Brett limped over. “You good?”
Penny motioned to the ground. “Tell me I’m not an idiot.”
“You’re not an idiot.”
Penny rolled her eyes and bent down to pick up a still-folded pole. “I don’t see how I can set up a full tent with this.”
Brett leaned over and inspected the pockets on the tent. There were four for two poles, but Penny was only holding one. “This was all it came with?”
Penny nodded. “I unrolled it and this was the only pole in the bag.”
Brett walked over to the picnic table where Kelty and Sean were putting out snacks. “Hey, do you have another bag of poles or something in the van?”
Kelty frowned. “For which tent?”
“Penny’s. This was all there was in there.” He held up the pole, and Kelty’s frown deepened.
She walked to the van and searched in the back but came up empty. “Sean, did you open up that tent and check that all the pieces were there?”
Sean shook his head. “My dad handed it to me. It's the same tent we used growing up.”
“Well, it looks like someone lost a pole.”
Sean opened up a bag of trail mix. “Weird. Nobody would’ve used it for years.”
Penny was now standing next to the table. “Do you think there's a way to rig it up with only one pole?”
Sean considered. “Could tie it to a tree.”
Kelty laughed and handed the pole back to Brett as she called out to Penny. “You glad you came yet?”
Penny laughed and shoved her hands in her back pockets. Everything from her loose braid, golden skin, and mint T-shirt looked like it belonged here. “I can sleep in the van.”
“Gross, no. We can figure something out. Have Sean sleep with Tyler or Brett and me or Emma could have you sleep in our tent.”
Sean grunted. “You heard what I said in the van.”
Kelty put her hands on her hips. “Sean, seriously? Penny doesn't havea tent.”
“Brett does.”
Kelty coughed. “I amnotgoing to make her do that.”
Sean scoffed. “Make her do what? They’d each be in their own sleeping bag.”
Penny put up a hand. “We’re standing right here.”
Brett laughed. “No, let them continue discussing our sleeping arrangements as if we’re toddlers and not grown-ass adults.” Kelty planted her hands on her hips, and Brett continued. “I should have brought my hammock. I could’ve slept in there and Penny would have the tent.”
“Hey, Bowen!” Sean called. Tyler looked up as he crouched over a stake next to the tent with a hammer in his hand. “Did you bring your hammock?”
Tyler shook his head. “No, we meant to but I left it in the closet.”
“Do you want to sleep in the tent with Brett? Penny's tent is missing a pole.”
Emma poked her head out of the tent. “What is your tent missing?”
“A pole,” Penny answered.
