by Ronn Fryer
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
Stacy turned to discover Tina standing only a few feet away. Normally it would have been nearly impossible to sneak up on the girl who had just become Bobby’s worst nightmare, but still waters run pretty deep – figuratively and literally.
“Yeah,” she agreed, barely audible above the wind rustling the leaves, her gaze instantly returning to the far shoreline.
“I’ll leave you alone if you’d rather...” Tina offered.
“No, it’s okay,” Stacy reassured her. “I just wasn’t up for all the reenactments.”
Even though the hero of the hour was again facing the water, Tina gave her an understanding smile. Seen or not, signs of support seem to find ways to travel between kindred spirits. “I totally understand,” Tina asserted. Intuitively, Stacy knew she did.
Rather than fill the air with meaningless chatter, the girls sat quiet for a time, simply watching dusk gradually descend over the water. Day or night, the Au Sable’s charm was undeniable.
Stacy broke the silence first, giving Tina a strange compliment. “It’s nice to be with someone who gets it.”
“It?”
“Yeah,” Stacy clarified, “It.”
After the briefest moment of reflection, Tina conceded, “Yeah, I guess I do.”
Mostly out of habit, Stacy retied her ponytail, then faced her new confidant. “You know who you are. You’re not trying to impress anyone.”
Tina considered it. “No, I guess not.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I love Nikki to pieces,” Stacy admitted, “but that really wears on me.”
A Blue Jay flew overhead, tilting its head as if eavesdropping. Its squawk shrill, but the intrusion provided a moment. Spaces often convey more than words anyway. After the bird passed, Stacy asked about Olivia. “How about your friend – is she going to be all right?”
“Livvy’s tougher than people realize.”
Rather than comment, Stacy gave the girl sufficient time to elaborate.
Kicking a pinecone with her foot, Tina took a slight breath. “We haven’t known each other all that long, she only came here this spring.” There was another pinecone on the ground beside her foot, but she refrained. Redundancy wasn’t likely to offer any additional clarity. “I think I’m the only real friend she’s ever had; not that my list is all that long,” she admitted with a slight smile. “I know she’s a bit of a tomboy – can’t even imagine doing what she does – but even though she’s a little older than me, she’s like my kid sister in some ways.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Stacy chimed in, sharing the inside joke. Her comment held no malice, of course, just validation.
A boat sped past by on the far shoreline, likely one of the last returning from Champagne Hill. Tina always thought fast boats were ironic. What was the hurry? You hit the Pond to chill. Still, they were probably anxious to get their boat loaded before it got dark. Tina, however, shared no such anxiety. She could have easily talked with Stacy all night.
“Are you and Nicole, y’know – just friends?”
“Oh god yes!” Stacy answered, her expression priceless. “I can’t say I’ve never wondered about certain things, and I certainly don’t judge Ramona – but, I play softball for the game, not the dames.”
Tina couldn’t control her grin. “Clever!” she commended, appreciating Stacy’s undeniable wit. “Sorry, I didn't mean to pry, I don't judge either.”
“And you and Olivia?”
“No,” Tina explained. “I adore her, but not in that way. Besides, I’m not sure I want to compete with Ramona.”
Their shared snicker strengthened a rapidly growing bond.
Before long, the boat Tina had been watching was a mere speck in the distance, reminding her the constant nature of time. No matter, the clock didn’t bother her and it didn’t concern Stacy either – time could go wet itself. Moments like this were just too rare; meant to be cherished.
Thankfully, Nicole had not come looking for her as yet. Not that she was hiding from her friend, it’s just that Nikki’s arrival would change things, alter the mood. Stacy would automatically slip back into the one who supposedly had all the answers, inevitably enable their disparate dynamic. Tina, however, was an equal, and Stacy couldn’t even put into words how much she relished, even desperately needed that.
“How about Olivia,” Is she....umm, inclined?”
Hesitant discussing her friend’s possible proclivities, Tina again contemplated the pinecones. They weren’t much help. Another Blue Jay interruption would have been welcomed, but now they all seemed aloof.
She had caught Olivia staring intently at her tattoos, but so what? That didn’t mean anything. Livvy hardly owned the only set of dallying eyes; and, after all, Tina got them to be appreciated, admired. She even chose her wardrobe with items that revealed, rather than covered. No one sure as hell went through all the trouble, and anguish, just to hide them. The painful inking of her rib area, in particular, nearly brought her to the threshold.
Of course there was no need to feel guilty on Olivia’s behalf – Teans certainly couldn't betray a confidence – she really had no idea what her friend’s inclinations might be.
“I don't think so,” she answered finally. “Truth is, I’m not sure Livvy’s capable of handling any intimate attachments right now.”
“That beating must have been demoralizing,” Stacy sympathized, wincing as the abhorrent look in Bobby’s eyes surged back into her mind.
“Yeah,” Tina agreed wholeheartedly, “but there’s something else. I get the feeling she’s been beat-up in the past.”
“Abused?”
“I don't know, we’ve never talked about anything like that. Still, I mean, can you imagine?”
“Imagine...?”
Even though she couldn’t possibly see the fire tower from where they were sitting, Tina scanned the trees rising up the high-banks across the river. Returning her gaze to Stacy, she explained, “A girl who’s just turned twenty-two, coming here alone, living by herself in a tiny cabin in the woods, trudging a mile through the forest to climb a hundred feet, straight-up in the air every day – then spending hour after hour isolated up in a seven-foot box.”
“Got to give the girl credit,” Stacy admitted.
“Oh I do,” Tina said empathically, “I really do! And I’m not suggesting she’s got a shady past or that she’s running from anything. She’s just accepted this rough, lonely job, and she always seems so guarded – y’know, even before. It’s almost like she’s hiding something.”
Her curiosity definitely aroused, Stacy studied the girl’s vague expression. Detecting no clue, however, she simply asked, “Any idea...?”
“Not the slightest,” Tina admitted.
Chapter 20 – Silence My Old Friend
With her hand resting on the Osborn, Olivia reconstructed the previous night’s encounter in her mind. Even if she hadn’t seen anything from behind the protective tent-flaps seven sites away, the girls had recounted everything in great detail. They recapped everything from Bobby’s contemptuous glare to the sight of the El Camino spitting gravel into the lower tree branches as a parting gift.
They didn’t omit a single thing. The challenge had been trying to focus on one account with all the other girls chiming in. Evidently, it all happened so quickly that even Slacker wasn’t sure what had transpired. His quarterback had been sacked and he’d never even seen the blitz. With each retelling, Stacy’s status rose higher, eventually reaching near mythical proportions.
High up in her solitary world, Olivia scanned the horizon, coaxing her thoughts toward more pleasant topics. The sky was clear and the wind was barely enough to rustle the leaves. The fire danger was only moderate, she’d most likely have the entire day, and the best view imaginable, to reflect. She couldn’t have asked more from the morning.
She thought back to when Felicity had pulled through, despite all odds. What words could possibly express such gratitude? Her j
oyful tears had all but accounted for the little female’s first bath. She remembered smothering both kits with kisses after they’d both successfully suckled their formula.
Even though Arvy’s eyes had already witnessed a great number of oddities, he wasn’t too sure what he’d thought about her giant, moist lips. His sister’s eyes had only just opened then – the slippery mouth, as well as the entire world, probably offered little more than a soft blur. Since the tiny vixen had barely known her real mother. For all she knew, big wet kisses were all part of this new, fascinating world. Those kisses certainly hadn’t stopped in the following weeks, as her eyes sharpened and her weight gradually increased.
Staring off to the right, above the river, Olivia caught sight of an eagle. Although she couldn’t clearly distinguish its white head, it soared with wings flat, not arched like a turkey buzzard’s. And, instead of circling, it flew straight, barely clearing the canopy.
As much as she loved watching the majestic bird, she was grateful the foxes were safe. Although America’s Symbol was likely on a fishing expedition – fuzzy morsels, even ones that had grown to nearly three times their size – would hardly be ignored. Nature was harsh, unforgiving. Still, even at its most violent, it was never cruel. Only humans were cruel; humans like Bobby and Slacker, who clearly relished inflicting harm.
Completely alone with her thoughts, Olivia followed the eagle until it slipped below the tree line. One moment it was there, the next it was gone. Evidently some things did just go away, totally disappear.
Although it seemed too good to be true, Stacy’s plan seemed to have been proof. Keisha’s shot was noticeably better than Courtney’s, but both were more effective than any baseball bat. Stacy’s expression absolutely cleared the bleachers – the poor girl was obviously horrified, probably emotionally scarred for life.
Subconsciously sliding her finger along her nose, Olivia wondered – what about her? She’d been a real victim. Would she ever get over her ordeal? Her face had mended, but the bad dreams never seemed to fade.
Radio static temporarily interrupted her thoughts. It wasn’t directed toward her; it rarely was. Once she called in at seven, reporting for duty, she was usually only contacted to cross-locate a harmless plume spotted by Silver Valley or Glennie. She had the best view of the base and Old Orchard, but that typically only amounted to spotting a prescribed burn someone neglected to convey, or an oversized campfire.
To her dismay, there hadn’t been anything of consequence to align the Osborn’s crosshairs on in the three scant months since she’d started. The most excitement so far had been someone burning leaves on Alvin road; the dry piles igniting from errant wind gusts. Olivia had called it in, but the neighbors had already reported it.
She didn’t want a big fire, of course, just something substantial from time to time to validate her position. It was getting nearly impossible to ignore rumors. Everything from airplanes, drones, to orbiting satellites, were speculated to replace the towers. No matter how she tried to keep her head stuck in the sand, she couldn’t ignore the likelihood that she’d be out of a job within her first year.
With the eagle now long gone and only the vast green panorama to survey, Olivia’s thoughts turned further inward. The girls had seemed to accept her. Ramona was obviously smitten, but what if she knew? What if anybody knew? Who could trust friendships untested?
Even as close as they’d become, she didn’t even dare confide in Tina. She couldn't imagine losing the only real friend she’d made since, well, since – before. But would Teans even somehow understand? Maybe. Hopefully, but who really knew?
Tears started to well up in the corners of Olivia’s eyes. It was just too much to risk. No, there was no way anyone would ever find out. Silence and secrecy, they’d been the friends she’d counted on through everything – surely no reason to abandon them now.
Chapter 21 – Role Model
Momentarily averting her eyes from her little makeup mirror, Courtney asked, “What happens if it rains on Tuesday?”
Stacy seemed preoccupied with the morning’s campfire, so the blonde redirected the question to Nicole. Stacy’s biggest advocate, however, was hardly the one to solicit support for needless paranoia. The canoe trip had been planned weeks ago, it was the main reason for the camping trip in the first place; reservations had been made – rain or shine.
Courtney, however, had envisioned the sun glistening off her golden tresses as she slid down the Au Sable, not a miserable torrent leaving her looking like some drowned rat. It was just a little cloudy today, but the excursion was in two days, everyone knew Michigan weather had a mind of its own. Camping was challenging enough, they might not mind perpetual ponytails and dirt under their nails, but she had a look to maintain. There was a limit!
Not about to be ignored, she raised her voice, “Stacy?”
“We get wet,” came the reply attached with a look of sarcasm that could have been mistaken for a smile.
Courtney’s face, in turn, performed an obvious version of a frown. “Shouldn’t we wait and see how it looks first?”
Stacy simply continued to focus on the kindling. Getting a fire started was always challenging, but far less work than dealing with the blonde’s second guessing. No one questioned her judgment yesterday, least of all Courtney – hero worship evidently had a short shelf-life.
Without diverting attention from her twig teepee, Stacy summoned all her remaining patience. “It’s supposed to be a perfect day. Anyway, it’ll be a miracle if no one tips over. Bring a towel.”
Nicole couldn’t contain her smile. She adored Stacy’s attitude. It was contagious. Not that she ever consciously tried to be Stacy. Considering Courtney’s narcissism, she just thought there were worse personalities to emulate. She didn’t suffer Keisha’s natural aversion to cheerleader types, but she understood it. Not every girl on the squad fit the stereotype, of course. Pompoms didn’t automatically steal your soul. But, special treatment often bred arrogance, which has a tendency to perpetually feed off itself.
They’d known Courtney a long time, she had her good points. The pompom limelight, however, intensified bouts of self-absorption that were less than endearing. Nicole often tried to connect with her, but found it hard to invest in anyone so deeply invested in themselves. Stacy didn’t have any problems with self-esteem either, but that was different – the line between confidence and conceit was as wide as a fake smile.
Noticeably miffed by Stacy’s present indifference, Courtney dropped the compact in her purse and pulled out July’s Vanity Fair from her beach bag. Might as well catch up, breakfast was taking forever.
Keisha and Jennifer were fluttering around the picnic table; Jenny pulling eggs, bread, butter, and bacon from the cooler while Kiki tried to coax the perfect flame out of the Coleman stove. Ramona, supposedly, had to run for orange juice. Regardless of her spiel about vitamin C, she didn’t fool anyone. Tina worked at Ruthie’s, and if anyone knew of Olivia’s whereabouts, she did.
Courtney didn’t get it. It was fine to have girlfriends and all, but Ramona’s feelings for the tower girl were just weird. The French girl was relatively cute, certainly pretty enough to attract her share of boys. Maybe the poor thing just lacked self-confidence. There wasn’t any big secret about getting dates though, even with insufficient upper assets. You simply wore shorter skirts.
Folding back the magazine’s cover, Courtney scanned the first article and sighed. Sometimes she felt like she was forever stuck dealing with a bunch of adolescents. Then again, not everyone was as lucky as she – maturity had come early, due in part to learning how to cope with all the constant jealousy from female classmates.
Still, even though exceptional beauty like hers was rare, every girl had assets. Maybe she’d take Ramona aside. There was always something that could be done; makeup and the right hairdo could work wonders. The poor thing just needed a decent role model.
Chapter 22 – Second Fifth Element
“So, do you want to
know who came in for orange juice today?” Tina asked.
Olivia didn’t have to think too hard, especially considering her friend’s sly little grin. Evidently Tina was in one of her teasing moods, and once she started, there was usually no stopping her. So, despite mixed emotions over the mysterious customer, Olivia decided there was no sense spoiling her fun. “I don’t know, by any chance did she ask, “’Parlez-vous François’?”
With an obvious twinkle in her eye, Tina smirked and replied, “Oui.”
Olivia did her best to return a smile. Those conflicting emotions, however, flared and she turned her gaze to the window above the kitchen table. Arvy had been ensconced in her lap, thoroughly enjoying his morning ear-scratch until her sudden exuberance startled him. Mom seemed preoccupied, absorbed with something outside. Actually, Livvy was studying the big norway, scouring its lower limbs for some something quite illusive.
Just how did she feel about Ramona? The girl was certainly pretty enough. Although she was shorter, had brown eyes instead of green, and her hair was a lot darker, she could have passed for Milla Jovovich’s little sister. Those long lashes, high cheek bones and arched brows were beyond intriguing. Still, wasn’t every other song on the radio about heartache?
Sensing her friend’s vulnerability, Tina granted Olivia a slight reprieve. The girl sitting across from her with unpolished, chewed nails, had plainly dealt with a few issues, even before the assault. Tina didn’t want to pry. Working at the fire tower didn’t diminish Olivia’s femininity in any way, and it certainly didn’t mean she had inclinations. And so what if she did? Like she’d told Stacy though, it just didn’t seem as if Liv was ready for intimacies of any kind. Tina certainly couldn’t blame her. Trust was a key factor in relationships, and trusting people was never easy. Heaven knows how few people she actually trusted.