by Kahlen Aymes
Dylan shrugged. “I guess.”
“You guess? I’d love all that stuff!” I could see my nephew was still not convinced. “Listen, we have all week to play cowboy, and when we get in the tent, we can make plans for the week. Okay?”
“Yay! Come on, Gemmy,” Remi called happily to the puppy and they both hurried toward the house.
Dylan stayed behind as I gathered the canteens and made my way toward the water spigot. He watched me fill the first one, then unscrewed the plastic lid off of the second one and held it under the water stream when I was finished. He struggled holding it steady with his smaller hands and the lid, attached by a short chain got caught up in it, and the water splashed everywhere.
I shut the water off when it was finally filled. “It’s so cool on your ranch! You have your own campground water spigot, and everything!”
“It’s Marin’s ranch, sport.” I reached out and ruffled his head. “Maybe next summer you can come spend more time with me and we can ask some of your friends from Billings to join for a week or so. Would you like that?”
“Oh, boy! Would I! Thanks, Uncle Ben!” His face lit up in a huge smile.
“Well, let’s not get our cart before the horse. We have to clear it with your folks, first.”
“They’ll say yes! I know it!”
I couldn’t help but chuckle as Dylan followed me back to the fire and I dumped the contents of the canteen in my hands over the now smoldering coals; the remnants of the campfire. “Go ahead and pour yours on there, too, but do it slowly so sparks don’t start flying around. Then we need to poke around the embers with a stick and make sure all of the orange glow is out.”
He did exactly as he’d seen me do and after another trip to fill the canteens again, the embers were out. We refilled them and stashed them in one corner of the tent. “I’ll unroll the sleeping bags and you go get ready then come back out here with Remi, Gem and Marin. I’m gonna get the horses bedded down.”
“Can’t I help?” Dylan asked. “I’m good at getting my PJs on super-fast.”
“It’s getting dark, and you might get hurt out here. I just have to call them. These horses are more like dogs. I just offer them a snack and bang, they’re in their stalls. You can help me tomorrow, buddy. Everyone is tired tonight.”
“Awwww…” he complained.
I chuckled and ruffled his soft hair. “There is plenty of work to be done tomorrow. Get going. Hurry up.”
After Dylan reluctantly did as I asked and he was on his way to the house, I grabbed a handful of alfalfa and started calling the horses, waving it in front of me. “Hup! Come on! Hup! Come on, horses! Let’s go to bed! Hup!”
It wasn’t long and they were trotting toward me and one by one, I got them in their stalls. It was a lot more work than I let on to my nephew, especially with my side still tight from the injury. The wound was healing nicely but most of the flexibility had disappeared from the skin around the fresh scar. When I shut the door to the last stall, Dylan, Marin and Remi were waiting for me outside of the tent. They were all fresh faced from baths in PJs and flip flops. Remi was holding Gem in her arms.
“Your turn to wash up. Your sister, Teagan and Jace are settled. I’ll stay with the kids.” Marin said.
“Are you sure?”
“Pfft. Of course. You need to change your dressing. Can you do it or do you need my help?”
My lips pressed together in a grin. I was scheduled for a follow-up appointment with my doctor on Wednesday to get the stitches out. “I can do it. I wish I could leave it off.”
“You’re not supposed to get the stitches wet, Ben,” Marin admonished.
“Ah. Okay. I can manage.” It was the first time since I’d been wounded that she wasn’t going to help me. “The sleeping bags are laid out.”
“Great!” She rewarded me with a smile. There was something in her eyes meant only for me.
I reached out and grabbed her hand as I passed her. She was herding the kids into the tent and I was leaving to go into the house and our fingers entwined fleetingly, but it was enough to send electricity through my body. I’d been wanting to touch her all night, but we’d been preoccupied with keeping the little ones entertained. Maybe I’d be able to sneak a kiss or two once they were sleeping. I glanced over my shoulder to find Marin watching me go. I couldn’t help but smile at the rush it gave me. Her eyes on me, her hand in mine, the prospect of us… it was enough. It was everything.
MARIN
I had Dylan all snuggled into his own sleeping bag, but Remi was reluctant to go to sleep and lingered, sitting on top of my bag with me.
“Honey, do you want to sleep in the house with your mom?” I asked. Maybe she was reluctant to be away. Earlier in the day and at the bonfire I’d witnessed how close she and Teagan seemed. I reached out and took a strand of her hair in my hand and tucked it behind her ear.
She shook her head. “No, but can I sleep in your sleeping bag with you?” she asked timidly. “Dylan said there are bears and stuff outside.”
“There can be, but Uncle Ben will be with us, and they usually don’t come up to the house. They’re more in the mountains and in Yellowstone. They know to stay away from people. We don’t bother them, so they don’t bother us.” Mostly, I thought.
“Have you seen any?” Remi asked.
“Sure, but not this close to the house.” I unzipped the plush blue bag that my uncle had given me when I was eleven. It was faded blue color, but still warm. I hadn’t wanted a new one, even when he offered. Dylan was using Uncle Leonard’s and Ben had a couple of his own but borrowed three more from his friends for the other adults to use tomorrow night.
Ben had laid the plush comforters I’d supplied from the house on the tent floor and underneath the sleeping bags, so we’d be quite comfortable.
I crawled inside and held it open for Remi to join me. “Grab your pillow and come on over here. I’m excited to sleep out here, aren’t you? It’s cozy.”
“Yes,” she said with a grin. The little girl did as she was told and was soon ensconced in the bag next to me, with my arms wrapped around her.
“Remi, I thought you wanted to sleep with the dog,” Dylan chastised blandly, yawning and half asleep.
“I do, but I wanna talk to Auntie Marin, too. Gem can sleep on my pillow. Come here, Gemmy,” she called to the pup and patted the pillow next to her head, but the dog laid down in on the edge of the sleeping bag. “I can pet her, like this.” Her little hand reached out to smooth over Gemmy’s glossy coat again and again. “See?”
“Your mouth works in your own sleeping bag,” he said wryly. “Gosh, girls are lame sometimes.” Dylan rolled onto his side but was facing Remi and me. His bag was closest to the wall of the tent and Ben’s closest to the door.
“Well, boys are dumb,” Remi shot back, and I decided to distract her before a squabble broke out.
“Whatever,” Dylan shot back.
“You don’t have to be afraid, Remi. Your Uncle Ben is quite protective of you. Mine was of me, too.”
“You have an uncle?”
“Yup, but he died some months ago”
“That’s sad,” Remi said softly. “I’m sorry.”
“It was very sad to lose him, but I’m still happy to have had him. I came to live with him on the ranch when I was a little older than you. He was my favorite person for a very long time.”
“Uncle Ben’s super cool,” Dylan added. “I miss him a lot.”
“I can see why. From what I’ve seen so far, he’s an amazing uncle.”
“You’re Uncle Ben’s damsel,” Remi said out of the blue. “Right?”
My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Um…” I began. “What?”
“Well, Mommy said he rescued you from a fire, didn’t he?”
It wasn’t exactly that way, but close enough. “He did, yes.”
“So, then, you’re his damsel. Did he do some other stuff to protect you, too?”
“Uhh, yes,” I said slowly. He
came to get me in Minneapolis, he stood up for me in the bar and he took the goons on in the yard. It hit me how many times. “Come to think of it, he has.”
“So, see? You’re his damsel, then.” Remi was resolute in her logic. “If he does stuff over and over, then for sure, you’re his damsel.”
“Hmmmm…” I stalled, not sure what else to say.
Remi pulled the sleeping bag up to her chin with one hand, but her other arm was out and resting on the puppy snuggled next to her.
I reached across to pet my puppy, but her eyes were already closed, and she responded by doing that smacking thing dogs do before they go to sleep when they feel safe that always warmed my heart. Dogs and kids were so precious.
I was saved from further conversation about the damsel thing because the zipper on the outside flap of the tent unzipped and Gem’s head popped up and she barked. “Hey, everyone comfy in here?” he asked as he unzipped the screen layer then bent to zip them both up again, after he came inside.
“Sure are, Uncle Ben,” Dylan answered.
Ben surveyed the inside of the tent with a small flashlight, locating his sleeping bag and one of the pillows I’d brought out from the house. “I guess this is my spot?” he asked and then settled in.
“The biggest and strongest has to sleep by the door and save us from bears,” Remi answered. “That’s you, Uncle Ben.”
I chuckled and Ben huffed out a laugh as he unzipped his bag and slid inside, arranging his pillow before he laid down and zipped up the bag from the inside. “Is that so? I guess that makes sense.”
“Yup!” Remi was very enthusiastic.
“You are the biggest and strongest,” I added cheekily.
“I am, huh?” Ben asked, amused.
“Oh, definitely,” I teased. We both laughed under our breath. It was almost completely dark so I couldn’t see his eyes, but I felt them on me, as he situated himself in his own sleeping bag on the other side of mine and zipped it up. Ben rolled onto his side and propped up his head with one arm.
“Okay, so what do you kids wanna do tomorrow? We can do anything you want.”
“Ride the ponies!” Remi answered.
“Go fishing!” Dylan said.
“Fishing?” Remi said with disdain. “Yuk. Fishing is boring and stinky.”
“Maybe we can do other things near the stream while the boys fish,” I suggested. “We can go on a nature walk and treasure hunt or make something yummy to eat on the campfire. We can ride horses tomorrow and do another bonfire tomorrow night because both of your dads missed out tonight. Then plan a trip into the mountains on Sunday for fishing.”
“That’s sounds like a good plan, then we can take a drive into Yellowstone on Monday. I sure hope Jensen rents a big SUV.”
My heart fell a little bit. I suddenly wished I didn’t have to start my new job, but it was way too close to the start date to change my mind. I’d be leaving the diner owner in a lurch and I couldn’t do that.
“I can text my dad and tell him!” Dylan said, then reached for the phone tucked under his pillow.”
“Hey, no phones on a camp out! We’re roughin’ it! That’s what Jensey said, remember Dylan?”
She was so adorable that I couldn’t help squeezing her and kissing the top of her head. “This is semi-roughin’ it. If we really went all in, you’d have to pee over a log.”
A laugh burst from Ben’s chest. “That would be just awful,” he said wryly. My mind conjured him rolling his eyes.
“Not us guys, cuz we get to stand up.” Pride rang through Dylan’s voice.
“Not to poop!” Remi burst his bubble. “Didn’t think about that, did ya?”
“Well, you have to do it for both, Remi! So there!”
I couldn’t help but giggle out loud as an uproarious laugh from Ben split the night air, and the kids joined in.
“Seriously, logs aren’t that bad. A little rough on the butt cheeks, maybe.” I’d been on many camping trips with Uncle Leonard, and I was an expert at using nature for a bathroom. “I’ll help you, Remi.”
“What do you do with your poop, after?” Dylan had the innocent curiosity of a child of his age.
“You bury it,” I explained. “We always take a shovel for that.”
“Wow.” Ben continued laughing, harder now and more like a chortle. “As much as I’m loving this conversation, I think we should get some sleep. We’ve got a big day ahead of us. Is everyone warm enough?”
“Yes, thank you, Uncle Ben.” Remi sighed sleepily. “I’m tired.”
“Heck, it’s not even cold,” Dylan exclaimed.
“It will get colder before morning, so hunker down, now.”
Remi was pinned between my body inside the sleeping bag, and Gem’s next to her and so we were toasty warm. I was anxious for the kids to fall asleep so that I could sneak a moment with Ben.
“But we didn’t tell ghost stories yet,” Dylan complained.
“Yeah, buddy, but you and Remi are tired, and we have lots to do tomorrow. Ghost stories tomorrow night around the campfire. Deal?” Ben asked.
“Oh, okay.” His disappointment was clear, though he yawned again.
“You’re here all week, kiddo. We’ve got lots of time. Besides, Marin is going to teach us all how to ride horses tomorrow.”
“Can we go say goodnight to Dark?” Remi asked.
I hugged her close to me. “He’s already sleeping, honey.” I didn’t think Ben, who was just getting settled and who had already said he’d bedded the horses down, would want to revisit the stable. “We can go see him first thing in the morning and you can help us feed the horses and watch Dark nurse. He’s still just a newborn and needs lots of sleep.” I kissed the side of her head. Her soft hair smelled like flowers.
“Okay, Auntie Marin.”
Ben was closer now so I could see his face in planes of varying shadow. He caught my eye and winked. “Good idea, Auntie Marin,” he said, reaching over and squeezed my shoulder. “You’re kind of good at this.”
My heart sped up at his touch. I wanted to feel his arms around me, his mouth on mine, if only for a goodnight kiss. I was lying on my side facing him, but my arms were around Remi who was lying beside me in my bag, so she and Gemmy were between us.
She solved my problem. “Aren’t ya gonna kiss her goodnight, Uncle Ben?”
He chuckled and my face split into an embarrassed smile.
“Um…” he hesitated.
“She’s your damsel, isn’t she?” she asked innocently.
“Uhhh,” Ben was as still as stone.
“Ugh!” Dylan lamented. “All dudes don’t kiss girls. You keep saying you’re my damsel and you don’t see me slobbering all over you, do ya?”
Remi wasn’t put out. “That’s cuz you’re just a kid, but someday you will.”
“Gross! Will not!”
“You’ll see,” Remi insisted.
“Ugh!” Dylan said again and buried his head under his pillow.
Ben laughed out loud. “Not all guys slobber, Dylan.”
A groan emitted from underneath Dylan’s pillow. I laughed softly. This was too much fun.
“We aren’t gonna sleep until you kiss her.” Remi stood her ground.
“Oh, okay. If I must,” Ben finally acquiesced. He leaned forward and placed a very soft, kiss on my mouth. It was still delicious the way his lips and the tip of his tongue teased mine in the brief contact. Ben cupped Remi’s cheek and kissed the top of her head. “Satisfied?” he asked.
“Yes,” Remi nodded. Her silky head moved beneath my chin as I held her close.
“Makes one of us,” Ben muttered. “Goodnight.”
I laughed softly. “Goodnight.”
After everyone settled down, the zipper to my sleeping bag inched down and Ben’s big hand wrapped around mine as the soft sounds of the night surrounded us.
BEN
I awoke to the sound of Marin crying.
I lifted my head. The soft light of dawn was peeking th
rough the material of the tent to softly illuminate the inside. She was sitting up holding her face; Remi and Dylan were still fast asleep.
“Marin? What’s the matter?” I kept my voice soft.
She shook her head and started to slide out of the sleeping bag, careful not to disturb the sleeping little girl. “Nothing,” she whispered. “I just have to get up and get breakfast going.”
I sat up, pushed out of my sleeping bag while Marin shoved her feet into her old Vans. Then she was unzipping the double layer of doors to the tent and rushing through. Gemmy got up and scampered after her owner. In a split second I was on my feet and following regardless of my lack of shoes.
The gravel, rocks and dried grass poked into my feet painfully. “Marin, wait!” I hissed the words in an urgent whisper. I didn’t want to wake the kids before I got to the bottom of this. She must have had another bad dream. “Tell me what’s going on!”
I caught up to her as she hit the lawn of the house and reached out to grab her arm. “Wait.” When I turned her around, I could see the tears were still rolling down her face. “What happened, did you have a bad dream? I told you. I won’t let Apollo—”
“That’s not it,” she interrupted. Marin hastily brushed the tears from her face with both hands, backing away from me. “This isn’t going to work, Ben.”
That was the last thing I expected her to say. “What?” was all I could get out. I was stunned.
“It’s just too soon. You deserve someone who isn’t screwed up like this.”
I took two steps forward as a need to hold her engulfed me, but she backed up, just out of my grasp. “Well, I want you,” I said. My heart was starting to ache inside my chest. “I’m willing to wait–”
“I don’t want you to wait! It’s just… nothing good will come from it.” She was nervous, running her hands through her hair, pacing back in forth in front of me like she was possessed.
I felt the air leave my body; I felt like I’d been punched in the stomach. “I don’t get this, Marin. You’re doing this now when my family is here?” I was gutted.
“Carter died, Ben!”
“This again?” I sighed heavily as I stood there in front of this crazy person that used to be Marin. I reached for her again and she retreated. I ran a hand through my hair and then put my hand on my hip. This was too much. I wasn’t sure if I was trying to reason with her or I was fighting for my life.
