by G S Binkley
Lacy waded further in the water pushing the large net covered inner tube that held her two youngest children. “Be careful. I don’t want you to get wet.” She called to Derek before turning around to watch Dani play with her two friends near the shoreline.
Bored now that he couldn’t ride the Jet Ski by himself, Derek ran over to where his older sister was playing with her friends. They had pulled the six-foot log in the water and were talking while they alternated trying to sit on the log.
“Wanna go to the mall tonight?” Katie asked her two friends.
Cindy balanced herself on the log while Dani and Katie held it. “Okay. Can you go Dani?”
“Hmm… I guess so. I have to ask mom first though.” Dani cast a quick glance at her mother then asked Cindy. “You ready?”
“Yep. Give it all you got.” The redheaded girl squeezed her legs together while her friends jostled the log up and down in the water. “Hey… okay, okay… that’s en….” She splashed into the three-foot deep water.
Dani waited for Cindy to surface. “You okay?”
“Yep.” She answered, wiping the water from her eyes. “Your turn.”
“I wanna do it.” Derek splashed the three girls as he tried to climb on the log.
“No.” Dani yanked the log from him. She usually didn’t mind Derek hanging around but today she was just not in the mood. “You go play with mom.”
Derek grabbed for the log again. “I wanna play. You can’t knock me off.”
“I said no.” When her brother tried again to grab the log, Dani yelled for her mother. “Mom? Will you tell Derek to leave us alone?”
“Yeah, Derek. Go away.” Katie slapped the surface of the water, causing some of it to hit him.
Squinting his gray eyes together, Derek spat. “I hate you.”
Katie acted hurt but said sarcastically. “Oh, yeah, who cares?”
Before Dani could say a word, Cindy cut the blonde off. “Knock it off, Katie.” Cindy remembered all too well how she always wanted to play or hang around with her older sister but was rebuked time and time again.
“Derek, come on. Why don’t you go play with Hayley and Sammy?” Dani tried to coax her brother into leaving them alone for the moment. When Derek refused to leave, Dani started to call to her mom once again but saw Gage approach and directed Derek to her. “Here’s Gage. She’ll take you on a ride on the jet ski.”
Although Derek wanted to ride alone, he reasoned that going with Gage might be his only chance so he went along reluctantly. “Fine.” The nine year old headed for the dock.
When Gage arrived at the beach, she sucked in a deep breath then smiled. “Hayley, Sammy, are you two having fun?” The blonde wanted to tread the water where Lacy was standing with the kids but decided against it.
Hayley slapped her hands together while Sammy bounced on the inner tube. Shyly, Lacy ventured a look at her partner. “I think that’s a yes. Gage, sweet…” Lacy stopped herself not knowing if the endearment would be welcome. “Would you mind giving Derek a ride on the jet ski? He’s getting mad not being able to get ride it.”
The blonde saw Derek already perched on the Jet Ski wearing his life vest. “Sure.” Gage ambled over the wooden deck to the large shed that housed some of their swimming stuff. She grabbed a swim vest, put it on then headed toward Derek. “I can see you’re ready.”
“Vroommm…” Derek pretended to ride the jet ski. “Let’s go.”
“Okay, scoot up.” Gage requested of the boy so she could get behind him.
“Uh uhn…” He jumped off the ski. “I wanna ride on the back.”
“Derek, you always ride in front.” Gage said.
Shaking his head, Derek insisted. “I’m big enough.” He held his ground, refusing to get on the jet ski until Gage did.
When Gage glanced at Lacy for her approval, the dark haired mother shrugged leaving the decision up to the blonde. “Well, okay, but you have to hold on tight.”
Having won that battle of wills, he assured her. “I will.” Now positioned behind the blonde, Derek wrapped his arms around her. “Let’s go.”
Gage fired up the engine and took off. She eased the sleek machine on, getting a feel for it especially with Derek riding behind her now. As she twisted the throttle more, they went faster and faster. The squeals from Derek proved it met with his approval. “You having fun?”
“Uh huh…” When they hit one of their own waves, Derek squeezed Gage tighter. “Faster.”
Circling around several times, Gage caught several more of their own waves. The cove was relatively quiet with only an odd boat or two that decided to venture down the long cove for a look. It was usually on the weekend when the water in and around the cove got rougher due to the high traffic from boaters. Gage felt relatively safe weaving in and around the water and started to enjoy the ride herself. She was careful not to make too sharp a turn since she didn’t want Derek fall off. The blonde noticed a small ski boat approach then make a sharp turn at the end of the cove. She figured she could catch the tail end of its waves. “You ready for some more waves.” She could feel Derek nod his head against her. “Here goes.”
It was then that it happened.
As Gage hit the two foot wave head on with the jet ski, she knew Derek would squeeze tighter but when they landed, the blonde was suddenly aware that she couldn’t feel Derek behind her. Gage quickly twisted the jet ski around and let off of the throttle. She didn’t see the ski boat make another sharp turn back toward them. Apparently the driver of the boat wanted to catch come of his own waves.
From a distance, Lacy watched Gage hit the wave and to her complete surprise she watched helplessly as if in slow motion when her son jumped high up in the air off of the jet ski and came splashing down in the water. Suddenly, the small ski boat came into focus as it seemingly was heading for the exact place where her son had landed in the water.
Seeing the ski boat now, Gage gunned the throttle for where she saw Derek’s head bob up and down several times. The small boy was oblivious to what was happening around him. Gage tried to wave the ski boat off with her horn but it appeared as if the driver of the boat wasn’t paying attention.
Gage heard Lacy scream in the distance as she sped toward Derek. Knowing that she had one chance, Gage reached down with one arm, barely catching the shoulder edge of Derek’s vest. The blonde swooped him up and shoved him down in front of her.
When the driver of the boat realized what was happening, he swung left and killed his engine, narrowly missing the woman and small boy on the jet ski. “Damn… that was close.” Shaking, the driver fell back in the captain’s chair and just stared at the sky for a long time before deciding to face the two he almost ran down.
Gage headed straight back to the dock and she could see Lacy safely placing their two youngest kids in the hands of Stella who had witnessed the very end of the dramatic scene on the water.
Lacy ran across the dock and even before Gage was able to secure the jet ski to the side, the mother grabbed her son in her arms. “Derek? Are you alright?”
The blonde secured the jet ski and slowly got off of it. Feeling that it was all her fault, Gage again wondered if she should leave. But suddenly she felt Lacy’s arm around her even as she continued to hold Derek.
“I’m fine. Mom?” Derek tried to squeeze out of her death grip.
Lacy smothered him with several kisses before she did the same to her partner. “Thank God both of you are alright.”
Gage held on for dear life to both of them, thankful that Lacy wasn’t mad at her. When the blonde saw the driver of the both approach, she gently withdrew from Lacy’s grasp. “Lacy, why don’t you and Derek go on? I’ll talk to him.” She nodded toward the boat.
Lacy was only too glad to get to dry land. When she stepped back on the shoreline from the dock, Stella had a towel handy. The mother dried her son while several others watched curiously.
Feeling bold, Dani said. “Wow, Derek. That was cool.” She thought she
could help by trying to ease the tension filled moment.
Excited, Derek asked. “You think so? I can do it again. Only higher.”
A sharp glance from her mother caused Dani to rethink her comment.
Hayley was the second person to notice her mother’s dark look at her sister and said. “Uh oh.”
That caused Lacy to smile. “Uh ohs right.” Lacy tapped her daughter on the nose, which produced a giggle. Turning to Sammy, she teased. “And you buster… I don’t want you laughing, too.” Which, of course, extracted a smile and giggle from him. Her children’s laughter helped Lacy calm down. “I think it’s time to call it a day.”
Stella agreed as she grabbed the picnic basket and picked up Hayley. “We’ll eat at the house.”
Lacy grabbed Derek’s hand and took her other son’s hand. “Let’s go.”
The three girls followed reluctantly as Katie complained. “I hope your mom’s not too mad that you can’t go to the mall tonight.”
With a sharp jab to Katie’s side, Dani glared at her. “Is that all you think about?”
Katie nodded.
Then Cindy added. “And boys.”
That statement caused all three teens to giggle.
Meanwhile back at the dock, Gage kept her calm as the driver of the boat apologized profusely. “It’s a new boat… actually I bought it used but new to me and I when I turned, my drink slid off the dash and so I reached for it…it’s was just a soda…” He explained quickly.” “.. well, that’s… next thing I know when I look up…” His head dropped. “I’m so sorry. It happened so fast.”
Thankful that Derek was safe, Gage sighed. “It’s okay… really. I should’ve anticipated that you might turn back around. I saw you do that at the end of the cove.” Gage tried to ease the boater’s mind. “Out on the water you have to eyes in the back of your head. You have to be looking everywhere… 360.”
“I won’t be so careless next time.” With remorse the boater asked. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Drive careful. Okay?” The boater nodded then spun his boat around, heading back out of the cove. Gage shed her swim vest, putting in back in the dock’s shack. She paused for a brief moment before heading back up to the house.
************************
Even with the day’s stressful events, Lacy allowed Dani to go along with her friends to the mall for a couple of hours. Gage was the deciding influence on Lacy’s decision when she offered to take them there and pick them up and with the added fact that Nate would be working at the mall that evening, Lacy relented.
Katie strained her neck, looking for a certain nineteen year old. Although it was Monday night, the blonde hoped he would show up. She let him know that she might be there with her two friends after seeing Drake over the weekend. Katie noticed Drake’s interest pique when she mentioned Dani and Cindy. “Let’s just sit here. He knows this is my usual table.”
They had been sitting there for over an hour and Cindy was getting restless. “Why can’t we walk around some? I wanted to do some window shopping and there’s this new CD….”
“Oh…” Katie pointed at a tall good-looking dark headed young man approach. “There he is.”
His suave demeanor and cool arrival at the girl’s table made all of their heads turn and take notice. “God, he is cute.” Cindy exclaimed.
Dani was dumbstruck when he flashed his pearly whites producing the cutest dimples she had ever seen. “You can say that again.”
Katie jumped up to hug Drake. “Hey, I’m glad you came.”
Drake squeezed the young girl. “I can see that.” As he hugged Katie, his grazing brown eyes took stock of the other two teens at the table, coming to rest on Dani. “Hi.”
Katie felt him pushing her back before he walked around the table and sat down next to Dani. “Drake, this is Cindy…” The blonde waited for Drake to pull his eyes off of Dani.
He nodded. “Hello.”
“Hi!” The redhead gave a short wave.
“And Dani.” That lackluster introduction by Katie warned others of her disapproval about the way Drake was paying attention to Dani.
But Drake dismissed her completely as he grabbed Dani’s hand. “Katie’s told me all about you. You’re beautiful.”
Dani gulped since this was the first time any boy other than her uncle Nate that had referred to her that way. “Really?”
Katie yanked on his short T-shirt sleeve. “Drake? Over here.”
Turning around, he winked at her and asked. “Yeah, what do ya want babe?”
A little attention directed my way would be nice. Smiling, she scooted her chair closer. “You wanna go look at a couple of tops I saw earlier?” Katie was eager to show off to her friends that Drake would buy her anything she requested.
“Mmmm…not tonight babe.” He relaxed back in his chair, glancing around the table. “Listen, what do you girls say about a little party? I’ve got some friends getting together later.”
Although that offer excited all of the girls, Dani was the first to refuse. “We can’t. Gage is picking us up in a half hour.”
“Gage?” Drake asked curiously.
Dani nodded but Cindy answered. “That’s her mom’s girlfriend.”
“They’re married.” Dani waited for any kind of negative reaction from him.
That news pleasantly surprised the tall young man. “Cool.” He sat up in his chair. “Listen, if you can’t come tonight then perhaps Friday night. We’ll meet here say around seven and I’ll drive all of us to a friend’s house.” When Dani started to protest, he continued. “You can tell your parents you’re going to a movie. I’ll get you back before the mall closes.”
Katie readily agreed. “Sounds good. Dani, Cindy? What do you say?”
“Hey guys.” A strong arm touched Dani’s shoulder. “How ya’ll doin’ tonight?”
Katie rolled her chocolate brown eyes at the interfering and unwelcome guest. “Hey, Troy.”
He sat on the other side of Dani. “I had to stop off at the computer store…” He turned to Dani. “Your uncle’s there. He gave me a real sweet deal on a laptop. Mom said that if my grades…”
“Troy!” Katie interrupted him.
The news about Dani’s uncle produced a concerned look on Drake’s otherwise charming face. “Listen girls… think about it?” He leaned over and kissed Katie on the cheek, whispering. “See you Friday night.”
After the taller boy left, Troy frowned. “What are you guys supposed to think about?”
All three girls remained silent.
************************
After Gage picked up and dropped off Dani’s friends, she checked on all the children before heading off to bed. When she arrived in her bedroom, Hayley was sitting in the middle of her and Lacy’s bed with a huge frown on her face. “What’s the matter with her?”
Lacy pulled the tiny blonde in her arms. “She’s not happy with us.”
The older blonde stripped off her clothes before heading to the adjoining bathroom. “You mean, she’s not happy with me.” Gage knew she was the real culprit in the problems between her and Lacy. And their daughter was keenly aware of the tension between them.
Lacy brushed her lips against Hayley’s temple. “Come on, honey. Smile for your mommy.” The toddler refused. “Gage, would you hurry up and get back in here. She’s not going to be happy until we’re all together.”
“Hi! Want more.” Hayley indicated clearly that she would only be satisfied when Gage joined them on the bed.
“Okay, okay.” Gage finished brushing her teeth then headed off to bed. The blonde jumped on the bed, making Hayley laugh for the first time. “You wanna play?”
“Hi!” Hayley lunged toward Gage.
“Sweetheart…” That word made Gage smile. “The idea is to get her to go to sleep not wired up.”
Gage fell back on the bed with Hayley hanging over her, held up by the blonde’s arms. “Okay, how bout we play in the morning?”
Hayley shook her head. “No.”
“Yes.” Gage countered.
“No.” Hayley determinedly shot back.
“Hi.” Gage said the word Hayley used for yes to affirm her decision.
“Okay.” Hayley acquiesced quickly. “Pway later. More now.”
Lacy eased down next to Gage, taking Hayley in her arms and resting their daughter on top of them. “Alright, honey. This is what you want.”
The couple lay there with their daughter and somehow the tension eased and for a moment in time all seemed right and peaceful in their world. As Hayley’s sleepy eyes fought to stay awake, Gage patted the toddler’s back.
“Did Dani have fun?”
“Yep.” Gage turned to look directly at Lacy. “Although the three of them whispered about something all the way home.”
“Probably just boys… the usual teenage stuff.” Lacy dismissed any other thoughts regarding her daughter for the moment.
That statement made Gage recall some of her days as a teenager and none of it was usual. She had seen the seedier side of being a teenager and it was far from pleasant or innocent. “Maybe.” The blonde wasn’t really worried about Dani. The young girl was mature beyond her age and had always been upfront and honest with them. “How’s Derek?”
“Hmmm…” Lacy kissed her daughter’s head. “He was sorry later. I’m not sure if he said it because he thought I wanted him to or he realized the whole situation.”
Sensing Lacy was still aggravated about the near disastrous event on the lake, Gage tried to ease her mind. “Kids do a lot of crazy things. They don’t think ahead.” The blonde propped herself up on her elbow and uncharacteristically asked. “Did I ever tell you about the time I hid in a ditch and tried to scare my friend?”
That question certainly got Lacy’s attention. “No.” Lacy waited patiently for the small nugget of her partner’s past that she was now willing to share for some unknown reason and Lacy wasn’t about to stop her.
Gage chuckled. “I was trying to get Johnnie back for jumping at me in the barn. Scared the… anyway… Oh, Johnnie was at the same foster home as I was when we were…” Gage calculated the time frame in her mind. “Ten, I think. The foster parents lived on a farm and they had a couple of horses as well as the usual animals.” She turned a serious eye at Lacy. “I think they had us kids to work the farm for them. But every once in a while, we’d have some fun. Anyway, Johnnie decided to ride the old mare down the gravel road when I saw him. So I high tailed it across the field through the corn so he couldn’t see me and hid in the ditch. All I wanted to do was scare him back like he did me in the barn. Well, just when he was about ten feet in front of me, I jumped up and yelled as loud as I could.”