Chapter 4

Wednesday, day four and Thursday, Day Five at Camp Shady Pines

Day four was a typical day: have breakfast, head to the beach, have lunch at the picnic table, catch some rays, swim and play beach volleyball. Brad talked to the cute lifeguard, but we did not tease him about her. We had an unwritten rule: teasing once is okay and fun, but don’t push it.

We had dinner at the cabin, cleaned up the kitchen, took turns showering and played cards until we decided to go to bed.

I was in the middle of a lovely dream when I felt someone shaking my shoulder, and I looked up. It was Brad looking very upset. I looked around, and it was still dark outside, with just the moonlight coming through the window. I squinted at the neon glow from the clock radio that got two stations on a good day and saw that it was 2:30 in the morning.

Brad let out a sigh and said, “Mom, they are at it again. I can’t sleep with them doing it in the same room and making the bedsprings squeak. I let them know I was awake, but Carol just told me to leave, enjoy the show or go back to sleep. She’s being a brat about it.”

“I will talk to your sister in the morning. Okay?” I didn’t think through my next statement because all I wanted was to get back to sleep and my dream, “Why don’t you get in bed with your old Mom, and we can both get some sleep.” Brad mumbled something under his breath, walked around the bed, and got under the covers with his back to me. Ten minutes later, I heard his breathing slow and knew he was asleep. It was a comforting sound to hear as I drifted off.

It was 7:40 in the morning when I woke up and looked at the clock. The early morning glow of sunshine filtered through the window, and I felt like I had the best night’s sleep I had in a long time. Then I felt the bed move and looked over, and Brad was rolling onto his back. I had forgotten entirely about Brad. I smiled to myself and gave him a light kiss on his cheek, just like I used to do to his dad in the morning. I quietly got out of bed so I would not disturb him, grabbed my robe, and headed for the bathroom. Just as I got to the bathroom door, Carol came out.

“Oh, hi, Mom. Where is Brad? I need to apologize to him for last night.”

“He is sleeping in my room, and yes, you do owe him an apology. That’s twice you left our room and went in and had sex with Steve and woke up your brother. When the boys get here for breakfast, we need to have a meeting to resolve this problem. Don’t you leave, and where is Steve?”

“He is out for his morning run and should be back in a few. I will go and start the coffee. Do you want me to wake up, Brad?”

“Don’t you dare wake up your brother! He is not very happy with you right now.” I waved Carol away and said, “Now get out of my way. I really need to pee.”

We were all gathered at the kitchen table an hour later and had just finished breakfast. I picked up my coffee cup and stood up. I pointed my coffee cup at Carol and Steve and said, “Twice now, you two made Brad so uncomfortable he had to leave the room and find another place to sleep. He asked you to stop or leave, and you, Carol, ignored him and told him to put up with it or he could leave.”

Carol protested, “Come on, Mom, it wasn’t that bad. It was dark, and we were under the covers.”

“That’s not the point. How would you like it if (I was about to say if Brad had sex in the room, but I knew what her answer to that would be) I had sex with someone, and you were in the room?”

Carol almost looked guilty when she answered, “Awkward. I get your point, Mom. Sorry, Brad, it won’t happen again.” She reached over and gave her brother a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Steve looked embarrassed and said, “I’m sorry, Ms. Sullivan, I wasn’t thinking. It’s my fault. I should have known better. You too, Brad, I’m very sorry.”

“We are not putting all the blame on you, Steve. Believe me, Brad and I know how Carol can be. You seem like a decent guy, and Brad and I don’t have a problem with the two of you sharing a bed and having some fun. But we do have a problem with Carol thinking it is okay to do it in front of her brother even if you’re keeping it under the covers. So start coming up with some ideas, folks.”

Carol piped up, “I could move in with Steve, and Brad could sleep on the couch.”

Brad raised his hands as if to push someone away and said. “I would not make a poor stray dog sleep on that couch for another three and a half weeks.”

I could not help but smile and say, “So how about you, Carol? Do you want to sleep on the couch?”