THE POOL PARTY
June 1979
Sloan ran the usual circuit of roads in Horton Ravine with Butch prancing along at her side. She kept him on a lead though it wasn’t necessary. He was accustomed to her rhythm and her pace and he enjoyed the morning air as much as she did. She preferred making the run early, six o’clock at the latest, but that morning she’d slept in, a rare luxury for her. The school year was over, and in another two weeks, she would take on her responsibilities as a junior counselor at the church camp, which was located twenty-five miles north in the Santa Ynez Valley. The meadows at the campsite would be sunny and hot, smelling of sage and bay laurel. It would be cooler in the shadow of the mountains, though the creek beds would be dry and any remaining grass would be parched to a yellow haze.
At eight that morning, her parents had left for Tucson to pick up Justin and Joey, Paul’s sons from his first marriage. The boys were thirteen and fifteen and they would be attending the first two-week session of church camp, which they’d done the previous three summers. In the meantime, the plan was for the four of them—Margaret, Paul, and the two boys—to head north from Tucson to the Grand Canyon, where they’d spend a few days exploring before they returned to Santa Teresa. Sloan was happy to be on her own. She had a summer reading list and looked forward to spending her days in the hammock on the back patio with Butch asleep in the shadow of the netting. She and Bayard had mapped out a bike trip, but the departure date was a week away.
She’d reached Randall Road, which went uphill in a long, slow arc that would put her back in range of the house. She was panting from the climb, sweat trickling down the side of her face and accumulating at the small of her back. She heard a vehicle coming up behind her, Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty” blaring at top volume. She veered to the right and glanced back as Troy’s pickup truck came into view. Austin’s head and right shoulder extended from the passenger-side window as he beat time on the truck side with the flat of his hand. Troy slowed and then kept pace with her, peering at her across the front seat while Austin smiled at her lazily as she jogged.
He said, “Pool party. End of school. My parents offered the use of the cabin, so we came to ask if you’re free.”
“Today?”
“You’re entirely correct.”
She came to a halt, breathing heavily, leaning over with her hands on her knees. She shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re inviting me. Last time we spoke, we were at each other’s throats.”
“My fault entirely. Far as I’m concerned we have a truce. I called off the shunning, so that’s a done deal. Hand over the tape and we’re square. Everything turns out to the good.”
“What brought this on?”
“This is me behaving like a grown-up. You can do the same. You already have a head start on me. So what do you say?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Come on, kiddo. No hard feelings, okay?”
“We just forgive and forget?”
“Why not? It’s summer. Life’s too short to hassle. You have something else on your busy social calendar?”
“Nope. My folks are gone. I’d have to feed the dog and take a shower.”
“No problem. We’re making a grocery run and then we’ll pick up a keg. I’m taking Mom’s station wagon. Troy can swing by to pick you up in an hour. Bring your bathing suit.”
“Where’s the cabin?”
“Up the pass on the 154. Horizon Road goes off to the left shortly before the summit. The cabin’s another two miles down.”
“Give me the address and I’ll meet you there. I’d rather take my own wheels.”
“Won’t work. Parking’s limited. We’re keeping the number of cars to a minimum so the neighbors won’t raise a stink. Stringer’s bringing a crew in his van. Maybe a dozen of us altogether, so it should be fun. We can party into the wee hours if we so desire.”
She wasn’t really in the mood, but it seemed churlish to decline when he was offering peace. It wasn’t as though her time was spoken for. “Okay, but I can’t stay long. Couple of hours.”
“No biggie. Poppy has a family thing, so she’s leaving at four. I’m sure she’d be willing to give you a ride.”
“That should work. Can I bring anything?”
Austin shook his head. “Thanks, but we’re covered. Ciao!”
The two sped off and Sloan stared after them with Butch looking up at her in happy anticipation. Whatever she did, he was up for it, ready, willing, and able. She met his eyes with a smile. “Come on, baby. Let’s get you home.”
The two jogged slowly the remaining distance to the house.
She took him to the backyard, where she freshened his water, filled his bowl with kibble, and left him munching noisily as she secured the gate. He’d be fine in the backyard for a couple of hours. His dog house was close by and he could take shelter from the sun if he needed to.
She went into the house through the back door and took the stairs two at a time, peeling off her T-shirt. She considered taking the tape to the party, but decided to leave it where it was until she was sure Austin was sincere. He was capable of manipulating anyone, but if he meant what he said, she was willing to make the deal. He was right about life being too short. Fighting took energy and she had better things to do.
Once showered and dressed, Sloan was about to dry her hair when she heard the doorbell ring. Shit. Troy was early. She set aside the hair dryer and secured her mane of damp hair on the top of her head with a big plastic clip. She anticipated an afternoon swim, so there was no point in worrying about it. She tucked her hairbrush in the gym bag with her bathing suit and carried it with her as she trotted down the stairs. When she opened the front door, instead of Troy, she found Poppy standing on the porch. She seemed thinner, her T-shirt and shorts hanging loosely on her delicate frame. Her pale hair was parted in the middle, the long strands wispy and thin. She had her car keys in hand and her 1955 pale green Ford Thunderbird parked in the drive. Her parents had given her the two-seater the September when she turned sixteen. She’d twice flunked the written portion of her driver’s test and therefore didn’t have her learner’s permit, so Sloan ended up driving the car before she did. That was a lifetime ago, when everything between them was fine.
She and Poppy were still technically friends, but the distance between them was palpable. She put on a bright smile. “Hey. This is a surprise. How are you?”
“I’m good. I hope it’s okay to drop by without calling first.”
“Not a problem,” she said. “Troy’s picking me up shortly. You’re going to Austin’s party, aren’t you? They said you’d be there.”
Poppy nodded. “I’m giving Iris a lift. I’m on my way over to her house now and then we’ll head up the pass. She’s supposed to be at my house, so her parents better not find out or my ass is grass.”
“Austin told me you have a family obligation at four and I was hoping I could bum a ride back with you.”
“Sure.” Poppy shifted her gaze to the side yard and then to Sloan’s face. “Mind if I come in?”
“Oh, of course. Sorry.” Sloan held the door open and Poppy stepped into the entryway.
“Where’s Butch?” she asked.
“In the backyard, probably snoozing. I didn’t want to leave him cooped up inside while I was gone.”
Sloan crossed the foyer to the living room with Poppy on her heels. The room was cool and orderly, done in neutral tones. Sloan took a seat in her mother’s rocking chair and Poppy settled on the couch. The two had barely spoken for months and she was praying Poppy wouldn’t quiz her about the tape. As far as she knew, very few people had seen it, but word was out and there was already sly speculation about the contents. “You want a Coke?”
“No, thanks. I can’t stay. I just wanted to say hi. Are you doing camp again?”
“Starting week after next. What about you? Are you working?”
“Maybe part time at McDonald’s. I’m still waiting to hear.”
Sloan removed the clip from her hair and gathered up a few damp strays before securing it again. “I should finish drying my hair before it frizzes up on me.”
“I need to ask you something,” Poppy said. Her pale cheeks were tinted with pink. Sloan was already feeling cornered and she dreaded what was coming next. “I heard Kenny Ballard and some guys smirking about a video the guys made. Someone said you had a copy.”
Sloan blurted out the first thing that occurred to her. “I haven’t seen it. I don’t even know how I ended up with it.” Her tone was casual, but the statement sounded so lame, she expected Poppy to call her on it.
“Really? You haven’t seen any of it?”
“I caught maybe fifteen seconds. Fritz is smoking a joint and acting like a nerd. It seemed stupid, so I shut it off.”
“Maybe after the party, can I come over and watch with you? We could leave closer to three, which would give us plenty of time.”
Sloan couldn’t believe Poppy would push the point. She’d never seen her so anxious or insecure. Sloan was the self-conscious one, but now their places were reversed. She didn’t like lying, but what choice did she have? It would serve no purpose if she told Poppy the truth. Sloan responded in what she hoped was an offhand manner, though she couldn’t look her in the eye. “It’s not here. Someone else has it and I probably won’t get it back for a couple of days.”
“Someone else? Like it’s already in circulation?”
“No, no. I left it somewhere by mistake, which is why I haven’t had a chance to watch the rest of it. The guys are just goofing off. It’s supposed to be a parody.”
“Are you sure?”
“No, I don’t know for sure. That’s just what I heard.”
Poppy frowned. “Someone told me Troy’s getting it on with Iris.”
“Really? Well, that’s weird. Who told you that?”
“I don’t know. Someone mentioned it in passing. I was, like, totally freaking out, but when I asked Troy, he acted like it was no big deal. I don’t know who to believe.”
“You know what? I don’t like all this gossipy stuff. It’s not a good idea. That’s how rumors get started and look what happened to me.”
“It isn’t gossip, Sloan. I’m asking for information.”
“Why don’t you ask Iris? She’s the one you should be talking to.”
“I did, but she says she was drunk and doesn’t remember.”
“Why worry about it? You know Troy isn’t interested in her. The tape’s just some dumb thing they did. Like a prank or a joke.”
“But why would someone claim he was screwing her if he wasn’t? I heard Fritz was in on it, too, which is really pathetic if you ask me.”
“I agree, but just because people say something doesn’t make it true. Anyway, why come to me? I’m in the same boat you’re in.”
“I don’t know who else to ask.” Poppy’s gaze was intense and pleading. “When you get the tape back, will you let me know? I can come over anytime.”
“Poppy, just drop it, okay? You know how those guys are.”
“You think if I asked Bayard, he’d tell me? He was the cameraman, wasn’t he?”
“Well, yeah, but still . . .”
“I’ll feel like such a fool if I walk into this party with everybody knowing something I don’t. Like I’m the butt of the joke. Swear you’re telling me the truth?”
“Promise,” Sloan said. She glanced at her watch.
Poppy took the hint and stood up, saying, “I better let you go. Thanks for clearing the air. Let me know when you get the tape back.”
She leaned over impulsively and gave Sloan one of those awkward hugs where one party is seated and the other bending down to the embrace. Sloan patted her back, feeling acutely uncomfortable. She pulled herself out of the rocker and walked Poppy through the foyer to the front door. She made a show of waving as Poppy slid into her car and took off. When she finally closed the door, she leaned on it briefly, feeling thoroughly undone.
Troy pulled into the driveway at one o’clock and gave a brief toot on his horn. She flipped the thumb lock on the front door and pulled it shut behind her, her gym bag in hand. When she reached the truck, Troy leaned over and opened the passenger-side door. She hopped in and slammed the door.
Sloan said, “You’ll never believe what just happened. Poppy showed up and she’s grilling me about the tape. I didn’t know what to tell her.”
“Shit.” Troy groaned and pretended to bang his head on the steering wheel. “She’s been on my case for days and what am I supposed to say? I can’t remember the half of it except it wasn’t good.” He indicated the gym bag. “You have the tape?”
“Not with me. I’m not an idiot. What if Austin grabbed it and went right back to treating me like shit? Let’s see if he keeps his word.”
“I wouldn’t worry if I were you. It’s summer. You can’t shun someone you’re not going to see for three months. Everybody’s bored with it anyway.”
“Good to know,” she said. “Not that it’s a comfort at this late date.”
Troy put the truck in gear and took off. As he drove through the front gates of the Ravine, he said, “You’ve got balls threatening Austin. He’s a crazy son of a bitch.”
“How else could I get him off my back? It’s the only leverage I had.”
“He must have loved that.”
“Well, it worked, didn’t it? What I don’t get is why you guys made it in the first place. Talk about gross!”
“It wasn’t meant to be serious. We were just horsing around.”
“It doesn’t look like ‘horsing around.’ You and Fritz are buck naked and Iris is stoned or drunk. It looks like full-on sexual assault.”
“Austin said it was supposed to be a spoof. I couldn’t see the harm.” When he reached upper State Street, he slowed for a light.
She looked at him in disbelief. “Honestly? You screw the poor girl when she’s completely out of it and you can’t see the harm?”
The light turned green and he proceeded through the intersection, heading for the 154. “I guess it got out of hand. Anyway, she wasn’t that far out of it.”
“Yeah, right. I could tell.”
“It’s true. What you saw was edited, all the bloopers taken out. We were cracking up the whole time, laughing our asses off. None of us could keep it together. Like in one take, Fritz dropped the joint in his lap and about set fire to his pubic hair. Then Iris fell on her ass trying to do a striptease. I was laughing so hard I had beer spewing out my nose. We thought it was hilarious.”
“Oh sure. Hardy-har-har. What happened to the cuts? Because none of that shows up in the copy I have.”
“Bayard worked on edits. He must have taken out the hokey stuff.”
“Oh, come on. That’s bullshit. What I saw was horrible. Troy, if the cops get hold of that tape, you and Fritz will end up in jail. Austin doesn’t come off that well, either. He’s sitting by idly in a coat and tie, lording it over you, like he’s too good to participate. But then you hear him refer to himself as an ‘auteur.’”
“Jesus. Why don’t you do us all a favor and destroy the damn thing?”
“Good plan. I will. Better for everyone, including me.”
“Just don’t tell Poppy.”
“What if someone else spills the beans?”
“Then I’m fucked.”
“Could I say something on another subject? You know I had nothing to do with that anonymous note, don’t you? I’d never do such a thing to you.”
“Of course not. I never believed Austin’s claim. I forget now how he ended up pointing a finger at you, but once the idea was out there everyone seemed to fall in line. Not that it matters now, but it did take me out of the running for the Climping Memorial Award.”
Sloan said, “Oh, me too if the faculty suspects I’m guilty. I might be innocent as all get-out, but I’ve been tainted by the accusation. Everybody hates a snitch. Faculty opinion is bound to be affected, proof or no proof.”
The minute the words came out of her mouth, Sloan felt a tiny exclamation point light up in her brain. It hadn’t occurred to her to explore the issue of why the anonymous note was sent to the school in the first place. She’d been so caught up in defending herself that she hadn’t considered the motive or what was at stake. It suddenly dawned on her that Austin was the obvious beneficiary. Five juniors had been nominated for the Albert Climping Memorial Award, Austin among them. Patti Gibson and Betsy Coe weren’t strong contenders. Sloan could hold her own, but Troy was the impressive candidate in light of his community service. He did school-based mentoring of underprivileged boys. He volunteered time at the homeless shelter and he assisted in a program to provide holiday meals to families in need. In exposing Troy and then pointing an accusing finger at her, Austin had effectively knocked both of them out of the running.
She was tempted to run the idea by Troy to see what he thought of it, but decided to keep the notion to herself, in part because she wasn’t sure there was a way to confirm her hunch. The charge was serious and she needed to consider the implications. She wasn’t sure what action she might take even if she was right, but it made sense to explore the notion before she did anything else.
She stared at the road ahead and something heavy settled in her chest.