Note - I apologize for the delay in posting, life got in the way. I realized I have 8 unfinished stories and hope to wrap up a few soon. I promise!
Steph headed down to the garage and rearranged some of the things she had put in her car. It was a new car, well, new car to her. She'd been really good with saving her money and had brought in a few higher bonds recently so she was able to purchase this car. It was a 2016 Toyota Highlander and so far, it was a perfect car. She had just opened the back and was putting the cooler she had brought into the back when the three guys came down with their bags. Tank was with them and came over to her and said, "You sure you want to do this little one? I could see taking the boss man, but the other two? Do you know what you're getting yourself into this weekend?" She laughed and said, "I couldn't leave them behind after they put on their sad puppy faces. I'm sure we'll be fine." The guys added their bags and Lester asked about the cooler. "I plan to bring home as much ice cream as I can and maybe a few other things from stops along the way." Bobby and Lester headed to the back seat and Ranger walked around towards the driver's door, but Steph was there to stop him. "My car, I drive." There was some snickering from the back seat but Ranger willingly walked around to the passenger seat and got in. "Ok, everyone buckled?" All of guys said "yes" so she backed out of her spot and when she went to pull forward to leave the garage, Tank was standing in her way, blocking her exit. When she was stopped, he walked around to her door and she opened the window. He pulled out his wallet and handed her some money. "Get another cooler along the way and bring me back some pints. I don't' care what kind, just fill up the cooler." She took the money and laughed. He leaned in her window and told the duo in the back to behave and kissed Steph on the cheek and told to call him if bail money was needed. She laughed and drove off.
About an hour outside of Trenton, Lester spoke up from the backseat. "Mom, I have to go." Steph looked at him in the rearview mirror and said, "What?" "Mom, I have to go." He was sitting with his legs crossed and was bouncing up and down. Bobby laughed and Ranger groaned. Steph rolled her eyes but headed towards the next exit. She pulled into a truck stop and Lester jumped out and ran for the door. Ranger looked at her and said, "Babe, I'm going to get a couple bottles of water. Anything you want?" She shook her head and said, "No, I have a couple bottles of pop in the cooler for later. I'm okay for now." Bobby got out and went inside with Ranger. A few minutes later, all three guys came out loaded down with bags. Steph shook her head while they got back in the car. She turned around and said, "You all situated now?" The backseat guys nodded and when she looked at Ranger, he just said, "Babe."
She drove for about another 90 minutes before pulling off at an exit for a state park. Ranger said, "Babe?" "I wanted to make this a fun and relaxing weekend for me so I looked up some places to stop and do stuff. This road is heading state park that has some trails, a lake and a small zoo. I thought I stop would and grab some lunch and have a picnic by the lake. I also want to take a trip through the zoo." The guys all agreed that this sounded like a good thing to do and when she stopped at a small store to get some food, Ranger led the charge into the store and before she could even open her purse, the guys were all throwing money on the counter to pay. She shook her head and led the guys and all of the bags of food out to the car. She drove to the park and paid at the gate for a daily pass. She parked in the lot and grabbed a bottle of pop out of her cooler while the guys grabbed the bags of food. She led the way down a trail and picked a spot to have the picnic. Ranger spread out a blanket he had pulled from her car and they sat down to eat. She was surprised at the variety of food the guys had bought and that she liked most of it. Not all of it was healthy, which was surprising. Ranger laughed and said, "It's my weekend off Babe."
They finished eating and packed up their leftovers. Ranger and the guys carried them back to the car and he looked at Steph. "What's next?" She smiled and said, "I thought I would take a walk around the lake and then head up to the zoo. I was going to drive to the zoo, as it's a few miles away." Bobby and Lester decided to walk the trails and would meet them at the zoo. Ranger and Steph started walking towards the lake. When they got there, Ranger grabbed her hand and held it during their walk. They talked about work and their families. She learned a bit more about Ranger's family than she knew previously. The got back to the car and Steph drove to the zoo and parked. They could see the other two sitting on a bench, looking over a map of the zoo. Ranger paid for all of their admissions to the zoo, and wouldn't let Steph pay him back for her ticket. "Babe, it's not going to break my account if I pay $10 for you to see animals." She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside the gate. They all wandered around and she took pictures of the guys by the animals. She got a great shot of Lester "talking" with a monkey and one of Ranger having a staring contest with a leopard. Eventually the leopard turned and walked away, turning around once and found Ranger still staring at him. She shook her head and they moved on to the tigers. Lester refused to step up to the fence to see the tiger. She looked at Ranger for explanation and Ranger said, "He met one on a mission a few years ago and it wasn't a pleasant experience for him." She took a picture and then went back to put her arms around Lester's waist. She hugged him and asked, "You okay?" Lester hugged her back and said, "Yep, let's just get away from Tony the Tiger please." They finished their trip through the zoo and headed back to the car. Steph pulled the car out of the parking lot and Ranger said, "Where to next Babe?"