The Summer Reunion (unedited version)

15| Thank you Ma'am

Tosh clutched my arm, "he's using the money to buy someone!"

An amused smile spread across my face, "someone kidnapped his daughter you know," I informed the two of them, pretending to be serious, "and he's paying her captures for her return." I eyed Tosh who walked beside me, enjoying how carefree she always was. 

"Hey!" a voice called out across the open path, "Watch where you're going!"

The three of us hadn't been paying much attention, and we accidentally stumbled into the middle of a yoga class. 

The male instructor glared at us as we stood a few feet from where he was teaching. "We're in the middle of a class here, if you don't mind." He tilted his head and gestured for us to leave.

"Yeah, thanks." Tosh offered a fake smile and nodded at the teacher. She did so in a way which indicated we were obviously not going to converse in the middle of a yoga class.

The instructor sighed at her response, "That's thank you, sir."

"Ha!" she scoffed, "not to me it isn't."

"Excuse me?" a look of surprise crossed his face, shocked a stranger spoke to him in such a manner.

"Do I look like a middle-aged soccer mom?" she asked him rhetorically, "No, I don't. So your weird power trip doesn't fall onto me buddy."

"You, young lady, should learn to treat people with respect."

Grayson and I glanced at each other over Tosh's head, staring in disbelief and her boldness. Neither of us would ever dare to stand up for ourselves or speak to anyone like this.

She stared down at her cuticles, "Sure thing." 

He huffed out a sigh, "Thank you."

"That's thank you ma'am." She clarified with smile. 

His eyes widened in rage and before he could say anything else, Grayson and I grabbed Tosh's arm and ushered her away from the yoga class.

"I thought yoga teachers were supposed to be Zen." she mumbled as we escorted her away. 

                                                                                         ********

We arrived back at the cabin in the late afternoon. The three of us worn out from walking around town. I laid down on the couch in exhaustion, my feet hurting from travelling in flipflops. Tosh was sitting down beside me staring blankly at the tv, which was playing a bake off. Grayson was sitting on the chair beside us, his feet kicked up in relaxation.

Our heads perked up as someone knocked on the door. It couldn't be Izzie or Drew because they would just walk right in.

That means it might be...oh no.

"Tosh get the door." I told her.

"What?" she looked over from where she sat, "Why me?"

"It might be Travis! I don't want to talk to him again."

"Well, I'm not getting up."

I groaned at her reluctance, "come on pleaseeeeee" I reached over to pull her arm. 

She pursed her lips and shook her head at me, "No can do."

"You know what? That's fine, we just won't get it." I shrugged, "Then no one has to talk to him."

I heard the door open, and Grayson was holding it open for our guest.

Who was not Travis.

Mr. Clearwater stood at the threshold of the wooden door, peering over at us on the couch, "Good afternoon to you all!" he exclaimed. "I have a volunteer sign-up sheet here for the midsummer ball." He held up the clipboard and waved it, "if any of you are interested in pitching in we'd appreciate it."

"Midsummer ball?" Tosh asked from the couch.

Grayson took a step back from the door so Mr. Clearwater could step farther into the room, "It's a party held by the country club for it's members. the entrance is down the road. They hold the party every year for their VIP members, we always ask the counsellors if they want to help out."

The three of us shot glances between each other, silently figuring out who was going to politely decline.

I took one for the team, "We'll definitely think about it and get back to you." I smiled politely at him from across the room.

He nodded his head as he opened the front door, "Perfect!" he smiled at us, "And remember, I can sign your volunteer sheets and you will get hours for your participation!" he closed the screen behind him and strolled down the driveway, out of sight.

We heard voices outside and footsteps trudging up the stairs onto the deck. Izzie and Drew trudged into the cabin looking like they survived a wreck. 

Tosh stifled a laugh at Izzie's wild hair, "What happened to you?"

"If I ever have kids I'm getting a nanny!" she huffed and tried to smooth down her hair. "I don't know how you guys do that everyday."

"Well, they're not anymore." Tosh pointed out, "We're all going to take turns counselling from now on."

Grayson chuckled, "You know Tosh, that means you'll have to contribute too."

Her eyes widened in realization. "But-"

He raised his hand to cut her off, "I thought you said we were all going to take turns?" he smiled amusingly over at her, using her own words against her.

She groaned and grabbed a pillow, screaming into it and pretending to snuff herself out. 

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