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We're going to camp.
Shepherd was saying we haven't been away for a long time. And their kids don't want to spend much time outside, as it isn't "much fun" and he's concerned (I wish he remembered, how concerned we were about him at that age, but he seems to appreciate our effort). So, he proposed a 3 day camping for all the McLaughlin and Neal grandkids, and grandparents. Everyone was excited. Locke's wife was pregnant with their third child, so he had to come alone with the twins, at least Shep was lucky that Linda was tagging along, because Austin is a handful and Tilda is just three years old. The rest of the lot was quite sorted, Emma and Lando came with their notorious two years old, the youngest baby in lot, Lily and Ethan joined us at the last moment, when some other doctor had his trip cancelled and offered to cover for her and Lincoln, like his best friend, had to bring his kids alone, well, Beth isn't expecting, she's on duty, a very responsible police officer she is. Link is always proud of the ladies in the house, her mathematician wife, cardiologist daughter and a lawyer and a police officer as daughters in law like literally in professions of law and order!
And speaking of ladies in McLaughlin house, I should be the proudest person so far. Because I can at least say, I gave half the chromosomes Ada has. For she's just not the most successful child in the whole McLaughlin and Neal clan, she's officially in the list of top 100 most influential persons of the world.
Well she is not joining us this time. She was somewhere in South Asia last week, attending a conference I cannot remember. I believe Link knows what it is. He is in charge of that. Well, at least he likes to be. She has been travelling for almost the whole summer. She works hard.
So, apart our two daughter in laws and beloved wives, the whole family are camping together.
And Ada isn't coming.
This is how my thought process works. I forgot to count Ada with the family. I don't know what got into me, but I did!
Do I love Ada too dearly that I forgot to count her in the family, or I'm reverting to the old Rhett who was passive to this wonderful child. But I love her. And she knows it. And I know she loves me too. A lot. I saw it in her eyes.
"You saw what bo?" - Link asked.
I guess I was thinking too loud. Since neither of our missus is coming, we were in the backseat of Lily and Ethan's SUV, with the sleeping 3 years old between us. The older kids were in the back seat playing some non verbal game Link got for them.
I'm glad that I did not wake Charlotte up. And I remembered, Link was waiting for an answer.
"Nothing. We're close. Pass me the water, would you?"
Link passed me the bottle and said nothing. He knew I was avoiding something, but decided not to talk about it.
That is why I love this man. Well, I love him for so many reasons. But I am really grateful to have him in my life. He understands these little things like nobody else can, well I guess except Ada. She's after all, cut out of same cloth.
We're approaching the campsite. Very little has changed in last three decades. I'm glad that our grandkids can at least experience things that kept their parents on toes. Lana and Aidan are not as thrilled as the younger kids. They camp regularly, Evan is a nature guy, the career of environmental engineering suits him. He's like one of those men whose enthusiasm is contagious. Lana is barely ten and she is seriously considering her father's career. No joke, she spends her free time in Ethan's office, this girl has focus. She reminds me a lot of Ada. If only I was as cooperative to her as Ethan is with Lana! Well, she did not wait for my cooperation.
What the fuck!
I'm glad I wasn't thinking out loud this time. We have a twelve, ten and three years old still in the car. But WHAT THE FUCK!
Ada is waving at us!
How did she get here!
"Rhett!" - That's all Link could say. Or maybe he said more, but that's what I heard. We were getting closer, so she appeared more prominent and taller. Well, she IS tall, like 6 and half feet. Taller by at least 2 inches than all the other McLaughlin and Neal kids. Lilly's car was fourth in the convoy, just behind Lando's. Locke was already out of the car and bear hugging his baby sister.
Boy I hate back seats now! Not that I loved those ever, but now I hate those even more! I'm glad that my wobbly legs finally touched ground!
"Hey dad!"
Ada came over.
"How?"
"Yes Ades, how did you manage? As far I remember, you were scheduled to have a meeting in Belgium today."
"That is rescheduled for some other reason I can't remember anymore. So they scheduled some DC stuff and then I took the jet and straight flew here this morning."
Almost unconsciously she patted the crumpled fabric of her beige formal pants, her shiny black oxfords covered in dust and grass leaves, and the pristine white button down is little dusty too. Well, generally nobody plans to camp in this attire.
"Aunt Ada, will you sleep in our tent?"
"Don't be silly Charlie! Aunt Ada is going to stay at the big girl's tent with us!" Ronda chided.
"She has no time for your boring art projects Ronda! She only likes cool stuff! Like nerf blasters!"
"Art seems boring to you buddy?" - Ada literally had to bend down to talk to Lincoln's 9 years old.
"Yeah!" - He drawled.
"Can you tell me why?" - She sounded genuinely interested and completely unbiased. Charlie seemed lost.
"I don't know, all those sketching, erasing, and coloring within the lines. It's hard! Boring and hard"
"Dude, that's just one part of art. Art is more than those assignments you do in school! And it is really fun!"
"Not more than nerf blasters!"
"There you go! Nerf blasters are arts too! Art is more than sketching and coloring man! Okay, we will make art with your nerf blasters and Ronda's poster colors, are you up for it?"
This time Charlie seemed interested and high fived Ada. And then he fived Ronda too.
"But Charlie, I will sleep in the girl's tent tonight. Your tent is already a little packed, don't you think?"
"Yeah, I get it!"
"But don't worry okay? Amara will be joining us tomorrow with a big tent and lots of fun stuff, we all will have a giant massive inter camp sleepover tomorrow night, you don't have to worry about your bedtime there!"
I don't know if all the lectures and demonstrations has made my quiet little child so charismatic, or she has always been like this and we never noticed, but she has a way with audiences. No matter how many or how old they are.
I guess it has been inside her always. Kids love Ada. From Lana to little Charlotte, all the kids, regardless of gender, age and choices, agree on one thing. Aunt Ada is the coolest person they know. They don't mind when she "disciplines" them. Because they know, if they behave the next time, they will be rewarded. She's the only one they all call "Aunt", even Troy calls Lily by her name. Only Ada is the "aunt". Shep taught Lana to call Ada aunt as a joke, because she was only barely a teenager when Lana was born. And it stayed.
The kids have started helping the adults with camp-work. Link was helping Shep with some checklist stuff, well, he'll never change. (Not that I want him to, I'm glad he still takes care of these stuff)
I was supposed to help Ethan with cooking, but that can wait. I haven't seen my baby daughter in weeks.
"So, Amara is joining us tomorrow?"
"Dang! You heard that!"
"Was that supposed to be the extended version of your surprise? Then I won't spoil it"
"Dad! I basically told that to a eleven and a nine years old already!"
"Is Maya coming?"
That got a reaction. She looked up.
"Nah, Dale is sick. She left me the jet and took a direct flight to Palo Alto upon hearing about the reschedule."
I could not help smiling. Why they have to be so much like us! I have seen them arguing as if two alpha wolves are fighting, and the next moment, one of them is resting their head in other one's shoulder. They love each other and are IN LOVE with each other. That is why Maya can toss the luxury of company Jet and take a plane home so the Ada can join the family camping. And Ada does not think twice to take care of the kids when Maya and Joseph go to romantic trips.
"You know what buddy, I'm proud of you two."
"And I'm proud of you two. Anyway, how can I contribute? Do I get a chore?"
"You can help us by changing up maybe." - We did not realize we were walking closer to Lily and Ethan's tent, until now.
She agreed with Ethan. Ronda did not waste time to take Ada's tiny travel bag to the tent. So Ada did not waste much time.
*
Since, starting fire is prohibited in the camping area, we bought a big battery operated 3D flame lamp to give us an illusion of fire. We gathered up by the fire Lincoln handed me the guitar. So, I started strumming the tune of Turkey in a trash can. Everyone joined eventually. More songs were sang. Even the three McLaughlin siblings sang a song together. Everybody was missing Erin, she went to music school and had a brief singing career. If we had internet service here, we would skype her right away! But we chose to have no internet reception. Only cellphone receptions for emergency. I was missing my beloved wife too. But she had some last minute business emergency. I'm really proud of her professionalism. She had to stay home and take care of the kids when her friends from UNC was having a rising career. She never complained but I always had a pressing guilt inside that she sacrificed her time and energy to support me when she could do so much better. But she was successful, I knew she would be. She's really smart. I believe, Ada got the brains and fighting spirit from her mom. Because I know, I could never start that late and still be successful.
And Christy was away in her new book tour. This is her third children's novel. So Link and I got a whole tent to ourselves. We offered the young boys to sleep with us, two of the younger ones would fit like a clove. But they would rather sleep in cramped tent with their friends.
Everyone was leaving the "campfire" one by one, Locke and Lincoln have already took the boys to get some sleep, Ronda wasn't there either. Shep and Linda are in charge of the little girls tonight I guess. Linda is guiding a sleepy Tilda to the restrooms.
Link and Lana was the only two left. I took my chair and went over there. They were conversing so animatedly that they did not notice me there.
"Notice me senpai!" - Even I don't know why I said that. Link smiled. He didn't laugh. Maybe he did notice me, just did not want to break the flow of her granddaughter's animated conversation.
"Lana was talking about the environment club of their school. They are trying to come up with ideas to reduce domestic pollution at root level."
"Wow!"
"Did you tell Ada about this?"
"Yes, I emailed her when the project was announced. She has been sending me really cool stuff to help me out. She wanted to have a talk, but I guess she's too tired now. She fell asleep in the middle of a song Linda was singing, Locke dragged her to our tent and she's sleeping on a sleeping bag, like on her stomach! She must be really really tired."- There was only compassion in her voice. Lana hardly looked like Lily, but she was built like her, loving, compassionate and level headed.
"I think I should get some sleep papa. Did you take your medicines?"
See what I mean?
"Rhett, did you take your medicine?" I didn't realize that question was meant for me until she repeated.
"Yes dear. I just did. Do you need any help from us little lady."
"No, thank you. Good night!"
Then she left.
"There's another little lady in your clan to be proud of, Linkster!"
"Yes."
"Aren't you gonna go to bed?"
"Well, I thought I'd sit here for a while."
"To notice me?"
"You jerk! Well, the night is young, I thought I'll enjoy a little bit more outside."
"Nice try, Linkypoo. You're just scared to sleep in an empty tent."
"Seriously! Do you have to be the brave, mighty jerk all the time? Can't I enjoy sometime under the moon like a normal human being?" Link was clearly mad, but that is how it works. Pissing Link off is always a great pastime. But it was almost past his bedtime, he still sleeps early and wakes up late. And I'm sure he's scared that bugs will crawl in the tent if we both don't enter the tent at the same time and zip the door.
"Well, enjoy your time with the moon, I'm gonna get some coffee and snacks." I stood up.
"What? Coffee at this hours? What's wrong with you Rhett? When did you start drinking coffee anyway?"
"Not for me. Mini me is going wake up within 20 minutes, 30 tops. And she will need a mug of decaf and something to chew on. Otherwise she will scare all the children off with her crazy late night exercise routines to get back to sleep."
"How do you know all of that?"
"Come on! She's my daughter."
"Yes, but you're the one who says you never got to spend much time with her. And don't know her as thorough as Jessie did."
"Well, I try now. Don't act like you don't know."
"But I didn't know you progressed this far."
"Well, Jessie and I stayed with her in Palo Alto for a whole month last year. Jessie was running her business work from there, in a niche Ada made for her. And I had nothing much to do apart swim in her pools and hot tubs and pillage her library, so all I did was observing."
So, I made a flask full of decaf creamed coffee and some oreos. I'm glad that Link is awake. If he already went to bed, I'd munch on the Oreos which wouldn't be the best thing for me to consume. I might have entered the sixties, but the habit of impulse eating is still quite strong, especially when Jessie is not around. Well, Jessie and Link. He wouldn't let me eat unhealthy stuff. I'm thankful for that. But I'm gonna complain about it anyway. Link might have joined the club sixties as well, but he is still that baby who would stick their bottom lip out when someone messes with him. Actually when I mess with him.
"So, her girlfriend is joining us tomorrow huh?"
"Amara? Yes she is. And I'm sure she will bring company."
"Her mom and stepdad?"
"Nope. The other half of the duo. I can guarantee Maya will join us, if not Joseph and the babies."
"I thought they have separate vacations, like we do."
"And look at you, you're still camping with me."
"Dude! It's a camp!"
"Exactly. Maya would never leave Ada to camp alone as long as she can make it. Well, you can exclude the tiny sibling campings back home when Shep was in NC State, but never the big ones with lot of people. She did once, it broke Ada's spirit."
"Don't tell me Maya told you that!"
"Jessie did. No, the girls didn't tell her either. She heard Maya comforting Ada in their room during a sleepover."
"That must be years ago! They're big ladies now Rhett. They wouldn't stick to pillow talk promises from teen days."
"Says a 60 years old man who sticks out his bottom lip when someone makes fun of his hairstyle."
"You're a jerk. Wait, was it that camping trip after the park incident? When Ada and Lily shared a tent?"
"Maybe. Why do you ask?"
"I remember Lily telling me Ada had trouble with sleeping, She would shuffle inside her bag and mutter things under her breath while sleeping."
Link looked at me but didn't say anything. I said nothing either.
But everything needed to be communicated was done anyway.
I didn't tell Link about Ada and Maya. I didn't reveal that Ada loved Maya. That she was in love with her. Like two other miserably close best friends she knew since she was born.
I thought I would leave it to Ada and Maya. Just because Ada knew my true standing with my best friend, does not mean I'll have to reveal hers to my best friend.
But my best friend discovered. Right now. After knowing the fact that my baby daughter, who is currently sleeping on her sleeping bag face down, is in love with her best friend who got married two and a half years ago and has two kids and a loving husband whereas she also is in a relationship.
"Did she?"
"Yes, she told me, I told her. Do you remember that Ada stayed with us for a whole summer on her first summer break in college? She was in a very perplexed place. She eventually told me how devastated she feels for falling in love with her best friend who is in love with someone else and how selfish she is being to Maya."
"Poor child! Why does things have to be like that with her!"
"Let me finish. So, I asked her later, did she care for her or she cares for the fact that if and when Maya will sense this, her and Ada's friendship will be strained. She took some time, then looked straight into my eyes. And said she'll choose her over their friendship. It will break her heart but she will end their friendship if that's better for Maya."
Link was silent, mouth agape.
"Then I told her about us. About how this realization hit me and the time when you met Christy and I was messing around with my life in frustration like Ada was doing. And how Jessie came to my life and made it beautiful. I told her that some of us finds more than one soulmate in their life, it's excruciating not getting to unite with one but it's rewarding to love two soulmates with same love, because our hearts are capable of such miracle."
"You told her that?"
"I did. And the other day, actually the night of Maya's wedding, Ada came up and hugged me. She said, I was right."
Link sighed.
And then I saw Ada emerging from the tent. Her steps uneven, she was finding it hard to balance her long billowing body like I do when I'm sleepy.
"Washrooms are to the left Ades!"
She acknowledged and zombie-walked that way. Few minutes later she came back with more even footsteps and human-ish walking.
"We have coffee and Oreos, in case you were wondering."
She still looked confused. But pulled a folded chair anyway.
*
I was right. The next day Maya and Edna, her two years old joined us with Ada's girlfriend Amara. They brought two big tents, no problem with sleeping places anymore. They also had fun stuff for kids, so the day went crazy. Everyone enjoyed the day in the end. And yes, Maya had some special phone with internet service, even here. So Locke could talk to Erin. He was really giddy when he got to talk to her. Their wedding anniversary is in a few days and she's about to give birth to their third child. Smile was plastered to his face all the time. Boy! I had to hug this well built gentleman in front of me, it's hard to believe it's the same kid who cried buckets over Tarhills win with Wolfpack and the whole internet broke when we uploaded that video.
No more zombie-Ada this time, she was with us till the end of "campfire" and later went back to her tent with her beloved girlfriend. So I got my ass back to our tent as well. Link joined me shortly.
"No late night coffee tonight?"
"You can get yourself a cup if you want, you know that!" - I couldn't help drawling and he rolled his eyes in reply, stripped down to his boxers to slip in his bag. Even at this age he still got that slim waist and slender build. His skin has wrinkles in places, but when I look at him in this dim light inside a tent, he still looks like the younger Link in boxers, ready to get himself into the metal tub of GMM set, filled with something rather unpleasant.
"Stop ogling!"
"Why would I do that, you're a great view Neal." - I wasn't lying.
"Last warning Rhett!" His voice was trembling. And I winked in reply.
Next thing I saw was a total darkness. Link has clicked off the lamp.
*Thump*
Whoa!
Charles Lincoln Neal III was planking on me.
"I warned you McLaughlin, I'm dead."
I didn't know what to say. I was zipped inside the bag, only my face bare. It has been so long since we were physically this close to each other. He wasn't moving, not that I minded. I could feel his heartbeat. I laid still and felt the warmth as much as I can. Yes, we let each other go, and build our lives with our partners. But when this tiny moments of proximity falls on us like little specks of dust, we take a moment to honor those. We have never been unfaithful to our wives. We could not, because we love them for real and they don't deserve that. But we don't know where to place these moments. Maybe they don't know, though I never dared to ask. But I knew they noticed. At least Jessie did. She never said though, but that evening when Ada came out, she made some allegations in fury. It really pained me that she still saw homosexuality as a sin, but she has changed. And Christy is always the most welcoming and big-hearted person I know, other than her daughter and eldest granddaughter. I believe they understand. I'm sure they do. If they didn't we couldn't come this far and raise such beautiful families together.
I could feel Link moving. He was coming closer, I could feel his breath. His soft, bow-shaped lips on my scruffy beard.
"Good night Rhett."
He slipped into his sleeping bag.
"Rhett. Are you awake?" - I could hear Link's voice but it was from a long distance and everything was dark.
"I am now! Where are you? Why is it so dark?" - Then I realized we were in our tent, in a camping area. I checked my phone, 2:30 am. Of course only Link would wake me up at this ungodly hour!
"Whaaaaaat?"
"Do you think, somehow we made them like this?"
"Made who? What?" I guess Link will never learn to stop asking questions full of pronouns in the middle of night.
"Did we influence Ada and Maya to take this road of complicacy?"
And there went my sleep.
I'm done with this insinuation. Jessie might have mentioned this in rage and never did that again, but a heck lot of people often say Link and my close friendship and apparent amorous dispositions made Ada gay. Poor little Ada never mentions it, but it hurts her. And it hurts me too. So I couldn't help but shake my head vigorously.
"No Link, we didn't. Ada loves Maya because Maya was her soulmate, her best friend, her soul sister. She loves Maya because they share a very strong bond of togetherness and a deep understanding adorned with proximity. Not because she saw her dad always sticking to his best friend. But yes, I'd say they were inspired to follow our path of doing something together with her best friend like we did. But her brothers did the same as well. And if you must know, Maya's parents were best friends since high school through college and were business partners before they got married. So, if you wonder, did we influence their career choice? No, they are tech giants working on big and ambitious tech projects. Did we aspire them to become entrepreneurs? We might have. As a matter of fact, Ada and Maya has their first business partnership contract framed in their shared office. Which they made when they were 9 years old. But did we influence my baby daughter's orientation to women? I hardly doubt that. She was attracted to Maya because she felt the connection of love and responsibility for her, as much as Maya felt the same for Ada. We never had anything to do with it.
"You've heard this before, right?"
I couldn't help but sigh. Though nobody dared to be so explicit and insinuated anything between Ada and Maya, but often I was asked if somehow Link and my friendship has coaxed Ada to lean towards the fairer gender.
Link dragged his bag closer to mine and held my clammy hand.
"Do you remember that one time, before Locke's wedding, you were sad that you were not being good enough father for Ada and how little you were involved in her life?"
He rubbed my palm in his two hands.
"Look at you now. You know her way better than a lot of people you thought you fell behind. You know what hurts her and what makes her happy. You once regretted that you weren't present in her life as you were in her brother's and now you're proudly saying that you have inspired her."
"No. WE have inspired her." I placed my other hand over Link's enveloping hands. And we got back to sleep.
*
The next day was even better. The kids painted on canvas using nerf darts with paint on the tip. Later the adults joined them. Amara had to leave, she has a meeting in LA, she'll be at our place so we'll get to meet her.
I caught Link stalking the young couple bidding farewell.
"Would you mind! You're too old to be that weird uncle you know."
"Agree to disagree, this is the perfect age to be a total creep."
Then I saw how Ada swooped low and scooped Amara in her arms for a passionate kiss. It reminded me of Jessie and how we have to close the height difference between us to kiss. I turned back. Link joined me afterwards.
"They’re like Jessie and you man! If according to popular belief, I look like the clone of my dad, poor Ada is living the clone of her dad's life."
I had to jab his ribs with my infamous pointy elbow.
Campfire was cut short tonight, everyone packed their stuff and went to bed early, tomorrow we'll start at the crack of dawn.
When I woke up, I didn't see as much commotion as I expected. Shepherd and Linda was checking the campsite for anything unpacked or left. And Maya standing in a corner, drinking something from a plastic cup, knowing her, it's probably strong black coffee.
"Morning dad."
"Morning dude. Ready to drive?"
"Yeah, just waiting for Lil and Ethan, girls slept at their tent.
"Don't rush too hard honey, we still have time. Let them sleep a little bit. Oh good morning Rhett!" - Linda beamed at me.
When I was done with morning washroom routine, I found Maya in the same spot, still sipping, maybe the second cup.
"Too much caffeine for 5:30 am, don't you think?"
"There's no such thing called too much caffeine Rhett."
"You girls pulled all nighter, didn't you?"
"Not me, your clone did."
"Of course. Hey, you call Ada my clone too?"
"Only to piss her off, I think I can do the same to you."
"Working on something new?"
"Not really, Ada got an idea to reopen an old project. And you know what she's like, she can't rest without doing something about it."
"Don't blame my daughter alone, you do the same."
"But I get some rest in between. I always did. Someone has to give their brain a rest and back up some sanity for emergency."
"That's a smart thing to do."
"I know. Anyway, my rental is here. We'll love it if you and Link joined Edna, me and Ada."
"So, you're going to LA now?"
"Yeah, Joseph is there, Dale Sr., Joseph's dad, moved there last month. We'll be spending this week with him."
"Great! Drop by at our place for dinner tomorrow. Bring Joseph too. Locke and Erin will be happy to see his wedding carpenters in their 10th anniversary."
"We hopefully will, I'll let you know if we can't make it."
Then she looked at her wristwatch. Yes, she still wears a wristwatch, so does Ada, which is highly unlikely for their generation. Heck! Even I've stopped wearing those in my mid thirties!
"Dang it! Edna needs a change. Gotta go."
Maya rushed to the tent. It's been barely fourteen years when she and Ada ran away from home to camp on their own because we didn't take them to our all-men weekend camping trip. And now she's here, with her baby daughter to offer us a ride back home from camping. Life is beautifully surreal.
*
Yes, we ended up in Maya's car. Actually, we chose to ride with them. Lily and Ethan could use some space in their car.
"Remember that one time you drove us to Maya's place, Link?"
"Of course I remember, you were hurting our ego with all the accomplishments you had at such young age!"
"We did not! You were the one who was asking pestering questions!"
"Yeah, he was asking you about "boys" and stuff."
"And gave us weird advices that pissed dad off!"
"Wrong. I wasn't pissed off, Ada."
"You were in a sour mood dad, I remember, you were barely talking."
"Actually he was upset that he wasn't close to you and was missing out on so much."
"And Ada was sad earlier that she couldn't play in your team. Remember, that jailhouse game?"
"There! We silenced the clones!"
"Hey!"- Ada and I shouted back in unison!
Ten years have passed since that ride we four had together from Burbank to our place. Ten years later we're riding together again. Much have changed. Now they're in the driving seat whereas Link and I are relaxing in the back. Oh and another new riding companion, little Edna, who was actually sleeping peacefully at this moment.
This ride reflects the changes in our lives. Now they're in the driving seat and we're resting asses and enjoying the view. And boy, they're driving it better than us.
For once, I feel better for being beaten in something.