by Ronn Fryer
“Serves him right,” Olivia sneered in mock disgust. “She’s probably some stupid biker chick covered with tattoos...”
The look on Tina’s face stopped her in mid-sentence.
Before Liv had any chance to interpret her expression, Tina casually started unbuttoning her blouse. Mystified, Olivia watched as her friend reached back, unhooked her bra (barely covering that which Livvy secretly envied), and turned to display an inked mural cascading down her side.
Livvy actually gasped.
Winding the length of Tina’s side ran the most exquisite lotus branch imaginable. A series of luminous pink flowers seemed to literally bloom from flowing tendrils, its petals casting delicate shadows beneath their pastel brilliance. Beginning from high upon her left shoulder, the tattoo meandered down, gracefully twisting around her torso until it disappeared under her beltline. Olivia could only speculate at its final destination.
“My God,” Livvy murmured, nearly speechless at such elegance, “it’s...”
Ashamed of her verbal blunder, Olivia’s face flushed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean...”
After allowing her friend sufficient viewing time, Tina refastening the clasp on her bra, and asked, “You like it?”
“Like it?” Olivia stammered, “It's absolutely breath-taking! I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
“Jason thought it was a bit much.”
“Well,” Livvy quipped, “that proves it – he’s an idiot!”
As Tina finished buttoning up, Olivia turned away, affording the girl a little privacy. Two mallards, however, quickly began paddling madly in their direction.
Before they faced their uphill climb, Tina led Olivia back over the wooden walkway overlooking a small pond above the shimmering falls. At first they simply took in the dreamy view, slightly awestruck at this mystical world tucked beneath the hardwood canopy. Tina found a good spot to sit and playfully pulled Olivia over next to her. Seemingly hesitant to disturb such tranquility, they soon grew silent, simply scanning the clear pool.
One comment, however, elicited another, until their conversation grew into nonstop chatter; the babbling eventually shaming the loquacious brook trickling from the falls.
Before long they’d all but poured out their entire lives to each other.
Maybe the springs cast a spell, an invisible potion rising; or, they may have simply been enchanted by a gurgling fountain emitting an irrepressible truth serum. Whatever the culprit, a myriad of desires, experiences, and even a few precious secrets, passed between their lips. Olivia had never before imagined, let alone experienced, the beauty of such intimate girl talk. Literally and figuratively, they were on strange, new ground.
Olivia gradually realized that, despite all the attention Tina’s physical attributes solicited, her friend had also kept herself perpetually guarded, relying on social banter to cleverly keep her feelings protected. Until now, Tina had never opened up to anyone either. It seemed incredulous. So much so, Olivia didn’t know how to respond. Rather than ruin the moment, she simply stood up and reached for her friend’s hand. Livvy would never, ever, forget this moment, but their tour was far from over.
The climb back up was a bit strenuous but hardly a problem. Even with three hundred steps, the treads were wide, interspersed with several flat landings. Tina, of course, was in great shape and Olivia didn’t think it was any harder than her daily ascent. The real challenge was finding anything left to talk about.
Their silence, however, wasn’t the least bit uncomfortable. Passing back over such beguiling springs, they’d crossed an intrinsic bridge where words were no longer necessary.
Chapter 21 – June’s Demise
Back in the truck’s spacious cab Olivia scooted forward, rubbed the dash affectionately, and pumped the gas. The majority of the old straight six’s 235 cubic inches cranked without a single tantrum. Good karma seemed to permeate the air.
All talked out, the girls drove on quietly to the end of River Road, turning onto M-65. Comfortable in the solitude of each other’s company, Olivia maintained her best ten and two on the big steering wheel while Tina sat beside her in yoga pose, fondly clutching her warbler. Although the truck’s inception predated seat belts by a couple of decades, the girls nevertheless felt enveloped in a deep sense of security. And, as if trying to prove worthy of such trust, the ancient Chevy hummed confidently over the blacktop at a reasonable speed.
Straying out of the lines only around broad curves, Olivia let the truck’s nearly-hollow muffler and worn springs fill the silence. A few miles north, she turned right on Bissonette Road, taking Tina’s suggested alternate route back. Lost in deep reflection, the girls made their way past Olivia’s cabin to Rea Road and then on Foote Site, all the while watching the trees slide past in a blur.
After she’d dropped Tina off, Livvy headed straight back to the cabin where her kits were wondering why lunch was so long overdue. Even if her behavior was pretty hard to understand, they loved and trusted their mother completely. They also missed her. Despite their protests, their bellies were never empty for long; and, although this enormous den was warm and dry – it just felt empty without her.
They also longed for their daily trip up to the skybox. The cabin offered plenty of nooks and crannies to investigate, rugs with suspicious folds to stalk, and clothes to sniff – but there wasn’t a single bird or chipmunk to chase. Vital hunting skills could never be developed soon enough. They needed more challenging quarry, ones that actually tried to escape. Besides, the days were much too long cooped up inside. Up in the tower they at least got their ears scratched or their bellies rubbed when they grew restless.
The little cube in the clouds may have only been seven-foot square, but it resonated with the reassuring sound of mom’s strange mumblings. Just because their size had more than doubled, they shouldn’t have been punished. They longed for their morning ride up the ladder, tucked in cozy against their human’s warm breast. The solution seemed obvious – heir human should have simply gotten bigger pockets.
Sadly, even prolonged whining didn’t help. After a strenuous wrestling match, it seemed the only thing to do was find a sunny spot on the floor and take a fox-nap. Mom would be home soon enough; there wasn’t any sense trying to comprehend this big creature with such little fur anyway.
Truthfully, Olivia really didn’t understand herself either.
Just before the return pass over the Rea Road Bridge, a tiny bird swooped across in front of her. Although the chances of it being a Kirtland Warbler were slim, it nevertheless set off a lingering sense of guilt. Tina had opened up completely, confiding everything, big and small.
Livvy was one of the privileged few to know her friend’s name was actually Christina, but she preferred the shortened version. Ever since grade school, everyone, even her sister, had to refer to her as Tina – Tina Tarn, seemingly the perfect name for a young, aspiring movie star.
Olivia also learned her friend had been adopted – and no, she’d never, ever tell a soul! Even if it was nothing to be ashamed of, Tina was adamant! Livvy had also became privy to the fact that Miss Tarn had recently been three days late. Fearing the worst, the foolish girl had spent as many sleepless nights pleading with fate. Mother Nature’s blessed arrival, however, had not only sent her prancing across the room with glee, the tremendous sense of relief had given her some serious perspective.
Olivia felt more than a little honored being trusted with such personal information. Not that it hadn’t been reciprocal. She’d shared a good deal too, far more than she intended; just not the one thing she couldn’t reveal. Almost slipping at one point, she’d literally bit her lip. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Tina. To the contrary, Teans was the one person in the whole world Livvy did trust. Certain confidences, however, could become burdens. Knowledge might be power, but it can also be a responsibility; and, certain responsibilities did nothing more than create dilemmas. Tina already had enough to deal with, her devotion didn’t need to be teste
d.
As the bird slipped past, weaving between the overhead branches, Olivia sighed. Their friendship was one thing she just couldn’t risk losing.
Much to Livvy’s dismay, the girls didn’t see much of each other after their tour. The season was picking up and Tina was held captive at Ruthie’s, lost in dreams pressed between the pages of her travel magazines. Often as not, she also got roped into babysitting for Connie. If she hadn’t already been given enough deterrent to motherhood, witnessing her sister’s recent complications more than confirmed her resolve. Tina hardly relished time spent as a stand-in, but there really wasn’t any way she could refuse. Besides, it was only temporary; and, as she’d recently discovered – it could have been so much worse.
Olivia, meanwhile, kept her daily vigil over the forest, often focusing the Osborn on all the places they’d visited. Unfortunately, obligations found her as well. Unable to wangle out of a seminar in Mio, she left the kits with extra food and extended hugs. Although neither understood, Felicity soaked up the extra attention, murmuring with contentment. Arvy, however, sensed something awry; his amber eyes suspicious at her every move.
After Olivia finished showering his sister with love, she reached for the Archduke. He dodged her hand as if reacting to an impending betrayal. A little too early for teenaged angst, he nevertheless seemed to have discovered pouting.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
As if mimicking the trees passing by along Bissonette, the rest of May, and the entire month of June, slid by in a similar blur. Olivia’s makeup skills improved gradually, even as the colors around her eyes faded. Her eyeliner applications were beginning to look respectable and she even got somewhat accustomed to mascara – not that many ever saw her handiwork.
Eager to avoid any more confrontations, she kept to herself as much as possible. If there was any fairness in the world, she’d be left alone to simply protect the forest and develop her parenting skills. The monotony of solitary days in the sky was a challenge, especially devoid of Tina’s company, but there were worse things.
Scanning down over the green canopy on the last day of June, Olivia thought back to the day she’d first arrived. Had it really only been two months? It felt more like a year. Aligning the Osborn coordinates over Foote Site, she found it hard to imagine two crazier months; but then again, she had no idea what the rest of the summer was about to offer.
Part 2
July
Map 2
Chapter 1 – New Friends
If one were enamored with the art of understatement, they might suggest that six, freshly graduated, high school seniors could change the atmosphere of a quiet little establishment. A realist would be forced to admit that they more likely rearranged the very molecules in the air.
Tina learned Stacy’s name right off. She’d entered first, with her retinue following close behind; and, even if the overall energy seemed to bounce around like half dozen estrogen-laced ping pong balls, the sense of everyone seeking her approval was nearly palpable.
A barrage of Stacy comments filled the air, “OMG Stacy, look at this,” and, “Stacy, what about these...?” The attention of other girls was solicited too, of course, except for Ramona’s, but Stacy was obviously the pivotal presence.
Despite the sudden overwhelming activity, their arrival was hardly an intrusion. To the contrary, it was sweet music to Tina’s ears. Although no actual scientific research had ever been conducted, she’d always feared that someone, could in fact, actually die of loneliness in Foote Site.
Rather than bring their purchases to Tina separately, which would have saved considerable time, the girls simply carried their items until Stacy was done shopping. That wasn’t a problem though, only two other customers were brave enough to enter the store during the onslaught, and no one seemed to be worrying about time. Evidently, they all adhered to the saying on one of the lacquered pine plaques along the far shelf, ‘If You’re In A Hurry, Go Back To The City.’ That, of course, was a big part of the allure of camping at Old Orchard Park where the girls were staying – there’d be no hurry to do anything.
By the time they finally left, Tina had gotten to know all the girls, with the exception of the quiet one. Even though the cashier had been blessed with a good memory, it wasn’t too much of a challenge. The girls constantly referenced each other by name. Identifying them individually basically amounted to free-association; and, naturally, their hair – Nicole, the tallest, with light brown hair; Courtney, the striking blue-eyed blonde; Keisha, with her exotic, deep mahogany skin and straightened locks; Jennifer, the hippie chick with wild auburn tresses; and, of course, Stacy, the Alpha female with the thick chestnut ponytail. That accounted for everyone except the introspective girl with cropped, black hair. Tina, however never heard Ramona’s name mentioned even once that day, and only learned it much later when she simply resorted to asking her outright.
When every purchase had finally been rung up, and the door banged shut behind the last girl, (the stupid spring had been broken forever), the interior of the store fell as silent as if the very air had been sucked out. One of the remaining customers offered a look of sympathy. Tina, however, had hardly been upset by the deluge. They had not only brightened her day immeasurably, they had given her their site numbers and invited her to join them at the park. Could she bring her friend? “Of course,” Stacy assured her, “the more the merrier.”
Although service wasn’t usually a problem in the tower, Tina hesitated to call Olivia up in her little box in the clouds. I’d be all too easy for the girl to find an excuse.
Borrowing (although it bordered on begging), enough money from Connie to get a new, (used), tire for the Sabre; Tina, thank goodness, was able to come and go again as she pleased. She’d see her friend right after work.
Super excited to share her new friends with Livvy, Teans wasn’t going to accept any excuses. Well aware how introverted and painfully shy Olivia could be at times, Tina was nevertheless undaunted – none of this, ‘but the babies’ stuff. As adorable as the little foxes were, they needed to learn how to cope. Truth told, the same could be said for Olivia.
Chapter 2 – Dystopian Downpour
It rained that evening and most of the following day. Even as starved for company as she may have been, Tina had to postpone introducing Olivia to her new friends until conditions proved more conducive. Contrary to popular belief, second impressions are just as important, and frizzy hair is never fashionable. There are some things you simply can’t cope with. Besides, the city girls were struggling with something slightly more challenging than appearances – nature, and all her glorious moods. Everything considered, it was hardly the best time for a visit.
Although the overcast sky initially offered only a few sprinkles, it soon evolved into a full-fledged torrent. Drifting off to sleep in a little nylon tent nestled beneath gently swaying maple branches may be enchanting; lying awake, wide-eyed and panic-stricken at the thought of being washed into the river, however, basically sucked. In a few scant minutes, the rain began pelting the girls’ tents with unbridled vengeance – demonstrating the advantage of discovering the great outdoors by simply watching the Nature Channel.
Nicole, often accused of being jealous of Stacy’s shadow, had eagerly offered to share a tent with their charismatic leader. She even wore her hair in the same, gathered, ponytail. Stacy didn’t really mind. Even if she’d always taken life on her own terms, she wasn’t against a compliment; and, Nicole’s tendency to imitate her was obviously a sincere form of flattery. Although, admittedly, it could be a little much at times. Could she have found a genie’s bottle, Nicole would probably have wished to be Stacy’s twin. The best she could manage, however, was to live vicariously. That, and garner favor whenever possible. So, eager to impress, Nicole insisted on providing their tent – selecting the biggest one on the Walmart shelf.
The girls had surveyed the park, end to end, along the entire four mile shoreline. Stacy liked the solitude of the camping loop
, suggesting site fifteen for its privacy. Nikki quickly agreed. Since it was the last one on the point, there was nothing but chipmunks and trees between them and the rustic little boat launch.
Even though one of the largest sites, it had nevertheless been a challenge to find a level spot large enough to accommodate the giant domed tent. Complete with a screened-in breezeway (presently filling with rivulets of rain water), it was nearly as spacious as the room in the college dorm they were to share this fall. Working together, they’d managed to erect the nylon mansion, merely laughing at their ridiculous initial attempts. Stacy was more than pleased with the extra roominess, which more than pleased Nicole. Becoming besties with Stace made the price well worth it, besides, she could pay her mother back in installments.
Free-spirited Jennifer was content pairing with Courtney on neighboring site thirteen, despite the blonde’s pretentious babble. The green-eyed flower child, who everybody simply called Jenny, had an endearing habit of finding the best in people. That trait usually garnered reciprocal tolerance, which was fortunate considering the reaction her quirkiness sometimes evoked. In addition to the assortment of feathers perpetually woven into her hair, she’d adorned herself with multiple earrings, a navel ring, and a bright orange butterfly tattooed above her left breast.
Upon first meetings, there was often a sly comment, or a raised eyebrow; but, judgment was usually suspended once they got to know her. She was just so damn sweet. People couldn’t help warming to such perpetual optimism, even if the poor thing didn’t seem to have a clue on the shortcomings of her friends.
Jennifer’s only real fault was her inability to deal with minor disasters, such as rainstorms that soaked every single article of clothing in your flowered duffle. The overhead branches were soon whipping, rather than swaying, and the momentary pauses between wind gusts did little to placate her swelling anxiety.