Sylvia had always hated camping. Sure, when the kids were little, she'd grudgingly go along with Dan's annual week in the woods, but since the kids were older and more self-sufficient, she preferred other alternatives to a week covered in sweat, bug spray, and sun block.
Raine and Arlo however, really enjoyed a week away from screens, and the myriad distractions of modern life. Dan was an old school camper. No fancy tin box camping for him, it was tents and sleeping bags. Another thing Sylvia despised.
"You seem quiet, honey." Dan said to Raine as they drove down the highway. Arlo was in the back seat of the truck, napping slumped against a pile of camping gear.
"I'm just looking forward to getting the tents set up." She offered distractedly. It didn't sound like her usual enthusiasm.
Arlo, had discovered the art of masturbation, and had quickly become a fervent aficionado, and thus his insistence on the pup tent and plenty of privacy so that he could continue to hone his skills. Dan chuckled to himself remembering the age all too well.
Raine on the other hand, having just turned 18 was turning heads so much Dan figured it might be wise to get an insurance policy against whiplash lawsuits. 5 foot 6 and built like a buxom swimsuit model, She'd been dominating girls cross country races since her freshman year. Dan was incredibly proud of her, particularly as her physical development over the past couple years had filled her figure out like a porn star. Incredibly, her times had only gotten better.
Raine was lost in thought. She had a big bomb to drop, and she wasn't sure how her Dad would take it. They had always been close, and she'd always felt comfortable confiding in him but this was game changing big.
The campsite was a small clearing near the edge of a little lake. Nestled in the middle of nowhere Dan had grown to love the location as it had all the advantages, but lacked the modern amenities that seemed obligatory in today's more jacked up campgrounds.
They'd set the tents up in a small lakeside clearing, and Dan had the grill going within a half hour. The drive had been long. The burgers were amazing out in the wild like this. Just simplicity itself. The sun was going down, reflecting a long orange streak on the still surface of the lake. The cicadas were beginning their raspy serenade and Arlo had disappeared into his temple to polish the bishop once more.
Dan lit the Coleman lantern and rolled out the sleeping bags.
"You have something on your mind, baby." He said, matter of factly.
"I found something out, Daddy. Something I really don't know what to do with." Raine explained.
"Okay. What concerns you most about this thing?" Dan replied.
"A lot of things. It could change everything. Change our family." Raine tried vaguely.
"But it's important enough to have you worried. Maybe that's more important that what it could change." Dan offered.
"It's... I was going to the pharmacy by the new donut shop a few weeks back to pick up some nail polish and I saw Mom's car pull in, but she went behind the building. I went behind too, because I thought there was someone else in the car with her and there they were." Raine bemoaned.
"Sylvia's been cheating on me. Yes." Dan confirmed.
For Raine, it was almost a relief, but it also made her mad. She'd always idolized her Dad, but as she'd started to grow up, felt that Sylvia seemed to resent him in some ways that just weren't rooted in reason. A resentment she projected on Raine to some degree as well.
"It's been going on for a while now. I've been trying to find a gentle way to confront her about it, but you know how she can get." Dan explained. "You kids are what's most important, at least for now."
"Dad. It just doesn't seem fair!" Raine took a good look at her Dad. She'd gotten her athletic prowess from him, just as she'd gotten her figure from her Mom. He was still a hunky jock, and the wiry pediatrician she was fucking, frankly couldn't hold a candle to him beyond having a fatter wallet.
"Look. Your Mom has hit a stage in her life. You guys need her less and less. She's always been a bit vain about her looks, and seeing the wrinkles start, while simultaneously watching you fill out and eclipse her in the looks department... it's just how she expresses the insecurity of growing older." Dan stated.