Dad Trip
"I don't want to see him." Anne snapped arms crossed as she pouted at her mum. Jane sighed as she fixed the ribbon at the end of Anne's braid.
"I know darling, but he is your father and he wants to spend time with you." Jane reasoned and Anne scowled.
"For once." The eleven-year-old quipped darkly and Jane sighed. Her Ex-husband was a real piece of work that was for certain, but if she could help it Jane tried not to talk bad about him, around her girls at least. Now when it was just her and Catherine, that was a completely different story.
"Hey now lambchop none of that, come on at least he agreed to go With Cathy's dad so you'll have Cathy for the weekend." Jane reasoned brightly and Anne sighed.
"Who knew two deadbeat dads would become friends." Anne deadpanned, making Jane sigh shaking her head. Kitty, however, was ecstatic, she loved spending time with her daddy. Though it was likely due to the fact that she didn't remember him as clearly as Anne.
"Mommy I packed my bag!" Kitty exclaimed bringing her backpack into Anne's room as she clutched her baby doll and grinned.
"Did you now Kitty-cat? Well, let me see." Anne watched her mum go off to help her baby sister and sighed heavily. She definitely did not want to go to some campsite with her dad for a whole weekend.
"Hey, Cathy," Anne greeted as she slumped from her house and over to where her friend was standing on the sidewalk. Cathy smiled slightly, but Anne could tell it was her forced polite smile. "Are you excited?" Anne questioned raising an eyebrow and Cathy's smile dropped and she sighed sadly.
"Not really, I'd rather visit my grandparents than be with my dad a whole weekend," she whispered softly and Anne nodded her agreement as an incredibly unhappy Anna stormed from her house and dropped her bag next to Cathy.
"I'm bloody thirteen I should have a say on how I spend my damn weekend!" She exclaimed sharply, Anne looked to Cathy who shook her head.
"My mama said she's hormonal," she explained softly and Anne nodded slowly as she processed this information.
"Look I know you're both unhappy, your father's an ass I'm aware, but please try and humor the fool." Catherine Aragon snapped coming up behind the girls. Anne giggled at her depiction of Cathy's dad. Jane approached giving Catherine a disappointed look. Kitty was in her pink cat printed jacket with her cat backpack, she was the only one who seemed excited about the trip.
The dads were an hour and forty-three minutes late picking the girls up. Honestly, no one but Kitty was surprised. When the crudely decorated short bus came barreling around the corner, Anne rolled her eyes shaking her head unamused with this whole situation. Arthur and Charles both emerged from the bus, Charles honking the horn a good twenty or so times before jumping from the bus with loud shouting. Arthur grinned and both of his girls and ex-wife looked up at him unamused.
"You're late, asshat." Catherine deadpanned and Arthur shrugged nervously rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well it's always good to see you Cath,we uh got a flat." He chuckled anxiously as she raised an eyebrow at him unamused. "Uh um well there's my beautiful girls! " He exclaimed bending to wrap Cathy and Anna in a tight hug.
"Hey-o Janie, you're looking beautiful as ever!" Charles grinned widely and Jane held both girls close as she hummed tightly at her ex-husband's greeting.
"Charles." She grumbled as Kitty went barreling towards him. "I see you finally got off probation." She whispered sternly, a clear warning in her eyes.
"Hey, hey Kitten, you've grown so much!" He exclaimed ignoring Jane's quips, twirling his youngest around making her giggle. Anne rolled her eyes at the nine-year-old's enthusiasm. "Is that my bugaboo?" He questions brightly and before Anne can protest he scoops her up and blows a raspberry into her neck making her burst into giggles.
"Alright girls up on the bus, we want to talk to your dads for a moment." Jane smiled forcefully and Anne winced in sympathy.
"They're gonna get it." She whispered to Cathy as she snickered nodding as she looked back at her dad.
"Wanna open the window and listen?" Cathy questioned quietly and Anne grinned widely.
"Uh duh!" She exclaimed as they scampered down the aisle and slowly cracked the nearest window open.
"Aww come on ladies we weren't even that late!" Charles whined and Catherine scoffed loudly, hands on her hips.
"Ooh that's her angry pose," Cathy whispered making Anne giggle into her hands.
"If almost being two hours isn't late to you two I'd hate to see what you deem as late." Catherine hissed trying to keep her voice down.
"We got a flat!" Arthur reasoned and Jane raised an eyebrow crossing her arms.
"Sure, just promise you'll not disappoint the girls this time." She growled and Charles scoffed.
"When have I ever-"
"Oh well, what about when you robbed that grocery store on Kitty's second birthday and got yourself thrown in jail for the first time? Or how about when you sold Anne's rollerblades to buy drugs?" She countered without hesitation and he sighed bitterly.
"Look I promise this time, you have my word." He flashed her a charming smile and she narrowed her eyes.
"Your word means very little to me, but I'll give you this last chance for the girls' sake." She growled lowly as she jabbed her finger against his chest.
"You lot better bring the girls back 8 o'clock sharp Sunday night, if it's any later I swear to God you'll regret it! I've given Anna a cellphone, she's to call me in case of an emergency." Catherine hissed before Anne quickly pushed the window back up and met Cathy's amused gaze.
"Bye lambchop, bye Kitty-cat." Their mum hugged them both goodbye and Anne felt a lump grow in her throat.
"Bye mum, I'll miss you." She sniffed biting her lip to keep her tears away. Catherine hugged both of her girls and told them she loved them. Then the gigantic rust bucket was rolling down the street and speeding down the highway.
"Yay camping!" Kitty giggled making everyone smile at her enthusiasm.
Surprisingly everyone enjoyed camping, they played in the lake, went fishing and slept under the stars. It was fun. There were a couple of setbacks but what vacation doesn't have those?
They were driving home Sunday afternoon when Kitty claimed she had to pee, so Arthur pulled over at a shady looking rest stop and helped Kitty down the stairs and into the small establishment.
"Hey, dad can we buy some snacks for the trip home?" Anne asked hopefully as she gave him puppy dog eyes. Anna was sound asleep in the very back of the bus, completely exhausted.
"Sure thing bugaboo, just take my debit card, code is 2224." He winked handing her his card nonchalantly. Anne turned to Cathy with a wide smile.
"Score! Come on Cathy let's go!" She cheered taking Cathy's hand as they raced down the stairs. They took a while picking out mountain dews and various snacks before they returned to the counter to pay. Surprisingly the card wasn't declined, something that amazed Anne incredibly. However, when they went back outside the gaudy bus was nowhere in sight.
"Uh, Anne where'd our dads go?" Cathy questioned nervously as she walked around the small convenience store. Anne licked her lips anxiously and met Cathy's wide brown eyes.
"They wouldn't have left us here right Anne?" Cathy whimpered clutching her drink and chips close to her chest. Anne scowled stomping her foot against the dirty parking lot of the establishment.
"That's exactly what they did! They forgot us!" She exclaimed sharply as she tore off her green baseball cap and threw it to the ground.
"But they'll realize we aren't with them and turn around right?" Cathy ever the realistic reasoned and Anne sighed shaking her head.
"I sure hope so, because Anna was asleep and Kitty is listening to music so it doesn't seem too likely." Anne reminded her as she scooped up her hat and tugged it back onto her head as she leads Cathy to a large rock by the road. "Well, the only thing we can do is wait." She mumbled climbing up on it as Cathy followed suit cuddling into Anne for comfort.
After about two hours, with all their food gone and drinks downed, Anne knew they weren't likely coming back. She carefully helped Cathy down from the rock as she eyed the darkening sky.
"Anne I'm scared, how do we get home?" Cathy whimpered and Anne sighed shaking her head as she took Cathy's hand in her own.
"Don't be scared, we'll just follow the road till we get home. " she reasoned brightly as she held up her dad's debit card in her hand. "But first let's buy some warmer clothes in case it gets cold."
"Anne it's so dark I can't see!" Cathy complained as they walked along the side of the road and Anne sighed looking at her new watch.
"Well, it's ten-thirty you think our mums know we're missing?" Anne questioned smiling slightly at the thought and Cathy snickered.
"If our dads are still alive by the time we get back I'll be greatly surprised!" She added amused as she walked around a broken down car and continued on.
"That would definitely be a miracle!" Anne agreed, laughing merrily.
"Before you say anything Catherine we brought all the kids back in one piece and isn't that what's important?" Arthur reasoned as they pulled up at eleven o'clock, incredibly late since they had gotten slightly turned around at one point. Charles smiled widely as he carried a completely knocked out Kitty in his arms. Both mothers sighed and relented.
"I suppose for now." Catherine hissed as Anna came barreling off the bus eyes wide and panicked.
"Did Anne and Cathy come off the bus yet?" She demanded looking around wildly. Arthur chuckled at his oldest.
"Course not kiddo they're still asleep on the bus." He explained kindly but Anna gave him an incredulous expression.
"You're joking, right? Their stuffed animals, pillows, and coats are on the bus but Anne and Cathy aren't." She snapped crossing her arms.
"Well the girls must be playing a joke on you," Arthur reasoned anxiously as she peered into the dark bus. "Alright girls, this isn't funny come out now." He called only to be met with silence.
"Charles where's our daughter? Did she even get on the damn bus?!" Jane demanded and he licked his lips nervously.
"Of course she did! I gave her my -" suddenly his face paled and Jane and Catherine shared a murderous look.
"You gave her what? What is going on Charles? Where's Anne and Cathy?" She growled lowly and both men shared a fearful look
"We left them at the gas station," Charles mumbled softly.
"YOU WHAT!!!?" Both mothers cried out in rage.
"I thought they'd gotten back on the bus! I didn't know!" Charles defends himself lamely.
"You only were carrying four children, how do you lose track of half of them!!!" Catherine raged effectively waking Kitty.
"How long ago did you leave them?!" Jane demanded shaking with rage as she tugged Katherine from her ex-husband's arms and held her close, as a barrier to not kill him.
"Uh well it was the first gas station after the campsite … so like fourish...seven hours ago.." Arthur whimpered stepping backwards.
"YOU DIDN'T BLOODY NOTICE YOUR DAUGHTER WAS MISSING FOR SEVEN HOURS!!!!!" Catherine roared slamming him into the bus side roughly.
Thankfully he was saved by loud police sirens that tore through the night air. All eyes went to the squad car as it carefully parked behind the bus. The lights shut off and a young policewoman stepped out, she tipped her hat to the adults then opened the back door.
"Mum! Mum! We got to ride in a police car for free!" Anne exclaimed brightly and Cathy came out after her grinning just as bright.
"Yeah, and it was free! We didn't even get in trouble!" Cathy exclaimed excitedly as she rushed to give her mama a hug.
"That's right darling you didn't do anything." She glared at her ex-husband as she stroked Cathy's hair.
"Officer Bessie, pleasure found these girls walking along the highway. They explained that they walked off at the last rest stop and needed a ride home." She reasoned as Jane leaned down to wrap her free arm around Anne and hold her close.
"Thank you," Catherine whispered to the officer as she got back into her car and sped away.
"Here's your card dad!" Anne exclaimed brightly as she held it out to him.
"Ahh thank you, my dear." He chuckled nervously and Jane narrowed her eyes at him as she pulled Anne back to her side.
"Well say goodbye to your dad," she hissed and Anne waved watching as their dads pulled away from the curb.
"When do we get to go camping with daddy again?" Kitty whispered and Jane scowled slightly.
"Sorry my dear, but it's going to be a long while before we do this again." She deadpanned.
"Agreed." Catherine hissed crossing her arms.