Chapter Two

Jessica went all out on dinner. Roast beef with all the trimmings and apple pie for dessert. Seth ate helpings of everything before patting his stomach and telling her he was going to have to wait on dessert.

Jessica smiled. She knew it wouldn't be a long wait. In the meantime they could play chess. They chatted easily and it seemed completely natural for Jessica to ask about the upcoming week.

"Do you have a busy day tomorrow?"

Seth shifted in his seat as he studied the chessboard. "Nothing out of the ordinary. I have a tricky case to work through but I'll get it done."

Jessica didn't comment for a few minutes. "I have to sort through my calendars from the past few years. I'm looking for the name of the company in New Hampshire that cleaned a couple of my paintings for me."

Seth grunted. "That's why you save your calendars?"

"Seth, there's a wealth of information on them. Dental appointments, jury duty, community events. I relive so many memories looking at them."

Seth chuckled. "I do something similar with my old appointment schedules. I don't save them for long though."

"I have one for each year I've lived here," admitted Jessica. "I love rereading where Frank and I had an anniversary dinner or when the town's Christmas party was moved to Morgan Bay after the hall flooded."

"That reminds me, I ran into Mort yesterday. He and Maureen are going camping next weekend and they want us to join them. Maureen says we only have to bring ourselves and a toothbrush." He smiled at her.

"I think I'm going to need more than a toothbrush but I'd love to go," agreed Jessica. "I haven't been overnight camping in a couple of years." Jessica was pleased. Ever since Mort married his second wife, Maureen, they had grown closer. Maureen is an enthusiastic if not exactly a competent cook.

"Mort says we'll leave on Friday and return Sunday, up near Tawny's Coast," informed Seth. "I'm happy you're going because I didn't want to be a third wheel."

Although Jessica didn't learn anything new about what Seth was doing in Portland on Mondays, she was very happy to be spending the following weekend camping with him. Maybe he'll say something during the quiet evenings around a fire.

Friday afternoon Mort and Maureen drove up to her house in his new truck. Just like a proud father with a newborn, he was anxious to show it truck bed was filled with camping gear. Jessica's small bag and cooler was added and they headed off to Seth's house. Seth had a small bag but he also had his fishing gear and extra rods in case someone else wanted to fish. They found room for everything and soon they were off to Tawny's Coast, three hours away.

The problems began almost immediately upon arrival at the campground. As they began unloading the supplies, Mort only found one tent.

"Honey, I had three of these tents sitting on the porch this morning," said Mort, trying to be patient.

"Those were tents? I thought they were the pads you put down on the ground," replied Maureen. "You said you only needed one for the tent so I put the other two back in the garage."

Seth and Jessica stared at each other. "I wouldn't mind sleeping under the stars. I've done it before as long as you don't mind if we use the tents for dressing." Seth was already looking at the clearing and choosing the best spot. "This is good, Jess. We can lie here and look for shooting stars."

Mort looked relieved. He hadn't been married so long that a night under the stars with the Doc while the women slept in the tent was appealing. It didn't take long to set up the tent. "It's supposed to sleep six but it must have meant six children. I can't stand up straight inside."

Seth went inside and you could hear laughter. Jessica and Maureen had to go inside to check it out and joined in the merriment. None of them could stand fully erect. There wasn't a lot of room to move around either. It was decided to keep their luggage in the cab of the truck so it wouldn't feel so cramped inside the tent.

Seth set out two mattress pads and two sleeping bags and set them a few feet apart. Mort was collecting firewood for the fire pit while Maureen filled two buckets with dirt to put out the fire later.

Jessica wasn't sure what she could do aside from emptying the truck of the rest of the supplies so she assisted in doing that. Mort just smiled as he could carry triple what she could.

"Okay he-man, I'm impressed at your muscular strength," laughed Jessica.

Since it was getting late, they dined on sandwiches and fruit that Jessica had prepared in a cooler and drank sodas and beer. They turned at the sound of a car approaching.

"Evening folks," said the park ranger as he approached. Mort and Seth moved forward while Jessica and Maureen remained standing.

"The storm was supposed to head out to the ocean but we have word that it isn't turning as expected and we're expecting six to eight inches of rain in the next few hours. I know it isn't what you planned but I would suggest sleeping in your vehicle if you aren't leaving. The rain should be gone by morning." He saluted, got in his car, and drove to the next campsite to make the same announcement.

"Do you want to head home?" Mort asked his wife.

"Oh no, let's not do that," she replied.

Jessica was looking around at the ground. Sleeping outside in the rain wasn't very appealing.

Seth was doing the same. "I don't want to sit in the truck all night."

"Why don't we pitch the tent over the truck bed? We should be able to lie down and we'll be high enough off the ground too." Mort's suggestion had merit.

It took nearly an hour to move the tent over to the truck bed and to secure it with ropes. It was dark now but they managed to get all four sleeping bags and pads inside the bed as well. It was going to be snug but it beat sitting up all night. They put the cooler next to the tire well in case someone got thirsty. They put two lanterns inside as well and when it started raining, they sat inside talking. Mort brought out a deck of cards and they played gin rummy while talking and laughing.

"Doc, I hear you're running up to Portland on Mondays," Mort began. He laid down a card and picked up another. "Something about seeing someone special?"

Seth looked flustered but began grousing when Maureen spoke. "I heard it was a love child needing his attention."

Jessica decided to help Seth out before he got angry at their teasing. "I heard at Loretta's that he was doing community service because he got pulled over for a traffic violation."

"You heard too, Jess? Why didn't you say anything?" complained Seth. He looked surprised.

"Seth, it's just gossip. If there's anything you want me to know, you'll tell me. Don't pay attention to the rumors."

Seth grunted before playing his cards and winning the hand. "Gin."

The rain fell harder and after checking once more that the tent was secure, they decided to call it a night and go to sleep.

Jessica was uncomfortable. The four of them just managed to lie side by side. Seth and Mort were on the outer edges while Maureen and Jessica were inside with Maureen next to Mort and Jessica next to Seth. She sat up.

"I'm feeling a little cramped. I think I'll move my sleeping bag around and sleep at the other end," announced Jessica.

"Good idea," agreed Seth. He picked up his sleeping bag too.

The changes were made and there was a little more room. She was still a little uncomfortable as Seth was very close and she hadn't slept so intimately since Frank was alive. She could hear Mort and Maureen talking softly despite the rain falling harder. Then she heard them kiss goodnight. She thought it was sweet, Seth didn't.

"Come on now, we don't need to hear that," he complained.

"I think one kiss goodnight is allowed," grumbled Mort. "Besides, you can give Mrs. F one if you're jealous."

Maureen loudly called out goodnight to everyone to divert an argument and while you could hear Mort snickering, nothing else was said.

The interior was surprisingly warm and she unzipped her sleeping bag. Seth was lying on top of his sleeping bag. His arm crept around her waist and she turned to look at him. He was asleep. She closed her eyes and drifted off smiling.