Igor paid the bill and they left the restaurant.

"Aren't you coming back home with me?" asked Ginger.

Igor shook his head. "I promised babysitter I would be home before midnight. We could go for walk on beach if you like."

Ginger swallowed her disappointment. "That sounds romantic."

Walking along the shore with the waves lapping at their feet and Igor's big hand enclosing her smaller one, Ginger felt peaceful and content. Although she wouldn't have the chance to make love with Igor that night, it was still nice to feel the comfort of his presence.

"Ginger, I know that things are different now," Igor said after a few minutes. "I am sorry. I did not plan for it to be this way. But Mark and Jennifer are my children. I love them and are responsible for them."

"I know that, Igor," said Ginger. "But I just miss the way it was in the beginning so much. You know, when it was just me and you and Audrey. Now I feel as if I've lost both of you." She had to choke back a sob.

Igor took Ginger into his arms and held her close. "Precious Ginger," he said. "You have not lost us at all. We are both still here, both still love you. Only now there is also Mark and Jennifer."

"You know what, Igor? I never really thought of myself as the homebody type. I've always seen myself strictly as a career girl."

"But man can have both career and family," Igor objected. "Why not woman as well?"

"That's a good point," said Ginger. "I never really thought of it that way before."

"Ginger, I am planning to take Audrey and Mark and Jennifer camping on lake this weekend," said Igor. "We would be happy for you to join us."

"That sounds like fun, Igor. Sure, I'd be glad to come." She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

The following day, Mary Ann called Ginger with the news of Gilligan and Cindy's wedding.

"That's great that things are working out for them," Ginger replied. "I'd like to go to the wedding too, and I'm sure Audrey will enjoy seeing Gilligan again as well."

"You sound a little less sure about that last part," said Mary Ann.

Ginger sighed. "Igor's ex-wife was seriously hurt in an accident, and his two younger children are living with him now. Audrey spends every minute she can with them. I don't know whether she'd want to leave them long enough to go to a wedding in Kansas."

"Well, we'll miss her," said Mary Ann. "You don't sound very happy yourself, Ginger. Is everything still OK between you and Igor?"

"I haven't seen very much of him at all lately," Ginger told her. "But he did take me out to dinner for Valentine's Day, and I'm going camping with him and the kids this weekend."

"That's great! I hope you guys have fun," said Mary Ann.

Igor arrived Saturday morning to pick Ginger and Audrey up. Ginger got into the front seat beside Igor, and Audrey got into the back seat with Mark and Jennifer. Igor left the car radio off and the children sang songs during the trip to the camp site, which took a couple of hours. Ginger dozed for most of the trip.

By the time they arrived at the lake, it was lunchtime, so they ate the picnic lunch they'd packed. Then Ginger and Igor set up the tents while Audrey kept the younger children entertained. Later they all went fishing. They caught enough fish to supplement the hot dogs they'd brought along, and Igor cooked the fish over a fire. They were quite tasty.

When the sun began to set, they roasted marshmallows over the fire, told stories, sang songs, and played games. Ginger found that, to her surprise, she was actually enjoying herself.

At last Mark and Jennifer started yawning, and Igor put out the fire and they crawled into the tents, Igor and Mark together in one, and Ginger, Audrey, and Jennifer in the other. Ginger secretly longed to cuddle up to Igor but realized that she couldn't this time.

During the night, Ginger and Audrey were awakened by the sound of Jennifer's sobs.

"What' the matter, Jenny?" asked Audrey.

"I had a bad dream!" the little girl cried.

Audrey held her little sister and comforted her until she was asleep again. Ginger listened awkwardly the whole time, wondering whether she should say or do anything.

The next day the group went hiking.

"Hey, look what I found!" Mark exclaimed suddenly, holding out his hands.

Audrey took a quick peek. "Ugh!" she grimaced, shuddering.

Igor was the second to take a look. "Is most interesting bug," he said. "I have never seen one like that before."

In spite of herself, Ginger's curiosity got the best of her, and she had to take a look herself. "It looks like some kind of beetle to me," she said.

"I'm gonna keep him as a pet and name him Darth Vader," Mark announced.

"Oh, no, son," Igor laughed. "He would be much happier living in his forest home."

"Aw, Dad!" Mark protested.

"Hey, where's Jennifer?" asked Audrey.

"I do not know," Igor said, looking very worried.

"She was right here five minutes ago," said Ginger.

"We will look for her in opposite directions," Igor decided. "Mark will come with me."

Ginger had been searching for perhaps ten or fifteen minutes when she heard the unmistakable sound of a child crying.