by Ronn Fryer
When Tina rejoined the group, Nicole tried atoning for crimes uncommitted. Voicing what everyone had already been thinking, she gushed, “Wow, your tats are beautiful.”
Tina said, “Oh, thanks,” and turned her bare shoulder toward Nicole. “I’m thinking of getting a dragonfly here.”
“Oouu, I love dragonflies,” cooed Jennifer.
Tina pointed to the sloping curve of her shoulder, explaining, “One landed right here a ways back and didn’t want to leave. I think it was telling me to always remember this day.”
“That’s so perfect,” Jenny effused, hovering her hand over the spot as if to caress the future.
The other girls thought the idea was also intriguing. Maybe they should all get dragonfly tattoos – seemingly an ideal image to celebrate their adventure. Fate, however, is not selective with the company it keeps. Whether consistency or irony, it was about to again favor the killdeer.
Chapter 30 – Curious Critter
Once they were back on the river, everything seemed better. Courtney and Keisha were more than happy to switch, eagerly reuniting with their own tent-mates. Stacy tried convincing herself that Ramona and Keisha would be fine. Even with different partners, they had already paddled over two miles – technically, they were no longer complete novices. Besides, the Au Sable may have had a decent current and a few snags, but it wasn’t whitewater rafting. All the same, she opted to canoe alongside them for the first stretch.
“How ya doin?” she asked.
“Good,” Keisha answered from the front of their canoe.
“Try to stay in the middle of the river,” Stacy coached, “As long as you avoid those overhanging trees, you’ll be fine.”
Starting to feel like a mother hen, Stacy glanced back to Courtney and Jennifer’s canoe just a few lengths behind. They seemed to be working together without a problem; Tina and Olivia again confidently bringing up the rear. Everything seemed copasetic, evidently it was just time to relax and enjoy the trip.
Before she donned her sunglasses, Stacy did a quick visual of Ramona. Evidently she’d been worrying over nothing. The French girl was doing a fine job of controlling the craft from the rear. Keisha and her were gliding along, working the current nicely, with the blue cooler drifting obediently behind them.
Confident that the trip was now problem-free, Stacy nodded to Nikki and dug her paddle in deep. Time to resume their position out in front, reading the current and leading the way. All traces of fog were long gone and it was starting to look like a perfect Michigan day. The only nuisance was an occasional deerfly. One had been circling Nicole’s head relentlessly. All beauty aside, mercy was not in Nature’s nature.
Up ahead there were some protruding branches bobbing with the current. One however, was swimming rather than bobbing. It also had ears. Kiki saw it first and blurted, “Look, a muskrat!”
Ramona scanned the surface, seeing only logs. “Where?”
“There,” Keisha pointed.
“Think it’s too big for a muskrat,” Nikki shouted as it swam past her, barely fifteen feet away.
“What is it?” Courtney asked.
Twisting quickly to the left, Stacy lifted her sunglasses and spotted its paddle-shaped tail. “It’s a beaver!”
Ramona, looking everywhere except right in front of her, didn’t see it until it nearly crawled up her paddle. Rather than fearful, the little mammal seemed curious, or maybe tired.
“It’s a baby!” Keisha shouted, nearly dropping her paddle in her excitement.
Ramona reached for her cell, it would have been a cherished shot. The beaver, however, had already dove under the canoe, heading upstream toward Courtney and Jennifer. Kiki shouted and pointed, but it didn’t surface again.
Olivia and Tina heard all the commotion. They were in a perfect position to see it, but the little critter had evidently lost its fascination with canoes full of noisy girls. Livvy only caught a quick glimpse of it as it slipped by, a foot under water, heading toward the bank.
“Did you see it?” she asked Tina, trying to pinpoint it with her paddle.
Just as Teans was about to say no, it climbed out of the water onto a muddy shoal under an overhanging tree.
“Yes – there!” she spouted.
Olivia tried to turn the Rebel sideways to get a better look. The current, however, was unsympathetic. They only got one last peek at the little fellow as it rubbed its whiskers with its tiny paws.
“She was adorable,” Tina marveled, as the Au Sable carried them swiftly beyond the shoal.
“I knooow,” Livvy agreed, a little too vehemently.
Reading Olivia’s expression, Tina scolded, “NO!”
“No?”
“No,” Tina reaffirmed. “We’re not going back. You’ve already got your hands full!”
Olivia wasn’t seriously considering another adoption, even though she couldn’t deny her soft spot for little furry creatures. Tina was right, of course. Her hands and heart were quite full enough. It was her head, of course, that caused the most problems. Sarcasm, however, used as a form of endearment, sometimes provides magical healing powers.
Turning back around toward Tina, Olivia flashed an over-exaggerated smirk.
Playfully upping the ante, Teans crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue.
Chapter 31- Pretty Is As
Trying to avoid a half-submerged log, Ramona and Keisha both paddled hard to the right. Unfortunately, that turned them sideways. They tried digging their paddles in on the opposite side, but that slid them directly into the current which spun their canoe in a half circle – the cooler momentarily leading the way.
Watching them struggle from behind, Courtney and Jennifer quickly decided to go left. Their path was smoother, and considerably faster. Consequently, both canoes converged, side by side, a hundred feet beyond the snag.
Courtney proclaimed it a victory and celebrated by splashing the losers. The spray fell short with only a few drops actually hitting the other girl’s craft. Kiki, however, was not about to shrink from a challenge. Her paddle sent a rooster-tail high in the air, a small portion painting the front of Courtney’s canoe.
Even though the damage was barely the equivalent instilled from her own attempt, the blonde was nevertheless incensed. She tried to scoop as much water as she could. The flat plastic blade, however, was hardly designed for battle on the high seas. The resulting spray did little more than rearrange the surface of the Au Sable.
Keisha, significantly more skilled in aquatic engagement, would likely have scored an ace with her next volley had it not been for Jennifer’s evasive efforts.
Surprisingly adept at the helm, the auburn-haired hippie chick deftly worked the current, slipping the bow of their canoe just out of range using a reverse J-stroke. Courtney would have been impressed had she not been quite so engrossed in retaliation. In her enthusiasm, she lost her grip on the paddle, dropping it into the spring-fed river.
A couple dozen yards back, Olivia and Tina watched the melee with amusement, agreeing that cold water was probably the best weapon against the girls’ petty animosity. At best, a few icy drops above the bikini top would only serve to invigorate.
Retrieving Courtney’s paddle left the battle hovering in a stalemate. Luckily, it floated. Ramona and Kiki finally managed to capture it, handing it back to Courtney only after she promised to behave.
Meanwhile, Livvy and Teans just drifted, reinvesting their attention back to nature’s solitude. Except for their tour of the Monument and Iargo Springs, Olivia couldn’t think of a time she’d ever been this happy. Momentarily quelling the nagging voice in her head, she couldn’t help feeling like she’d finally found a little happiness.
Tina’s thoughts, in contrast, ambled back to a time of loss. Close to this very spot, the river had stolen her necklace. Fourteen is an awkward age – too young to be an adult, yet no longer just a child.
The pendant set had been a birthday gift from a boy whose face she could no longer remember. He
was cute though, at least she thought so then. Not just a cheap carnival trinket, a tiny emerald resided within an asymmetrical heart dangling from a chain of real silver. Although unsure of her feelings toward the boy, Christina absolutely adored the necklace, refusing to take it off day or night; or, even on a canoe trip.
She wasn’t sure how the chain had snapped, but the sight of the necklace fluttering down into the depths nearly broke her heart. Despite shrieks, a desperate plea, and a face full of tears, she learned that the Au Sable could be a heartless thief.
After all this time, the chain and gem were most certainly still there – glistening somewhere down in the gravel and sand. The river, it seems, perpetually hoards its ill-gained treasures.
Totally unaware of her friend’s sad reflection, Olivia slipped her hand along the culprit’s innocent looking surface. Spreading her fingers in the clear water, she was busily engrossed drifting over her own introspections. The river may not have offered any answers, but it helped her focus on a few nagging questions. Catching her reflection on the glassy surface, Livvy abruptly broke the silence, simply saying, “Thanks.”
Unsure of what her friend was talking about, Tina asked, “Thanks?”
Olivia turned to her friend in the back of the Rebel and hesitated. Again, so many words, why was this so hard? Pulling her hand from the river, she slid it along the inner contour of her brow as if touching a perfectly restored piece of art. “For everything...for being my friend.”
“Silly girl,” Tina said, breaking her paddle’s stride. “I love you to pieces.”
“I love you too,” Liv said.
Tina already knew that, of course. Still, saying it aloud (especially in a light-hearted manner), was one thing – hearing it was quite another. It damn near melted her heart. Luckily, reflection was an effective way to avoid awkward moments. Unable to resist temptation, she chided, “What about Ramona?”
Olivia pursed her lips, “You know what I mean!”
Naturally, Tina thought she knew exactly what her friend meant. The truth, however, was that Livvy hardly understood her own feelings. Just what was love? Had she ever loved anyone? Had anybody ever actually loved her? What made someone fall in love? Was it basically reciprocal – you loved someone because they loved you?
Maybe it was a combination of emotions. Her feelings did seem spun in a blender: gratitude, admiration, envy – and yes, attraction – all swirled together. Her attraction to Tina may not have been romantic, but her friend was certainly alluring, on any number of levels.
But Ramona? Yeah, her conscience taunted – what about Ramona?
Feeling a little too much sun on her skin, Tina pulled her paddle from the water and reached into her bag. With an expression of resigned disappointment, she resumed their banter, teasing, “Group hugs are a little tricky in a canoe. Besides, there’s just the two of us.”
Sliding her legs in an arc over the padded seat, Olivia turned and replied, “That’s okay, I’ll take a raincheck.” Teans, in turn, winked.
Using her sunglasses as a barrette, Tina pulled her hair back and abruptly shifted the mood. Assessing the effect of her friend’s minimal makeup, she said, “You’re getting better.”
Livvy responded, confiding, “Thanks, I think I’m getting the hang of eyeshadow.” As an afterthought, she quickly added, “Never be as good as you though.”
Tina took the compliment without comment. It was true, girls with her expertise were probably few and far between, but she saw it as art, not competition. Spraying a generous film of sunscreen over her arms and shoulders, she explained, “The challenge is learning to accentuate your best features.”
“Yeah,” Olivia agreed, “but you’re beautiful! Your face is stunning without any makeup.”
“I don’t think you’ve ever seen me without makeup,” Tina quipped, as she continued applying SB30 along the length of her entire torso. Her tattoos were brilliant and she did everything possible to keep them from fading – maintenance being the key. Smart girls took pride in themselves.
“And don’t sell yourself short, pretty girl,” she continued. “Your skin is flawless and you’ve got lashes to die for.”
‘Pretty girl,’ Olivia wondered. Was she?
After her first makeover, Tina insisted that she was, but that’s just what friends said. When she was younger, Livvy desperately wanted to be thought pretty, anguished over it. Convinced she’d never really be pretty, she’d gradually just come to terms with the mirror’s offerings.
Maybe she had been blessed with some good assets, although she’d never really considered any of her individual features. Even if she did avoid six of the seven deadlies, too much of her waking hours were consumed with envy – her esteem chipped away with comparisons to girls that couldn’t even hold a candle to Tina’s worst day.
Thick lashes, smooth skin – okay, maybe. Pretty though? Olivia never dreamed of a fairytale romance or winning the lottery, but what she wouldn’t give to actually be pretty.
Before her thoughts could sink into any deeper water, the current started pulling the Rebel toward an eddy swirling in front of a downed tree. Olivia picked up her paddle and resumed her position facing forward, more than a little relieved to confront something she could actually deal with.
Chapter 32 – Scenic Stalemate
Hindsight is just that – seeing everything after it happens, when it’s too late to do anything about it. It tends to be extremely clear and it usually comes with a series of woulda shoulda couldas. If only we would’ve known, she should’ve thought about this, or they could’ve done that. It’s all just a way of trying to deal with something that may, or may not, have been avoided. It’s far more prevalent than insight, although nowhere as effective.
The fog had long dissipated and the sky shone baby-blue above the copper tinged water, offering a stunning backdrop for a perfect trip down the river. A better day would have been hard to imagine. Beyond a mild case of sunburn, any thought of impending danger was the furthest thing from anyone’s mind.
Chatting about school, Stacy and Nicole had eased up to the point of basically drifting, paddles simply used to steer while the current carried them along. The other girls caught up easily, pulling up alongside. Approaching the upcoming shoals, the canoes ambled two abreast, barely a foot or two apart, past the High Banks.
Separated in different canoes, Courtney and Keisha had more or less slipped into a truce, now only competing to offer their unique perspective on the conversation. High school had droned on forever, but with college approaching, the future seemed strange and exciting. Life was finally beginning, and even if they would soon be traveling different paths, they all shared the same anxieties.
Engrossed with overriding an aperture setting on her Nikon, Jennifer followed the chatter, but said little. As much as she looked forward to new adventures, her Zen spirit wouldn’t allow her to miss any part of the present. No matter what may lie ahead, she was intent on capturing today. Destiny might be unstoppable, but her lens could still recall each girl’s essence on this perfectly marvelous day, one that would never be duplicated.
Courtney, meanwhile, managed to keep their canoe on course while making sure every girl was well aware of all aspects of her opinion.
Although there were no universities in Tina’s future, she slipped easily into the discussion. Stacy thought the tattooed beauty should apply somewhere in the world of higher education despite the girl’s meager salary. Even if athletic scholarships weren’t an option, there were always Pell grants. Tina had thought about cosmetology school but another job standing on her feet all day wasn’t very enticing.
Olivia listened intently without sharing. She thought about saying her future was up in the air, but, ironically, it probably wasn’t. Listening to the girls, however, she couldn’t help but reflect, recalling the previous four years. Her time at Michigan State hadn’t been all bad, she’d enjoyed her classes; but, while her roommates partied, she’d stayed at home alone, studying. Her
GPA being a damn sight more impressive than her social life. The only time she’d actually gone out had been on a blind date; and although she felt guilty thinking it, she’d desperately wished that she would have been blind. A migraine would have been an absolute blessing.
With the sun glistening off the water, the conversation ambled along as easily as the current. The topics ran the gamut, flitting here and there until it eventually stumbled onto the big M. Although Courtney and Keisha seemed to disagree about almost everything, they were the only two intent on tying the knot. Kiki fostered idyllic dreams of picket fences and a storybook family while Courtney was determined to find a Zac Efron double possessing a facsimile of Warren Buffet’s bank account.
Jennifer was eager to find her soulmate, but she didn’t believe the heart could ever be captured on paper. True love transcended social conventions; certificates and gaudy celebrations might be fine for others; but, to her they were just another capitalist ploy. She’d attend her special day with bare feet and a fresh sprig of violets garnishing her hair.
Stacy and Nicole were both focused on their careers. If they were attending soccer practice it would be as participants, not as moms in minivans. Family life was something to worry about way down the road. School was enough to take on, Que sera sera, and all that.
Tina didn’t have much to say on the topic either. She wasn’t adverse to eventual possibilities; but, like Stacy, she didn’t need anyone to complete her. She simply wished Jason the best, in someone else’s life. Jealousy was hardly any foundation for a lifetime of bliss.
She wasn’t about to be punished for her looks. There were so many more important things. She wasn’t a Barbie and she sure as hell wasn’t searching for Ken. Besides, if the adage about water seeking its own level was true, finding another winner of the genepool lottery was about as likely as finding a dentist specializing in female chicken dentures.