The Way We Were

The Way We Get Ready

The Fabangeses yawned as their flight took off. Each chewed a piece of gum to keep their ears from popping but Riley was too young and cried for a while.

Luckily they were in first class and were the only passengers up there at the time of morning to go to Montana.

The flight went smoothly and they touched down in Montana around ten in the morning. They disembarked from the plane and gathered their luggage and animals (Marcy wasn't leaving her dogs for a whole other summer!) and looked for their ride.

A man holding a sign that read Fabanges waved it in the air even though there weren't many people at the airport getting off a plane.

Laura led her family to the man and smiled. "Hi! We're the Fabangeses."

He smiled back. "Right this way, ma'am."

They followed him out and to a camp bus. They got on and he drove out of town and into the mountains. The large rambling camp came into view.

"It's beautiful." Karou was surprised.

"Duh!" Marcy gave her a look.

"You know how you are! You like to rough it!"

"I like it rough."

Mal blushed. "Marce!"

Their sisters and female family blushed.

Marc snickered and lifted his hand for an air-five. "Go Moppet!"

Marcy beamed.

"You stop that, little girl!" Laura wagged a finger before hitting her husband. "And you stop encouraging her!"

The silent but amused bus driver stopped in front of the main cabin and began helping them off.

A short, round man with a tonne of energy exited the cabin with a bright smile. "Fabangeses! How are you?!"

"Fred!" The siblings yelled.

He went to Marcy and shook Riley's hand. "Hi, baby! You've gotten so big!"

She gurgled.

"And who do we have here?"

"Fred, these are our cousins, Karou and Paris and this is my very good friend, Yuria." Marcy introduced them.

Fred spoke to all three warmly, charming the young women. "Your house is waiting for you. Nobody's here yet really. It's standard procedure. Airing out all the cabins, making the beds, stocking the cabins, receiving deliveries, setting up then the Welcome Back Jam Session ‪Friday night‬!"

The group cheered.

He read off a clipboard. "Laura, you're back in the craft barn; Marcus Donald, you're training the young counselors how to work the fields; Michael, you're leading the nature walks; Mercedes Catherine is back on kitchen duty; Quinn is back in the main office; Marceline Anne, you're back on horse training; Malcolm, you're back in the animal barn and this time, you get to train a junior counselor of your own; Cody! Jude, you get to help out in the health cabin."

"What about us?" Mally wanted to know.

"You don't want to help Mommy and Daddy?" Fred bent to look him in the eye.

Mally thought about it. "Can I take Stone with me?"

"Who's Stone?"

"I have two new dogs and along with Secret, they're here." Marcy turned to the pet carriers. "They brought their pets, too."

He liked animals and all but he didn't relish the smell of their home. "Well get your shirts and get started."

W.W.W.

Mercedes walked into Cabin Wolf-Female and saw Marcy sitting on a bed with Riley on her phone. "Hey? Fred's looking for you. You never came back from finishing this cabin."

"I'm on the phone." Marcy said absentmindedly.

"Are you talking to family or friends?" Mercedes came to sit next to her and tickled Riley, who laughed behind her binky.

"Friends. RT. I'm trying to hook him up with Anna."

Mercedes squealed. "Yay! She's waited so long for him!"

"I know."

"What's the problem?"

"He did something stupid and now he doesn't know what to do. I'm trying to tell him to pretend it didn't happen and get this blonde."

"What'd he do?"

"He told me not to tell. But you'll know soon."

"I'm not sure I want to know. Is it like what happened to Cooter?"

"Depending on who you ask, worse."

"What if I'm asking you?"

Marcy snorted and rolled her eyes. "It's not a big deal."

Mercedes pursed her lips to not laugh. "Tell him I'll cook him a big dinner if he goes out with Anna."

"When? You're only going to be home for one week before you go to Malibu. You're going to be packing that whole time."

Mercedes wrinkled her nose. "I can make time for my musical hubby."

Marcy smiled. "I just told him and his fatass just agreed."

Mercedes laughed and kissed Riley's plump cheeks. "Yay!"