Page 5 of Cabin Fever With My First Flame

Mia doesn’t bother to look up at me as she mumbles, “It’s better than playing dumb video games.”

Mia loves playing video games with her sisters, but with only four controllers and six kids, two are bound to be left out. I move her socked feet and sit down on the edge of the sofa. “Mia, you love to play video games. You simply have to let them know that you would like a turn. If you don’t ask, then the answer is always going to be ‘No,’ and you’ll be left out. You have to speak up for yourself.”

She dips her chin once and continues reading, ignoring my parental advice. And here I thought that Ella was the only drama queen in the family.

I sigh and rub my hands on my legs, getting up to make the phone call. I make my way to the kitchen and pick up thereceiver. Silence greets me instead of a dial tone. I push the hangup button over and over again, but still nothing. “Come on!”

“What’s the problem?” Finn asks, sneaking up behind me.

I wave the phone above my head and accidentally smack my face with the cord. “Ow!” I rub my forehead to numb the sting, “That was a self-critiquing moment if I ever had one,” I mumble, my cheeks heating from embarrassment. I hand him the receiver and grumble, “There’s no dial tone, Finn. I need to let my parents know we didn’t drive off a cliff or get eaten by a bear.”

Finn takes the receiver and puts it up to his ear before placing it in the cradle. “Bears are in hibernation, Bailey, so there’s no chance of that. Plus, you don’t have enough meat on your bones to be a worthy meal or even a light snack.”

“Finn, this isn’t funny! You know my mom. She’ll start coming up with the worst-case scenarios in her head that puts a Bailey-eating bear to shame. Mom will think aliens have abducted us or that I got lost and ended up in Florida.”

Finn holds a finger to my mouth. “Shh. Bailey, you need to calm down. I’ve got you covered.” He grabs his walkie-talkie and calls the Chief.

“Chief, this is Hollister,” Finn says.

“Hollister, this is Chief. I have you loud and clear. What’s your status?”

“The boys and I were able to get to the family in time. They’re here at the cabin and riding out the storm with us, but the landline is out. Can you pass on a message to their family and appraise them of the situation?” Finn asks.

“Sure. Who am I contacting?” the fire chief asks.

“Please let Barb and Henry McNamara know that their daughter,Bailey, and their grandchildren are safe.”

“Hollister, did you just say that Bailey is with you? As intheBailey?”

Finn walks into the other room and closes a set of French doors behind him, but I can still make out his words. “Affirmative. As soon as the storm passes and it’s safe to come down the mountain, I’ll bring them to town.”

“Hollister. Are you sure this is a wise decision considering your history?”

“I don’t have a choice, Chief. It’s not safe to travel, and they have nowhere else to go. You always go on and on, preaching about learning from our mistakes. I’ve taken that to heart and don’t intend to make the same one twice,” Finn says.

I don’t wait around to listen to the rest of their conversation, having heard more than enough. Needing to keep myself busy so that I don’t dwell on being called a “mistake,” I walk over to the kids and tap on Micah’s head. He pauses the game and looks up at me. I smile and ask, “Is it okay with you guys if I bust open a box of decorations? I want to make myself useful.”

Ella giggles. “Mom can’t help herself at Christmas, so be warned! By the time she’s done, there won’t be an inch of space that doesn’t have a figurine, ornament, or wreath.”

Mia chimes in from behind the pages of the book she’s holding. “Mom also makes the best cookies. I can’t wait for this place to smell like a bakery instead of dirty socks.”

“Mia! That was rude!” I scold. “We’re guests in this home, and you need to apologize.”

She places the book on her chest and smiles sweetly at the boys. “I apologize for saying this house smells like dirty socks, even if it’s true. Forgive me?”

Isaac and Jonah scowl at my daughter, but Micah laughs. “You’re forgiven. If you think it smells like feet now, wait until after we have refried beans at dinner. We’re having tacos.”

Mia finally smiles slyly at her older sister. “I’m used to Ella passin’ gas. She does it so often that Mom has nicknamed her ‘Tooter.’”

“Why you!” Ella screams, getting up to tackle Mia for sharing that secret, especially in front of an older boy who is cute to boot. Mia tosses the book and takes off running. Then Ava chases after Ella, thinking they’re playing a game of tag. Total chaos ensues as Isaac and Jonah join in, and pillows start flying along with insults and name-calling.

Micah gets up and stands beside me, watching as pure pandemonium unfolds. When he notices me rubbing my temples, he grins and says, “And to think, you can’t even spank them without going to jail.”

Chapter four

Finn

Chief Zimmerman was aLieutenant in the fire department when I was a junior firefighter and has been a friend and mentor to me for two decades. He was there for me when my best friend, Daniel, dropped the bomb that he and Bailey were dating and had been getting together behind my back for the entirety of my senior year.

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