I reached underneath my back and removed the small rock that had nestled in the small of my back. Relief flowed through my back as the pressure was relieved. I looked up at Nick, who was snoring lightly. I sat up and his body shuddered from the sudden movement as the cool air hit his midsection. He opened his eyes and looked around sleepily.
"Morning pumpkin!" I teased lightly.
"Mommy, do I get a kiss good morning?" he returned in a high pitched squeaky voice.
"Sorry baby," I said, pointing to his mouth. "Morning breath you know."
He let out a pretend whimper and then scrambled to his feet, "man, my tummy hurts!" he said with a grimace on his face.
Looking over at his pathetic face made it difficult to tease him, but I managed.
"Well...at least we know it's not from cold pizza and Coke!" I patted him on the back comfortingly.
"No! I'm hungery!" he paused to swat at the multiple little mesquitos swarming around his face.
It had been a rough night with the little buggers. I scratched at a welt that had formed on my forerm over the course of the night.
"Damn these things!" I swatted at them. "Nick, we need to move or else we're going to be devoured before we noon!"
"Noon!" Nick said dramatically, placing the back of his hand on his forehead. "Lunch...lil' ol' Donald and I are well overdue! Must find Big Mac!" He reached out in front of him with his arms outstretched, acting like a zombie.
I rolled my eyes "yeah, Nick...I saw a McDonalds just beyond the grassy knoll, around that tree and beyond that moss patch," I said sarcastically.
He crossed his arms in front of his chest and and glared over at me. "See if I walk next to you!"He stuck out his tongue and stomped off ahead of me. Instead of the graceful act he was attempting, he ended of catching his Nike sneakered foot on the root to the tree and flew forward, landing face first into the dirt.
Nick's frequent ungraceful acts never got old, and I burst out laughing.
He stood up and brushed off the dirt from his clothes, I noticed a pinkish glow creeping up his face, making way to his ears. Sheepishly he ran his hands through his hair, avoiding my eyes.
"Awww...Nick...I'm only kidding..." I ran walked over to him.
He looked over at me "sorry...man I was in a hurry to get to that McDonalds you were talking about..."
"You retard!" I playfully punched his arms. "Seriously, though...we do need some food."
"We can't be too far from a town..." Nick swatted at a few mesquitos.
I reached into my pocket and produced my lucky jellybean. My younger four-year-old cousin had given it to me for "good luck" when I left home for college.
"This is all I ha--HEY!!"
Nick popped the white piece of candy into his mouth and swallowed it.
I crossed my arms, "I hope you feel satisfied! That was my lucky jellybean!"
"Yeah right..."
I gasped lightly, agast. "It WAS! I've had that for like two years!"
Nick's lips curled up in distaste when I told him how old the candy was. "Two years?" his voice trailed off.
"YES! And now it's being digested...I swear you need to think about the consequences of your actions!" I huffed.
"Two years?" he said again, clutching his stomach.
"Man, we'd been through a lot too," I said in effort to make Nick feel worse. "It's been through the wash, dropped into food...my cousin even dropped it into the--"
"Shuddup!" Nick said before I could continue.
"Let's get this show on the road, alright?" I suggested irritably.