," said Gale, "that was the only time he ever whooped me. Ma was always quick to bring out the belt, but not him. I'd never seen him so mad. He always liked you, Undersee, and he'd want you to have the pack. Alright?"

"Alright," said Madge.

They finished repacking. Gale turned off the lights, hurried across the dark room, and slipped under the covers beside his girlfriend. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. Driving always wiped her out. But Gale couldn't fall asleep. He held her close, listening to her soft, little snores in the pitch-blackness, and thought back to that time in middle school. There was a part of the story he hadn't told her, the words his father had spoken as they left the hospital, and Gale heard those words now, words he hadn't thought about since.

You're going to marry that girl someday. Just you wait.

The boots were heavy. Madge's leg muscles burned after less than a mile. She was sunburnt, covered in itchy mosquito bites, and sweat stung her eyes. She refused to ask how much further. She refused to complain, not when the Hawthornes were all in such a good mood. Even Rory and Gale seemed to be getting along. Joking and laughing, they led the pack. Posy was singing a marching song she'd learned in Girl Scouts. Left, left, left, right, left. My back aches, my pants too tight, my hips shake from left to right. Vick stopped every few minutes to collect plant samples. Hazelle dropped back to keep Madge company.

"How you holding up?" she said.

"I'm great," said Madge, forcing a cheery smile.

"You're limping," said Hazelle. "Come on, let's stop for a minute."

Madge heaved a grateful sigh of relief. She leaned against a mossy tree trunk to take some weight off of her aching feet.

"I hated camping the first time Henry dragged me out here," said Hazelle. She looked ahead to Posy and the boys, who kept on without them. "Bitched at him the whole week. I think I broke up with him at least twenty times on that trip." She turned her eyes back to Madge and smiled. "You're doing much better than I did."

"Thanks," said Madge, unsure what else to say. She always felt uncomfortable when any of them brought up Mr. Hawthorne, never knew the appropriate way to respond. Hazelle seemed to understand.

"It means a lot to Gale that you came," she said. "You're good for him. I was worried he'd never get his shit together. Didn't think there was a woman alive who could whip him into shape."

"You whipped him good enough," said Madge.

"Well, I tried my best." Hazelle's expression turned suddenly serious. "You love him, don't you?"

Madge looked ahead to Gale. He was singing with Posy now, the two of them marching in uniform army formation. "Yeah," she said. She pushed off of the tree and started walking again. That's how much she loved Gale Hawthorne.

After a few minutes, though, she couldn't stop herself from asking Hazelle, "So, how much further do we have to go?"

"You don't want to know," said Hazelle.

After a meal of hot dogs and beans, the Hawthornes retired for the night, leaving the lovebirds alone. Gale stoked the fire. He tuned out the sound of Rory and Vick bickering in their tent. When he turned back around to Madge, he caught her frowning.

"Smile, Undersee, the worst is over."

"We still have to hike back," she said, the closest thing to a complaint she'd voiced all day. However, she did manage to keep from pointing out that she considered having to sleep on the ground just as bad as the eight hour trek up a mountain.

Gale settled down behind her and she leaned against him. He rested his chin on top of her head. "Go ahead, let it all out," he said.

"I'm fine, really, just tired."

"Liar," said Gale. She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, before the dam burst.

"Fine," she said. "I'm a gourmet dinner plate for all these damn mosquitoes. I've got blisters the size of China. I'd kill you for a hot shower right now and I think we should break up when we get home, because you're a jerk for dragging me out here."

Gale chuckled. "Feel better now?"

"Not really," she mumbled. A second later, though, she added, "I'm sorry. I'm trying to have a good time." She twisted her head around to face him. "I know these camping trips are a big deal for all of you, but I'm just not cut out for this. You were right about me all along. I'm a pampered princess."

"Yeah, but you're my pampered princess now, so it's alright," said Gale. He stood up and offered out his hand. "It's time I properly thanked you for agreeing to this, Your Royal Highness."

Madge took in the short distance between the fire and their tent. She wasn't sure she could walk one more step. Reading her expression, Gale stooped down and swept her up into his arms like she was a doll. He carried her bridal style to the tent, set her down at the entrance, and crawled in after her. Madge collapsed on top of the sleeping bag.

"You'll have to thank me later," she said, eyelids drooping. Gale unlaced her boots and carefully slid them off. He cradled her feet in his lap and massaged her throbbing soles, careful to avoid the nasty blisters that had formed on her heels. Madge let her eyes close. She was too tired to care much about the rock digging into her rear and, truthfully, the nighttime sounds of the outdoors were kind of nice. She let the crickets' song wash over her.

"Bears," she said sleepily.

"What about them?" said Gale.

She cracked open her eyes just a sliver to look at him. "If you let one eat me while I'm sleeping, I really will break up with you."

"Don't worry, Princess," he said. "I'm the only thing that's going to be eating you out here."

"You and the mosquitoes," she said, before sinking into total oblivion.

Gale had left Madge before daybreak. He figured she'd rather sleep in than go hunting. Getting her to camp was enough. He wasn't about to press his luck. Not that he and Rory were having any luck out in the woods. Every trail they picked up came to a dead end. They'd been at it for hours by the time they decided to stop for lunch. They never fought when they hunted together. Hunting was sacred. Hunting was about community. Their father had taught them that.

Sitting next to Rory on a fallen, hollowed out tree trunk, Gale thought about the first time his father brought them here. Gale had been ten and Rory eight. It was right after he'd pushed Rory off of the front porch and sprained his wrist over something stupid. He couldn't remember what, but he did remember what his father had told them. You're always going to fight and then you're going to forgive each other. It was out here, in the woods, stalking turkeys and deer, that they'd learned the importance of family, learned how to forgive each other for all of the stupid stuff.

"Are you going to ask Madge to marry you?" said Rory.

Gale almost choked on a mouthful of jerky. He swallowed hard and rounded on his brother. He opened his mouth. Nothing came out. Ma was the only one he'd told about his intentions and he'd sworn her to secrecy. It wasn't like her to break a promise. Rory couldn't have been eavesdropping, either. Gale had sent him out with Madge to get party supplies when he talked to Ma about it at Vick's graduation.

"Ma hasn't been wearing her ring lately," said Rory.

"You notice too much," muttered Gale.

"So, you do have it," said Rory. "I knew it! When are you asking her?"

"That's none of your business."

Rory ripped off a hunk of jerky and chewed thoughtfully for a minute. Then he said, "You're doing it this week, aren't you? That's why you made her come with us."

Gale sighed in defeat. For someone who'd just barely graduated high school, Rory was too damn clever for his own good. "Alright, genius boy, you've got it all figured out, but I swear if you tell her, I'll skin you and roast you over the fire. Got it?"

Rory pretended to zip his lips together. They both fell silent. Gale stared off into the trees. He was going to ask Madge tomorrow night. He had it all planned, knew word for word what he was going to say, and yet none of his meticulous planning had done anything to ease the big ball of leaden terror in his gut.

"Do you think she'll say yes?" said Gale. He regretted asking as soon as the words left his mouth and waited for Rory to make some snide remark. After all, ever since he found out that Gale and Madge were dating, he hadn't wasted a single opportunity to remind his brother that the mayor's daughter was way too good for him. But that was at home, back in the real world, and they were in the woods now, their sacred place.

"She'll say yes," said Rory without a trace of uncertainty. Then to keep the moment from becoming too mushy, he added, "And it'll be the biggest mistake of her life."

Gale shoved him off of the log. "Shit head," he said.

"Dumb ass," Rory threw back at him. They smiled at each other.

Maybe camping isn't so bad, thought Madge, floating on her back across the lake. She'd enjoyed herself with the Hawthornes today. She'd spent the morning receiving fishing lessons from Posy, and then explored the woods with Vick, helping him collect new samples for the nature book he was working on and discussing his plans for next year. He'd been granted a full scholarship to NYU. It was a long way from home, but Madge assured him he'd be fine. He was a bright kid and she was sure it wouldn't take long for him to fall in love with New York. She promised to let him show her around the Museum of Natural History when she and Gale visited.

Now, as she drifted aimlessly, she wondered if it was presumptive to already be planning a trip to New York to visit Gale's brother. When she was them, it was hard to not feel like part of the family. If she and Gale ever did break up, and she dreaded the thought, she would miss the other Hawthornes. Even in high school she'd envied Gale's family, so different, so much warmer than her own.

Madge closed her eyes against the sun, high in the sky, and let her thoughts slip away. The water was the perfect temperature, not too hot and not too cold. Posy had promised her that there was nothing bigger than trout in the lake, so Madge wasn't worried. Not until something grabbed her ankle and dragged her under. She screamed on instinct and water flooded her lungs. She kicked, wildly flailed her arms, remembered everything she'd learned watching Shark Week with Gale and Thom last year.

Then her head broke the surface again. Even over her coughing and spluttering, she heard Gale laughing. He was bobbing just a few feet away, out of her reach. "Not funny," gasped Madge, once she'd dispelled half of the lake from her lungs. She turned her back on him and began paddling to shore. Gale caught up to her.

"Did you think I was the lochness monster?" he said. She answered by splashing him in the face and trying to swim around him, but he snared his arms around her waist before she made it another three strokes.

"I'm sorry," he said, though his lingering grin wasn't all that apologetic. Madge continued to glare at him. That is until he kissed her. By the time he drew back, she'd forgotten how much she wanted to drown him. Her legs had locked around his waist sometime during the kiss without her noticing.

"Heard you caught us some dinner," said Gale. "That's good, because Rory and I didn't get a damn thing."

"It was all Posy," said Madge. "She's like the fish whisperer or something."

"Uh huh," said Gale, not really thinking about fish anymore. He was too distracted by the exposed strip of skin between Madge's breast. Her skimpy, black bikini was about the only thing she'd packed that he approved of. He dipped his head to kiss her freckled collar bone. Madge twined her fingers through his wet hair. No, she definitely wasn't mad at him anymore. His hand crept up her thigh, under her bikini bottoms.

"Your family's right over there," she said, warning him.

"So what?" said Gale, his voice muffled against her neck. "They're not paying us any attention."

Madge glance to the shore. Sure enough, the Hawthornes seemed fully engaged in getting supper ready. While she was watching them, Gale pulled aside her bikini bottoms and slipped inside of her, winning her full and undivided attention once more.

"Just don't scream," he said. "Sound carries over the water."

Madge buried her face against his shoulder to keep quiet. She was definitely starting to like this whole camping thing.

The next day, Gale didn't let Madge sleep in. The two of them set off alone shortly after breakfast. "Where are we going?" she asked every half hour. Gale wouldn't tell her. It was a long, tricky hike, but they took it slow, making frequent stops to catch their breath, refuel, and...other less relaxing things. Gale carried the pack with their tent, so she guessed they'd be spending the night at this secret place of his.

"You know I don't like surprises," said Madge. They were stopped in a clearing. She dipped back her head to look at the low-hanging sun. "It's getting dark. Are we setting up here?" The clearing was pretty, sure, but it didn't seem worth the hike in her opinion.

"No," said Gale, crouched over the pack with his back to her. "We're almost there. See that little trail?"

Madge squinted in the direction he'd pointed. She didn't see any trail. Just more trees and those awful briar bushes. Over the past hour, Gale had stopped talking much. He seemed almost nervous and she wondered if they were lost. Her thoughts turned once more to bears. Every blackened stump looked like a clawed creature ready to maul them in the fading light of day.

"We're lost, aren't we?" she said, curling her arms around herself. Gale rose from his crouch with a red bandanna in hand.

"I've come here a hundred times before," he said, stepping towards her. "Have a little faith, Undersee, and hold still." He raised the folded bandana to her face and she stepped back.

"What are you doing?"

"Blindfolding you," he said.

Madge shook her head furiously. "Like hell," she said. She had enough difficulty walking with her sight intact.

"Please?" said Gale. "Trust me."

Madge scowled at him a moment longer. Something was off about him. He said they weren't lost, but then why was he acting so odd? Almost like he was afraid. His nerves made her nervous. But she did trust him. She trusted even enough to lead her blindfolded through the woods.

"Fine," she said. "This better be good, though." She let Gale cover her eyes with the bandana and tie it securely. She gripped his arm for dear life and took shuffling, baby steps. Gale winced as her nails dug into his arm. He didn't complain.

"Almost there," he said, coaxing her along.

"I hate you, Hawthorne," she muttered. They were going uphill. It was only a slight incline, but it disoriented her. If this was some kind of prank, she'd kill him this time, bury him out here in the middle of nowhere, tell his family he'd been eaten by a bear.

"Love you, too," said Gale. He'd stopped walking. When he let go of her arm, Madge panicked and reached out both hands to find him again. She grasped empty air.

"Gale!"

"You can take off the blindfold," he said, his voice coming from a short distance away. Madge ripped the bandana from her face, ready to charge him to the ground, but her anger vanished the moment she saw where he'd brought her. She found herself at the top of a high cliff overlooking the lake. The vibrant orange and pink colors of sunset rippled across the glassy water. She could see the Hawthorne's camp, the tents teeny dots on the distant shore.

"Oh my god," she said, breathless. "It's beautiful. It's the most amazing thing I've-" She turned around to face Gale and fell short of words at the second most thing she'd ever seen. Gale was down on one knee, smiling up at her, a ring in his hand. The diamond sparkled in the sunset light. She blinked once, twice, not daring to believe her eyes. This wasn't happening. She was dreaming. She had to be.

"Margaret Undersee," said Gale, a slight tremor in his voice. "How would you like to be my wife?"

Madge opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again. She couldn't remember how to speak, so she threw herself at him instead, knocking him to the ground just as she'd intended to do a few moments ago.

"Yes," she finally said, kissing his mouth, his stubbled cheeks, any part of him she could reach. "Yes, yes, yes."

They never got around to setting up the tent. Madge didn't care. She was perfectly content laying naked on the ground with a heavy, hand-made quilt tossed over her and Gale stretched out beneath her. In fact, she was happier than she'd ever been. It was dark now. She sat up to look down at the lake, the starry reflection of the heavens above. She held up her hand to make sure the ring was still there. It was, catching the moonlight.

"It was Ma's," said Gale, still lying on his back, his hands folded behind his head. The big ball of leaden terror in his gut was gone. He felt lighter than air now. So light he might drift away if she wasn't pinning him down. "This is where dad proposed to her."

Madge sunk back down, wanting to be as close to him as possible, now and forever. "I love it here," she said, nuzzling her cold nose against his neck.

"So, not a bad surprise?" said Gale.

"No, not bad. I'm impressed, Hawthorne. How long have you been planning this?"

"Few months."

Madge propped up to look at him in surprise. That long? Gale laughed at her expression. "You really had no idea?" he said. She shook her head. She hadn't expected this at all.

"Didn't think you were the marrying type," she said, grinning.

"Never thought I was, either," said Gale. He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "But I didn't stand a chance against you. There's no one else, Madge. There never has been. You're the only woman I want."

"Till death do us part," said Madge, leaning in to kiss him for the thousandth time that night.

"And then some," said Gale.

Posy took one look at Madge's ringed finger and shrieked with joy. She barrelled down on the happy couple, wrapping one arm around Gale's waist and the other around Madge's.

"I knew you'd say yes!" she said, squeezing them both as tight as her scrawny, little arms would allow. Gale looked to Rory.

"What?" said Rory with a shrug. "You told me not to tell Madge, but you didn't say anything about this lot."

Gale rolled his eyes. He was too happy at the moment, though, to cuff his brother upside the head.

"Congratulations," said Vick. "Welcome to the family."

"Get out while you still can," added Rory. It was Hazelle who cuffed him as she strode past to Madge. She drew her in for a sturdy hug.

"Thank you for the ring," said Madge as soon as Gale's mother released her. "I'll take good care of it."

"Oh, I know. I wouldn't have given it up for just anyone," said Hazelle, smiling. She clasped Madge's hand to admire the ring. "Henry had it custom made. It fits you."

Tears prickled at the corner of Madge's eyes. Before they spilled over, Posy was clinging to her again. "I'll finally have a sister," she babbled. "I've always wanted one."

"Me too," said Madge.

Gale stood off to the side while his family pelted Madge with questions and congratulations and plans for the future. The perfect fit, he thought, watching them. She was more than a match for the Hawthorne clan. Whether or not she ever became an expert camper, she belonged with them. Somehow his father had known that over a decade ago. You're going to marry that girl someday. Just you wait. All these years Gale had been waiting without even realizing it and the wait had definitely been worth this moment.