Part 3

Gail, Steve, Traci, and Holly are all sitting on bar stools at the bar in their favourite after work hangout, the Penny. Today was their first day back at work after their weeklong vacation to Melbourne, Ontario, Canada. They all pick up the shot glass in front of them with that distinctive gold hue liquid and quickly down it; each has a sour expression overtake their face and shake their head side to side. "Why is it always tequila?" Traci asks Gail, the blonde doesn't even bother to respond, because tequila, duh.

They're all enjoying a well deserved pint. They had survived a week away with Bill and Elaine Peck. The four are quiet, they spent way too much time together this past week, it didn't help that it rained practically every minute of every day, luckily the house they were renting had a plethora of board games. Even though they just spent all that time together, they're not really ready to be spending time with others just yet. Gail and Holly had volunteered to go to the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) to buy lots of booze, the two came back with multiple bags of adult beverage, they looked like Santa Claus at Christmas. The four are sitting there, at the bar, sipping their pints when all of their phones go off in unison, a simple ding. They look at their phones and let out a groan, the Pecks are going to do another family vacation.

Holly notices the Peck siblings got a longer text message, "where to this time?"

"London," says Steve. "We're not going for a couple of months though, gives us enough time to schedule the time off."

"Ha," says Holly, "London?"

Gail nods her head, "could be fun, mom and dad especially seem to enjoy it when we're all together, they're a lot easier to be around now that we're all adults."

Steve nods his head, with both him and Gail having steady partners; their parents seem to want to spend more quality time with their children. No longer just five minute catch ups when the higher ranked Pecks happen to be at the precinct. "I prefer them like this."

"Me too," agrees Gail.

"London?" Holly questions again, not really paying attention to what the Peck siblings are round about talking about.

"Yes," Gail furrows her brow at her girlfriend, why is the doctor so confused?

Steve reminds Gail, "they've been talking about wanting to go to London forever, I am truly surprised they're finally going, it's nice that they're taking us."

"Yeah, I remember when we were in high school they mentioned it a couple of times, but work always got in the way with promotions and taking on new roles and responsibilities, and then us eventually joining the force," Gail says, while Steve nods his head.

"London," Holly says for a third time, "I'm not falling for that again, so a two hour car ride down the 401?"

"No," says the blonde, with a little furrow on her face.

"Sorry, two and a half if we hit traffic. London, Ontario. I know Ontario has a London; it's one of Ontario's biggest cities outside of the Toronto area. At least I've heard they've got some good craft breweries." Holly's eyes go wide, "hey! You know what we should do? Let's pretend like we're actually going to England. So we'll drive down to London for a few days, then we'll jump back onto the 401 and head down to Chatham - Kent and then maybe into Essex, and since we're down that far we as well go to Windsor, and who doesn't want to visit Colchester?" Ever since their trip to Melbourne and that conversation with Steve, Holly has been looking over maps of Ontario and Canada, she doesn't want to get hornswoggled again with all those famous names being reused, why can't there be different names?

Now Gail is puzzled, what is Holly doing? Traci mouths 'Colchester' to Steve; all are clearly confused, but not as confused as Holly.

The doctor rolls her eyes, "what's the saying? 'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."'

Gail scrunches up her face at her girlfriend, who's getting fooled here? Gail voices her thought, "who's getting fooled?"

Holly tilts her head to the side, "in your defense, it's not like you were trying to fool me or lie to me when you said we were going to Paris and Melbourne, I just didn't know they were places in Ontario. Sorry," says Holly.

Gail feels like the doctor's babbling / ranting or whatever that was is over, "this time we will need plane tickets."

Holly gives Gail a 'cut the bull shit' smile, she pats her girlfriend on the cheek, "you're cute, we're not flying to London, I'd rather drive anyways, who doesn't love taking the 4 oh 1 south?" Holly says in a slightly sarcastic tone.

"I thought, if you wanted," Gail says shyly, "you and I could take even more time off and actually go to Paris too." By then Gail and Holly will be dating for six months and Gail thought maybe it would be a fun surprise; however Holly keeps surprising her with her bewilderment.

Holly smiles at Gail, "I've already been. Honey, you've already taken me to Paris, remember? They totally thought it was weird when I tried to speak French there eh, mind you they probably get that all the time and are just tired of the joke."

Gail's figured it out, she grabs Holly's hands and threads their fingers together, "England. London, England."

Holly stutters, her eyes go wide, "England?" Finally starting to compute...maybe…

"Yes."

"Like, actual England?"

"Yes, you goof," Gail leans forward to kiss her girlfriend's surprised face.

"We're going to need tickets, actual tickets, and passports, and..."

Gail smiles at Holly, she squeezes their joined hands, this'll be fun, they always seem to have fun together no matter where they are.

Only three chapters because the joke will get old, thanks for reading.