Faith and Whisky

Chapter 5

July

"Mama's planning a picnic," Travis said, flopping onto the swing hanging from the roof at the back of the house.

Ethan put his book aside and studied his partner. "And?"

"And," Travis said, a touch of mock indignation coloring his voice, "she expects us to come."

"I figured as much, but why is she planning a picnic?" Not that Mama Murphy needed a reason to lavish food and attention on the two of them, but that usually occurred at weekly dinners. In his time here in White Pine, Ethan couldn't remember ever having been invited to a picnic.

Travis lowered his head until it rested on Ethan's shoulder, rocking quietly with him for a few swings. "The Fourth of July is coming up, you nut. Doesn't everyone go on a picnic on the Fourth?"

He was asking the wrong person, but Ethan figured Travis probably knew that already. "Not in my family," he answered, keeping it simple. His mother would have had a conniption if anyone even suggested eating outside, on the ground. "I don't remember going last year though."

A guilty sounding chuckle rumbled between the two of them. "I wanted you all to myself last year," Travis confessed. "I told mama that we were going to have our own picnic by the lake."

"And she agreed?" He turned his head enough to look at Travis.

"Only grudgingly," he admitted. "But she understood after papa convinced her to let us have our time together."

"So we need to make sure that we attend this year," Ethan reasoned. He looked at his watch and sighed. "Travis, the fourth is tomorrow. How long have you known about this?"

Coughing, Travis sat up and looked sideways at Ethan. "This morning?"

"That sounds like a question, Travis." Not that he should be surprised. Aracely was the organized member of their family. Liam, not so much. And Travis? Yeah, Travis fell firmly into that 'not at all' category, something that his publisher and agent could heartily attest.

"Fine," he said, exasperated. "Mama called me last week to make sure we were going to be there."

"Travis, you know I love you, right?" Ethan took Murphy's hand into his own and tugged on it.

"Yeah, and?" Travis gave a short tug back on his hand.

"And although I love you, some days, like today, I want to smother you in your sleep."

"Gee," Travis drawled, leaning in to steal a kiss. "You're so damn romantic, McDowell."

"I try," he chuckled. "So, does your mother want us to bring anything or is she insisting on doing it all on her own as usual?"

"Naw, she doesn't want us to bring anything but ourselves, but my aunt is helping her with the food."

"That's good to hear," Ethan said, meaning it. "She's much too proud sometimes. There's no shame in asking for a little help now and then."

"Excuse me," Travis said, looking Ethan up and down like he'd never seen him before. "Have we met? This is my mother we're talking about."

And that pretty much said it all.

Despite Aracely's insistence that they not do a thing to help out, Ethan drove into Minden Lake to procure a couple pies from their favorite diner. Even if Mama Murphy refused to serve them, Ethan could assure himself that he tried to help out. Also, that would mean there would be more pie for himself and Travis later, but he pretended not to think about that at all. Travis, on the other hand, couldn't stop bringing it up.