Mike was an hour overdue to pick up Markie. He had a really good excuse, but he had never been in a situation that held him up from being with her. He was not sure how she would take it. “Sorry, I’m late,” said Mike. “We had a brush fire just outside of town. There was concern it might spread to the nearby houses. It’s out now.”
“That’s good to hear. You’re not all that late, anyway. It’s only ten-thirty,” Markie replied, showing no sign of distress over the hour of tardiness. “I was sure you had a good excuse, and I think volunteer firefighter might be one of the best.”
“I know, but I pride myself on being punctual.”
“You made it to the fire on time, right?”
“That’s what I like about you. You have an uncanny knack of finding the bright side in anything.”
“I’ll disagree with that, but glad you think so.”
He leaned in and kissed her. While more than a simple peck, it paled in comparison to the kiss at the end of their last date.
After tending to Markie’s door as usual, he backed out from the driveway, turning to go up the hill out of Oxford. It was a main road all the way, though it might have been considered a back road. Either way, it was a nice, scenic drive.
“How long have you been a volunteer fireman?” she asked.
“Hmmm. Must be goin’ on nine years, now. I started shortly after I turned eighteen.”
“Ever been in any danger?”
“Not really, although there was this one time. The feed store caught on fire from a lightning strike. It was raining like the devil. The wind was so strong, it limited visibility to probably fifty feet. We had to go slow just to get there safely. Good thing, though. Just as the hook and ladder pulled up, the fertilizer inside exploded. The large red sliding door blew right out. It must have flown twenty yards. Fortunately, no one was in position, yet.”
“Were you scared?”
“Hell yeah, I was! But we were able to knock down the flames quickly. I think it took maybe forty minutes until it was totally out. The rain definitely helped keep it from spreading to the surrounding buildings.”
“I don’t think rain would help me,” she admitted.
Mike glanced her way and realized she was fidgeting with her hands in an unusual way for Markie. “Are you scared of meeting my folks?”
“I wouldn’t say scared. Just nervous. Extremely nervous.”
“Don’t sweat it. They’re good people. I promise, you’ll be fine.”
“My head knows that, but my heart is running track.”
“If they know I like you, they will like you. Trust me.” The whole truth was that if they did not like his date, they never showed it in front of his guest, but Mike would hear about it afterward. So far, that had only happened once. But that one time was all he wanted to endure. He had carefully picked who he brought home after that. Markie was the first woman he planned to fight for if they disapproved of her.
“You like me?” She raised her eyebrows in a fake serious expression.
Mike smiled. “Let’s see how you do with my parents. Then I’ll let you know.”
“No pressure.”
“Of course not.” His smile turned ironic.
* * * *
They entered the park and rolled up to the ranger shack. Mike paid for a day pass and pulled out. Driving slowly along the narrow paved streets of the park, he followed the signs at each corner that showed the campsite numbers in each direction.
“This is beautiful!” Markie commented.
“I love it here. The park service does an impressive job keeping it up.”
Upon reaching his parents’ campsite, Mike pulled into the short driveway far enough to make sure the truck was completely off the road. His parents stood up from the picnic table and walked over. Markie did not wait for Mike to open the door. The last thing she wanted was for Mike’s parents to think she expected that gesture. She was self-conscious enough every time he did that as it was, but in this case, she wanted her feet planted firmly on the ground when Mike introduced her.
Mike made a point of going up to his mother first and kissing her cheek.
“Mom? Dad? This is Markie. Markie, these are my folks.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey.” She extended her hand.
Mr. Humphrey took hold or her hand. “Please, call me Jim.”
Markie smiled. “Okay... Jim.”
“My, you’re tall!” He looked to his son. “You weren’t kidding, Mike.”
“It has its advantages.” Mike grinned, eying Markie who obviously got its meaning.
Mrs. Humphrey reached her hand out. “I’m Mary. So nice to meet you.”
Markie took her hand. “Thank you. I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”
“Good,” said Jim. “I’d hate to have brought all this food for nothing.”
“It’s a little early for dinner,” said Mary, “or are you two hungry?”
“Not especially,” Mike replied.
“Good. Let’s hit the beach. Did you bring a suit, Markie?”
“Yes, Mary. It was the one thing Mike told me to bring. Is there a place I can change?”
Mary answered, “There’s a bathhouse down that path about fifty yards. It’s also the closest bathroom.” She pointed to a dirt trail separating their campsite from the one next door. “Or you can use our tent. Not much on head room, I’m afraid.”
“I’ve gotta change, too,” said Mike. “Come on. I’ll walk you to the bathhouse.”
* * * *
Mike went over to the car and pulled out both his backpack and Markie’s duffle bag.
“Thank you.” Markie took his hand, and they walked along the path. She jumped when she saw a two-foot snake cross in front of them.
“Only a garter snake. No poisonous snakes in this area.”
“I was taught to treat all snakes as poisonous.”
“Who taught you that?”
“Me!” She laughed.
“Oh yeah—city girl.” He smiled wryly.
He watched as Markie climbed the three steps and entered. He then hurried to the opposite side where the men’s room was.
Emerging barely five minutes later wearing cut-off blue jeans, the bottoms frayed as if the legs had been ripped away, Mike wondered if he should put his t-shirt back on. While glancing at his chest, he touched the small patch of hair on his otherwise hairless upper torso. By the time Markie emerged, he was at the base of the steps waiting for her, towel draped around his neck, t-shirt still in his hand.
A pleased expression crossed his lips at the sight of Markie in her bathing suit. While not revealing, the bottoms were like pink hot pants, only in a maroon paisley pattern, and the top, in the same design, had thick, maroon strings tied behind her neck and around her back. The outfit was totally appropriate for her.
“Nice.” He pretended to admire the outfit, not the beautiful woman wearing it.
“Thanks. I know paisley isn’t in fashion, but I’ve always had a soft spot for it.” She gave Mike’s physique the once over when he turned his face away to pull a towel out of his bag.
“Doesn’t matter. I like how it looks on you.”
She smiled. Mike noticed her cheeks flush a little.
“All set?” he asked his parents upon returning to the campsite.
“Yep,” Jim answered.
“Dad, do you want me to grab the cooler?”
“Nah. We can get drinks at the concession stand—maybe an ice cream, too.”
The four of them walked out to the street and followed it to the beach parking lot. It wasn’t a holiday, but the temperature was in the high eighties. With the parking lot almost at capacity and the sky creating a beautiful Saturday in the middle of summer, it was a tell-tale sign that the beach was going to be crowded.
“Wanna stick to the lawn, Mary, or would you like to see if we can get a table on the other side of the beach?” Jim asked.
“Here is fine. I brought sunscreen, and I don’t think we’d have much chance of getting a table, anyway.”
“You’re probably right.” Jim led the others over the tiny hill separating the parking lot from the beach. It was actually earth pushed up by the bulldozers before the dam was built. Jim was careful to keep them out of the line of fire from a volleyball game where amateurs were swinging wildly at the ball. There was an open spot at the edge of the water where the grassy area raised above it about a foot. Once they’d spread the blanket out on the lawn, Mike and Markie placed their towels on the two windward corners.
“Come on, Markie,” said Mike, and he grabbed her hand, turning toward the swimming area.
The part of the lake known as the beach was a mixture of dirt and sand. For the most part, the larger stones had been removed. Maybe a sand castle couldn’t be built, but it was easy on the feet. It also did not absorb the burning rays of the sun like the sand of the ocean.
There was a lifeguard chair in the center. It stood about ten feet above the ground, giving the lifeguard a good perspective. A ring of colored floats were placed in an elongated half circle, designating the swimming area, with a line of floats running from one side to the other about twenty feet from shore, designating the shallow area. All the way out to the far floats in the center was a platform on large plastic barrels. A ladder was attached to the right side to allow access to the top. It was square, just under twelve feet on each side.
Mike crossed the beach to reach the left side of the swimming area, Markie’s hand in his. “My dad tells me that years ago, there was a dock on this side of the swimming area with a diving board on it.”
“Oh? Why’d they remove it?”
“He never told me. I assume the government was trying to avoid any lawsuits in case anyone was to get hurt.”
“That’s definitely possible. Some people are looking for the next hot coffee to sue for after getting burned due to their own stupidity.”
“Yeah. Anyway, the pier was still here until the dam broke a few years back. Without the diving board, there wasn’t much need to replace it.”
“Maybe they moved it over there.” Markie pointed further down the shore to three wooden walkways in front of the concession stand lined with paddleboats.
“Could be.” He looked at her. “Shall we go in?”
In lieu of an answer, Markie turned and walked to the water, pulling Mike along. They continued walking until the water was knee high.
“Cold,” she said, shivering.
“You’ll get used to it. The lake was formed from natural springs, so when you swim, you will pass through some really cold spots. They aren’t very big, fortunately.”
Markie moved a few steps further, releasing Mike’s hand as she did. Mike kept pace with her as she got within seven feet of the shallow floats. She was a little over waist deep. She jumped up slightly and let her legs extend in front of her. Pinching her nose between her thumb and forefinger, under she went. Coming up quickly, she ran both hands along her hair as she stood.
“Race you to the raft?” she asked.
“You’re on.”
“At the count of three,” she said. “Three!” She dove under the water to come up on the other side of the shallow floats.
Mike, surprised at the start, took a deep breath and dove into the water behind her. He came up paddling hard. They were well beyond the halfway point when he finally caught up. He hung back a little, trying to decide if he wanted to pass or let her win. When they were almost to the float, he kicked hard and got right beside her. But when they reached the platform, he let her touch first.
“That was fun,” said Markie after they both climbed the ladder. “I have a feeling my body might tell me differently tomorrow, though.”
“Just think. We have to get back, yet.”
“That’s right, Mike. Rub it in.” She grinned. “Actually, I’m sure I’ll be fine. I love swimming.”
“What would you think about working your legs out a little more and renting one of those paddleboats?”
“Yes, let’s.” She stepped to the back of the float and ran to the front to gain a couple extra feet for her dive.
Mike followed suit, directing her to turn slightly left once they were both in the water. They made for the opposite side of the beach from where they had entered the water. The walk to their towels was shorter.
* * * *
When they reached the blanket, Mike said, “I’ll be right back.” He took off to get his wallet, leaving Markie behind with his parents.
“How are you adjusting to life in our little town?” Jim asked, in an effort to make conversation.
“It’s different. I’m not under any pressure to get ahead. I always felt I needed to constantly prove myself in the city.”
“You don’t want to get ahead?”
“Jim,” Mary scolded, “that’s a bit personal.”
“It’s okay, Mary,” Markie responded. “The difference is here, I can do it on my terms. In the city, I had to get ahead. Here, I want to.”
Jim smiled widely. “That’s a really good attitude. So many your age think the world owes them.”
“Oh, I could never do that. I didn’t even apply for unemployment when my first employer let me go.”
“Why not? You had the right.” Jim was surprised by her answer.
“Self-pride, I guess. If I was raising a family and lost my job, it might have been different.”
“You want a family?” Jim asked. .
Markie looked at him with an odd expression. She answered, “I’d love to have a family.”
“I’m sure you’ll have one,” Mary jumped in.
Mike returned, winded from the run. “Ready to go?”
“Don’t you want to catch your breath first?” Markie asked.
“I’ll be fine in a couple. By the time we reach the concession stand, I’ll be fully recovered.”
“Okay.”
When they were out of earshot, Mary asked Jim, “What was that all about?”
“What?”
“Why’d you ask if she wanted a family?”
“Mike told me she didn’t want one.”
“Maybe he misunderstood.”
“Maybe. But I can’t see how.”
“Do you think she lied to us?”
“Well, no. But I have a feeling there’s a piece of the puzzle missing.”
“Possibly, but it’s none of our business.”
“I know. I know.”
“Okay, Mr. Conspiracy Theorist. Let’s go for a swim.”
“Lady, I thought you’d never ask.”
* * * *
“What side would you like?” Mike asked, as they walked down the short pier.
“Is there any difference?”
“As a matter of fact, there is. One is on the left side, while the other is on the right.” He grinned wryly.
“Should have seen that coming. I’ll take the left.”
Mike held her hand and with his other hand steadied the boat as she boarded. He followed right behind and untied the rope, then pushed off from the pier with his foot. They floated out far enough to start peddling without the possibility of hitting another boat. A slight turn of the wheel directed the rudder to carry them out to open water.
“I like this,” Markie commented.
“You’ve never been on a paddleboat, before?”
“Before this afternoon, I never swam in a lake, either.”
“Wow!”
“Is that all you can say?”
“I never would have guessed it if you hadn’t said anything. Ever swim in the ocean?”
“We went to Jones Beach every summer while I was growing up. I’ve been there on occasion since I left home. I love the ocean.”
“We went on vacation to the Outer Banks, once,” said Mike.
“That’s in North Carolina, isn’t it?”
“Yes. We started out from here at night and drove down the coast. I made it my business to keep Dad awake. I fell asleep just before we reached the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Next thing I knew, we were crossing the bridge into Manteo.”
“You missed the tunnels?”
“Only on the way down. We camped down at a campground in Hatteras. That ocean was something else. I walked out twenty feet and was up to my neck. Another ten feet and I was up to my knees.”
“Shifting sand bar. I’ve heard of that,” she said.
“Yeah, but what a rip tide! Before I knew it, I was out beyond the surfers. Fortunately, they saw me, and one paddled out to save me. I was so scared.”
“I’ll bet. How old were you?”
“Twelve.”
“Twelve? Where was your father?”
“He caught a wave and body-surfed it in. When he realized I was in trouble, he signaled the surfers.”
“I bet he was scared, too.”
“He was never more than twenty feet away from me the rest of the time. I had to catch a wave before he’d even try. Man, I’d forgotten all about that.”
“It wasn’t your time.” Markie smiled at him.
“Nope. I still had several years to make him regret calling those surfers.” He laughed.
“Somehow, I doubt there was any regret.”
They paddled to the far side of the lake. Mike pointed to a spot on the shore where he’d caught his first fish. Markie was impressed that he was able to remember that detail. He mentioned it was probably the smallest bluegill in the lake, but that didn’t matter. He’d caught it. There was nothing more important that day.
Continuing along the back shore for a while, they turned when the docks were directly across the lake. Upon reaching the dock, Mike steered the boat into the empty slot with precision. He hopped off and tied the boat to the cleat before extending his hand to help Markie disembark.
“I really enjoyed that,” she reiterated. “We’ll have to come back here again.”
“Just say the word.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“Threats are supposed to be made about something not desired.”
“I don’t threaten. I promise.”
“Yes, Miss Counterpuncher.” He grinned.
* * * *
Shortly after Mike and Markie returned from paddle boating, the foursome returned to the campsite.
“How do you like your burger?” asked Jim.
“Medium, thank you.”
“Let me crank up the barbeque and get cookin’.”
“And by that, he means open the bag of charcoal,” said Mike.
“Charcoal beats gas three to one for flavor,” Markie commented.
“You got yerself a smart lady, Mike,” said Jim. “She knows what she’s talkin’ about.” He retreated to the campground-supplied grill. Mary followed close behind. Both were in their fifties and sported frosted hair. Jim’s was only gray around the temples, but his goatee was solid white. Mary’s hair was streaked with gray almost to the point that one might say it had brunette accents. Her hair might have made her look older but for her straight posture when she stood. She carried an extra ten pounds or so on her five-foot-five frame, but the excellent color in her cheekbones hinted at energy and vibrancy. Jim was thinner in stature, and he stood a little taller than average at five-eleven. He probably could have used those extra pounds his wife carried.
Mike and Markie sat down at the picnic table, watching Jim dump the briquettes into the heavy-gauge metal grill that stood on a single post. Mary doused the charcoal with lighter fluid and tossed a lit match on top. It flamed quickly.
“Need any help?” asked Markie.
“Oh, no no, Markie,” Mary answered. “Everything’s already made up and in the cooler.”
Jim sat at the table to wait for the flames to die down. “Mike tells us you came from the Big Apple.”
“Yes, one of the branches. I consider myself from Brooklyn, though I spent most of my youth in Bronxville.”
“Bronxville. Nice area. What brought you way out here?”
“I was looking for a change. I’d lived in the city all my life. But it was my car that decided where I should stop.” She grinned at Mike.
“Smart car,” said Mike, smirking.
“So you just set out one day in no specific direction?” Mary asked.
“Crazy, huh?” Markie answered, not going into any detail.
“Not at all,” Mary stated. “It takes a lot of guts to pick up and go with no destination in mind.”
“I don’t know about guts, but I had to get out of there. Too much stress. My boyfriend left me, and my job demanded too much of my time. I felt that maybe it would be easier to hit reset by getting away.”
“Was it?” asked Jim.
“Mary,” Jim scolded softly, “Let the girl be. At least give her twenty minutes to get to know us before dragging her life story out.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind. And yes, it was. But then I was extremely lucky. I found two great friends in Mike and Pam.”
Jim stood and returned to the grill. He placed the burgers they had pre-formed on the metal grill. “Better fix your buns. Burgers won’t take long to cook at this temperature.” He flipped them over after a couple minutes. “Cheese, Markie? We don’t do the cheese food or cheese product thing here. Strictly the real deal.”
“Please.”
“There are some products you can substitute,” said Mike, “but cheese is not one of them.”
“Oh, I agree,” Markie replied. “It’s like spaghetti noodles. Every company makes them just fine. But take chocolate milk powder. Only the name brand works.”
“I prefer the chocolate syrup,” said Mike.
“The same applies,” Markie responded. “You can’t buy just any chocolate syrup and expect it to be as good.”
Jim pulled the burgers off the grill and placed them on a platter before bringing them to the table. “Dig in.”
The meal went along with very little discussion but a whole lot of munching. The burgers were a huge success, along with Mary’s potato salad.
Jim was the last one to partake, having been in charge of the grill, so he was the last to finish. “I don’t know about you all, but I’m stuffed!” he exclaimed upon swallowing the final bite from his plate.
“Really good burger, Mr. Humphrey,” said Markie. “And I must get your recipe for the potato salad. It beats mine, hands down!”
“Mary is the one with the potato salad recipe. If you keep complimenting her that way, you’ll get what you want.” He laughed.
* * * *
After helping clean the dishes, which meant tossing the paper in the fire, Mike and Markie said their good nights to Mike’s parents and returned to Oxford. He drove her to the apartment and turned off the engine.
“I had a wonderful time, today,” she said.
“I’m glad. I’ve never taken anyone there before. I was afraid that camping might turn them off.”
“How did you know it wouldn’t turn me off?”
“To be honest, I took a chance.”
“I’m glad you did. And your parents are great!”
“That was another chance I took.”
“I had the nicest conversation with your mother when you left to change out of your bathing suit. She is really sweet.”
“Well, thank you. I’m sure she’ll say the same.”
This time, Markie leaned over and kissed Mike longingly. When she drew back, they exchanged glances, neither saying a word.
Finally, Markie spoke before exiting the vehicle. “Talk to you tomorrow.”
Before Mike was able to open his door to perform his standard gentleman duties, Markie exited the vehicle and headed into the garage. Mike watched after her, making sure she was safely out of sight before he started the truck.