Rusty teased me when I returned to the group with no cookies. “You ate them, I know you did.”
“It is okay, there is plenty of cake.” Sunday went back for another piece.
“I think he has a special stomach just for dessert,” I said to Rusty.
“Who’s up for a competitive round of volleyball?” Fawn had changed from her church outfit to some cute athletic clothes, and she tossed a bright orange ball to Matt.
“Only if I’m on your team,” he said.
“I’m out,” Flip said, pointing to his ankle cast.
“Me too.” Rusty held up her stitched arm. “Actually, I think I’d like to go read in our room for a while.”
“Sunday may not play,” Sunday’s mom said.
We decided the teams would be me and Dad against Matt and Fawn. Sunday’s sisters and Flip wanted to be the cheerleaders, and Mom, of course, was the referee.
Brady grabbed Sunday by the arm. “Let’s go play video games.”
Sunday looked at his mom, and she nodded her head. Then he smiled and disappeared with my brother.
“Haven’t you forgotten something?” Flip pointed over to the sand volleyball court, which had two poles sticking up, but no net strung between them.
“Where do we keep the net?” Fawn asked.
“Right there on the poles, usually,” Flip said.
“Well, it’s not there.”
“No kidding, I was the one who pointed that out. Maybe Chuck stored it someplace for the winter.” Flip pushed himself up from his lounge chair, but Matt motioned for him to sit back down.
“I’ll go find him. Be right back.”
Matt did come back after a while, but with no net. “Chuck doesn’t know where it is. If you guys still want to play, we could tie a rope or something across.”
By then, Fawn had gotten all comfortable on a lounge chair under a shady tree.
“I think I’ll take a nap instead, and dream that I’m an Olympic volleyball star and I’m whooping you all in the gold medal round.” She smiled and closed her eyes.
“Well, I can’t let her have all the fun,” Matt said. He spread a blanket out on the ground and lay down. “We’re attacking the river tomorrow, so a little rest might be just what’s needed.” Soon after that, Mom and Dad were snoozing on lounges and Sunday’s family had disappeared somewhere.
Flip and I sat there, staring at each other.
“Are you tired?” Flip asked me.
“Nope,” I said.
“So, what do you want to do?”
“Can you play ping-pong with that bad ankle?”
Flip grinned. “Girl, you don’t even know.”