Page 34 of Into the Mountains
“Packed for what exactly?” Charlotte’s eyes narrow at Sky, even more skeptical now. Trying to figure out what Sky is up to is like George solving a Sunday crossword puzzle on his own. Nearly impossible. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in the guy, but he won’t ever stop asking for help. I think it’s more because he has fun getting everyone else involved over him not being able to do it himself. That’s beside the point right now though.
“We are going on a team building camping trip.”
“I’m sorry, a what?” There’s no way I am going on a camping trip right now. I am swamped with not only the clinic project, but other projects too and I have no time to take off.
“You two are having issues figuring your shit out,” Sky points between Charlotte and me. “So we are all going on a team trip to bond.”
“Sky, I can’t do that. I have meetings to get to.”
“And you can still get to them. We leave this afternoon. I made sure you’d all have time to tie things up with work and babysitters. Elias, I already asked my parents and they are more than happy to take Ethan for the weekend.”
“The whole weekend? Sky, I don’t think I can swing that.” Genuinely, I’m not sure I can. There’s too many things to clean up and changes to make for other clients.
“Elias, when was the last time you unplugged?” Quite literally never. I’ve always been available to my boss, my clients, and my son. Available to everyone who needed me, because I have to be there. I can’t not be there.
She can see the gears in my mind turning and turning, looking for the right place for her to stick a crowbar into them to make them stop. “I thought so.” Then she turns to Charlotte.
“And I don’t know what the beef is between the two of you, but you’ve got to work it out so this shit,” she gestures to the space around us, “can get done and get done right. Plus, I’m sick of your squabbling.”
“We don’t squabble,” Charlotte says.
“We get along just fine,” I defend at the same time.
Hudson and Avery exchange a knowing look and I notice that they are looking anywhere else but at Charlotte and me. They know something. Glancing between them and Charlotte who is picking at her cuticles, my gut tells me she told them our story. Our past together being revealed to someone I consider a brother and another person who I became close with over the last year leaves a sour feeling in my gut. Did she tell them everything? Do they see me differently now?
“Sure you do,” Jacob chimes in. “But we still think the team building will be good for all of us.”
Charlotte rolls her eyes, but I can see the resignation behind them. “Fine. As long as I can get to my meetings today, I’ll come back later with a bag ready to go.”
“Perfect.” Sky turns to me, eyebrows raised expectantly.
I release a resigned sigh. If Charlotte agreed, I don’t feel as if I have a way out of this. “Alright. As long as Ethan is okay with staying at his grandparents over the weekendandthey’re okay with having Sable with him. He’s not going to go anywhere without her.”
“They already agreed to take her too. Shit box and all.” Leave it to Sky to get all the logistics figured out beforehand.
“Then why do you need us?” Hudson asks.
“Besides the truck. Camping,” shrugs Sky. “Figured you’d want to go.”
He nods, accepting the answer. “Alright. We’re in. You,” he says pointing a finger to Avery. “You better not twist your ankle this time though.”
“But I love it when you carry me.”
“You don’t have to hurt yourself for me to do that.”
“Please go home and get that shit out of your systems before we leave,” Sky calls after them before they make it out the front door.
“I’ll go grab Ethan and let him know the plan.”
“Yeah, good luck with that.”
Closing my eyes, I hang my head back toward the ceiling. “He attached himself to another kitten, didn’t he?”
“Sable’s brother.”
How the fuck am I supposed to say no to bringing home Sable’s sibling?
“Dad, look!” I hear as I make my way to the back room. Ethan is on the floor with Sable in front of him who is wrestling with another kitten. I’m assuming it’s the brother Sky mentioned. A gray and white tabby lays on his back as Sable playfully pounces on him. He hugs her as they go back and forth to Ethan’s delight. His features are lit up, eyes wide, mouth open with glee as he hangs a feather above the two kittens, waiting for one of them to take the bait. The tabby does as he catches the feather between his paws and tugs it down into his mouth, gnawing on it. Sable tries to wrestle it from him, but he doesn’t let her get to it.
