“No way! I will not be beer bitch today!” Garrett hollers through his open window, throwing open his door with gusto. He hauls ass out of the truck, grabs his pole, and eyes me with glee like I’m some sort of worthy opponent.
Shit. They’re serious.
Colin’s already at the water line next to the other two guys, flicking his wrist. I watch as Garrett scrambles to grab all his things and decide to be prudent about this. Sensing the urgency, I choose to leave the tackle box and just come back for it. Pole in hand, I snag my chair and take off walking briskly toward Colin.
“Hey, why’re you leaving your–uh uh. No. No!” Garrett sputters, clearly struggling with all his gear. A boyish giggle exits me as Garrett curses when I hear his tackle box drop to the ground. Next, a chair. By now, it must be a show behind me because Mark, Trystan, and Colin are laughing their asses off. I hear fast footsteps bringing up the rear, and the mad dash is on. I’m not getting the beer bitch title slapped on me the very first time I come out here.
We race for the water line, and this is the moment I’m extremely happy with my choice to ready my pole at the tailgate.
“No!” Garrett rushes out in a puffed-out breath of exertion and anxiety, and I force back another chuckle.
“Ahhh…” I exaggerate, flicking my readied line out into the water. “You were a worthy opponent, Gare Bear.”
Boisterous cackling fills the air as Garrett mutters curses and promises of poetic justice.
“Garrett, that was the funniest damn thing I’ve seen in a while. I needed that laugh this morning,” Colin says on a wheeze, still fighting to get air.
“Glad I could be your entertainment,” Garrett mumbles, all salty-like, roll of his eyes included.
“How was Charlotte this morning?” Trystan asks, attempting to pull the sourpuss away from his loss.
“Adorable as ever. She was already about to go down for her morning nap when I was leaving. Jane was going to curl up near her and catch some sleep too.”
“Would you look at that!” Mark exclaims, reeling in the first catch of the day. It’s a decent-sized crappie. “In the basket you go,” Mark singsongs deeply as he unhooks the fish and places him in the keeper basket, which he fixes in the designated spot in the water. “You know, I think I’ll just keep living vicariously through you and Colin. It’s kind of like a parenting what-to-expect book.”
Trystan rolls his eyes with a huff.
“You can’t gauge anything that way. Every kid is different. Colin’s twins, for example. One may be the easiest going baby in the world, and the other may spew green vomit and give them a run for their money.”
“Not helping my anxiety, Trys,” Colin mutters.
“Just stating the obvious.”
“That’s a scary obvious.”
“They’re both going to be wonderful, man. Plus, you’ve got a whole gaggle of women who will gladly swoop in and help,” Trystan notes, and Colin’s shoulders visibly relax. My line tugs.
“Oh yeah, come to daddy!” I mutter to myself with excitement. I’d forgotten the rush of the catch.
“Now that’s a nice crappie. What you both using for bait?” Garrett asks.
“Just these little marshmallow things,” I say, reaching down into my box to retrieve the little jar so he can see it. “You’re welcome to use them too.”
“Don’t mind if I do. Thanks.”
Within an hour, we’ve managed to bring in a heck of a mess of fish, and I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long time. Friends. I have friends.
“What do you all think about a little weekend getaway before the babies come?” Colin asks as we’re cleaning fish at Mark’s a while later.
“Umm, that’s not a whole lot of planning time for you. Like, you’ll want to do it within the month. That last four weeks can really go up in the air quickly, especially with twins,” I throw out.
“So, where all within a two hour-ish radius do you guys want to go then?” Colin looks up at us. “How bout a lake house rental? Something we can all just chill at. Maybe do dinner in town that Friday night, bonfire and fish fry Saturday night, after a nice afternoon of tossing out lines while the girls relax, then come home Sunday afternoon?”
“I’m in,” Mark blurts out.
“Same,” answers Trystan.
“You guys think you can deal with a tiny waking up throughout the night? If so, we’re in.” Garrett nods.
