The Sweetest Baker

Chapter 16--Campfire Singoff

By the end of the week, we had all grown tired of Dad constantly trying to be some kind of fix-it-dad. As a result of this, we went to go to the Murtaughs more and more often. At this point, we had stopped caring about what Dad thought about the situation. We felt bad, sure, but he was driving us so nuts that we couldn't deal with him anymore so there we were, walking home from the Murtaughs secretly hoping Dad hadn't thought of any more stupid plans. We were mistaken though when Henry, Mark, Mike, Jake, Sarah, and I walked up to the house to see Dad was trying to put a tent up. The boys called 'hi' as they ran ahead but he stopped me and Sarah.

"Did you guys get bored over at the Murtaughs?" he asked as I rolled my eyes walking away knowing what this would lead to.

"No, it was cool! We're going back after study time," Sarah informed him.

"Hey, I'm glad Hunter was able to convince you to study. The last time she did, it didn't go down too well," he answered causing me to scoff to myself. Did he really think Sarah was talking about herself? She had been getting better grades but someone always had to sit directly next to her to make sure she actually did her homework. What made it even more weirder was that he was shocked when he found out it wasn't us but them.

My sister ran up to the house as I made sure Mike could get his lifejacket off running inside holding his hand letting go when we got in the living room so he could go play with Kyle, Nigel, and Gunner. I needed to go find Lorraine and Charlie and inform them of this new information. I went into the girl's loft to see Lorraine playing with Kim and Jessica's hair as they looked through books together. She stopped, however, when she saw me scooting over so that Jessica could sit on my lap.

"What's Dad doing this time?" she wondered.

"Whatever it is, I don't wanna know," Jessica mumbled causing her twin to nod in agreement.

"Apparently, we're going camping tonight," I told them regretting to inform this to them. Their eyes widened.

"But Hunter! Our clothes will get dirty," Kim complained. I chuckled noticing the girls still hadn't changed.

"Don't worry, girls. We'll be sleeping in sleeping bags," I told them calmly trying everything to try and calm them down to the best of my ability.

"As if that's going to be much better?" Lorraine asked. "It's bad enough that he forced me to come down here when he knew I had plans."

Normally, I would've scolded my sister but I knew this was partly because Dad had gone back to telling her Chicago was the better place for her. From what she had complained about to me, this seemed to be the case. It was yet another reason to feel partly cold towards Dad. I had to admit. I felt bad for her so I just grabbed her hand and gave her a sympathetic look.

"I'm sure it'll all work out," I told her. Kim stared at me not amused.

"Great. Now you're taking Dad's side?! What's next? You're going to side with him over the rivalry?"

"Shut up," Lorraine defended me causing me to smirk, wanting to say the same. Believe me. I love them. They're adorable together but the mind-reading and the sassiness really seemed to annoy me. Yet again, which one of my sisters wasn't sassy?

~~~~~~

Later that night, I sat near Mike and Henry who were in the middle of making an epic rock picture. My book was open and I was studying for the next term writing down notes as I went. It was hard to concentrate on what I really wanted to though with my siblings all talking to each other around me. I rolled my eyes closing my book and putting it right next to me right as I saw Lorraine attempt to move her beach chair near the camping setup.