Back to the cabin
"I know, but it's true," came Steve's voice over the radio. He had just told Betty about a giant's abandoned house deep in the forest. The pantry had been stocked with non-perishable food items - enough to last them several months.
Still unable to believe it, Betty asked, "Are you sure it's abandoned?"
She could sense that Steve was on the verge of laughing when he replied, "Unless the cobwebs surrounding the door and two-inch thick film of dust indicate a terrible housekeeper, I'm sure. No one's walked through this place in years."
"I'll tell the others," Betty replied with excitement. "Spindrift out." She practically ran out of the cockpit and down the steps outside. Nicky and Barry were playing cards, Joey was playing fetch with Chipper, and Valerie was writing in the diary she had been keeping since the crash. Everyone started when Betty elatedly squeaked out, "Guess what everyone! Steve and Mark found a real house for us to live in!"
Thinking she was joking, Valerie asked with a friendly taunting, "How did they get the birds to leave their nest?"
Still smiling, and somewhat out of breath, Betty told them, "This isn't a joke, guys! They found a giant's old abandoned cabin way back in the woods, where nobody would ever think of looking! He said there was even food in the pantry."
"What if it's a trap?" Barry asked.
"Steve would know that," responded Betty, "he always does. Besides, he said that there was a film of dust and no footprints. Cobwebs around the door, too. No one has been in or out in ages."
All of them merely stood silently for a few seconds before embracing each other in ecstasy. They would finally be able to sleep without worrying about giants stumbling on their camp.
"When do we move in?" Valerie inquired.
"As soon as we get everything together. Mark will be coming back to help with some of the stuff." Suddenly remembering the outpost and food search parties, Betty said, "Oh, I have to call Dan and Fitz at the outpost, then I'll get in touch with Pete and Robbie." She quickly turned and bounded back into the ship in her ever-present cheerful manner.
All of the luggage was waiting on the ground when Mark showed up to help transport everything to the cabin. Valerie went up to Mark and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him. "That's for finding us a real home!" she exclaimed playfully.
Returning the embrace, Mark said, "Actually, Steve was the one who found the deserted mouse hole in the wall. There seems to be enough insulation to keep the elements out."
This was a welcome revelation - they were now well into summer, six months having passed since Nicky and his friends joined them, and the weather was warming rapidly. The air conditioning had been the latest thing to go out on the ship, so it had was almost unbearable on some days.
Mark and the boys took most of the luggage themselves, leaving the girls with only their overnight cases. As Valerie bent to pick hers up, she suddenly felt faint. Noticing her bracing herself against the ship, Mark went over and put his arm around her. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, just kind of dizzy," she reassured him with a smile. "I guess the insecticide hasn't worn off yet."
"Well, I'll still feel better when you can get some real rest at the cabin."
"Really, I'm fine."
Betty, constantly concerned about the health of the entire group, began to say something, but one glance from Valerie warned against it. Val had no intention of worrying Mark with the revelation that she hadn't eaten breakfast that morning. Betty knew Valerie must have a good reason for keeping it quiet, and she didn't want to hurt her friend. She would wait until a later time.
They all followed Mark's lead to the cabin. He stopped twice because the same dizziness repeatedly seized Valerie. Betty resolved then that she would tell him about that morning as soon as she could talk to him away from the group.
Finally, they were standing outside the log cabin, much like a giant replica of one you might see in a quaint mountain community. Betty giggled and held her arm out in front of Valerie. Knowing exactly what Betty was thinking, since Val was thinking the exact same thing, she pinched Betty's arm. Betty winced, satisfied that she wasn't dreaming.
After they had all crawled in under the door, Mark told Barry and the girls, "Go into the pantry - there's a mouse hole inside, in the back wall." He then motioned to Nicky and Joey to help him with a large towel. "If we roll this up, we can put it up against the door to keep the air out," he explained. The three of them completed this task while Barry took the luggage and the girls to the mouse-hole, where Pete and Robbie had arrived and been waiting for them.
Peering in, they were surprised to see several different tunnels branching off from the main hole. But as Steve led them inside, they were even more astounded by the setup in the main hole.
In the very center was a crudely assembled dining room set - a large table and eight chairs. "It seems," said Steve, "that we weren't the first ones to discover this cabin."
"Obviously," responded Betty, still shocked.
"Of course, three of us will have to sit on the floor," Valerie added, laughing.
Smiling, Steve responded, "Look over here." He crossed to the opposite wall and pulled back a curtain. Behind it was a bench carved into the wood.
"This is almost creepy," said Valerie, shivering. Feeling dizzy once more, she asked Steve, "Mr. Manager, I would like to be escorted to my suite in this fine establishment."
He led her to one of the many openings and into a room with a large bed, slightly better in construction than the dining room set.
As Mark entered the mouse-hole, Betty took him aside. "I have to tell you something," she said worriedly. "It's about Valerie."
Without hesitation, Mark answered, "She skipped breakfast again, didn't she?"
"Right."
Mark sighed in annoyance. This was the third time this week. "Where is she?"
"Laying down, in there," Betty said, her point indicating the door from which Steve had emerged a few moments prior.
Mark entered and sat on the bed next to Val. "Today, too?" was his simple question.
"I just wasn't hungry," she mumbled into the pillow. "I'll be OK," she continued, turning to face him. "When I was back home, there were whole weeks when I wouldn't eat breakfast."
Taking her hand, Mark responded, "I just worry about you. I have since…since the moment the ship crashed."
"If I promise to eat breakfast tomorrow, will you stop worrying?"
"Let's put it this way - it would make me feel better."
"Me too," Valerie said as she rubbed her stomach.
He leaned over and kissed Valerie on the forehead before getting up and exiting the room. Betty entered a few seconds later; Valerie propped herself up against the wooden headboard as Betty sat down on the only other surface in the room - the floor. "So, what's really wrong?" Betty asked, concerned.
Valerie seemed almost scared when she gave her response. Staring at the sheets, she said, "Betty, I think…I think I'm pregnant."