The Friday of Labor Day weekend was busy. Andy was at Justin’s while he was getting groceries and so she could get the kids’ belongings packed up.

It was feeling more and more like these were more her kids than his to her, though she didn’t really mind.

Jason and Maria showed up before he even got back from the store.

”Hey guys,” Andy greeted them.

“Hey kiddo,” Jason said, walking past her.

They say on the couch and turned on the TV as they waited for Justin. A few of the other guys that were going also showed up while waiting for him to get back.

“Where is he?” Andy growled, picking up her phone and dialing his number.

“I’m on my way back, I got side-tracked.”

“Doing what?”

”Don’t worry about it. I’ll be there in like five minutes, I promise.”

”Hurry up,” she snapped before hanging up.

True to his word, he showed up almost exactly five minutes later.

“Bout time,” Jason smarted off as soon as Justin walked in the door. He got the middle finger as a response.

“Everything that has to be cold is in a cooler. Whenever y’all are ready, let’s go,” Justin said, grabbing his bag and the kids.

Andy grabbed her bag out of her car, trying to figure out who she was riding with.

”Come on Andy,” Jason said, taking her bag.

She looked over her shoulder as she was following her brother to his car and smiled innocently at a confused looking Justin.

The four pick-up trucks and Justin’s Suburban filed out from Justin’s house, Jason’s Camaro leading the way.

Andy slept most of the two hour drive, occasionally getting a text message from Cole who was there already.

They’d rented three campsites at a campground right on the lake and a pontoon boat for the weekend. Their sites were right on the bank of the river, the farthest they had to go was a short walk down the way to get on the boat or the same distance the opposite way to get to the shower house. It was their end of summer party; the whole campground was one big party for the most part all weekend long.

Only one of the other four guys had a family that he brought; that included his wife and two sons who were three and five. Andy knew it was going to be an interesting weekend.

They arrived around 4 pm and everyone began setting up their tents and all their belongings. Everyone that was, except for Andy. Cole was supposed to have been there to set their tent up, but was no where in sight.

She helped her brother and Maria set their tent up, hoping Cole would show up soon.

”Call him And. See where the fucker is,” Jason told her when they were done.

“I don’t reception out here or I would,” she mumbled.

“Hey honey,” she heard and spun around.

Cole was standing there in boarding shorts, no shirt and a backwards ball cap, a beer in his hand.

”Where have you been? Where’s our tent?”

“Relax. I set it up over with my boys.”

Andy glared at him. “What?”

“Over…with…my…boys.”

“Then take it down and bring it over here.”

“Why?” he asked, completely clueless.

“Because this is where it goes.” Andy was getting highly pissed off at him at this point and wished Justin would have never mentioned it to this dumbass.

“No…it goes over with my boys.”

”No!” she screamed at him, stomping her foot. “I came here with my brother and these guys, not your god damn friends Cole Peterson! You bring that tent over here now!”

Everyone had stopped what they were doing to watch and listen to them.

Cole looked around at a few people, then saw Justin standing there with his kids, a smug almost amused smile on his face.

”Ok princess. I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he whispered, kissed her and turned to go bring their tent back.

Later that evening, everyone was sitting around the fire, everyone drinking but Andy. Cole had left to go party with his friends, and as much as it seemed like it should bother her, it didn’t at all. She was relieved she didn’t have to deal with him right then and there.

”Go have some fun with your man and his friends,” Jason told her, a smile on his face.

“Nope. I’m good right here.” She was bored, but not ready to go to sleep yet.

“Why not?”

”I don’t want to!” she snapped.

”Damn girl, ok.”

Justin got the kids to sleep, then came back out to the fire.

“They sleeping?” Andy asked him.

“Yeah for now.”

“Ok. I’m going to sleep. Come get me if you need me.”

“You ok?” She wasn’t acting like herself and it worried Justin.

“Fine and dandy. Goodnight.” And she was walking away toward her tent.

“What’s wrong with your sister?” Justin asked Jason.

“Who knows. PMS maybe.”

“I think it’s her boyfriend. I don’t like him,” Maria chimed in.

“No one does,” Jason told her. “Hell sometimes I don’t think even Andy likes him.”

They continued drinking into all hours of the night. Alex and Emma ended up sleeping all night for Justin, which he was relieved for. The way Andy was acting, he really didn’t want to ask her for anything, especially help with the kids.

Andy woke up the next morning to quiet, except for the birds chirping and the sounds of nature she loved. She rolled over and her boyfriend was lying next to her, naked and obviously passed out from drinking way too much. She hadn’t even bothered to wake up when he came crawling in their tent and who knows what time. She did notice a small bruise starting to form near his eye though.

She threw on a sweatshirt and quietly climbed out of the tent. There was no one else up around them. She found a cup for her orange juice as quietly as she could, and once she had it she went and sat near the lake, watching the water.

She could barely make out the other side of the lake where they were. The sun had risen only a short while before and there were still bright colors in the sky over the water, though they were quickly fading. This is how she liked life. Quiet, simple and no drama.

Once she heard other people getting up and moving around, she walked over near Justin’s tent.

“Are you up?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah. Emma just got up, Alex is still sleeping.”

“I’ll get her bottle ready. Hand her out and I’ll feed her. Go back to sleep until Alex gets up.”

She waited a moment, then heard the tent unzip. She was expecting to get Emma, but instead Justin climbed out holding her. He was still in the basketball shorts he’d worn the night before and hadn’t put a shirt on yet, his tan skin appealing to Andy.

“Why don’t you go back to sleep? I can handle it by myself for right now.”

”I’ve been up for awhile, I can’t go back to sleep.”

“Ok. I can handle it for now though.” He looked towards the lake. “You can come sit over by me while I feed her though,” he said with a smile.

That got a laugh out of her. “You ahead Justin. I’ll get stuff for breakfast going.”

He shrugged, then went to get Emma’s bottle ready as Andy got stuff for cereal out.

“Just cereal?” she heard behind her.

Cole was slowly getting out of their tent, trying not to trip. He was still partly drunk from the night before.

“Yeah. You want something else, you can make it,” she snapped at him.

“What is wrong with you Andy? Why are you being such a bitch to me?”

She froze, her jaw dropping as she stared at him. “What?”

“You have been on my case since you got here. I didn’t do anything, stop being such a crabass.”

“You didn’t do anything? Are you kidding me?”

That’s when she saw her brother get out of his tent, staring at Cole. She saw Cole’s shoulders slump some, his eyes downcast. “I’m sorry. Just stop being so crabby and enjoy this weekend ok?” And he walked towards the group of trees, she assumed to use the bathroom.

Andy looked at her brother, his jaw clinched tight, trying to act like he didn’t notice or hear anything. Then it hit her, and she knew where Cole’s bruised eye came from.

After everyone had ate and cleaned up their messes, it was boat time. Everyone packed up coolers of their alcohol of choice and some stuff for lunch. They put on their swimming suits/shorts and stood around waiting for everyone else to be ready.

“Andy how the hell does this thing go on Emma?”

She turned around and saw Justin carrying Emma and her swimsuit, the one Andy had picked out for her.

The tiny baby bikini was pink with Tinkerbell on it and lots of frills.

She laughed and took Emma from him. “Watch and learn so you can do it next time dad.”

She quickly put the suit on Emma with no problems, him just laughing. “Why do girls need all the frills and two-pieces? It’s confusing as hell.”

“It’s the way it is. Better get used to it, you have a girl to raise that I’m sure will be all into dresses and frills and girly stuff.”

”That’s what I got you for,” he told Andy and walked away before she could say anything.

After Cole was down changing, she went into put her suit on. She’d brought her little bikini that was white and had metallic colorful peace signs on it. She threw on a pair of cut-offs over it and climbed out of the tent.

”Ready honey?” Cole asked, grabbing her hand.

“I thought you were going with your friends?”

He looked down. “Change of plans. I’m hanging with you today.”

She knew it was her brothers doing, and she really hated him for it at the moment. She had been looking forward to playing with the kids, not having to worry about her stupid boyfriend and his jealousy issues.

They made it out on the boat finally after only minimal set backs. Everyone cracked open a beer except of Justin and Andy. When he saw her open a bottled water, he sat a beer in front of her.

“What’s that for?”

”You. Today is your day to get plastered and have fun. Tomorrow you can be sober and play with the kids while I get plastered.”

“You sure? I don’t-“

”Do it Andy! You need it, bad.”  He winked at her, then walked to the front of the boat.

She spent the afternoon and part of the evening drinking while bullshitting and fishing with the guys. She checked on the kids every now and then, only to be yelled at by Justin for not having fun.

By the time they got back to their campsites, it was mostly dark and Andy was toasted. She’d lost count after seven beers, but knew it had to have been at least twelve. Her brother was keeping an eye on her, along with a few other guys to make sure she didn’t do anything stupid.

Cole went to party with his friends like he’d down the night before, leaving Andy there drunk.

“I hate that prick,” she slurred once he was gone.

“Why are you with him then?” Jason asked, trying not to laugh at her.

“I thought it’d be a good thing to do.”

“Being with someone you hate is a good thing to do?”

”No silly. I thought Justin seeing me move on after loosing someone would help him move on. He needs to be happy.”

Jason looked over at Justin, an amused smile on his face. Andy had no idea he was sitting right there from being so drunk.

“Ok, you want Justin to be happy and you’re trying to make your point by putting yourself through hell?”

“Yeah. No, wait. I’m not in hell.”

”Then you like being with Cole?” Jason was having way to much fun messing with her drunken state of mind.

“No! I hate him!”

“Then how are you making Justin happy?”

“I don’t know. He’s got two babies, he has to be happy for them.”

“You make him happy.”

”I’m the babysitter silly, I’m supposed to.”

“Babysitter means making the kids happy, not him.”

Jason and Justin were cracking up, Maria smacking her boyfriend for messing with his sister.

“Oh,” she frowned.

“What?”

“I dunno.”

She sat there quietly and the guys got on other subjects to talk about. Suddenly, without notice, Andy fell backwards off the log she was sitting on. Justin and Jason were instantly on their feet, still cracking up like everyone else.

“I’m stuck,” they heard her mumble.

“Man, go put your sister to bed. She is beyond wasted,” Justin said sitting back down.

“No way. You go put your babysitter to bed,” Jason laughed at him.

“Why?”

“I took care of the boyfriend issue, you take care of the Andy issue.”

”Yeah punching the guy is taking care of it. He still called her a bitch this morning.”

”He spent the day with her though didn’t he?”

”So what? I get her in her tent, she’s not going to be crabby anymore?”

Jason smiled. “Make her not be crabby anymore.”

“No way. I’m not doing it, she is drunk, that’s not right.”

”I’m just messing with you man,” Jason laughed. “Go get her drunk ass in her tent, I’m taking my girlfriend to bed.”

Justin sighed as Jason and Maria walked off in each others arm giggling. He walked over to Andy and knelt down next to her. “You ok?”

She didn’t move.

”Andy?” he said, sitting her up.

“Hmm,” she moaned, opening her eyes.

”Come on, you need to get in bed and sleep. You’re wasted.”

He slowly got her to her feet, her not cooperating at all. He all but drug her to her tent. He sat her down outside of it as he unzipped it.

“There ya go girl. Climb in and pass out.”

“I can’t move,” she whined.

“Andy, I’m not getting in the tent with you. Climb in there now.”

“I can’t!” she whined louder.

He groaned to himself, knowing he shouldn’t do what he was about to do.

He carefully lifted her by her under arms and gently drug her in the tent. He rearranged her pillows and covers and laid her down, then covered her up.

“Justin?” she mumbled as he was getting ready to leave.

“What Andy? You’re supposed to be passing out.”

“Come here.”

He crawled back over to her and she grabbed his hand. “What Andy?” he asked again. He was trying as hard as he could to quickly get out of there before he let anything he’d regret in the morning happen, even worse she regretted.

“Are you happy?”

”Yes Andy. I’d be even happier if you’d go to sleep.”

“Would it make you even happier if I told you I wanted to kiss you right now?”

He swallowed hard. “Yes it would, but it’s not going to happen.”

She half way sat up and wiggled out of her bikini top right in front of him. “Does that make you happy?”

“Damn it Andy, stop! This doesn’t need to happen and especially when you’re so drunk. Now go to sleep! You can ask me all this in the morning when you’re sober.”

She flopped back on her pillow and was instantly asleep.

“Damn women,” Justin muttered, crawling out of the tent.

He quietly made his way to his tent and fell asleep before he ended up waking his kids up.

Cole had seen Justin bring Andy to their tent as he made his way back from his friends. He saw Justin crawl out a few minutes later when he got closer, muttering something about women to himself. Cole quickly got in their tent and saw Andy passed out, her top off and her bare chest exposed. “That son of a bitch,” Cole whispered before covering Andy up. He came up with a plan to catch the two in the lie together, or at least Justin messing around with his girlfriend before he passed out, his hand over one of Andy’s breasts.