by Perrin Briar
“What effort?” Zoe said. “I did most of the work.”
“I beg to differ,” Bryan said.
“Beg all you want,” Zoe said.
Bryan stubbed out the cigarette.
“I think I came up with what we should all do next time,” Zoe said.
“Go on,” Bryan said.
“We should all go on a trip together,” Zoe said.
“What kind of trip?” Bryan said.
“Something with no distractions,” Zoe said. “We need to spend more quality time together, get to know each other. Really get to know each other.”
“Cassie has always wanted to go to Italy,” Bryan said. “We could go there.”
“It’s too far,” Zoe said. “In case something like the dinner date goes wrong, I want to be able to return home quickly.”
“A domestic trip, then,” Bryan said. “Where?”
“Out in the countryside maybe,” Zoe said. “Camping.”
Bryan laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Zoe said.
“We could go anywhere, do anything, and you want to go camping?” Bryan said.
“We’ll have stuff to do together,” Zoe said. “Collect firewood, find food, rafting, maybe. All good experiences for building relationships.”
“I can just imagine the expression on Cassie’s face when I tell her we’re going camping,” Bryan said.
“Do you think you’ll be able to convince her to go?” Zoe said.
“If I hold her allowance to ransom?” Bryan said. “In a heartbeat.”
Bryan trailed a finger around Zoe’s chin.
“Spending time together is probably a good idea,” he said. “But trying to get Cass to leave the city is like getting a turtle to give up its shell.”
“We need to get the kids away from their normal environment,” Zoe said. “If we can get them away from here and spend lots of time together, we’ll get to know each other better and like one another.”
“Do you think it’ll work?” Bryan said.
“Who knows?” Zoe said. “We can’t give up at the first hurdle.”
“I wouldn’t dream of giving up,” Bryan said, kissing Zoe on the forehead.
Then he smacked his head with the palm of his hand.
“Damn!” he said.
“What?” Zoe said.
“I just remembered I’ve got the new fracking installation to take care of,” Bryan said.
“We can go afterwards,” Zoe said.
“I’ve got a series of business trips after that,” Bryan said. “I won’t have much more than a day free.”
“Can’t you put someone else in charge of the fracking site?” Zoe said.
“I can, but there are so many decisions still to be made,” Bryan said. “I need to be there. Damn!”
Zoe shrugged.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” she said.
“No, I’m sure I can push it back,” Bryan said.
“I meant, we’ll come with you,” Zoe said.
“Come with me?” Bryan said.
“I’ve been to the site,” Zoe said. “There’s some woodland nearby. We can go camping around there. There’s plenty of forest. And if you need to head back to check on the equipment, you can.”
“You would let me do that?” Bryan said.
“Of course,” Zoe said. “But only one phone allowed – and only one emergency phone number can get through. All others must be blocked.”
“Fair enough,” Bryan said. “How long would we go for?”
“Let’s see,” Zoe said. “It’ll take about a week to finish setting up the fracking equipment… Why don’t we go for the whole week?”
“Isn’t that a bit long?” Bryan said.
“A week to forge life-long connections?” Zoe said. “I don’t think so.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever spent a week off work before,” Bryan said.
“This will be good practice for you,” Zoe said.
“What do you mean ‘practice’?” Bryan said.
“You don’t think you’re going to be at the grindstone all day when we live together, do you?” Zoe said.
“I never really thought about it,” Bryan said.
“The family that spends time together stays together,” Zoe said.
Bryan rolled over so he was on top of Zoe.
“I knew meeting you was the best thing that happened to me,” he said.
“Wrong,” Zoe said. “What’s about to happen to you is the best thing that ever happened to you.”
Zoe rolled Bryan back and slipped underneath the sheets.
18
BRYAN HADN’T BEEN behind the wheel of a car in so long he couldn’t remember how to drive, so Zoe became the designated driver. Bryan had suggested Rosetta take them in the limousine as she had to go to the fracking site anyway, but Zoe pointed out the ludicrous idea of them turning up to go camping in a chauffeur-driven car.
“Rosetta could bring you your silk slippers and newspaper to you in the mornings too,” Zoe said.
“It was just an idea,” Bryan grumbled.
And so Bryan became their navigator.
“I have to warn you,” Bryan said. “I’m not the best navigator in the world. We’ll probably end up in the middle of nowhere.”
“That’s lucky,” Zoe said. “That’s exactly where we want to go.”
By the time Cassie was finished packing, her room was empty. She liked to plan for the worst, and judging by the amount of luggage she had, she had planned for the end of the world. When Zoe’s battered Volvo pulled up to the curb outside their home, it became abundantly clear that Cassie’s luggage was not going to fit inside it.
“You need to pack only what you’re comfortable carrying,” Zoe told her. “There’s going to be no one there to help you carry this stuff. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather leave stuff at home knowing I will come back to it than take it with me and have to leave it in the forest somewhere.”
Cassie looked beseechingly at her father, but he was nodding his head in agreement.
“You’ve got ten minutes,” Zoe said.
Cassie clenched her teeth tight and began dragging the trunks back toward the house to repack.
“Do you think she’ll need help?” Zoe said to Bryan.
“Let her do it,” Bryan said. “This’ll be a good experience for her.”
Cassie was back twenty minutes later – a message to Zoe she would not be so easily bullied. Cassie dumped her backpack into the boot of the car and got in the back. She folded her arms and glared out of her window.
“Okay!” Zoe said. “Here we go!”
The Volvo’s engine roared, struggling with the weight, and then began to pick up speed.
Aaron was fiddling with a piece of string, tying it in knots, shaking his head, and then unpicking it and tying it again.
“What are you doing?” Cassie said.
“I’m practicing my knots,” Aaron said.
“Your knots?” Cassie said. “What do you mean?”
“We’re going camping,” Aaron said.
“Don’t remind me,” Cassie said.
“So I’m practicing my knots,” Aaron said.
He wore a dark green uniform with a gold insignia on the arm.
“You’re in the scouts?” Cassie said. “What am I talking about? Of course you’re in the scouts. This camping trip this was your idea, wasn’t it?”
“No,” Aaron said. “I go camping with my scout group. Why would I want to go with you?”
It was a fair question, and one Cassie didn’t have an answer for, but she wasn’t going to be so easily appeased. She rolled her eyes and turned to look back out the window.
Civilization slipped through her fingers. The world turned the hideous shade of green leaves in full bloom. Birds flapped through the air like miniature bombers. People had the gall to wear smiles openly in the street. There was a general feeling of content in the air.
“I want to go home
,” Cassie said.
“We’ll be home soon enough,” Bryan said. “But first we’re going to enjoy ourselves with a life-changing experience.”
“Can’t wait,” Cassie said.
Zoe pulled her Volvo into a parking lot before a row of shops.
“Okay,” Bryan said. “This is going to be our last stop before we get to the forest. If there’s anything you need, make sure to get it now. Aaron, do you need anything?”
“No, thanks,” Aaron said, not taking his eyes off his length of string, now encumbered with various knots.
“Cassie?” Bryan said.
“Yes,” Cassie said. “I need a few things.”
“Make sure not to buy too much,” Bryan said.
“I won’t,” Cassie said. “Hey, Aaron. Come give me a hand.”
Aaron looked from Cassie to Zoe and back again. He didn’t trust the look on her face. Cassie nodded toward the shops. Aaron sighed and tucked his length of string in his pocket and got out of the car.
Zoe locked the doors and lifted the handle, checking it.
“Be back in twenty minutes,” she said. “And don’t leave the shops or the car park area.”
She and Bryan headed away.
“Follow me,” Cassie said to Aaron.
She led him across the car park toward a DIY shop.
“You want to buy some tools?” Aaron said. “I don’t think we need any. We’ve got everything we need.”
“Not everything,” Cassie said.
She took a piece of paper out of her pocket. On it was a long list of items that she had made the night before. As they made their way around the shop, Cassie ticked off the items on her list. So far she had placed a ball of string, a pipette, and a box of matches in the basket Aaron carried.
“What are you planning on doing with all this stuff?” Aaron said.
Cassie’s smile had the appearance of a sneer.
“What are you up to?” Aaron said.
“We’re going to finish what we started that night in the restaurant,” Cassie said.
“Our meal?” Aaron said.
“No, not our meal,” Cassie said. “Breaking up our parents.”
“Oh no,” Aaron said, shaking his head and stepping back. “That’s over. We tried, and we failed. Now we’re all stuck together on this trip.”
“This time it will work,” Cassie said. “We’ll make sure we have such a terrible time that they’ll have no choice but to break up. They’ll hate us, and each other.”
“No,” Aaron said. “You can do it if you want, but I want no part in it.”
“Aaron,” Cassie said. “You’re already a part of it.”
“Then I’ll tell our parents what you’re planning,” Aaron said.
“No you won’t,” Cassie said.
“You want to bet?” Aaron said, turning around.
“Wait!” Cassie said. “You’re not seriously thinking of backing out now?”
“I don’t think we should have done this in the first place,” Aaron said. “Let nature run its course. Your dad seems like a nice guy. They might even be good for each other.”
“Back out now and I’ll tell them it was your idea to sabotage the dinner date,” Cassie said. “Think how disappointed your mom will be.”
“Your dad will be disappointed too,” Aaron said.
“He’s already disappointed in me,” Cassie said. “A little bit more won’t make any difference. Besides, do you honestly want me to be your sister?”
“God no,” Aaron said.
“I can assure you, I don’t want you to be my brother,” Cassie said. “We’d be doing our parents a favor by showing them that we should not be a family. I don’t want to be related to you.”
“Ditto,” Aaron said.
“Why do you speak like that?” Cassie said. “Did you swallow a dictionary or something?”
“Sorry, I’ll try to use easier words,” Aaron said.
“God help me. I just can’t have you as a” -she cast about, checking no one could hear her- “brother. It’s nothing personal. You’re just in all the wrong groups, have no friends, and no rep whatsoever.”
“I don’t see how I could take any of that personally,” Aaron said.
“Can you imagine the knock my rep would take?” Cassie said. “I might never recover from something like this.”
“That’s your problem,” Aaron said. “You’re obsessed with yourself, thinking all these things are important, but they’re not. You’ve spent so much time trying to not look like me you’ve become one of your idiot friends.”
They glared at one another. Aaron’s expression faltered first.
“Fine,” Aaron said. “But if we do this, what’s in it for me? Why should I get involved?”
Cassie blinked at him.
“What do you mean?” she said. “Them not getting together is best for both of us.”
“As you said, imagine what this would do for my rep if I became Cassie Angelo’s stepbrother,” Aaron said. “I should be overjoyed with this.”
Cassie looked horrified. Then her eyebrows drew down into a fearsome scowl.
“You don’t want to be playing this game,” she said.
“I’ve shown you my hand,” Aaron said. “What have you got?”
Cassie hesitated.
“What do you want?” she said.
“I want Clint and his idiots to stay away from me and my friend,” Aaron said.
“I can’t control Clint,” Cassie said.
Aaron turned around.
“Then you’re on your own,” he said.
Cassie ground her teeth.
“What if I threatened to get Clint to pay you more attention?” she said.
“Then not only would I not help you, I would do everything in my power to encourage our parents, and undo anything you attempted,” Aaron said. He grinned, loving the power reversal. “Including your plan on this camping trip.”
Cassie turned pale. She growled, balled her hands into fists as if she was going to strike him, and then screamed, stamping her foot, attracting the glances of other shoppers.
“Fine,” she said. “I’ll do my best.”
Surprised at finding his demands met, Aaron fired off another one.
“And one more thing,” he said.
“What?” Cassie said with dread.
“My friend Pete has a crush on you,” Aaron said. “It would mean the world to him if you went on a date with him.”
“You must have sand for brains,” Cassie said. “I already have a boyfriend.”
“He won’t be your boyfriend,” Aaron said. “Just one date.”
“I wouldn’t go on a date with him if he was the last guy on Earth!” Cassie said. “Do you know what that would do to my-?”
“Your reputation?” Aaron said, rolling his eyes. “You’ve said that.”
“I might as well have a funeral for it now,” Cassie said.
“Then no deal,” Aaron said.
Cassie let out another scream.
“Fine,” she said through gritted teeth. “One date – out of town. After our parents split up.”
“How do I know you’ll keep your word?” Aaron said.
“Oh, I’ll keep my word,” Cassie said. “You just make sure to keep yours.”
If her words contained any more anger, she would have breathed fire.
“I’ll take your word,” Aaron said. “So, what’s your plan?”
“I’ll fill you in as we shop,” Cassie said.
They made a stop at the supermarket and pet shop as Cassie revealed her plan. It was simple, but could be very effective. They carried their bags back to the car.
At seeing their shopping bags, Bryan said: “We’re only going for a few days! What have you got in there?”
“You can never be over prepared,” Cassie said. “You taught me that.”
“Good advice,” Bryan said. “Just so long as you know it’s going to be your burden to bear.”
“I
wouldn’t be so sure of that,” Cassie mumbled under her breath.
19
THE TREES became thicker the deeper into the forest they went. They blocked out the sunlight and made it feel cold. Zoe slowed down once to let a pair of deer cross the road, and then continued on until they had to stop again at a flooded stream. She reversed back up the incline, hit the accelerator hard, and flew through it, the water flying out to either side like the car had wings, splattering across the windscreen, and then exited up onto the other side.
“Woohoo!” Zoe said. “That was fun, huh?”
“Let’s do it again!” Aaron said.
“In this car?” Bryan said. “We’d be lucky to make it through a second time.”
“Maybe on the way back,” Zoe said, guiding the Volvo around a long bend.
The road came to an end at a large clearing. The trees had been removed, leaving a stony field. Zoe pulled her Volvo alongside half a dozen equally malformed cars.
Rosetta stood talking to a bunch of men in hardhats and dirty overalls, all of them at least twice her size. She waved Bryan over.
“Excuse me a moment,” Bryan said.
He reached for his backpack at his feet. As he pulled it toward himself the top flapped open. Inside was the slim case of a laptop, several spare batteries, and a portable internet link-up device.
“What’s all this?” Zoe said. “I said you could bring a phone, not your whole office.”
“This laptop is just for emergencies,” Bryan said. “I might be able to solve issues just by sending a few emails rather than having to come all the way down here to deal with something. It means I can be with you and the kids more.”
Zoe frowned. It was a good idea, but she had her reservations.
“All right,” she said. “But it all stays switched off unless you get an emergency phone call from Rosetta.”
“Fair enough,” Bryan said.
He climbed out of the Volvo and approached Rosetta, who introduced him to the burly men. Bryan shook their hands and said something that made them all laugh. Bryan had a way with people. Maybe with me too, Zoe thought. It was an unwelcome idea.
“And I thought I was a workaholic,” Zoe said.
“Welcome to my world,” Cassie said with a wry smile.
Zoe looked toward Bryan with a look of concern.