The boy and girl cautiously slipped into the dimly lit room, their footsteps muffled by the soft carpet underfoot. Their eyes darted around, taking in the mysterious surroundings as they exchanged a nervous glance. They moved with deliberate precision, avoiding creaky floorboards and ensuring their presence remained undetected. A hushed conversation ensued, their voices barely above a whisper, as they strategized their next move.
Navigating through the invisible maze, they finally reached their destination. After exchanging nods, the girl readied herself. As though a shot had been fired, the muscles in the girl's legs twitched, propelling her upwards before she crash-landed on a figure hidden beneath a cover. "Happy Mother's Day!", the girl screamed, not bothering to move.
Gently pushing the weight on top of her off, Desiree muttered, "How many times have I told you not to do this?".
Avoiding Desiree's gaze, Bella mumbled, "A lot of times".
"Exactly", Desiree strictly stated. However, a few seconds later, a broad smile appeared on her face as she hugged her daughter, "But I'll let you off this once".
Separating from the hug, Bella jumped up and down on the bed, "Zephy and I made breakfast. Do you like it?".
"She'll have to actually taste it before she gives her answer", Zephyr interrupted, handing Desiree a tray with a small selection of delicacies.
"Taste it! Taste it! Taste it! Taste it!", Bella chanted, incapable of controlling her excitement.
"Okay. Okay", Desiree placated, quickly looking at the food. "S'more Pancakes", Desiree muttered, a small tear pricking at the corner of her eyes, "You remembered".
"Of course I did", Zephyr proudly stated, "Now hurry up and tell me how they are".
Nodding, Desiree used the knife provided to cut a piece of the pancake and then used a fork to eat it. Se savoured every bite of the delectable dish, her eyes closing briefly as the flavours danced on her taste buds. With each mouthful, a satisfied smile tugged at the corners of her lips. The succulent aroma filled the air as she relished the perfect combination of textures and tastes. It was evident from the way she leaned back in his chair, a contented sigh escaping her lips, that she had thoroughly enjoyed the incredibly tasty meal.
"It tastes amazing", Desiree complimented, "It tastes just like I remember it".
"Yay!", Bella exclaimed, clapping in joy.
After setting the tray on her nightstand, Desiree picked up her daughter and placed her on her lap. "Are you excited for today?", she asked.
Bella nodded her head furiously, "Yep".
Seeing her enthusiasm, Desiree smiled and turned to look at Zephyr, "And what about you?".
"I guess", Zephyr shrugged.
"Stop trying to play it cool", Matt interrupted, "We all know you're excited to go because Alex is going as well".
"No!", Zephyr shouted indignantly. However, the slight reddening of his cheek did little to support this argument and convinced no one.
"And you?", Desiree directed her attention towards Matt, "Are you ready to spend some time with Jay and Phil?"
"Yeah", Matt answered, looking away from her. Getting up from the bed, he stretched and then looked at Desiree, "Have fun on your hike. I've to get some things for when I hang out with Phil and Jay".
"Okay", Desiree muttered, looking at him as he walked out of the room.
[Time Skip]
"Did you know there are coyotes in these woods?", Luke asked, looking around for any danger. "Did you pack a weapon?", he asked Manny.
"I have a walking stick", Manny answered, gesturing to the walking stick in his hand.
"Does it become a sword?", Luke questioned in excitement.
"I guess it becomes a running stick", Manny replied, rolling his eyes.
"You're going to outrun a coyote? The fastest mammal on Earth", Luke asked.
"Can you two stop?!", Alex exclaimed.
"You're making up facts", Zephyr added. "Coyotes are nocturnal so you'll only find them at night. What's more, they rarely attack humans. And in most cases that they do is because the human encroached on its territory and cornered it, causing it to feel threatened".
"As if", Luke scoffed.
"Luke. Coyotes aren't the fastest mammals or the fastest full stop. Cheetahs are the fastest land animals. Peregrine Falcons are the faster birds and Sailfish are the fastest fish", Alex explained.
"How much further?", Bella complained, looking like she ran a marathon.
"I'd like to go far enough that we can't see our cars in the parking lot", Desiree replied.
"Ugh", Haley groaned, trudging along, "I'm getting dust in my mouth".
"You have to appreciate nature", Claire interrupted, gesturing around them.
"Soon, this place will be a mall", Gloria added, receiving a nod from Desiree and Claire.
"I'll come then", Manny muttered.
"I'm hungry", Haley grumbled.
"I say we eat what we kill", Luke declared.
"With what?", Zephyr snorted, "Your Popsicle stick and Manny's walking stick? I'm sure there are plenty of animals we can kill with that".
"This is a spear!", Luke exclaimed, "When you're all starving, you'll beg me for my spear to eat food".
Rolling his eyes, Manny walked ahead of Luke, "The only thing you'll be eating is the mood".
"I don't understand you", Luke muttered, catching up with Manny.
"I know", Manny sighed.
[A few minutes later]
Manny scratched his wrist, muttering, "Yep. That was poison oak. I think the rash is spreading".
"Ayy. Manny, that's not a rash", Gloria argued, "It's red because you scratch yourself a lot".
"I just don't want my throat to close", Manny defended.
"Wouldn't be the worst thing if it happened", Luke muttered.
"I'm so bored, I'd rather be reading", Haley complained.
"I'm so bored, I'd rather be at my cello lessons", Alex added.
"I'm so bored, I'd rather be at school", Zephyr continued.
"I'm so bored, I'd rather be playing at home", Bella finished, proud of herself.
"That's not how it goes", Alex remarked.
"Huh", Bella asked.
"You're meant to say you'd rather be doing something you normally don't like", Zephyr explained.
"But I want to be at home playing", Bella mumbled.
"I can't believe I'm talking to little kids", Haley groaned.
"Enough!", Desiree exclaimed, "For the past 10 minutes, all you lot have done is complain and whine".
"You would think that on Mother's Day, you'd have something nice to say and behave", Claire added.
Just as she was about to continue, Luke raised his finger and shushed her. Pausing for a few seconds, he shook his head, saying, "Thought I hear a coyote".
Hearing this, the trio of moms shook their heads and walked ahead. "God. Luke. You're such an idiot!", Alex exclaimed.
"At least I don't look like an idiot", Luke countered.
"Your hat", Haley clarified, "It looks like you walked under a bird that poops ugly hats".
"It's fine. You look okay", Zephyr interrupted, "But you would've looked better with the new glasses I recommended". Hearing this, Alex let out a sigh of relief.
"Watch the language", Manny said, receiving glares from everyone present.
"Enough complaining!", Gloria screamed, surprising all the children.
"I think we need to give ourselves a Mother's Day present", Claire stated, looking at them, "Kids. Your hike is over".
"Yes", they all cheered.
"No", Desiree interrupted, "You're not meant to be happy. You're meant to be sad because you ruined our Mother's Day".
Gloria nodded, "All three of us are going to finish this hike while you all stay here and think about what you've done". Finished with what she had to say, she stormed off with Desiree and Claire following after her.
Looking at the trio walking away, the kids shrugged for a second before returning to doing their own thing. Haley, Alex, Zephyr and Bella sat down on a large, somewhat flat, stone. Luke took out his sharpened Popsicle stick and tried cutting another large rock right next to them. Manny, being more emotionally sensitive, chose to run after them. However, due to his weak cardio, he ended up walking after them.
"You know, more people have died hiking than in the Civil War", Luke remarked, sawing at the boulder in front of him.
"What book did you read that in?", Zephyr asked.
"Book? Wake up and smell the Internet, Grandpa", Luke retorted.
"Luke. Not everything on the Internet is true", Alex explained.
"Pft", Luke waved her off, "The Internet is always right".
"So if the Internet told you that jumping into a pool of shit was good for you, you'd do it?", Zephyr asked.
Luke thought about it for a second, before nodding his head. "There's no hope for you", Alex muttered under her breath.
"What's shit?", Bella asked, unsure of what the word meant.
"Damn!", Zephyr cursed under his breath, "Just forget the word Bella. Okay? It's something really bad".
Bella tilted her head slightly but nodded after a few seconds.
"You know. Our moms are going to want us to apologise", Haley commented.
"Well. We did kind of ruin their Mother's Day", Luke stated.
"No. They ruined their Mother's Day", Haley argued, "They brought us to somewhere they know we wouldn't like. We complain for, like, a second and now we're the bad guys".
"12 minutes and 46 seconds", Zephyr randomly blurted.
"What?", Haley asked.
"12 minutes and 46 seconds", Zephyr reiterated, "That's how long we were complaining".
"Okay. One. I was making a point", Haley interrupted, "And two. How on Earth did you keep count?".
"In my head", Zephyr replied, shrugging his shoulders like it was common sense.
"That is terrifying", Haley commented.
"I don't think they chose for us to come along with them", Zephyr commented.
"What makes you say that?", Alex questioned.
"Don't you find it strange that my dad, Phil and Jay are all getting together to hang out when my Dad and Jay have hardly ever spoken to each other?", Zephyr retorted, "What's more, all of them gave horrible gifts. Jay with his fake necklace. Phil with an iPad. My Dad with a scented candle".
"Those are horrible gifts", Haley agreed.
"That does sound suspicious", Alex muttered, nodding her head.
[With Jay, Phil and Matt]
"No! No! No!", Phil exclaimed, "You cut it all wrong".
"I'm sorry!", Matt shouted back, "But I told you I'm not good at this stuff".
"Isn't Zephyr an amazing cook?", Jay interrupted, "How can you be so bad?"
"I don't know", Matt shrugged his shoulders, "He learnt from his Mom and the Internet. The only I've ever cooked is plain spaghetti".
"Isn't that just dipping spaghetti in boiling water?", Phil asked, taking the goggles he was wearing off.
"Uhhh", Matt muttered.
"Whatever", Jay cut him off, "Just cut the things and be done with it".
[Commentary]
Matt
"I'm going to be honest", Matt whispered, making sure to look around, "I've never boiled spaghetti. The one time I tried, the spaghetti basically ended up dissolving in the water".
[Commentary ends]
"Do you ever think we're bad children?", Zephyr asked, looking up at the sky.
"Us?", Haley scoffed, "Bad kids? As if".
"I don't know", Alex shrugged, "You get on Mom's nerves quite a lot".
"As if you're so perfect", Haley retorted, "You make Mom drive you everywhere".
"Ha", Luke laughed, "That's true".
"Don't even try Luke", Alex snapped.
"You're the worst of all of us", Haley added, with Alex nodding along.
"Huh. How?", Luke asked.
"You forget how to open the bathroom door. You constantly run into doors. and break them", Alex listed.
"You've dropped Mom's phone and broken it so many times", Haley continued, "You tried using a pogo stick on the trampoline and broke the springs. Need we go on?"
"Okay", Zephyr interrupted, "Let's all calm down. It's clear that we've all been horrible children. So, I suggest we apologise to Desiree, Gloria and Claire when they come back".
"Damn it", Haley muttered under her breath, "You're right".
"Urgh", Alex groaned, "I can't believe I'm agreeing with Haley for once".
"So it's decided then?", Zephyr asked, receiving nods from everyone present. "Now. We just need to hope our Dads can pull their weight"
[With Jay, Phil and Matt]
"Argh!", Matt screamed, "It's on fire!"
"Why is it on fire?!", Jay shouted as he ran into the room.
"I don't know!", Phil exclaimed, "I just left him alone for a minute!".
"You idiot!", Jat yelled, "I told you to supervise him the whole time!"
"I'm right here you know", Matt stated.
"Then why aren't you getting the fire extinguisher?!", Jay roared.
Saluting, Matt ran out of the room.
[Back to Zephyr]
"Actually", Zephyr muttered, thinking about it for a second, "We better not get our hopes up too high".