‘Here, let me help.’
‘I’ve got it.’
‘Lyds.’
‘Don’tLydsme, Ren.’
‘Okay, okay.’ Ren backed off, returning to his own half-erected tent.At another time, in another world, I would have made a hilarious, inappropriate joke about ‘erected tents’, and I felt a bit sad that I couldn’t do it now.
Ten minutes later, the sun was almost down, and Mandy gave a five-minute warning that made me want to burst into tears.I crouched beside the pile of tent poles, glaring at them as if they had personally offended me.How hard could this be?The ‘instructions’ were crumpled beside me, the diagrams doing nothing to help.I shoved a pole into what I thought was the right slot, only for the entire structure to collapse in on itself.
‘Need a hand?’ Ren asked, taking a bite out of an apple as he watched the pitiful mess of my tent.
He’d put his up in record time, but then it was a small two-person tent.Peggy was sitting in it now, with some treats Ren had given her, her bum on display as her little legs splayed half out of the tiny tent.It only had two poles when I’d opted for a more… elaborate choice.It was a four-person tent with a little gazebo at the front, where I imagined I’d sit and have a flask of tea in the morning, watching the sunrise.
‘I’m perfectly capable of putting up a tent.’
I blew a strand of hair out of my face.
‘Okay.’ Another bite of the apple.
God, he was annoyingly smug.
I made some progress until a gust of wind swept across the campsite, sending the half-assembled panel into my face.I stumbled back, swatting at it like an idiot, while Ren watched.
‘You sure?’ he asked, his face innocent, but I could hear the smirk in his voice.
I inhaled through my nose and exhaled slowly.
‘I’m a grown woman.I can put up a tent.If Kat managed it, surely I can.’
Ren cocked an eyebrow.‘Didn’t hers collapse?’
‘At least she got it up!’ I half-shouted.
Ren’s lips folded in as he held back a laugh.
‘Immature.’
‘Let me help,’ Ren asked, his tone softer.
‘I can do it myself.’
‘I know.’ He smiled softly.‘But you don’t have to.I’m here to help you.’
I battled with the pros and cons of letting Ren help, until Ren muttered a soft plea.
‘Please.’
I stared at his eager expression, and stepped away from the tent.
‘Go sit there with Peggy.’ He nodded to the little entrance of his tent, where Peggy was sitting.‘She hasn’t had any fussing in half an hour.She’ll keel over.’
As if on command, Peggy, her treats gobbled up, turned, and curled up on the cool grass in front of the tent.
‘Fine.For Peggy.’
Relief flooded my body, and I couldn’t even feel the shame of it.My feet were raw from a day of walking in new boots I hadn’t broken in, and I wanted to rip my hair out because it kept sticking to my face.If Ren wanted to help, and it was easy for him, why not?For some reason, I thought of my dad, who always emptied the dishwasher and took the bins out religiously.Mum didn’t touch them ever.When I asked if he hated it, he just replied, ‘Your mother smiles every time.I think it’s well earned, don’t you think?’
