The Summer Cottage

Every summer, Mel loads up the trusty 2007 Subaru, stacking the luggage and the totes in tidy order in the back, leaving one snug rectangle space for the ice chest filled with snacks to go in last. With the kids in the backseat content with headphones and a plastic tub of Legos, Mel speeds along the I90 to the I495 and finally connects to the I95 that carries them closer to the cottage.

They take the same midway break at a bustling rest stop at the New Hampshire—Maine state line. The picnic table shaded by a giant Ash tree is luckily unclaimed yet again, and ham and cheese sandwiches on white bread are passed around. Once the crumbs are swiped off to the ground for the watchful birds, all three make their way to the vending machine for a treat. Alex always goes for a Snickers, while May opts for Skittles this time, and as usual, Mel treats herself to a Pepsi for the needed caffeine to get them the rest of the two hours.

The kids stick their heads out the windows as Mel maneuvers the car down the last 100 yards of the driveway, and they all get ready for their goofy family tradition. In off-pitch unison voices, they belt out their made-up song, "Hello Maine, we are back! Hello birds, we are back! Hello ocean, we are back! Hello cottage, hello cottage, hello cottage, we are baaaack!"

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Photo by me. Story is fictional.

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