Loving Family

Evalynn: Camping trip

Camping wasn't an alien experience to me, it was something I'd done a fair few times before as I wasn't allowed abroad for holidays because of being in care, but the idea of camping with mamma, Mick and Ben was something special and exciting if a little scary too. Of course my main problem was that the area we lived in was completely unfamiliar to me, I'd scarcely ventured into Durham or properly into Sunderland, let alone into the countryside beyond! It made me a bit nervous, and I somewhat worried about encountering sheep on our trip; my previous encounters with those hadn't gone well. But my excitement outweighed my worries, getting somewhere new to explore and play with Ben was going to be so much fun. We were ready to go on lots of walks and adventures, I'd even helped him pack a few little outdoorsy outfits for Blue, just like I was doing for Josie (I didn't want to risk losing or damaging my precious Faye Bear, Josie was important in a much different way now I was living with mamma). I'd got my old sleeping bag out and my roll mat and packed some clothes I didn't mind if they got muddy. As time had passed I'd felt less like I needed to dress in my nicer casual clothes at all times, but as a result over the summer mamma had been spotting all the stains and little rips in things and encouraging me to let some of the scruffier items go - I was starting to run a little short on things I didn't mind ruining. There was one exception to me getting rid of things. I had a scruffy, mishapen, grass paint (and indeed grass) stained Gloucester rugby shirt that I adored. It had been Charlotte's when she was younger, though when she'd outgrown it I'd claimed it, more as something sentimental than something to wear. It was hidden away in my room for me to keep safe because I did sort of miss Katie and Charlotte and wanted something to hold on to that reminded me of them. Katie had given me one too as a last Christmas present, but it was much too big and she'd given it to me with a note that she more anticipated I'd wear it to do messy things than wear it as a top of my own. That one was also hidden away.

With everyone packed and ready we'd gone away when dad finished work, a little earlier than normal because he'd managed to bully his boss into allowing him a few extra hours off on a Thursday evening, and had set off on the hour drive to where we were going camping. Ben had somehow managed to sleep in the car for a little while and I'd just entertained myself listening to the radio and trying to work out if it was possible for me to start a conversation.
"Okay Ev, what's your experience with camping?" Mick asked.
"I've been a quite few times and I enjoyed it, but it's strange the idea of camping with you guys." I admitted.
"It's going to be fun and hopefully you'll enjoy this trip too." Mamma replied.
"I'm sure will. I still mostly just like getting to spend time as a family." I replied after a moment.
Mamma shrugged and I smiled despite knowing neither of them would see and went back to listening to the radio.

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It had been deemed I maybe wasn't entirely responsible or familiar enough with Ben's ways to sleep in the same bit of the tent as Ben on my own, so I'd ended up with mamma in one sleeping pod and Mick had Ben in the other one. I didn't mind it too much, it meant if I did get freaked out by noises or something in the night I was with her, and that was always a comforting thought. Mamma's presence was enough to calm me down when I was scared and if it wasn't at least I didn't have far to go to ask her for a hug. This turned out to be quite helpful when, at some ridiculous hour of the night I'd got scared by, predictably enough, a noise outside. Just her being there had helped me feel safe and after a few minutes of staring at her in the dark I'd managed to go back to sleep again.

The following morning I was woken up to the familiar feeling of the morning sunshine making the tent uncomfortably warm. I'd had to crawl out my sleeping bag in a hurry worried if it got too much warmer I was going to melt, then rummaged through my bag to find some clothes, settling for some shorts and a faded tshirt. As mamma was outside already, I assumed looking after Ben, I quickly changed in our sleeping pod, hoping no-one would open the door and see, which luckily they didn't. I quickly found some shoes to shove on and went outside.
"Evvy!" Ben called when he looked round as I unzipped the tent door. He ran off from whatever mamma was showing him and threw himself at me. I laughed and hugged him back.
"Good morning Ben." I replied softly.
They were both still in pyjamas, I guess maybe because when they'd woken up Mick and I were still asleep.
"Good morning!"
"Ooh you're already dressed! Did you sleep well?" Mamma observed.
I nodded, giving Ben's back a gentle pat in the hope that would remind him he needed to let go. "It was alright, I woke up for a bit in the middle of the night but it wasn't too bad."
"That's good to hear. Could you look after Ben while I get changed? I started making a daisy chain which was fascinating him until you got up." She replied.
I wasn't sure if I still knew how to make a daisy chain, but I was willing to give it a try so took Ben over to have a look. As soon as I'd sat down he sat himself on my lap and I laughed as he did. "Oh okay thanks."
All three of us laughed.
"I won't be long, you two will be alright together though right?" She checked, passing me the daisy chain she'd been making.
I glanced down at Ben then nodded. "I think so." Ben nodded too.
I stared at the daisy chain a moment, visualising how the flowers attached to one and other before feeling ready to continue. Daintily I plucked a daisy from the grass, being careful to allow enough stem, and then piercing the stem of the last one mamma had added with my nail, just high enough that it wouldn't split at the end. Very carefully I slipped the new one in. I continued with that a little longer, talking Ben through it as I worked, before gently holding it round my head to see if it would fit. It would. With a smile I began work on a second one, concluding mamma and I could both wear one and that it would be a lovely thing for the two of us to do. As soon as she came back she understood, helping pick daisies from further away as Ben was still using me as a seat and before we knew it we had two long chains of daisies.
"Do you want me to help you put one in your hair?" Mamma asked.
I nodded enthusiastically. "I can do yours too after. But first I need the loo." I laughed.
She smiled, encouraged Ben off my lap and I ran to the toilet block.