A Distraught Daddy

Details about what actually happened were scarce, but all the others were told was that Jared and Victoria had walked in on Brandon and Ashley having sex. That resulted in Brandon attacking Jared, causing the damage to the hallway and main room furniture. Most the arrivals back from the hot springs could tell they weren't being told everything but shrugged it off. Zack was one of those that wanted to know more but was afraid to ask. Jared seemed **** to talk about it too.

So instead, Zack found himself once again having dinner at the kitchen island with Gavin and Jared, only this time Chloe replaced Ashley from the night before as their dinner companion. With the two additional arrivals, seating arrangements were becoming more challenging to balance. The small round table from the back of the main room had been pulled over slightly, so it was in the dining room, providing the two needed seats; Ashley and Brandon were sitting there. Zack wondered what they were going to do when Taylor, Hannah, and Peter arrived the next day.

Robert hadn't exactly been furious to learn several pieces of furniture were destroyed in the fight between the two teenage boys; he seemed more exasperated and amused. For one of the first times in his life, he felt relieved to have a daughter and not a son, even with Heather's constant boy drama. Gabriela, on the other hand, had been livid to learn her son not only engaged in a fight but ruined some of their host's new furniture. Despite Robert declining that the boys pay for the damage they caused, Gabriela was going to make her son pay in other ways. Jared had been informed that he would be grounded for three weeks when they returned home to Mountain Falls. She wanted it to be a month at least, but Jeff had stepped in to lessen the impact, explaining it had all been a misunderstanding that got out of hand.

Both boys had been warned that if they got into another fight with each other, Brandon would be sent home, with his parents learning how he had behaved as a guest. Jared would fare a much worse fate, unable to go back home; he was threatened with banishment to the bunkroom for the rest of his stay. He would essentially be a prisoner unable to leave the room and have his meals sent over to him. Even with these warnings, it had been decided to keep the two apart for the night by having Jared sleep on a couch in the rec room. Hopefully, by the next day, things will have cooled down between the two.

Of all the cabin visitors, Damon was the hardest hit by the news of what happened. Not about the fight, but that his daughter was sexually active with her boyfriend. Left speechless at first, he nearly came to tears when he learned his little cupcake wasn't a virgin any longer. Sarah, who knew about her daughter having sex the day after it happened, had to calm her husband then down when he wanted to find Brandon and strangle him. Sitting now at the dining room table, he glared at his daughter's boyfriend and watched the two of them like a hawk.

"Keep your hands where I can see them, buster!" Damon interrupted everyone's dinner for the third time by berating Brandon.

"Daddy!" Ashley wailed in embarrassment once again.

"Hun, calm down, You're causing a scene again," Sarah told her husband gently, laying a hand on his arm. He nodded and went back to nearly stabbing the pasta with his fork.

Robert covered his smile with a napkin. At least he had never been in denial about Heather having sex someday. A terrible flirt at a young age, he'd been more surprised that it took her as long as it did to lose her virginity.

"Uh, so as I was saying, you and Gregory missed a great time at the hot springs. Nature at its finest. Hopefully, he'll be able to join us soon, and we can go back for another visit," Jeff told Monica, everyone else acted overly interested in the conversation to avoid the tension boiling off of Damon.

"I remember how beautiful it was the last time we were all here. I'm sorry I missed it. I would love to go if we can find the time. However, I'm not sure if Gregory will make it up here for our stay. But you should be able to catch up with him at the charity ball," Monica responded, not wanting to bring up the argument she had with her husband earlier in the day.

"Mrs. Bishop, we're hoping to go ice skating tomorrow, if you wanted to come with," Heather brightly told the woman.

"Oh, that sounds like a fun idea. I haven't been on skates in years. I hope I don't embarrass myself," Monica added with a laugh.

"Now, pumpkin, remember the forecast isn't looking too promising. You might have to put off the ice skating for a day or two. It's still shaky enough that it looks like we won't know for sure until the morning," Robert reminded his daughter, who gave him a sad pout in return. "We've got plenty of time to go, so don't worry."

"Yes, it might be very windy tomorrow. That's the reason I wanted to get here tonight, besides seeing all of you, of course," Monica added. "Hopefully, it's not too bad, or Peter and the girls will have a rough drive."

"I hope the three of them are having a good time tonight. I feel so old to think that two of their high school friends are having an engagement party already," Sarah Woodsen chimed in.

"I feel the same way. At least, Brian and Becky are a year older than them, but it still makes me wonder how long until we have to start planning a wedding," responded Monica.

"Maybe for Taylor, Hannah likes playing the field far too much to settle down anytime soon. I'm more worried she'll end up with an accident and have to get married," expressed Sarah, about her concern for her oldest daughter.

A grumble interrupted the conversation as an upset Damon stood up from the table. He'd heard enough of any talk about his daughters' sex lives. "My back is bothering me. I'm going to go lie down for a bit," he snapped out and stormed up the stairs.

"See what happens when you don't use discretion, Ashley. Now I have to deal with your upset father," Ashley's mother told her.

"Sorry," her daughter meekly apologized.

"Sarah, pick up something from the bar downstairs and get a few drinks in him, so he calms down," Robert suggested. "Better yet take him and the drinks out to the hot tub and get him to relax there. Maybe kill two birds with one stone."

"I think I just might do that later. Thanks, Robert," Sarah said with a smile and a nod to her host.

"I know that worry, Sarah. I always tell Jared to make sure his condom is extra tight when he plows those fertile fields," Gabriela chimed in, hoping to embarrass her son. He was in for a whole lot of motherly embarrassment until she felt he'd been sufficiently punished. "I'm not ready to be a grandmother."

"Ugh!" Jared groaned loudly.

"Is there a problem, sweetie?" Gabriela said kindly but flashing a predatory look at her son.

"No, I'm going to head over the bunkhouse and grab a few things for tonight," he quickly explained to avoid more of his mother's wrath. Standing up he looked at Zack and Gavin, and asked, "Anybody want to come with?"

Gavin quickly said yes. He was happy to flee back to his tablet and video game. Now uncomfortable around his old friend, Zack declined. Should I ask what happened with Victoria or tell him about my crush? No, I'm not ready for either one, yet.

"Well, I best get mine and Chloe's bags out of the car before it gets too late. Where should I park my car?" Monica asked Robert.

"There's still a spot left in the garage. Just pull it in there," he explained before turning to his daughter. "Heather, could you open the garage for Mrs. Bishop, and show her to her room too?"

"Sure, Dad"

"Um, would what room should I stay in?" a **** Chloe asked.

"Oh...there should be one bunk left in the boathouse, but you probably don't want to deal with all the boys out there...wait, Peter's getting that bunk anyways when he comes tomorrow," Robert contemplated the increasingly crowded sleeping arrangements.

"Chloe can take the foldout bed in the master suite for tonight. Then tomorrow we can figure something different out when Hannah and Taylor arrive," suggested Heather.

"There's no need for all that. If Chloe doesn't mind she can share the room with me," Monica said looking over at her son's best friend who seemed fine with the idea. With everyone agreeing, the older woman turned to her son. "Honey, could you grab my things from the car and put it in the garage too?"

"Sure, Mom. C'mon, Chloe," Zack replied. He was happy for a reason to leave as Ms. Goose wouldn't stop eyeing him up. The older woman had winked, licked her lips and mouthed "later" to him when she was sure no one was looking. "As soon as you unpack, I need to talk with you. Things are getting really weird."

The two teenagers grabbed their coats and headed out into the cold air. Heather waited in the doorway and used the remote control to open the garage door for Zack. Taking the suitcases and garment bags out of the car, Chloe moved them inside towards Heather, while Zack parked the car.

"Thanks, honey," Monica said, grabbing her bags and starting up the stairs with Heather and Chloe.

"Where do you think you're going?" Heather asked Zack, abruptly stopping midway on the stairs.

"Uh, with you. I need to talk with Chloe after she finishes unpacking," a confused Zack answered.

"I don't think so. Just wait downstairs until Chloe's done," Heather ordered, motioning him to go away.

"What, why?"

"Your mother and your best friend are going upstairs to settle in their room and unpack. Give them some privacy," the buxom brunette explained with growing impatience.

"Yeah, so what?" Zack asked, having no idea what the problem could be.

"Well, they will be unpacking all their clothes. Everything. So unless you want to watch your mother and your best friend unpack their underwear, you best scoot," Heather informed him like he was a little boy.

"Oh! Uh, yeah, Chloe...um, just come find me whenever you finish," he said already fleeing back down the stairs.

"You certainly have a way with my son, Heather. I can't recall the last time I've seen Zack turn tail and run like that," Monica said with a laugh.

"Let's just say I have plenty of experience ordering boys around," she said flashing a smile.

Hmm, from what I've heard she does have plenty of experience with boys. Heather oozes confidence. Maybe I should ask her for help with Chloe instead of Taylor. If Chloe had even a fraction of Heather's spunk, the girl could be a hit with boys. Now I just need to find a way to get Chloe to let me help.

The second story room impressed both Monica and Chloe with its craftsmanship. The large, wooden beams gave the place a rustic vibe. There was a queen size bed in the center of the room, a large dresser with a mirror, two nightstands on each side of the bed and a small desk in the corner. The bedroom also had its own full bathroom connected to it.

"Wow, your father never fails to deliver when it comes to quality. This whole cabin is amazing, and I've only seen part of it," Monica told the teenager, who beamed in pride at what her father had built.

"Thanks! This is the room I picked for myself. So just ignore some of my clothes and stuff. If you want I can give you a short tour once you're done unpacking, Mrs. Bishop. It probably would be best for you to know where everything is for this week," Heather happily offered. She couldn't quite say why, but Heather always liked when she spent time with Mrs. Bishop over at the Woodsen house.

"If you don't mind, I would love that. Chloe, would you like to join us?" Monica asked the redhead, but Heather interrupted before the teenager could respond.

"I think Zack wouldn't forgive us if we stole Chloe for any longer. It's already been an eventful two days, and I know Zack wants to tell his bestie all about his fun," she said with a wink and knowing look over at Chloe, leaving Zack's mother and best friend to wonder what he'd been up to so far.