Camping Tip Number Seven: Welcome Family
"So, are you two planning on getting married any time soon?" Susan asked. Abby dropped the dish towel she was using to the picnic table and turned to look at her friend.
"Where and the heck did that come from?" she asked incredulously.
"I haven't a clue," Susan shrugged. "Must be this drivel that I am reading in this grocery store magazine?" Abby shook her head.
"So...are you?" Susan asked again.
"No plans to at the moment," Abby chuckled.
"Why not?" Abby frowned again and looked at her friend as she folded her arms across her chest.
"Why should we?"
"Umm...because you have been living together for almost two years? You have an adorable child together? Maybe because...you love each other...and have...for a very long time?" Susan stood up from her chair and moved to the table.
"Well, maybe we have a good thing going now and don't want to screw it up?" Susan rolled her eyes and shook her head as she sat at the table and spread her magazine in front of her.
"Married is better, Abby," she said, not looking up. "Trust me...and especially if it's with the right guy." Abby started to say something but stopped as Cosmo climbed up onto the picnic table bench. He plopped an old cardboard school box onto the table in front of him. Susan looked up from the magazine she was reading and smiled at her son.
"Hey, Cos," she said. "What kind of specimens did you collect this time?"
"Lots," he said and flipped up the lid. He looked up as Abby sat at the table next to his mother and watched as he took a large magnifying glass out of the box and handed it to her.
"Wanna see?" he asked. Abby smiled and took his magnifier.
"An acorn," he said and handed it to her. "It's a tree seed. I'm going to plant it at home." Abby made a show of examining the acorn with the magnifying glass and passed it to Susan. Cosmo grinned. He picked up a pine cone and gave it to Abby.
"A pine cone," he said, shaking his straight sandy hair out of his eyes. Abby nodded.
"I collected these when I was little too," she said as she gently examined the small cone before handing it to Susan. Cosmo handed her a shining rock.
"Heather said it's...mica," he explained. "That's a kind of rock." Abby nodded and held it up to the dappled sun light.
"Very pretty," she said as she handed it back to him. Cosmos smiled and handed her a hard brown wad of something.
"That's a real live owl pellet," he said. "Susie said we can take it apart and see what the owl et for lunch." Susan suppressed a smile as she glanced at Abby's face. She was staring at the small brown nugget it her hand.
"So, what you are say is that this is dried up owl..."
"Puke!" Cosmo crowed and laughed.
"Ah..." Abby sighed and handed it back to him quickly. "Very interesting." Susan chuckled as Abby wiped her hands on her shorts and shuddered.
"How is it that you can dig around inside someone's bloody gut going after a bullet but can't handle something like an owl pellet?" she asked.
"I don't know. Maybe the same reason that you can do it too and yet not bait a fish hook?" Susan rolled her eyes.
"I never said I couldn't," she said. "I just don't think using a worm is a good idea. Who wants to eat a fish that's had a worm in it's throat?" She looked at Cosmo and they both grimaced and shuddered. Abby laughed and looked up as a motorcycle came to a stop in the road in front of her campsite. The driver on the bike removed his helmet and grinned.
"Eric?" she said. He stashed the helmet on the handlebars and waited for the girl behind him to dismount. His girlfriend took off her helmet and shook her dark hair free as Abby approached and hugged her.
"Becca..." she said happily and then turned to her brother.
"I told you that she'd be happier to see you than me," he laughed as he wrapped his arms around his sister and hugged her close. Abby tipped her head back suddenly.
"Maggie's not behind you, is she?" she asked. Eric laughed as he draped an arm across Abby's shoulders and took Becca's hand.
"Naw...she's saving her vacation days for a certain someone's upcoming first birthday?" Abby sighed and they
"Ahhh...thanks for the head's up," Abby sighed as they headed toward the picnic table.
"You remember my friend, Susan Lewis," Abby said. Eric nodded and smiled.
"And this is Becca," Abby said. Susan grinned.
"Nice to finally meet you," she said. Becca smiled and sat down into a camp chair.
"Are you camping too?" Abby asked. Eric shook his head as he sat on the high sided edge of the cement fire pit.
"No. We have a room in town for a couple of nights," he said. Susan sat up straighter.
"A room?" she said. "With a real bed and bathtub?"
"I hope so!" Eric chuckled. Susan sagged.
"Lucky you..." she sighed.
"Don't listen to her," Abby chuckled. "We're having a great time." Susan rolled her eyes. She slapped at a wayward mosquito and grimaced.
"A rollicking time..." Susan sighed. She smiled at Cosmo who was gathering his treasures back into his box.
"Wanna go take a nap with Mom?" she asked. Cosmo looked at her thoughtfully for a moment and then nodded slowly. Susan grinned.
"I thought so," she said. Susan stood up and picked up her magazine.
"Well, I guess we will leave you folks to visit," she said. "We have a date for a nap...on our inflatable rubber mattress." She grinned in feigned excitement and Eric chuckled as he watched Susan swing Cosmo up in her arms and head toward their campsite. He glanced around.
"So where is everybody?" he asked.
"Lauren's sleeping," Abby said as she sat on the table bench. "Luka and Chuck took the girls to see some submarine that's permanently parked near here. USS Silversides, I think? They should be back soon." Eric nodded. Abby looked at Becca and smiled.
"Where did the bike come from?" she asked. Becca sat up straighter.
"It's my brother's," Becca said. 'We didn't really want to drive over so he loaned it to us."
"I'm glad you came," Abby said. Becca's blue eyes met her's and she smiled warily.
"I am too," she said softly. Eric watched the exchange between his sister and girlfriend curiously. Abby looked at him and smiled.
"We're having hobo pies for dinner," she said. "Remember those?"
"I do!" he laughed. "When we went fishing with that couple in Minneapolis...I think I called her Grammy?" Abby nodded.
"Yes, you did," she said. "So you'll stay?" Eric nodded.
"We had planned to hang out here during the day," he said. "I didn't think you'd have room in your tent though."
"Oh, I am sure Susan would switch places with you if you really want to try a tent," Abby said a little loudly.
"Just say the word..." Susan chimed in from the inside of her tent. Eric chuckled and Abby shook her head.
