They walked aimlessly through the maze for a while getting nowhere. The more times they met dead ends the harder they laughed.

Kristi said, "No one is getting drunk this way."

Tessa didn't care, because it was fun walking and laughing outside. Everyone they saw commented about their shirts. They reached a sign with a number one. "What does this mean?" Tessa asked.

"Clues. We forget a clue sheet, it tells you which way to turn." Megan threw up her hands.

"I grabbed one." Alison said, "I lost track of the number of field trips I've chaperone here. "The arts. Number one who won best actor in 2020? Leonardo DiCaprio, turn right. Chadwick Boseman, go straight. Anthony Hopkins, turn left."

"Who knows?" A chorus of not me.

"The clues are too hard."

"Google."

Kristi said, "There's no service in the middle of nowhere!"

Maddie said, "Come on. We can do this. Not Hopkins, he's ancient."

"These clues are ancient." Jen said.

Megan said, "It can't be straight so right."

They set off sure of themselves. "Another clue is ahead. Fuck, it's number one."

"Straight then?"

Alison said, "Left. I remember telling Cole who Hopkins was. Maybe he had won."

Kristi said, "Okay, Clarice."

Her sinister voice made Jen scream. "Stop I'll have nightmares."

Kristi said, "Alex will save you."

Megan said, "No, in the corn field because we're sleeping here."

Everyone laughed, as the walked in circles, but didn't find the one again.

"It's a table!" Maddie exclaimed.

"Wine. Thank God."

The helpers behind the table told them to put their white ticket in a basket. In exchange they got a cup of white wine and a piece of chocolate.

"Yum. Chocolate." After one sip, Maddie split her wine up pouring a lot into Tessa's glass.

She drank it feeling as if they had earned it. They posed at Kristi's insistence for a group shot at table one. "A huge accomplishment."

The helpers asked if they could take a picture of their shirts. They moved on as the wine sloshed over the cup on to Tessa's hand. They reached the second clue but once again didn't know the answer to the question. Kristi ribbed Alison for her choice but she gave it back to her. "At least I grabbed one."

They saw a light through the stalks and heard voices. "Wine!" They picked up their pace.

Pleased with themselves they had found table two, the helpers said, "We knew you were coming. We saw a picture of your shirts."

Tessa ate her chocolate. She needed energy as they plowed on with red wine in a cup. The path was darker and Kristi complained about needing the bathroom. Tessa worried about laughing too much. Without warning, Jen turned around with a headlamp on her head.

"Oh my God, look at you!" Kristi shouted.

Tessa thought it was a smart idea. Jen said, "Alex suggested it."

Kristi said, "Hot and practical."

They found the third table and began to feel confident as they wandered in the dark

"I see a light." Tessa rushed to it.

Kristi started laughing. They had walk aimlessly and ended up at the back of table three. The workers said, "The shirt ladies again."

Tessa laughed so hard, she crossed her legs. They only needed one more table and the exit. She hoped she could make it, but thought Kristi would lose it first. After wandering they followed two women who seemed confident and took the task seriously.

"Hallelujah! We found it." Kristi said. "We need to get out of here and don't make me laugh. I'll pee "

Maddie said, "I have tissues."

Go to know, Tessa thought. Somehow they found their way out. They heard voices in front of them. "Brenner, what took you so long?"

"We got lost! Our shirts prove it."

Megan's friends were already out of the maze.

"Our clues were shit," Kristi said.

One of the males said, "Ours were easy. What animal hops?"

"What? Why do we have stupid Oscars questions?"

"How did we pass you?" The ring leader cackled. Their group had three men. Tessa thought they might be the only men at the event.

Megan said, "Be good. You teach some of our children."

"Or stepchildren," Maddie said. "Rory Harris graduated." Two hands went up.

"Cole Butler and Sam Keller." Three hands.

"Ben Probst." One hand.

Megan said, "Tessa for the sweep."

She looked unsure. "Bennetts. Hannah, Gabby, and Kevin." All hands went up.

One of the men said, "I have Kevin for English now, but you know my brother, Caleb."

Tessa smiled. "He comes over for the beach. I like him, not his friend Ryder."

"He doesn't hang with him anymore. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Tessa Bennett."

"This is my wife, Ella. She teaches chorus."

"I just love Gabby." Ella smiled. "She talks about her baby brother." The petite blonde held her belly in a familiar way.

Megan said, "Jen, Ella has a big family from where Alex grew up."

Ella smiled. "I was a Burke. My family is full of doctors."

"Alex's doctor is Nick Burke. He's known him for years. Something about Hank building a house on the lake."

"Nick's my uncle who always tells me he has a friend on The Point. Hank built my grandparent's lake house. It was before I was born."

One of the men said, "Next year, we need shirts too."

"Greg, tell your husband to stop whining." Karen yelled.

Megan's friend was brass. Kristi's antics were tame in comparison. Tessa followed Kristi who ran to the portable toilets. The things didn't have lights. She used her phone flashlight to see. Tessa heard Kristi cursing in the plastic toilet beside her. "Too damn dark. It smells like piss."

Tessa bit her tongue and didn't tell her to use her phone. She felt relieved to be able to laugh without peeing her pants.

The two groups talked for awhile until Ella said she was tired. Tessa looked at the time. She had been gone for almost three hours and hadn't thought about Patrick or Leo. She had fun and felt guilty.

The drive home went fast. After laughing about getting lost, they began to talk about next year.

"Next year, we all need headlamps."

"Next year we need easy clues."

"We need our own girl's night."

"Once a month, like poker."

Tessa said, "I don't know."

Kristi sneered. "Newlywed."

Alison said, "As long as Bryan is working. I like to be with him on his nights off."

Megan said, "I think we all want to be with our husbands. It's a break from the kids we need."

Kristi said, "At least your husbands help with the kids. Dan worked so much when mine were little I was on my own."

"Except weekends. He spent time with them on weekends." Megan reminded her friend.

Kristi said, "Peter too."

Maddie called from the driver's seat. "November. What should we do in November?"

Kristi said, "Drink at my house. There's a bathroom and no driving. I'll send Dan across the street."

"Sounds good."

The rest of the ride was quiet. Maddie dropped Alison off on Osprey, before driving to Plover for Megan and Kristi. Last she drove to Sandpiper for Tessa and Jen. The calls of goodnight carried in the cold night air.

When she entered the house, she heard voices in the kitchen. Patrick and Gabby were talking, but Patrick looked when he saw her. "Did you have fun?"

She nodded and looked at Gabby. "I met Alison."

"She's great."

"And a bunch of teachers. One of Megan's friends who is really loud."

Gabby laughed. "You should hear her yell at kids in the hall."

"Your chorus teacher likes you."

"Ms. Walch was there. Cool!"

Tessa looked at Patrick. "Her husband is Caleb's brother. She said he's not friends with Ryder anymore."

"That's good." If Patrick knew the truth.

"What did I miss? How was Leo?"

"Nothing. Leo went right to sleep." He pointed to the baby monitor. "The girls were great. I love how you didn't ask about them the minute you walked in."

"He has that look. I'm going to my room. Glad you had fun, Tessa."

"Good night, sweetie." Patrick said to his daughter.

Patrick walked to her. "He has that look." He kissed her. "Wine."

She nodded. "I had so much fun. We were completely lost and I laughed. I didn't even think of Leo or the girls or you."

"That's good. You deserve to have fun as a friend, not a wife or mother. What do you say? We go upstairs and I give you something to think about."

She giggled. "I want to peek in on the kids first."

"I would worry if you didn't."

Tessa felt the tingling as Patrick followed her up the stairs. Her great night was about to get better.

Scroll for more on what's next. We return to The Point in November. Are you ready for the next generation?