Their arrival on Friday afternoon was met by a quiet calm. Yet when Billy stepped out of the Cherokee, he could still hear the screams and smell the blazing fire. It truly was hell on earth that night.
Carolyn climbed out of her father’s SUV, carefully balancing a water-filled bowl that was the home of her fish, Puck. She refused to make the trip without Puck, and Chuck decided not to put up a fight—keeping the peace was the theme of the weekend. He also had the added guilt about his relationship with Lindsey, which had reached official girlfriend status, making him an even bigger pushover for Carolyn than usual.
At risk of playing “children’s author psychologist” once more, Billy thought Puck’s presence was a pretty clear sign she was feeling isolated from the adults, and was seeking a new companion, due to their abandonment.
Her hair was in double ponytails, sprouting from each side of her head, and she wore a “Pain Don’t Hurt” T-shirt, an ode to her new favorite movie Roadhouse, which had replaced her previous favorite, the Paul Newman cult classic Slap Shot.
It was a warm, humid day in Lake George welcoming in the unofficial start of summer, and Billy, along with Chuck and Lindsey, were dressed for the outdoors, in shorts and T-shirts. Dana, on the other hand, appeared to be dressed for the Kentucky Derby, in slinky sundress and large straw hat.
When it came time to enter the cabin, Chuck appeared excited to show off the finished product. It was still a log cabin, but nothing like the one Lincoln grew up in. It was two stories with a wraparound porch, and about double the size of its predecessor.
Carolyn ran ahead, dashing inside. Chuck warned her to slow down before she sent Puck for a crash landing. But it was no use.
The adults followed her inside, and found an equally decorous interior. Especially considering the last version didn’t even have running water or plumbing, and the bathroom was either a closet-sized outhouse behind the cabin, or the many acres of thick forest surrounding it.
There were three bedrooms, two in the upstairs loft area, and one downstairs. Carolyn immediately found her room, which was already made up for her, and she set Puck down on the nightstand.
“This place is fantastic,” Dana gushed.
“Not bad, eh?” Chuck replied with a proud grin.
“How did you afford it?” Billy asked the more practical question, finances still on his mind from the wedding talk.
“Let’s just say I know people,” Chuck said, still grinning.
“Don’t look at me,” Dana said with a sideways glance at Billy. “But do color me impressed—you could live in this place.”
“If we don’t find a place soon, maybe we will be living here,” Billy added with a small laugh.
The comment captured Carolyn’s attention. Her face twisted like she’d bitten into a lemon. “Whoa—you’re moving? But you said …”
Billy didn’t know how to respond, and Dana’s look told him she wasn’t happy with his slip. Their hope was to ease her into the idea of them moving, and avoid a similar meltdown as the last time the subject came up. Billy was still living in the guest cottage on Chuck’s property in New Canaan, splitting time with Dana’s apartment in the city.
Chuck spoke on their behalf, “They’re getting married, sweetheart, and married people need a place of their own to build a life.”
“Why can’t you build a life with other people?”
“We won’t be moving far,” Dana tried to comfort.
Carolyn looked incredulous. “Yes you are—it took like six whole hours to get here!”
“Billy was just kidding about living in the cabin,” Dana said. “We’re going to find a place really close to your house.”
“And we’ll let you help pick it out,” Billy added.
“And it’s a long way off, anyways,” Chuck said. “They can’t even figure out a place to have their wedding, much less buy a house.”
“I was thinking the Caribbean or Vegas, just the five of us,” Billy said.
“Don’t even get me started,” Dana followed up with a frustrated shake of her head.
They returned to the area outside the cabin, and Billy breathed in some fresh country air. For the first time since they’d arrived, he didn’t smell the fire from that night.
Dana looked at her watch and said, “I’ve got to go.”
This surprised Billy. “Go where?”
“I have a meeting with a wedding dress designer in Saratoga. I told you during the ride up, but I’m pretty sure you’d tuned me out at that point.”
She requested the keys to the Cherokee, which he handed over.
“Can I come with you?” Carolyn asked her.
“I’m sorry, sweetie, but I need to do this on my own,” Dana said. She held up the keys and jingled them. “But wish me luck, that I make it in this old jalopy.”
“Betsy always comes through,” Carolyn said, but not with her usual enthusiasm. Dana patted her on the head and she was off.
“Billy and I need to go, also. We’ve got some important fishing to do,” Chuck said, which also surprised Billy.
Carolyn protested at first, claiming that they shouldn’t “hurt fishies” since it could be Puck’s mom that they hook, before adding, “Puck really misses his mom.”
Even Dr. Frasier Crane on a sherry bender could figure out where she was going with that. Chuck assured her that we would be fishing for salmon, and even in the most modern of fish families, Puck’s mother was definitely not salmon.
When it was clear she couldn’t stop them, she tried to join. Her father denied the request, so she looked to Billy, pleading with her eyes, her lip quivering. “Stick together, remember?”
“You can only go to the well so many times with that. And besides, I don’t have a say,” he fought her off.
But he’d figured out why she was so desperate to accompany them, and it wasn’t a sudden interest in fishing. She was doing the math in her head, and when Billy and Chuck left, that would leave her alone with Lindsey.
Finally resigned to her fate, she held out her hand toward Chuck, palm up.
Chuck slapped her five.
Wrong answer—she continued holding her hand out. So this time he pulled out a few mangled dollars from his pocket and handed them to her. “Don’t spend it all in one place.”
She shook her head. “No—I need your phone.”
“My phone? What do you need that for?”
She blew out a sigh. “It’s Friday.”
It wasn’t registering.
Her frustration had reached a boil. “Every Friday at one o’clock I do FaceTime chat with Ryan, duh.”
“Don’t be fresh. And I need my phone for when Billy and I are on the boat—in case there’s an emergency.” He looked to Lindsey. “Would it be possible to borrow yours?”
“Absolutely,” Lindsey said and attempted to hand her phone over. But Carolyn wasn’t interested and turned back to Chuck. “I want yours.”
“Carolyn, you need to drop the attitude right now,” he raised his voice. Tears welled in her eyes, but she remained unflinching.
Lindsey jumped in to play peacemaker. “Chuck—why don’t you take my phone with you, and Carolyn can use yours. It’s hard to use FaceTime when you’re not used to the phone. It will be easier for her that way.”
Chuck didn’t look happy about it, but handed his phone to Carolyn.
Carolyn took it, and without a word she marched to the cabin and went inside.
“How is Ryan doing?” Billy asked, since the subject had been broached.
“Still in the hospital. Was supposed to get out in March, but had a setback. They’re hoping he’ll get out in the next few weeks.”
As Chuck spoke the words, his anger towards Carolyn seemed to vanish. Their little tussle was easy to put in perspective when contrasted to what Ryan and his family were going through.
No time to dwell on it, Chuck kissed Lindsey goodbye. “We’ll be fine—you two go have fun,” she said.
Chuck held up the phon
e she’d provided him. “If you need me, or she’s acting up, just call me.”
And if the volcano erupts, make a run for it, Billy thought.
Chapter 20
They drove to a nearby bait and tackle shop. There, an older man with scaly skin and wild Einstein-like hair met them. Chuck called him Shark. Billy wasn’t sure why, other than the shark tooth necklace that hung around his neck.
Chuck and the man appeared to be old pals and they embraced; horrible fish smell be damned. “How the hell are ya, ya son of a bitch,” Shark said.
“Hanging in there—how about you, old codger?” Chuck replied.
Billy had yet to earn an insult-nickname, and went with his traditional name upon introduction.
The first matter of business was to purchase a fishing license for Billy—$10 for the day. And then all the essentials for their venture—rods, bait, etc.
Once completed, they moved to the back of the shop where Chuck stored his boat. Chuck had bragged about his fishing boat almost since they’d met, and at first glance Billy found it underwhelming.
He thought it looked like a canoe, but Chuck corrected him—it was actually a wooden gunning dory. Chuck proudly ran his hand over it like a Price is Right model showing off the latest showcase item, and pointing out its best traits—the high sides, the flat bottom, the sharp pointy bow.
Shark concurred, simply, “It’s a beaut.”
Billy was surprised by how light it was when they carried it to Chuck’s vehicle, and secured it on the roof. Chuck explained that it was intentionally built at a light weight, to be able to row it at a fast-clip, as it wasn’t just used for fishing, but also duck hunting. Which explained why the hull was painted a brown-red color, so that it could camouflage itself in the marsh around the lake.
They drove to a boat-launch near his cabin. Billy thought it would sink when they added their carry-on luggage—a cooler for drinks, another for the fish they hoped to catch, live bait buckets, fishing rods and tackle—but it was surprisingly sturdy as they headed out onto the lake. Luckily, they would not have to paddle, as a gas motor was clamped to the side of the boat.
“Let’s go catch us some dinner,” Chuck said, as they made their way toward what he termed “the spot.”
“Then I hope the lake is stocked with cows, because I don’t eat fish,” Billy said.
Chuck laughed—he was in his element on the lake, and seemed very comfortable. “I thought eating sushi was a dating requirement for Dana.”
“I don’t eat cooked fish, so I definitely don’t eat it raw.”
“Lucky for you then we’ve got chicken back at the cabin to barbecue.”
“And Dana is going to pick up the cake on the way back from her fancy-schmancy dress designer … if she can fit it into her wedding schedule that is.”
“It could be worse—she could have taken you with her, and then you would have missed out on this perfect day.”
There was no arguing that. The sky was aqua blue with only an occasional puffy, white cloud floating by. Birds were chirping, and the lake was crystal clear. It felt quaint, despite the heavy crowds gathered for the impending holiday weekend, littering the lake with pontoons, party boats, and sailboats.
But Billy couldn’t fully enjoy himself, and Chuck noticed. “What’s the problem? You’ve been tense since we left New Canaan.”
“Just a lot of bad memories here,” he said.
“First time I came back to work on the cabin, I felt the same way. But I decided that I wouldn’t let those bastards take anything more from me than they already had.”
The look in his eye was of intensity, not sadness.
“What’s that thing Carolyn says about facing your fears?”
He smiled proudly. “Fear is just excitement in need of an attitude adjustment. Beth used to tell her that whenever she got scared.”
The mention of his daughter prompted Chuck to check Lindsey’s phone, to see if there was a Carolyn update. No news was good news … hopefully.
Looking relieved, Chuck’s smile turned from proud to smart-ass. “So it sounds like the wedding plans are going smoothly.”
“Shut up.”
“That wouldn’t be any fun, now would it, eh?”
“We agreed on a small wedding, which somehow has turned into the societal event of the year in Greenwich.”
“Let me take a wild stab—you weren’t consulted.”
“Consulted? I might not even be invited.”
Chuck laughed. “I’ve got news for you—weddings have nothing to do with the groom. You’re the caddy, so when Dana asks you for a club, hand her the nine-iron and hope she doesn’t hit you over the head with it.”
“This isn’t my first golf tournament.”
“Which is why I’m surprised you forgot the rules.”
“Maybe you should fix your own problems first, before you start helping me with mine.”
Chuck shrugged his wide shoulders. “It’s a beautiful day, I’m up at the lake with friends, about to catch some fish … what problems could I have?”
“The worst kind—girl problems. As in, Carolyn still hasn’t accepted Lindsey.” Billy thought for a moment, and realized, “That’s what this fishing trip is about, isn’t it? You wanted the two of them to spend time together.”
He smiled. “Not as dumb as I look, huh?”
“That would be near impossible.”
The smile washed away, and he looked like he might throw Billy overboard. “Besides, it’s your fault … you and Dana,” he said.
“How could it be our fault?”
“Because Carolyn had zero problems with Lindsey until she walked in on us kissing on New Year’s.”
“Still not seeing how that’s our fault.”
“Since you two are always playing smoochie-face and that you don’t spend as much time with her as she’d like these days, Carolyn associates kissing with people leaving her for someone else.”
“And they say I’m the amateur psychologist. But I have to give Lindsey credit. Carolyn has used every gadget in her toolbox to try to push her out of the picture and she just keeps smiling. Never takes it personally.”
“Lindsey is incredible, and this has nothing to do with her. Carolyn adores her—when she was her teacher it was Miss Stevens this, Miss Stevens that, I’m not sure I want to go to kindie-garden if Miss Stevens can’t come with me. It’s just …”
“She loves her mom, and feels like she’s protecting her—saving her spot, so to speak. It’s actually pretty endearing.”
“But getting old,” Chuck said, before catching himself. “I get it. I feel guilty myself sometimes, as if I’m dishonoring Beth’s memory by moving on. Then on the other hand, I feel like if I don’t live my life, she’ll be pissed … Beth that is.”
“You’re doing the right thing, and Carolyn will come around.”
He nodded. “I’m just worried that she’s holding things inside—which is not her style, or her mother’s—and that one day she will …”
“Erupt like a volcano?”
“That’s one way to put it. I try to talk to her, but it’s like she knows what to say to put me at ease. She says she’s fine, but then her actions tell a different story.”
“I’m with you. But Dana thinks it’s just a normal part of the process. She’s doing good in school and isn’t having any major behavioral issues. So she thinks it’s just a space issue with her and Lindsey that they’ll eventually figure out.”
Chuck checked the phone once again—no message. He then leaned back as the boat sputtered over the glassy lake. Finally he said, “I’m not surprised that you and Dana would be on opposite sides. It’s sort of where you’re living these days.”
“What are you getting at?”
“You can say it’s bad memories about returning here, or wedding tension, but there’s something more going on.”
“I thought the topic was Carolyn.”
“Topics change.”
Billy paused for a
moment to take in the perfect day that didn’t feel so perfect, and then said, “Sometimes the movie starts to look really familiar.”
“Just because Dana and your first wife came from rich, backstabbing families doesn’t mean they’re anything alike.”
“I see these glimpses. And when she’s in her Boulanger world, I can’t help noticing how comfortable she seems, like she’s in her natural habitat.”
“I’ve known Dana for a long time, and when she does something, she does it big. Why would her wedding be any different? I also know that, like her sister, when she loves someone she loves them forever. No questions asked.”
“I know—but it’s scary to see the past in front of you.”
He smiled. “Leave it in the rear-view mirror, right?”
“He who doesn’t remember the past is doomed to repeat it.”
“A bad day of fishing is still better than a good day of working,” Chuck got in the last line, effectively winning the battle of clichés, before announcing that they had reached his spot. “And that’s the best part about fishing—it’s sure to leave all your troubles behind.”
But just to be sure, he checked the phone one more time.
Chapter 21
The “spot” didn’t look any different than any other part of Lake George. But through some combination of experience, instinct, and fishing Zen, Chuck had determined that this was the prime place to catch fish.
“Are you any better at fishing than hunting?” Chuck asked, referencing their one and, hopefully only, trip into the woods to shoot animals. Long story short, Billy wasn’t very good at hunting, and would have trouble hitting the lake from their boat with a shotgun.
“It would be almost impossible to not be,” Billy said with a grin.
“That’s not saying much.”
“I’m not claiming to be a skilled angler, but I used to go fishing with my grandfather as a kid. Out on Mirror Lake, near where I grew up in Johnstown.”
The Carolyn Chronicles, Volume 1 Page 9