My head was too muddled and I couldn’t come up with anything. Buggers!
"We should say goodnight now, we have to be up early." I couldn’t hide my reluctance.
The boys objected to saying goodnight, to my delight.
You would think I would be used to this by now. I still hadn’t figured out a nice way to get rid of boys that couldn’t take a hint. Not that I was doing any major hinting, mind you. I was glad they ignored my trivial attempts to get rid of them. It pleased me that Kevin stuck around, anyway. I wished the brooding Mark would leave because he was putting a damper on our little group with his snide remarks and glowering. I hadn’t seen him not frown since Kevin showed up.
Tam didn’t pay attention to Mark, as she was right there enjoying any little bit of attention Randy dropped her way.
All too soon, and not quickly enough - depending on how you looked at it - Sue and Dad came to check on us. Tim was with them, frowning. This was his chance to be with the guys and the guys wanted to be with his dopey sisters. I looked at him and shrugged, he shrugged back. He was almost as tired of this as I was.
"Okay, guys." Dad motioned with his hands. "Time to head to the bunkhouse."
Tim looked confused. "Bunkhouse? I thought we were sleeping in the basement?"
Dad lifted one eyebrow at Tim. "I meant basement."
"Ah shucks, I would rather sleep in a real bunkhouse."
Dad herded the guys down the hall.
Kevin spoke over Dad's shoulder. "Goodnight, Sylvia. If you need anything just ask."
"Goodnight, Sylv." Mark glowered at Kevin as Dad pushed them down the hall.
Randy didn't need pushing and waved shyly as he followed with Tim.
Finally, the day was over.
Sue stepped in and closed the door. My stomach growled. I headed for the food basket and dug in. She helped Tam find her pajamas and tooth brush. I liked watching them together. I used to imagine my mother doing the same for me. I’m not a little girl anymore and understand that she didn’t love me enough to stick around and be a part of my life.
Opening my suitcase, I swallowed a granola bar. It was a little tough getting it past the lump in my throat. Pulling out my nightgown I changed in the corner.
Barbara knocked on the door and Sue let her in.
“You have the run of the upstairs. The boys have been banished to the basement for the duration of the night, with threat of their lives if they come up.”
With the good news Tam and I trotted off to the bathroom to wash our faces and brush our teeth. How she managed to finish up without falling over, as dead on her feet as she was, remained beyond me. All the while my little sister mumbled nonstop about Randy. She was so cute when she had a crush. If she hadn’t been so tired, I would’ve teased her about it. Tomorrow I would torment her, when she was fully awake, and a bigger row can be gotten out of her.
When we returned, Sue and Barbara were laughing about something. They wouldn’t tell us what the joke was. It must’ve been some adult thing they thought we were too young to hear. It’s very frustrating when adults do that. Tam may have been too young, but I certainly wasn’t.
The two women got along well. Of course, it would’ve been hard not to get along with Kevin’s mom. She was bubbly and vivacious. You couldn’t stop being cheerful around her. I appreciated how happy Sue looked. If we could take Barbara with us, Sue might be in a good mood all the time. Too bad there wasn’t some way to bottle it. I would’ve bought gallons of it.
Tam and I curled up on the end of the bed and spent the next hour talking and giggling with the older women, something I’d never done with Sue. It was like having a slumber party, only with a couple of adults. Even so, it was fun.
I tried to be discreet as I continued to eat fruit and granola bars. Barbara never seemed to notice. Sue did, though. She probably was frustrated because she couldn’t say anything in front of the other woman. My stomach
"We should say goodnight now, we have to be up early." I couldn’t hide my reluctance.
The boys objected to saying goodnight, to my delight.
You would think I would be used to this by now. I still hadn’t figured out a nice way to get rid of boys that couldn’t take a hint. Not that I was doing any major hinting, mind you. I was glad they ignored my trivial attempts to get rid of them. It pleased me that Kevin stuck around, anyway. I wished the brooding Mark would leave because he was putting a damper on our little group with his snide remarks and glowering. I hadn’t seen him not frown since Kevin showed up.
Tam didn’t pay attention to Mark, as she was right there enjoying any little bit of attention Randy dropped her way.
All too soon, and not quickly enough - depending on how you looked at it - Sue and Dad came to check on us. Tim was with them, frowning. This was his chance to be with the guys and the guys wanted to be with his dopey sisters. I looked at him and shrugged, he shrugged back. He was almost as tired of this as I was.
"Okay, guys." Dad motioned with his hands. "Time to head to the bunkhouse."
Tim looked confused. "Bunkhouse? I thought we were sleeping in the basement?"
Dad lifted one eyebrow at Tim. "I meant basement."
"Ah shucks, I would rather sleep in a real bunkhouse."
Dad herded the guys down the hall.
Kevin spoke over Dad's shoulder. "Goodnight, Sylvia. If you need anything just ask."
"Goodnight, Sylv." Mark glowered at Kevin as Dad pushed them down the hall.
Randy didn't need pushing and waved shyly as he followed with Tim.
Finally, the day was over.
Sue stepped in and closed the door. My stomach growled. I headed for the food basket and dug in. She helped Tam find her pajamas and tooth brush. I liked watching them together. I used to imagine my mother doing the same for me. I’m not a little girl anymore and understand that she didn’t love me enough to stick around and be a part of my life.
Opening my suitcase, I swallowed a granola bar. It was a little tough getting it past the lump in my throat. Pulling out my nightgown I changed in the corner.
Barbara knocked on the door and Sue let her in.
“You have the run of the upstairs. The boys have been banished to the basement for the duration of the night, with threat of their lives if they come up.”
With the good news Tam and I trotted off to the bathroom to wash our faces and brush our teeth. How she managed to finish up without falling over, as dead on her feet as she was, remained beyond me. All the while my little sister mumbled nonstop about Randy. She was so cute when she had a crush. If she hadn’t been so tired, I would’ve teased her about it. Tomorrow I would torment her, when she was fully awake, and a bigger row can be gotten out of her.
When we returned, Sue and Barbara were laughing about something. They wouldn’t tell us what the joke was. It must’ve been some adult thing they thought we were too young to hear. It’s very frustrating when adults do that. Tam may have been too young, but I certainly wasn’t.
The two women got along well. Of course, it would’ve been hard not to get along with Kevin’s mom. She was bubbly and vivacious. You couldn’t stop being cheerful around her. I appreciated how happy Sue looked. If we could take Barbara with us, Sue might be in a good mood all the time. Too bad there wasn’t some way to bottle it. I would’ve bought gallons of it.
Tam and I curled up on the end of the bed and spent the next hour talking and giggling with the older women, something I’d never done with Sue. It was like having a slumber party, only with a couple of adults. Even so, it was fun.
I tried to be discreet as I continued to eat fruit and granola bars. Barbara never seemed to notice. Sue did, though. She probably was frustrated because she couldn’t say anything in front of the other woman. My stomach
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