Sam and Jack watched as the boys – along with Shawn, Ian and River – headed for their cabin, and then she sat down on the bench beside the chair Jack was sitting in.
"He survived the week…" Jack said, turning his attention to Jake, who was just finishing his bottle. He was obviously not talking about the baby, though.
Sam smiled, resting her hand lightly on Jack's thigh.
"So far."
"The week's over."
"Tomorrow."
"It wasn't the catastrophe you thought it would be, though. Admit it."
She shook her head.
"I keep waiting for the explosion."
"He's doing fine."
"I wouldn't go that far."
"He hasn't tossed any of them off a cliff or anything."
She smiled.
"True."
"Relax," Jack told her, shifting Jake so he could burp him. "Tomorrow we'll be heading back, and things will return to normal – as normal as it gets anyways."
She didn't exactly look convinced, but there wasn't any sense in worrying over something she couldn't control just then anyways.
"You want me to burp him?"
Jack shook his head, patting Jake's back gently.
"I got him."
Sam started to hand him a towel to protect his shirt, but it was too late for that. With a loud burp, Jake proceeded to spit up all over his father's back, proving that maybe he'd gobbled a little more milk than his little stomach was capable of holding down in one meal.
Sam chuckled as Jack's expression changed once he felt the wetness along his back and realized what had happened, and she draped the towel over her shirt and reached for their son.
"I'll take him. You go get cleaned up for dinner."
"Thanks."
As he stood up, though, she caught his sleeve with her free hand and pulled him down, stealing a kiss. He returned it more than willingly, of course, but grinned when she let him go.
"Girl cooties!"
Sam whacked him, playfully.
"Remember that when you're sleeping alone tonight."
"Cruel woman."
But he was still smiling when he jumped off the porch and headed up the hill – despite the drying baby spit up that covered his back and shoulder.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Good evening, Campers!"
The kids all greeted Gary cheerfully as they dropped their forks and spoons, waiting to see what he had to say now that dinner was over. Many of them – not just the boys from Australia – had seen the staff carrying boxes up to the ball field, along with other items in bags that hadn't been revealed, and they were all curious what they were going to be doing that evening for an activity.
Luckily, Gary didn't make them wait too long.
"When you're done eating and have cleared your dishes, I want you all to head up to the ball field – but I want you to stay with your counselors. Understand?"
There were affirmative shouts, and excited murmurings. Gary waited for them to die down.
"While I have you here, I'll explain what we're doing, so I don't have to try and make myself heard up at the ball field. Each cabin will find a spot at the ball field marked off just for them, with a little sign with their cabin name to make sure they go to the right spot. In your spot, you'll find a large, empty box. Along with several other items – which I'll let you discover on your own. Your job will be to make a tank out of that box – using the items in your space as well as anything you might find in the woods around the ball field; leaves, sticks, dirt… whatever you want."
Gary paused, looking first at Libby, who was safely seated in between Ann and Sierra, and then at the other children.
"I'll remind you not to wander off while you're looking for your materials, however. Stay with your counselors. Okay?"
Again there were nods of agreement. The kids had learned by the example. None of them would wander off. The counselors, too, had learned, and they'd keep a close eye on their kids – even though there was plenty of daylight left.
"So," Gary continued, once he was sure he'd made his point. "You'll have half an hour to make your tanks – and make them as sturdy as you can, mind you – and then I'll explain what we're going to do with them when we get to that point. Any questions?"
There weren't any questions. There was, however, a lot of excited babbling as the kids started trying to decide what they were going to do with the tanks – and started bragging about how much better their tank was going to be over anyone else's.
"Okay, then! Finish eating, and then head up to the ball field."
Gary sat down to finish his own dinner, but the kids were done, now. They were way too excited to eat!
"Let's go!" Bruce said, eagerly.
The rest of the boys at the table nodded their agreement. Unfortunately, they ran into a road block.
"I'm not done eating, yet," River told them, taking a bite of his dessert.
The boys groaned in the same breath it seemed, and River's blue eyes twinkled with amusement, well aware what he was putting them through by eating slowly.
"Hurry!" Sammy yelled, too excited to keep his voice down.
"We can go without him," Brian suggested to Shawn, Ian and Jack.
"We have to go together," Shawn reminded the boys. Again they groaned.
Ian snorted, amused, and started in on his own dessert. Cake was normally something that the boys would have been more than happy to linger over, but now they were just groaning in dismay over how large the pieces seemed to be – and their own were pretty much untouched.
"You're killing them," Jack said, grinning as he finished his coffee.
"What?" River asked, innocently. His innocent look was better than any Jack had ever seen – even though it was vastly insincere just then. "I just want to finish my cake."
Jack looked down at the lab on the floor by his feet.
"Jaffer?"
Jaffer got up, went over to River's spot and easily snagged the remaining cake from the Californian's plate with a quick, well-practiced lunge. River scowled as his piece of cake vanished in an instant, and looked over at Ian, who saw the danger immediately, picked his own piece up and shoved it into his mouth before anyone could snatch it.
"I'm ready," he mumbled through the mouthful.
"Let's go, guys," Jack said, standing up.
Cheering, the boys rushed for the door, joining all the other campers who were heading out as well.