Defenders of the Wild

The sun was rising. The aroma of coffee, bacon and eggs filled the air. It was a beautiful day. I was sitting in a lawn chair with my feet propped up on a table, watching Mike cook breakfast. Sarah was asleep in a hammock on the front porch, while Adeline and Joseph were out hiking somewhere.

I stifled a yawn and took another sip of my coffee. "How long has it been since they left?" I asked Mike.

He shrugged as he flipped some bacon in the pan, "I dunno, maybe an hour or so."

"Oh," I sighed, disappointed. I really wanted to go hiking with them. It had been a while since we'd been able to get away from it all and just have fun together. Ever since our friends started getting engaged or married things have been different between us. Our group wasn't quite what it used to be anymore.

"You know," Mike said, as he sat down next to me and placed a plate of bacon and eggs on the table in front of me, "I think this weekend has been good for us." He smiled at me over his shoulder. "We haven't done anything like this in years."

"Yeah," I agreed as I looked around at the cabin where we were staying for the weekend. It was small but cozy and had everything we needed for a pleasant stay in the woods: a working fireplace, indoor plumbing and electricity, plenty of food and some general supplies that we would need while here if they hadn't already been provided by our hosts. This place was perfect! Who knew that Mr. & Mrs. Peters owned such an awesome cabin in the middle of nowhere? They didn't seem like the outdoorsy type whatsoever when we met them earlier today at the local grocery store, but who am I to question their motives? At least now we could enjoy ourselves without having to worry about breaking any house rules or disturbing their neighbors while they stayed here this weekend! We could even have some fun without worrying about disturbing anyone else's peace or quiet too! It would be nice not to have to keep watch over every little noise we made just in case someone called the cops on us again... *shudder*

Mike finished his coffee quickly and stood up from his chair, "Do you want more coffee? Maybe some orange juice?"

I nodded my head eagerly as I shoveled more eggs into my mouth with my fork, "That would be great!" He grinned at me before walking back into the kitchen area behind me. "Thanks!" I called after him. Moments later he returned with two glasses which he sat down onto the table next to my plate of food before taking his seat again across from me once more. "So," he began casually after taking a sip of his juice, "what do you think happened out there yesterday?" He motioned out toward the back porch and beyond it into our surroundings; he seemed to be trying to hide something behind his nonchalant facial features which only caused me to shrug my shoulders in response as I continued eating my breakfast without giving him any real attention to what he asked me or how he asked it. The outline of Sarah's sleeping form still could be seen within her cocoon-like hammock under one of the large old trees within our surroundings; she looked peaceful laying there with no other obligations for the next couple of days apart from spending time with us... She appeared relaxed for once in her life instead of constantly being under stress like she usually is when not working or hanging out with us.

How did life become so complicated for Sarah? Wasn't she carefree and happy just a short while ago? What led her to change drastically after her last relationship ended? This transition puzzles me since she was transparent with me about virtually everything in her life. Nowadays, it's as if she is closed off to the world, choosing not to engage in any conversation unless directly prompted. Furthermore, her occasional contributions to our discussions pertain mainly to negative aspects of relationships or intimacy that have no bearing on us or any other facet of her life. This behavior seems to create a confusing dichotomy of seeking sympathy while fostering guilt for those who care about her feelings. In truth, she never genuinely exhibits how much pain she endures because of the men in her life who have mistreated her.

And now that Mike's wedding to Sarah is fast approaching next month, having both of them committed to long-term relationships naturally poses its challenges for the rest of us. With Sarah no longer single, everything around us feels uncertain and volatile. Indeed, change is inevitable; Mike's marriage may lead to fewer opportunities to see him, and Sarah could potentially move on with someone new and follow a similar path. The dynamics between friends are bound to change over time, especially when significant life events like marriages occur. Eventually, people drift apart and go their separate ways, leaving behind the comfortable familiarity of yesteryears.

What a perplexing situation it