She’s right, but I’m not gonna apologize to her in front of my kid. What kind of example would I be setting? “If you say so,” I grumble.
The quiet is unnerving as I drive toward the camping spot suggested by Evanee and that says a lot given that silence is my power. The road is a rutted path that pitches us around, but as we approach a rare stand of trees, I get hopeful.
That disappears as I pull up and stop the truck. We look around at the rocks, the cacti, and a narrow stream so shallow, you couldn’t drown a mouse in it.
“Did you pick this spot?” Selkie asks.
“It was recommended to me by a vet.”
As if he approves, Brambles jumps out of the back and hops like a bucking horse towards a boulder where he squats and shits.
Henri says, “At least we won’t have to pick it up.”
“Unless he poops in your shoe,” Oscar replies.
I glare at him and he pinches his lips together.
“Get out so I can get out,” Henri says as she thumps the back of Oscar’s seat.
Selkie leans over and talks softly in Henri’s ear. Her face falls, her lips twist, and then she nods.
“I’m very sorry for kicking the back of your seat, Oscar. Could you please let me out, Oscar, so I may run around this amazing campsite, Oscar.” Sarcasm drips from every word.
I stare at Oscar, daring him to reply. He stares back, then undoes his seat belt, opens the door and stalks away.
Henri follows him out, then walks in the other direction. Brambles looks longingly after Oscar but dutifully follows Henri.
I try to hold the seat forward so Selkie can get out, but she slaps my hand away. “I don’t need help.”
It’s the second time she’s said that and I wonder what baggage she’s carrying. Then I wonder why I wonder. At the end of this camping trip, Henri and Oscar will be tuned up enough to get along at school and Fleming and I can go our separate ways.
“What’s next?” she says as she hops down beside me. Her eyes are focused on the horizon, her body tense.
It’s a good question because despite Haley’s general run-down on what we needed and what to do, I still feel hopelessly out of my depth. “We set up.” At least I sound like I know what the fuck I’m talking about.
There’s a picnic table and the two of us start lugging the equipment out of the back of the truck and placing it on the top, then Selkie stops and drops a cooler almost on my foot. “Why the hell are we doing this? This is bootcamp for Henri and Oscar, not us. We make them do everything, they’ll see us as the enemy and join forces.”
I like the way she thinks but fuck me if I’m going to admit it to her. “Probably won’t work.”
“Yeah, ‘cause everything has so far.” When all else fails use sarcasm.
I ignore her. “Get back here, you two!”
They walk towards us like two turtles in quicksand.
“See,” Selkie says. “They’re already working together.”
I cough out a laugh. “It’s a miracle.”
Brambles lopes ahead of them and when he reaches us, he throws himself at me, his paws planted squarely on my chest as he tries to lick my face.
“Fuckin’ hell!” I snarl as I try to fend him off.
Selkie is frowning. “Traitor,” she says to the dog. She makes no move to control him.
“I’ll fuckin’ shoot him if you don’t get him off me.”
Selkie looks like she’s okay with my threat, but after a couple of seconds, says, “Brambles, down. He’s not a payday.”
