The Trials and Tribulations of Me

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Samaria get up." I felt someone pushing on me. I moved my head groaning trying to get them to stop but they wouldn't leave me alone. I sighed opening my eyes. "Get up, we here." I looked around and came face to face to with Lucas. He was smiling but I was not happy in that mood.

"Where exactly is here?"

"Bicentennial Campgrounds." I looked around to see nothing but nature. There wasn't a building in site.

"You weren't joking when you said we were going camping."

He laughed. "Sorry to disappoint." He kissed me on my lips then got out the truck. He started taking out our bags. I got out and went to the back to see what he was doing. "We gotta walk up the trail a few miles to find the perfect camp spot."

"Miles?"

"Yea, just two or three so that we can be away from anyone else out here." He handed me a couple bags. He made sure I was good before walking up the trail. I was not liking the sun or the walking one bit. I wanted to rest. I hated doing physical exercise. He loved this outdoorsy stuff. I didn't.

Twenty minutes later he came to a stop smiling. "Perfect." He put our things down by a tree. He had found us spot right by the lake and enough trees to cover us. I sighed taking a bug gulp of water. I hadn't worked out this hard in forever. I sat down on a log trying to catch my breath.

"Why do I get the feeling you've done this before," I asked looking at him.

"We used to come out every chance we got especially when stress took over."

"We?"

"Yea. Deon and me." I nodded understanding why this place was so important to him. Knowing that he and his brother used to come here, it made me want to make the best of this trip. I wanted to make sure he had a good time. I didn't want him to leave with bad memories of his special place.

He started unpacking our things and started putting up the tent. The whole thing seemed to be very difficult.

"Well I don't know how I'll compare since I don't know the first thing about camping or the outdoors." He stopped what he was doing and stood up. He walked over to me gripping my face with his hands.

"That's why we are out here together. We will make memories and hopefully restore our cracked marriage."

Two hours later we had managed to get everything set up. I didn't want to leave him with everything so I made it my mission to help. Whenever I fell or the tent fell on me he would laugh then tell me how to fix it.

I was sitting down looking at the setting sun. I felt at peace for the first time. Lucas came back with a hand full of sticks and dropped them on the ground. "You're finally back, I thought you might've took off and left me here."

"You know I would never leave you even if you do make me do all the work."

"I told you I know nothing about camping."

"I'm just messing with you baby." He put the branches in a pile.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm building a fire before the sun sets because I know you are afraid of the dark."

"I'm not afraid of the dark. I just don't like it."

He laughed. "So that's why you literally screamed when the lights went out the last time it stormed?" he was now smirking like he had won. I have to admit I went overboard that time but it was so unexpected. One minute the lights were on and the next they weren't. I screamed out loud and jumped on Lucas only to have him laughing at my reaction. I don't like being in the dark but I'm not afraid of it.

"I didn't scream! It just shocked me." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I was sitting right by you, you screamed and then begin to panic telling me to find light somewhere." He was still smiling wide. I hated that.

I grabbed some dirt and threw it at him. "Shut up!" he continued to laugh while wiping off the dirt. He took out a lighter bending down to the branches setting them ablaze. The fire took root lighting up our area making it feel like a traditional camp site.

He sat down next to me brining me closer to him letting our bodies warm each other up. "I haven't been up here since my brother died. I never thought I would be able to. He was the only family I had."

I looked up at him smiling. "You still have family Lucas."

"You better not be talking about my mother." His face was serious now.

"Well the way you took her side I would think you would consider her family." I was only messing with him but he didn't have to know that. I wanted to see how he would react. I knew his mother was a hard subject for him.

"Just because I find it hard to stand up to her doesn't mean she's family, but you were right I do still have family. You and that's all I need." He bent down softly kissing my lips. I smiled into his lips loving the way we were connecting and the trip hadn't even started yet.

For dinner we made hamburgers. It seemed camping wasn't that bad after all. All this time I had thought of camping as the last thing I wanted to do in life. Maybe I could get used to this.

"So how long are we staying here anyway?"

"Well I put in for a week but we will only be here for three days."

"What about the other two days?"

"We will do whatever you want." I nodded liking that idea. I do this for him and then he will do something for me.

"I want to see Jordan to see if there is any changes."

"I know you are worried about him."

"Yea, I am. When I saw him he looked so dead that I couldn't take it."

"I know it's tough but he needs you now more than ever."

"I know it's just hard seeing him like that."

He pulled me into him sighing. "I know. Have you thought about talking to Brianna? I know things between them aren't the best but she is your sister."

"That girl is not my sister and she has made it clear over and over. The last time we talked she had the nerve to say she might be pregnant." Just thinking about that conversation made me angry inside. I couldn't believe the lengths Brianna had taken to push me away and to humiliate me. I was supposed to be her sister and she treated me like a stranger off the streets. I was done letting her treat me that way. I was going to need more than an apology to fix this one.

He choked on his soda. "Pregnant?"

"Yep. Brianna strikes again."

"Apparently she does."

When we were done eating we put everything up. We put the food up high in a tree so that no animals around could get to it. Apparently there were bears all out in these woods and that did not make me feel good. I liked nature but at the same time I didn't.

We changed our clothes but not too much so we didn't get cold in the night. Once we were settled in the tent I thought about what we were doing. We were actually camping. I tried to go to sleep but it was too quiet. Not to mention the animal noises that never stopped which creeped me out. I turned t Lucas, who had his eyes closed.

"Lucas I can't sleep." I pouted as he opened his eyes.

"Is that so?"

"I don't know how you can but there is no way I will be able to sleep."

He smirked now rubbing his chin hairs that he was letting grow out. "Maybe I can help you with that."

"How?"

"By wearing you out until sleep is the only thing on your mind." He moved me closer to him and begin sucking and kissing on my neck. Just as I was getting into it he stopped looking down at me. "Unless you not ready yet." I stared at him for a minute thinking about what I wanted. I then smiled and kissed him deeply to give him my answer.