That's my girl(Dream Daddy Robert)

BBQ part 3

I glance across the yard and notice Robert and Brian chatting over drinks, Man. I don't think I want to deal with being one-upped by Brian or...whatever happened with Robert last night... crap they caught me staring, oh on Brian's waving me over..great... I flash a smile and walk over to them "hey...guys" I say forcing a smile

Brian smiles "Celeste!!! How are the heck yah? Settling into the neighborhood alright?"

"Oh, you betech. Got the living room in order at least"

"that's great to hear! I've been doing some living room work as well. Finally got the 50" in there. The game looks great in high def" oh boy "Celeste, have you met Robert yet?"

I nod "Yeah, we've met" I ALMOST SLEPT WITH HIM!!!!

Robert regards me over his whiskey "Good seeing you again" yeah..... I bet it is....

"we were just talking about my most recent camping trip. Spent a night out in the woods with Daisy and Maxwell. She's definitely an outdoorsy one- even caught her first fish"

"it's good to see you taking your daughter out like that. I bet she loved it"

"and it's great that she loves the outdoors," I say "Mine not much, I think the last time she went out was with my brother about.. mabey three years ago?"

"I don't see why you don't ask him to take her out again," Brian says

"well... it's kind of hard to since he passed last year..so" oh god things are awkward now. Both Brian and Robert give me a sad look...shit.... how many times do I have to be on the verge of tears today? "anyway" Robert says "I haven't gone camping in years. Not since the last time"

"What happened the last time?"

he takes a long sip of whiskey "Well, ol' Johnnyboy and I were out in the backcountry. Jhonnyboy's a strong kid, met 'im in my army days. Comes from Kansas. They build 'em tougher out there. Anyway, things go south pretty quick: Johnnyboy breaks his ankle when the rope bridge snaps"
I call horse shit on this, right now
"you could see the bone popping out through the skin. Johnnyboy's screaming now. Crying for his mama. Losing blood. We're two days out from the next living soul and here I am with my dear friend bleeding out in front of me"
bull
"I'm able to dress the wound, but now I gotta fireman carry a 6 foot, 180lb man over some of the toughest terrain I've ever been in."
I look over at Brian whose face is ghost white
"I won't lie to you, there were moments during those two days when I thought about leaving ol' Johnnyboy. But you build a bond with you brothers in arms. And that bond never breaks. I got that boy back to civilization. But I lost some of me out there. I guess that's camping for ya"
Brian stars in disbelief. Rober takes another long sip of whiskey and I just sip my beer.
"I'm just kidding, my friend John and I want inner tubing down a river and he lost a flip flop. MIss that kid" Brian laughs nervously, while I smile and shake my head "or am I kidding?" Brian tenses up again "I'm kidding" I smile

"going to have to try harder for that to work on me"

he raises an eyebrow at me "oh really?"

"yep, I do that crap all the time"

he smiles "I'll keep that in mind"

Amanda and Daisy barrel up to us, laughing. Daisy is holding a paper plate in front to her like a steering wheel. "we gotta get off this haunted truck!" she says

"oh no, the ghost locked the doors!" Amanda yells "quick, hit the emergency escape button!"

"but trucks don't have emergency escape buttons"

"Uhh, then..hit the brakes, I guess. And then we'll get out of the truck, the imaginary truck. Anyway, we're safe from the ghost, but how will we survive this Arctic tundra? Daisy, you might have to eat me. Are you prepared to do that?"