If Not For You

Chapter 45

        Joe woke up first.  He was never really a sleeper.  He crawled out of the tent he shared with Paul and made his way to Paul's trunk where they were storing the food.  There were rarely bear sightings, but since they had planned on drinking this weekend they figured they should take all precautions and keep the food in their vehicles.  Joe pulled out the eggs and bacon and dug out pots and pans from the bags in Jax's truck bed.  Just like ants to a picnic basket, Joe could hear his friends stirring in their tents.

        First Jax came out with his shirt on backwards and inside out.  Lena followed wearing Jax's sweat pants from the night before, it was obvious that they had hooked up last night.  Joe snickered but knew that if he had a girl here he would've done the same thing.  "I'm guessing you two worked up an appetite."

        Lena smirked looking proud.  "I don't know what you're talking about."  She crossed over to the fire.  "Here I'll do the bacon.  Nobody will eat it if you burn it."

        "That's not true," responded Jax, "Joe will eat anything!"  He walked over to the picnic table and started clearing off the clutter from the night before.

        Joe was attempting to flip the eggs with a wooden spoon because someone had forgotten to pack a spatula.  "You say it like it's a bad thing.  Try growing up without a mom and tell me how well your dad cooks."

        Jax turned towards Joe.  "Yes but the man can grill."  Both Joe and Jax lifted their hands up with their index finger and thumb spread apart.  They then said in unison, "the steaks were this big five minutes ago!"  They followed it up with laughter obviously referencing something from their childhood.

        Obviously missing something Lena looked at both of them like they were nuts.  "Um, okay."

        Jax smiled.  "You had to be there babe."  Joe nodded his head in agreement.

        "Sorry I missed it."  She said insincerely.  Lena then turned back to the bacon.

        Ben and Jenna crawled out of their tents.  Jenna looked around.  "Where's Paul?"

        "Still sleeping."  Jax was walking back from fishing out the pot and coffee from his truck.

        Jenna's mouth moved into a devilish grin.  "Oh yeah."  Before anyone could respond she disappeared through the flaps of Paul's tent.

        "What the hell?"  They heard Paul scream followed by Jenna's laughter.  "How old are you?"  His voice had turned playful.

        "Not as old as you old man."  Nobody could see what was going on but the next thing they knew Jenna was yelling and Paul came out of the tent pulling Jenna behind him.

As soon as he was out of the tent he threw her tiny frame over his shoulder.  "I may be old but at least I'm not wet."

        Jenna was kicking her legs, trying to get free.  "What are you talking about?  I'm not wet."

        Paul kept walking down the trail.  "Not yet you aren't."

They could tell the exact moment that Jenna realized what Paul was doing.  Her face turned to complete determination and she was pounding her fists on his back.  "Paul if you get me wet I will never forgive you.  Never, ever, ever."  With every word she said she got louder and louder.  "Ben!  Help me!"

"Calling for your boyfriend huh?"  Paul sounded disappointed.  "I thought you were an independent woman!  Tsk, tsk."

Paul kept walking towards the lake.  Lena was turning the bacon.  "Hello assholes.  Go help her."