Chapter 3: Mike

I was checking out the camper, making sure it was weather proof as possible when Carrie came back. I really hoped Sarah would be with her, but she wasn’t. I could tell Carrie was upset, as soon as we got inside she jumped into my lap, hugging me hard. I petted her as I watched the storm grow worse, the wind blowing so hard it actually shook us a few times. Lightning was flashing, thunder an almost a continuous roll. I couldn’t help thinking about Sarah in that flimsy tent, so I gently slid Carrie off my lap, gathering foul weather gear. I was going to get Sarah. I didn’t know if I would be able to tolerate Carlos very long, but I would try for the sake of Sarah.

When Carrie declared her intentions, I just grinned, helping her into my mother’s old raincoat. The umbrella lasted about as long as it took us to get out the door, and we were soaked, even with rain gear, before we got to the truck.

I put the truck into low range four wheel drive. I probably wouldn’t need it, but you never knew. The rain was a solid wall, with occasional glimpses of the road. I did about five miles an hour, running over anything in the way. The destruction of the tent sites looked like something from a tornado video. I couldn’t believe it when I saw theirs still standing. Leaving Carrie inside the truck, I ripped their tent flap open. Sarah was huddling in a corner shaking with fear, almost in shock. In what seemed like one motion, I scooped her up, running back to the truck.

I lay her in the back, giving her room, and Carrie jumped over the seat, hugging and kissing her until she calmed down. We were about to leave when someone started pounding on the door. I’d already decided if it was Carlos he could go fuck himself, but it was a young woman with two small children. Carrie pulled them inside without hesitation.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she said, in tears. “We were going to wait out the storm in the car, but then the tree hit it, and it started leaking. The kids and I were scared to death. It was like a gift from God when you pulled up. I didn’t know your friend was in the tent or I would have taken her into my car. I know it’s a lot to ask, but can you help us find shelter, maybe call the Red Cross?”

The more she talked, the more I realized I knew her.

“Julie Danvers! I’ll help you any way I can, but first I need to ask you a question. Do you still enjoy running around in your birthday suit?”

She flinched, looking at me closely. “Uncle Mike? Is that you?”

“Yes it is, baby. These are my ... friends, Carrie and Sarah. Of course we’ll help you. But you never answered my question.”

She looked at Carrie and Sarah. “ His parents and mine are good friends. He was thirteen then, a skinny, gangly kid. He would watch me and his little brother when the parents wanted to spend adult time together. I was five! It seemed like a good idea at the time. And he spanked me BEFORE he let me put my suit back on.”

Carrie grinned, and spoke before she thought. “Yes, he does like them bare when he spanks them, doesn’t he?”

Sarah gasped while Julie giggled, and Carrie flamed red. To derail the conversation, I suggested we head back for the camper. The storm was still raging, but not quite as hard. Julie was going to go back into the tent, but I insisted she stay with her kids, and grabbed the duffel bag she had asked for.

Even with another adult and two small children, we weren’t uncomfortable. Natalie, Julie’s five year old, had latched onto Carrie. When we got to the camper Sarah insisted they all take hot showers and get into dry clothes before they caught cold. The women were in full mother mode, so I wandered into the kitchen to see about dinner. It was five, a little early, but we hadn’t eaten since breakfast, who knows when Julie and the kids had eaten.

Glad I had stocked up, I pan grilled some pork chops, and made my favorite side dish, macaroni and cheese. Not just any mac and cheese, it was made out of four cheeses, thickened with cream, bubbling in the oven. My mother’s recipe. Huge hunks of French bread with butter and garlic rubbed on. A couple of premade salads the adults could share, and we were ready to dine.

Dinner was a smash, especially the mac and cheese. The pan was empty by the time dinner was over. The girls insisted that since I cooked they should clean up, so I left them to it, sure my name would come up in their conversation. I had found a gaming system, with age appropriate games for my niece when we were cleaning up. My heart gave a litle twinge and my eyes moistened, thinking about the young life that got needlessly cut short, but it was perfect entertainment for our young guests. Robbie was six, his little sister five. We put on a game that featured colorful cartoon characters racing go-karts. I had Nat on my lap helping her. We were so involved in the game we didn’t notice the girls for a second. I looked up just in time to see Carrie burst into tears and flee to the master bedroom.

She was back in just a few minutes, face freshly washed, and told Nat she was in her seat. Natalie refused to move so they compromised. Carrie sat on my lap, and Nat sat on hers.

By eight, the kids were drooping from their stressful day. The girls got them into pajamas, and Carrie had found the fairy tale book Mom had gotten for my niece, and she had to read them two stories before they fell asleep.