Jude POV

Frankie, Jesus, Amy, Cooper and I, along with Duke, had stopped going down the river and anchored at the riverbank, where there was a clearing in the woods. We had traveled approximately half of the distance we wanted to cover today, so Cooper and Amy made the decisions to stop and have lunch, bathroom break, stretch our legs and regroup.

We set up our lunch area, which basically was a picnic area. One of our blankets was spread out on the ground, which served the purpose of a table. We laid our towels down on the ground to sit on.

Amy and Cooper were making sandwiches for everyone, but the others still haven't gotten here. I was starting to get a little worried. Our group was broken apart. I had heard some commotion coming from Callie and Mariana's boat at one point, but our boat was too far to hear what they were talking about or see what happened. After a curve turn, we lost sight of them completly. It was most likely that they stopped for a while.

I was standing by the riverbank, few steps away from our boats. Water reached over my ankles. The ground was a lot more rockier than it was, where we spent the night. I was looking out to the river, to the way we came from, waiting for them to show up. There was a curve turn in the river, so I couldn't see that far. Maybe 200 meters (218.72 yards). Bushes and trees that were surrounding the river didn't exactly make things more visible. Duke was stomping the water along the river, drinking and cooling off. I heard the others talking behind me, in the clearing, where we had set down.

"Anything?" Jesus walked up to me carrying two sandwiches

"Nop," I answered as Jesus handed me one of the sandwiches, I briefly looked down to it, but declined "Thanks, but I'm not hungry,"

"I wasn't asking. Eat up," Jesus insisted "You will feel better," he added right before taking a big bite out of his sandwich

He held the sandwich out to me till I finally took it. I took a bite out of it, not really wanting to. I knew Jesus won't leave me alone till I do. My appetite will most likely be back, when the rest of our group is here as well.

"What do you think happened to them?" I asked, when I glanced to my brother

He shrugged at first, as he was still chewing "Probably some setback with one of their boats,"

"I don't like that we don't know anything," I replied, keeping my eyes out on the river

"I know. I'm worried too," Jesus admitted, placing his left palm on my shoulder "I'm sure they are fine, Jude!" he tried to solace me

"Boys? I know you are worried, but, please, come join us. By standing there and watching the river, they won't show up faster," Amy called out to us. I looked over my shoulder to her. Amy grabbed a water bottle from one of our food bags and carried it over to Frankie. Once she was up to my sister, she opened it and handed the water to Frankie.

I sighed, knowing Amy was right. There was no real use in just standing here and watching the river. The time will pass faster if I keep myself busy and occupied. Nice company always helps. I turned around and walked towards our set up lunch area. Jesus followed me on my six.

"Whatever happened, I'm sure your moms are handling it," Amy assured us, when I sat down on my knees next Frankie, Jesus took a seat on my other side "They are more than capable of taking care of stuff!"

"Don't we know it," Jesus chuckled as he and I shared a look

"Your mama especially," Cooper added as he was making another sandwich for Frankie. He was cutting up tomatoes for Frankie to eat along the cheese sandwich "Lena looks harmless, but she's a force to be reckon with!"

I narrowed my eyes at Cooper and watched him carefully for a while. The last sentence made me wonder, was Cooper afraid of mama. It sure sounded like that.

"What?" he asked noticing my look "Why are you looking at me like that?" Amy took the water bottle away from Frankie, when she was done drinking. Before closing it, she offered it to Jesus, who took it. She handed him the bottle cap as well.

"Nothing," I shook my head, averting my look away from him

"You're scared of mama?" Frankie looked up to him, asking him what I hadn't, but was thinking about

Cooper made a face and looked down to my sister "No! No, why do you-" he laughed awkwardly "No, not at all. No!" Cooper patted Frankie's head and tried to change the subject quickly "Eat your lunch!"

Everyone around our set up lunch picking table shared a look and laughed about it, as we all remember the camping trip 2 years ago. It was the first time Cooper joined us. It happened the first night on our camping trip.

That year, when we had reached the camping ground and started unpacking our bags, Cooper had wanted to take the charge of things and had instructed Lena to make sandwiches. Cooper, himself wanted to do the man side of the job and sets up the tents and starts the fire. Mama, being the feminist that she is, of course got offended and called Cooper out, asking him if he believes that she can't set up a tent and whether or not she is only there for what men assume are the typical jobs for woman.

We all know, that mama loves making dinner for us. She has a whole recipe book and she's always eager to make new, healthy things for us. She enjoys cooking. Mama simply didn't like that Cooper told her to make dinner in that manner. It's the attitude that she didn't like, the way he tried to order her around. It turned ugly quite fast as Cooper quickly learned not to piss off mama with his typical man thinking. He learned from his mistake and hasn't repeated it.

"You know what," Cooper brushed his hands against each other to clean them off from the bread crumbs "Fine!" He looked around us "I'll admit it – your mama scares me sometimes! Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"It took you long enough to admit it!" Jesus smiled at him before he shoved the last of his sandwich in his mouth. Frankie giggled, Amy chuckle quietly as well.

"Yeah, what has it been like...2 years?" I teased him, smirking at him

"Okay, okay," Amy walked up behind me and Jesus, putting her hands on our shoulders "We had our fun on the behalf of Cooper. How about we move on, huh?"

"Protecting your hubby, I see?" I grinned at Amy as I looked up to her

"Someone has to!" Amy smiled back and kissed the top of my head

"Thank you!" Cooper mouthed looking up to Amy, who was walking up to him. They shared a small, quick kiss, before Amy sat down next to him.

"Kids can be mean sometimes!" he whispered to Amy, but made sure we all heard it. Cooper gave us all a look.

"Mama!" Frankie called out and jumped up to her feet. We all looked out to the river and saw how mama and Callie got their boat on the land. Not too far from them was Stef, Brandon and Mariana. They were still rowing towards the riverbank.

Frankie ran towards the river. Mama hadn't gotten out of the boat, when Frankie jumped in their boat and hugged Lena tightly. Callie had a big smile, from one ear to other, as she watched them.

"We were all worried about you, mama!" She cried out as she hugged her mom "We thought something happened to you!"

"We're okay, baby!" Mama said stroking Frankie's cheek softly "Everyone is okay!" Mama assured Frankie befre her and Callie slowly started to get out of the boat

"What took you so long?" Amy called from where we all sat

"We had a little...uh-" mama glanced to Callie, who was now walking towards us "Mishap! But like I said, everything is okay!"

I did notice that the seating had changed. Last time we saw them, Callie was in the same boat as Mariana. Mama had switched with Mari. I started to wonder why. It did seem a little odd to me. As I looked over to Mariana, who was now starting to get up from the boat so she could get out, I noticed her hair was wet and her swimsuit looked wet as well, like she had taken a swim.

Callie sat down next to Amy, who handed her a sandwich. Lena and Frankie sat down shortly after. Cooper grabbed one of the sandwiches he had made and handed it to Lena.

Before Callie started to eat, she looked straight to Jesus "Your sister is crazy bananas and selfish. And F.Y.I – if anyone ever found themselves and her in life or death situation – she would leave you to die and save herself!" with that said she took an angry bite out of her sandwich and shot a look towards Mariana

Everyone stayed perfectly still and quiet at that, except for Lena, who sighed in defeat as she lightly shook her head. In the morning Callie and Mariana seemed as close as they could be. Now, well, it was no secret that something had happened between them.

The next moment I heard Mariana's voice "But your sister, Jude," I looked over my shoulder to see her "is a buzzkill, hypersensitive and as I found out, she has a death wish! Also she has no problem with putting other lives in danger as well!"

Eyes darted around. But no one said anything. Everyone looked to our moms or Brandon for answer as to what had happened that caused this rift between them.

"I have a death wish?! Are you fearking kidding me?" Callie barked back, it looked like she was ready to jump up to her feet and start a cat fight with Mariana "You were the one who jumped out of the boat head first!"

"Don't be so over dramatic!" Mariana replied

I heard Callie mutter to herself "I'm the over dramatic? Sure...why not!"

"Nothing happened! I know how to swim!" Mariana continued as she crossed her arms on her chest and put her weight on her left leg

"Wh-aaat is happening?" Jesus dragged out quietly as he leaned closer to me

"No idea!" I whispered back as I continued to witness the fight my sisters were having

"I'm not talking about swimming, Mariana!" Callie shouted back at her, sounding very much like Stef, when she is angry "Jumping head first into unknown water is dangerous! You could have broken your neck!"

"Why are you pissed at me?" Mariana shouted back upset "You were the one that was putting our lives in danger!"

"I'm—oh my god!" Callie covered her face in her palms, when she took her hands away from her face, she asked in disbelief as she tapped her fingers to her chest "How am I the bad guy in this?"

"You were ripping the tore bigger!" Mariana yelled back, gesturing both hands towards Callie "What was I suppose to do? Sit there and wait for you to sink us! I'm sorry, but I don't have a death wish, which you obviosuly have!"

"I wasn't ripping anything, you...you moonstruck lunatic!" Callie yelled back, loosing her temper. Mariana gasped at the insult, she looked hurt.

"Go take a walk and calm yourself down," Amy told Callie as she placed her palm on her forearm, it wasn't a suggestion "Now!"

"Gladly!" Callie muttered back, while glaring at Mariana. She got up to her feet fast, grabbed her sandwich that she had dropped to the blanket when her and Mariana had started to shout at one another and stormed off into the woods.

I jumped up to my feet and ran after Callie, who was going deeper in the woods.

"Callie! Wait up!" I called as I was trying to catch up with her

"Your sister is a lunatic!" Callie told me as she kept walking "Completely bananas!"

"What happened?" I asked, when I was finally walking next to her

"I don't want to talk about it right now, Jude!"

"Okay, we not talking about it," I said as I following her on her six

We had walked for maybe 5 minutes, when Callie finally stopped marching and stopped. She tilted her head down. I heard her sniff few times. He shoulders trembled lightly.

"Callie?" I asked softly, not understanding what was happening, why she suddenly seemed so upset and emotional

Gingerly I took step closer to her and put my hand on her shoulder. The moment my palm touched her shoulder, Callie cried out as she covered her face with her hands. Next thing I know, she turned around and buried her face in my shoulder. Her arms wrap around me tightly. I felt her fingertips press into my back as she was holding on to me.

"She scared me so much, Jude!" Callie whispered out as I gently put my arms around her as well, to keep her close to me

I leaned my head to her head and closed my eyes "It's okay, Callie. Mariana is okay," I said soothingly

Callie POV

After our lunch pause, we got back into our boats and continued on with our journey. The seating remained the same as it was. Cooper, Jesus and Jude were leading. Lena and I followed them closely behind. Amy, Frankie and Duke followed us, but Stef, Brandon and Mariana were the last ones.

It wasn't long after we had been on the water, that Lena spoke up "You have changed," Lena stated as she slowly and softly was rowing the boat

"Changed?" I asked not getting what she was referring to

"You see the world differently, than you did before," Lena clarified, but at the same time, not really

"Before?" prepelexed I raised my eyebrow at her "Before what?"

"Before you became a paramedic," Lena pointed out. I shifted in my seat and looked to the riverside, to the woods we were slowly passing, suddenly feeling uncomfortable as to how easy it was for Lena to read me like that

"Your perception of the World, of certain situations - has changed. The World in your eyes has become more dangerous. Now you see all the ways a situation can turn badly. You see all the ways people close to you, people you care about, people you love - could get hurt. Not that you didn't see it before, but now...now it scares and worries you more than it did before, because you have seen the aftermath of tragic accidents. You see how it affects people," Lena explained casually

Everything Lena said was absolutely right. Not that it surprised me anymore. I purse my lips together and looked back at Lena.

"So what is going to be your big advice?" I tilted my head slightly to one side as I continued to keep my eyes on the older woman in front of me

A small smirk appeared on her lips "Just talk to her when we are at our camp tonight,"

I blew out a breath and averted my gaze to the river by my left side "Well, that's lame," after one breathe I added "And simple,"

Lena let the paddles go, allowing them to hang down in the water. She leaned towards me and placed her hands on my knees "Why complicate things?" She asked me rethoricaly "Tell her how it made you feel. Explain to her, why you were so worried. Let her know, why her actions got you so scared,"

I sighed and glanced back to Lena. She smiled at me.

"Do you think she's still mad at me for calling her moonstruck lunatic?"

Lena shook her head, showing it could go both ways "You did yell it at her,"

"I did it out of love?" I tried to make an excuse

~o~o~o~

After some 4 hours of going down the river, we finally reached our today's destination point. We all worked together to set up our tents, getting fire for campfire and making dinner.

Not too far away from us, a bit lower the riverback, we all saw that another family or group of friends had camped out for the night. Same as us, they had boats. From the far and through the bushes and trees we saw only two tents. We didn't spent too much attention to them, we simply were aware that this time, another group of people were camped out not too far away from us. To us it simply meant, we should try and be more quiet, not to disturbe them.

I was crouched down by the campfire, checking the soup that was in making. The soup still needed another few minutes. Still crouched down, I glanced to our tent. Mariana and Frankie were in there, setting up their mattress and sleeping bags.

"Brandon," I said standing up. He was sitting on the ground, his back against some old tree stem, that was put there as a bench "Keep and eye out for the soup, will you?"

"Sure thing," He smiled back and continued to poke the fire with the small tree branch he had picked up

I made my way over to the tent. Mariana looked up to me, throwing daggers my way with her look, but quickly averted her look down. We hadn't exchange a word, not since the lunch. I think Frankie was mad at me as well as she was sticking close with Mariana and hasn't said a word to me as well. Not to mention the looks, she gave me looks as well. Hurting her sister was not a smart idea.

"Frankie, can you give me and Mariana a minute, please?" I asked looking down to the small girl

"Are you going to call her moonstruck lunatic again?" Frankie questioned and then lectured me "That wasn't nice! Calling people names is bad!" She sounded very much like Lena

"You're right. That was mean of me. But I promise I won't call her names," I answered. Frankie looked back at her sister, who was rolling out the sleeping back. Mariana didn't even briefly look up to me. She ignored me.

"Okay, but I'll be watching you!" Frankie pointed to me and said in her most threathening voice. I raised my hands up, showing her I understand her warning and that I'm going to keep it civil.

Frankie got up from her knees and walked out of the tent, leaving Mariana and me alone. She was behaving like I wasn't there. No longer acknowledgeding me as a someone who mattered.

I moved deeper inside the tent and sat down on my mattress and sleeping bag, which was on the other side of Frankie's, who was set up in the middle of the tent.

I was having trouble starting the conversation, because I didn't know what to tell her. Mariana wasn't making it any easier.

"On my last week of my training, when I was driving along paramedics to calls, we had this one emergency," I started, Mariana didn't even look at me for a second "It was in some rich neighborhood. Three story houses or should I say - mansions. Expensive cars. Pools. Poolside houses."

"Why are you telling me this?" Mariana snapped back at me already done with me "What does it have to do with anything?"

"Just let me finish, please!" I said calmly and continued on with my story "Anyway, there had been a party going on in one of the houses. Teenager party. They couldn't be older than me or you. There was loud music. Alcohol. Typical stuff."

"Some guys, had decided that it would be fun to jump in the pool, not from the side or like the dive board, but from the roof of the house," I explained. Mariana shifted in her seat, getting slightly curious about the stroy, but I could tell she was still angry with me.

"The guy, who had jumped from the roof first-" I touched my lips and nose with my hands real quick "He, uh..he jumped in on his head. What he hadn't realized, was that the pool was too shallow for that sort of jump. The guy had hit his head on the bottom of the pool. He had a spinal cord injury," I said pointing to my back of the neck

"What happened to him?" Mariana asked quietly

"He's paralyzed and will spend the rest of his life in wheelchair," I replied sadly

"When you jumped out of the boat like that, with your head first and didn't swim up straight away – it reminded me of that call I just told you about," I explained "That scared me, very much. But mostly I was angry, because I couldn't understand why you – one of the smartest persons I know – would do something so reckless and careless, and endanger your own life like that," as I talked, I got more emotional as time went on. Mariana's features softened as I continued on with the stroy.

"You are like a sister to me and if something like that happened to you, I would never forgive myself. I know I overreacted by yelling at you. That was wrong. It's like my anger took over-" I bit my lip as I trailed off not wanting to think about it anymore

"I'm sorry," Mariana said softly "You are right. I was reckless and didn't think about safety. I didn't even think about how my stunt could have ended. I'm sorry that I scared you so much. It was never my intention," I nodded my head back slowly as I listened to you

"Can we hug it out?" Mariana asked warily. I nodded my head back vigorously wanting nothing else in this moment.

"I'm also sorry I called you moonstruck lunatic and crazy bananas," I said, when I leaned in the hug

"I forgive you!" She replied "You're like a sister to me as well," Mariana whispered, when we were in the hug

"Aren't you going to say that you overreacted about the tore?" I asked as we were still in the hug, my chin was pressed to her left shoulder. It was like the moment of truth. I expected her to say something about it.

"Nop, because I didn't. That tore was huge! It could have sunk us!" Mariana replied making me laugh out "I'm never getting in that boat ever again!"

Cooper POV

August 15th

It was the next morning. Everyone was already up and everyone was occupied with whatever they were doing. Our fire was already on. The hot water for tea was still boiling.

I had just gathered some more wood for the fire, when I heard someone call out "Hello there!" a man waved at me from the bushes. He stood on the side, where the groupd of people had camped out.

Everyone in our camp, briefly froze in their actions. I dropped the three logs down to the fire.

"Hello!" I replied and walked towards the man. Looking over my shoulder I saw how everyone went back to what they were doing before, like nothing had happened, knowing that I will handle this.

"I'm Jerry," he extended his arm to me

"Cooper," I shook his hand

"Me and my friends are camped out right there," he pointed over his shoulder to the other camp "So, we woke up this morning and...well, as embarrasing as it is, we are out of matches. Can't light a fire. We had only packed one match box and we used the last on our campfire the night before,"

"That's why I always follow a check list!" I chuckled back

He laughed softly as well "That was probably a smart idea. I will write one the next time,"

"Right," I laughed along

"Anyway, do you by any chance have some matches you could spare?" He asked me

"Yeah, I think we have a box we could spare," I explained "Be right back," I told him and went to find one of our spare match box. When I returned to him, I handed him the match box.

"Thank you so much. You're a life saver!"

"Happy to help," I replied, but noticed how he kept looking over my shoulder to the family

"Anything else you need help with?" I asked not liking the way he observed them. He snapped out of his thought and looked back at me. Then his look once again was averted to the family behind me.

"Hey..you-you are the..." He pointed to me, suddenly looking very excited "Oh, man!"

"What?" I asked confused

"Oh this is great!" He smiled widely at me "I never thought I would meet someone like you in real life!"

"What are you talking about?" I was now prepelexed about what he was talking about

"Your sister wives. What else could I be talking about man!" The Jerry guy gave me a quick pat on my elbow "Man, all three of your wives are so fucking hot!"

"My what?" I blurred out shocked and amused at the same time

"Sister wives!" He repeated "Like that show...on TLC!" The guy was no staring at Lena, Stef and Amy

The guy had said it so loud, that Stef, Lena and Amy had heard him. I heard Stef ask the guy the next moment "What did you just call us?"