Ellie's POV
Once the campsite is left with no trace we hike back to the car. The twins are being their normal selves which makes me feel relaxed. We joke and laugh and they don't once bring up what happened last night or what led to it happening, the waterfall incident as I will call it, and I am relieved. I still want a little more time to think about what I really want. I have still been all over the place, wanting to persue a relationship, thinking about doing a friends with benefits thing or just pretending last night was nothing more than a wonderful experience and we should just stick to staying friends so nothing ever ruins our friendship. Ugg I'm a mess!
Once back at the car the guys load everything up and we all pile in. I turn on the radio and start belting away enjoying the choices the DJs are playing. All 80s, 90s and early 2000s hits, stuff my parents played while I was growing up. They always said it was the best time for music and honestly I don't disagree.
Once we get about a half hour out, Alex desides we should stop to eat. Other than left over snack bars we didn't eat this morning. He drives us to one of our favorite diners that we always hit either on the way up or on the way back from camping and I am giddy with excitement to eat. I already have a list of what I want, I typically over order so I can bring some home and have leftovers for a day or two.
We go inside and sit ourselves in our usual booth, this time though because my parents aren't with us I sit on one side and the twins on the other.
"Well if it isn't Double Trouble and Trouble Maker!" Ms. Sally, the old diner owner says. She's know my parents since they were kids so she's seen me and the twins grow up over the years. "Are the Trouble Tamers here with ye today?"
"Hey Ms. Sally!" Asher and Alex call out together.
"Hello, Ms.Sally," I greet. "No, my parents aren't here this time, we had a 'rent free camping trip for my birthday." I smile wide at the sweet old lady.
"Well happy birthday child! I hope ye had a good time and these boys treated ya right!"
"Thank you Ms. Sally, they did and I did, but it would not be a good trip if they didn't stop here for your famous shakes now would it!?" I say cheerfully.
"Yer right, it would not! How about I put those in for ya now while ya'll look over the menu and decide what ya want with it!"
"Sure thing Ms. Sally." Asher says as she heads to the counter to start our shakes. Since we have come here so often throughout the years she doesn't even bother asking what kinds we want, she just knows like it's the back of her hand.
"I love that old lady." Alex says and we hear Ms. Sally shout over the blender "I heard that and I aint old!"
"Of course not!" He replies back and we all chuckle. If there's one thing Ms. Sally hates, it's being called old. She says she's not old until she's dead and honestly I respect her for it. She honestly has more pep in her step than most 70 year olds I have ever met do so I agree with her.
She gets back with our shakes and we rattle off our orders and she gives it to the cook and then shuffles around the diner greeting everyone new and old. She truly loves her diner and has so much a pride in it. She has a few employees that have been around for a while and they come greet us then go back to work. It's busy since it's a Sunday afternoon, we got in just before the rush really hit. It's amazing watching everyone work. Just watching the staff you can tell Ms. Sally runs her diner like a well oiled machine.
As we get ready to pay and leave Ms. Sally tells us it's on the house for my birthday and to not even think about leaving any money including a tip. The twins aren't having it so they leave a large amount on the table, enough to cover the bill plus more than 50% tip and try to rush out before she catches it, just as we get to the door Ms. Sally sees what they tried to do and yells at them to come back and take the money before she takes her shoe off and throws it at them. Asher and Alex both laugh at her antics and wave.
"No can do Ms. Sally, if you don't want it divide it amongst the staff." Alex says earning a shoe thrown at his head and me clutching my side from laughing so hard. She really threw her shoe at him.
Since Alex offered the money up to her staff Ms. Sally relented but told 'Double Trouble' that next time they tried to pull that stunt she would take me to meet her "very handsome and successful nephew" that lives in the city and they would lose their chance to be with me because she knows her nephew could sweep me off my feet with just one look. They both made a sound that reminded me of a growl but raised their hands in surrender causing all the staff, Ms. Sally and me to laugh.
There's been a few times Ms. Sally has mentioned her nephew throughout the years. Apparently when I was really little Ms. Sally's nephew and I were friends, her younger brother and brother in law moved to the city when her nephew was five. Apparently her brother in law's family patriarch had died and passed the family business down to him as the only male heir. His son, Ms. Sally's nephew, had started working for the company when he was 16 and worked his way up until he graduated high school this past year. He's apparently extremely smart and once he graduates college he will take over as CEO from his father. Ms. Sally has always told me she hopes we reconnect one day and fall in love. I just tell her if that day ever happens she will be the first to get a wedding invitation since she's always been so determined to set us up. We always laugh about it and even though I truly don't see that happening since I only have eyes for Asher and Alex, I know she truly means it.
The twins and I say our proper goodbyes this time and head back home with our goodiebag of meals. Besides the extras I had ordered so I had leftovers for the next day Ms. Sally insisted I take more food home for my parents who I know will appreciate it. We hit the road again and I fall asleep from all the delicious food. I'm awoken once the twins pull into my driveway and before they shut off the engine to get out both boys turn to me.
"So Angel," Asher starts, "before we go in we need to know…"
"Are we telling your folks we have officially decided to become a thruple OR are we staying friends and logging what happened between us a birthday gift to you." Alex finishes and my mind goes blank.
I am not ready to have this conversation yet.