Southern Stars

by Melissa Good

  “So here we get to relax for a couple of hours, and then have lunch,” Janet announced, as the raft coasted through a ripple of white ruffled waters, and they emerged into an area full of sculpted rock. “Look at those natural slides!”

  Rain and erosion had modeled the sandstone into loops and whirls, with water surging through them making a natural playground. Dar stood up as they approached the rustic landing. She put her book away in her day bag and bounced up and down a little on the balls of her feet.

  “Water’s high from that storm,” Sally said, from her seat next to Kerry. “Should be fun!”

  It looked it. Kerry grinned. The breeze had picked up a little, and it ruffled her hair, as she got her daypack settled on her shoulder and prepared to follow Dar off the raft.

  They docked and everyone scrambled off, walking down the driftwood landing and up onto a flat space where the crew was already offloading the tables and gear to prepare for lunch.

  “You can put your stuff up here.” Janet indicated a rock shelf just above that. “And go have fun!”

  With a pout, PJ settled herself to watch on a flat rock, putting her bandaged foot up and spreading tanning lotion out along her skin. She looked up with a smile as one of the crew offered to help, and handed over the bottle. “Kerry, you want me to take some pictures of you guys? Since I can’t swim?”

  “Sure.” Kerry handed over the camera.

  “Hot damn.” Dar glanced over her shoulder at them. “Now I’ll get some pictures with you in them.” She grinned as she stripped out of her long sleeve t-shirt and shorts.

  “Hah hah.” Kerry good naturedly joined her, giving her a poke in the hip as she removed her own shirt. They were both in one-piece suits and as she half turned the sun splashed over her chest picking out the colors of her tattoo, the infinity snake and its multicolor scales bright and distinct.

  Then the golden light touched the vivid eyes and claws of Dar’s, there on the cap of her shoulder and Kerry impulsively leaned over and gave the cat a kiss.

  Dar glanced at her and smiled, then reached out and tickled Kerry’s snake with the tip of her finger. “Let’s go have some fun.”

  “Go on, I’ll be right there.” Kerry started to remove her shorts. “Wow, that water looks nice.”

  “Yep.” Dar put her sunglasses and clothes inside her pack and went to the edge of the water. The landing was at the outer end of a long, deep curve in the river, and there was a set of lines that blocked off the bay, making a protected swimming area.

  It looked cool and fresh, and without hesitation she went to a flat rock at its edge and dove into it, judging the depth sufficient.

  It was. She opened her eyes and saw the whiteness of the rocks and a few startled fish splurting out of her way as she reached the bottom of the dive and started up again. It was just as refreshing as she’d figured it would be, and as she surfaced she heard the muted screams of the others jumping in.

  She could feel the current, milder than in the main part of the river, but still a bit of a tugging at her as she turned and started swimming back and the exertion felt good. She switched her stroke to a butterfly and stretched her body out as she angled her motion toward where Kerry was making her more casual entry into the water.

  “Oh, chilly,” Marcia said as she eased into the water up to her knees.

  Kerry took a breath and steeled herself, then waded up to her hips into the water before she just threw herself forward, stifling a reflexive inhale at the temperature.

  Halfway across the lagoon she saw Dar’s head as she swam steadily toward them, her long arms coming up and out of the water as she moved against the current that Kerry felt pushing against her shoulder blades.

  Still, after a moment of adjustment it felt good and she relaxed, rolling over onto her back and letting the current take her briefly into deeper water. Then turned over and started pushing against the flow.

  Half of the crew were also in the water in shorty wet suits, several of them with float bullets, obviously keeping an eye on their clients.

  Kerry found she could make progress, but it took some effort. But after the last week of just spectating it felt good and she only wished she had her dive fins on to get a little more leg action into it.

  She made it back to the shallows just as Dar caught up to her and they both stood together, leaning against the current as the rest of the party got wet. “Nice.” She ran a hand over her hair to move it out of her eyes.

  “Very,” Dar said. “Want to go do the slides?” she asked, pointing to the climb up to the curve of the waterfront that allowed access to the irregular natural formations. “I think they’re setting up for some water volleyball.”

  “Can I sit on your shoulders for it?” Kerry joked ruefully, as they started in the direction of the shore.

  “Heh.” Dar chuckled. “Remember that game at the party?”

  Kerry thought a moment, then smiled at the memory. “I do.” She followed Dar as they started up the slope, walking carefully on the slippery sandstone. “Mariana told me she knew for sure that night,” she said. “About us, I mean.”

  “Why, because I showed up for a party half naked and played volleyball with you?” Dar inquired with mock surprise. “What a sleuth!”

  “Mm.” Kerry chuckled under her breath. “I was standing next to Maria when you came in, and while my hormones were busy crawling out my ears, she was just like, oh isn’t that a nice outfit Jefa has on. Kerry, you should go tell her that.”

  “She knew.” Dar picked a path up the slope, appreciating the sun now hitting her skin. “She’s known me a long time.”

  “I liked her from the start.” Kerry climbed up next to her and they went to the top of the first slide area. “Meet you at the bottom?”

  “Booyah.” Dar picked a slope and stepped into the wash of the water cascading down it, sitting down and letting the force of the current take her forward.

  The slope was mild, but the rush of the water gave it at least an illusion of speed. She slide down the winding curves of the stone, ending in an abrupt plunge in a falling surge of water as she came out and went into the water at the end of it.

  It was deep enough to be over her head, but she arrested her motion and kicked upward, breaking the surface and turning to see Kerry shoot out the end and tumble in midair, laughing.

  “Woo!” Rich and Sally scrambled up the slope to follow them. Even Amy and Todd grudgingly headed in that direction.

  Kerry came up next to Dar. “Let’s go again. That was fun.”

  More than willing, Dar started for the shore, clearing the landing area for the next sliders. Faint strains of music emerging from a solar powered radio caught her ear and she looked to the other shore where the crew was setting up a little canopy and putting chairs out.

  Then she spotted Rich climb up onto a shelf a respectable distance from the surface. He leaped off, and she grinned.

  “Oh boy.” Kerry covered her eyes.

  IT WAS LATE afternoon and the sun was turning to a burnished gold as it headed west, the music still chiming over the water as everyone relaxed after hours of water play.

  Dar was stretched out along one of the pontoons drying off, pleasantly tired and enjoying the warmth of the sun after several hours of being in the cold water. Nearby, Kerry sat in one of the forward seats, talking to Sally and PJ.

  Dar felt the raft undulating beneath her and turned her head to see the edge of the water now higher against the rocks. Then the motion settled down and she half shrugged, closing her eyes again.

  “No, I used to only shoot film.” Kerry shifted a little in her seat, keeping an eye on Dar out there on the pontoon. “I just switched to digital.”

  “My roommate still uses film, and develops his own negatives,” PJ said. “Holy bleep that stinks.”

  Kerry laughed. “That I never did.”

  “He shot things you’d get arrested for trying to get developed these days,” PJ said, matter-of-factly. “So, there’s
that.”

  Kerry grimaced.

  “Yeah, it was gross,” PJ said. “He was selling the pictures but he finally got busted and they showed up at the apartment one morning last month and dragged his ass off to jail.” She took a last bite of her banana, pausing to fold the skin up in a neat bundle. “I was glad he’d paid the rent at least.”

  Sally was laying on the platform in front of the seats, her face half obscured by a hat. “This was a blast today,” she said. “Especially that platform diving. I love it.”

  “I think I liked the slides better, Kerry said. “I’m not really fond of heights. But it was fun watching, and I got some good shots of Dar with her acrobatics.” She gave her partner a fond look, aware of the one, sharp blue eye open now and watching her. “We’re going to have to add a few walls, hon, for all these pictures.”

  Dar stuck her tongue out, then relaxed again on the pontoon, the reddish light gilding her skin.

  Janet appeared, with a tray. “Everyone have a good time?” She offered the tray. “Got some lemonade here before we pack up and take off.”

  “I’m fine, thanks.” Kerry leaned back to let PJ take a mug. “Today was great, Janet. I think everyone had a good time.” She put a slight emphasis on the word.

  Janet smiled. “Yeah, it didn’t start so great, but I agree.” She stepped between them and started for the other side of the raft. “Ms. Roberts? Want some lemonade?”

  Dar waved her hand negatively. “All good.” She sat up, then got to her feet and made her way over to where Kerry was. She pulled her shirt back on and sat down in her seat, resting her elbows on the chair arms.

  Rich came over, ruffling his hair dry. “Tomorrow’s full of rapids. It’s the biggest rapids day. All white water, all the time.” He grinned. “Literally nonstop.”

  “And we’ve got two hikes when we do stop,” Sally said. “Sorry PJ.”

  PJ stuck her tongue out.

  Doug jumped up onto the raft and went back to the pilot’s seat, as everyone started to wander back onboard. He blew the raft’s horn gently twice, then started to prepare the craft to leave.

  “And there’s a lot of water coming down,” Rich said, looking out over the river they were preparing to pull back out onto. “We’re in for a big ride.”

  THE CAMPING SPOT that night was a picturesque side canyon that held a winding creek split off from the Colorado. On the shore was a big sandy beach that fronted the cliffs rising high over them.

  The tents were all set up along the beach, with tiki torches between them. The crew gathered driftwood and built a fire to grill dinner over instead of using their camp stove.

  Dar sprawled in her chair in front of their tent and drew in a breath of whatever was being grilled, which smelled like meat and peppers. Overhead was a blanket of stars, only slightly washed out by the fire and she watched with a benign expression as Kerry approached carrying two bottles of beer.

  Kerry was barefoot and in shorts and a long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up. She put the bottles down on their little camp table and sat down next to Dar with a contented sigh. “This is kinda more like it.”

  “Yup.”

  “And tomorrow sounds really fun.”

  “Vroom vroom,” Dar said. “Seventy-five miles they said of rapids? Twenty-five? Something like that, but it sounds like a nice rollercoaster.”

  “Rich is stoked.”

  The fire snapped a little as they turned the meat on the grill, sending a wafting of sparks up into the dark night sky. One of the crew brought out a guitar and was tuning it, a companion sitting down with a long, wooden flute.

  A little way off they heard the rush of the river, a reminder of what they had in store tomorrow. Kerry tipped her head back to watch the stars, a smile on her face.

  Midway down the beach, someone had pulled out a Frisbee and the younger members of the party were racing up and down the sand, playing catch. “Hope that doesn’t land in the fire.” Kerry said, idly.

  “Better a fire than the teeth of a barracuda,” Dar responded. “Though the plastic burning will ruin those nice steaks.”

  “I think we’re going to have some fajitas. I saw them unpacking the tortillas,” Kerry said. “And I thought I saw them frying up green tomatoes.” She took a sip of her beer and hiked up her ankle on one knee. “And, danger boy has been quiet the whole damn day. Maybe you scared him.”

  Dar chuckled. “I doubt it.”

  They heard a loud whistle to the left near the water, and spotted Doug outlined against the glow of the fire, pulling back on a fishing line.

  Kerry smiled. “Maybe fish tacos, too.”

  “Won’t be as good as yours,” Dar said.

  “My catcher of fish is cuter.” Kerry winked at her. “So naturally the tacos taste better.” She reached over and tickled Dar’s ear. “You got some sunburn.”

  “I did,” Dar said. “I had a really good time today. I liked those slides.”

  “You liked jumping off that rock.”

  Dar grinned.

  “I got some great pictures of you diving.”

  “Oh no, not more bathroom art.”

  They clinked their beers together and took swallows of the cold beverage, falling silent as the guitar player started to pluck out a melody. It was Spanish sounding, and quite beautiful. After a moment the flute player joined in with a reedy counterpoint.

  “Pretty,” Kerry said. Then she half turned her head to regard her companion. “Were you ever into music when you were a kid? I was forced to have piano lessons that were never really successful.”

  “No,” Dar admitted. “I mean, aside from singing Christmas hymns with Dad.” She listened to the music. “I kinda wanted to play the guitar, but just never got around to it.”

  Behind the players, the rest of the crew were bringing platters to the tables and they got up to walk over, strolling across the sand along the waterside.

  Today they had set up the tables in a line rather than scattered them. Dar and Kerry took seats a little way from one end and relaxed as the rest of the party joined them.

  The platters held, as Kerry had suspected, fajitas and fixings, and were served family style with everyone sharing. They had toasted the tortillas a little, giving them a bit of a smoky flavor and Kerry contentedly piled hers up with roasted veggies and some strips of grilled chicken, along with a dusting of cheese.

  “What a great day,” Marcia said. “I managed to get a nice sketch in of that cove. How lovely that was.”

  Todd and Amy took seats in the end of the table, and pulled one of the platters over to their plates. Amy stood up and was assembling dishes for both, the fading marks of poison ivy still visible on her arms and hands.

  PJ, with an air of taking one for the team, leaned closer to them. “Hey, you guys want some lemonade?”

  “Yes, please,” Amy answered before Todd could. He sat calmly in his chair, picking up the folded tortilla and chewing it.

  PJ handed over the pitcher. “Here ya go.” She turned back to face Kerry across the table. “You want to take some sunrise shots tomorrow? From this angle, it’s going to be awesome if it’s clear out.”

  “Sure.” Kerry enjoyed the earthy taste of the grilled peppers, and leaned back in her chair, extending her legs out under the table and crossing them at the ankles. “You mean over the ridge there?”

  Behind them Dar saw the crew working on the raft, stringing out more guide ropes and tightening down the lashings. She studied them for a few minutes, but they didn’t seem worried. They were laughing and relaxed as they worked so she returned her attention to the table.

  Her peripheral vision caught Todd watching what was going on behind them as well, and a faint smirk appeared on his face that immediately made her hackles stand up and she chewed more slowly, listening to Kerry’s banter while keeping him in view.

  What’s the little bastard done? She pondered. Poisoned the food? She stopped chewing and sucked in a little air over her tongue, but tasted no
thing unusual and she could see he was focusing on the crew busy at work.

  Could he have done something to the raft? Something to the crew? Did the little jerk put a snake into one of the boxes? Dar was unsettled enough to get up out of her chair, and put down her half-eaten fajita. “Be right back.”

  Kerry watched her alertly, her pale eyebrows hiking in question.

  Dar gave her a pat on the shoulder, then moved away from the table and around the fire pit, feeling the heat of the campfire against her skin. She spotted Janet walking around the other side and aimed for her, holding a hand up slightly to catch her attention.

  Janet spotted the motion and paused, squaring her shoulders visibly as she waited for Dar to approach.

  That was not an attitude Dar was unfamiliar with, and she muffled a wry smile as she slowed to a halt next to the woman. “Just want to let you know something.”

  “Okay,” Janet responded agreeably.

  “That jackass likely did something unpleasant to some piece of your business,” Dar said. “Just keep an eye out.”

  Janet studied her in pensive silence for a moment. “How do you know that?” she asked. “Don’t get me wrong, Ms. Roberts, I really do appreciate you wanting to look out for us, but we’ve done this before, you know?”

  “I know,” Dar said. “Let’s just say I’ve had a lot of experience in my lifetime of jackasses. Maybe because I’m in IT? Maybe because I am one?” Her eyes twinkled wryly. “He’s the kind that won’t rest until he gets the last laugh.”

  Janet cocked her head and her brow puckered a little. “He’s not a stupid guy,” She finally said. “He’s just a kid, you know?”

  She exhaled. “I’ll have the guys check things twice, but really, I don’t think he’d do something to cause that kind of trouble.”

  “Okay,” Dar said. “Had to say it.”

  Janet smiled. “And believe me, I appreciate it. Go on and enjoy your dinner. We’re almost done rigging and we’re going to join for the music.” She waved her hand, and watched as Dar retreated to the table, resuming her seat.