Summer of the Loon

by Deanna Lynn Sletten

  Jo showed Ali where the laundry room was. It was just off from the kitchen and held a commercial size washer and dryer. A large linen closet was also in the room where the bedding, blankets, and towels were stored when not in use. There was also a closet stacked full of toilet tissue, Kleenex boxes, packaged soaps, and other necessities for the rooms.

  "This washer and dryer work fast and hold big loads," Jo said. "I can usually get the sheets and towels done quickly. If you ever want to do your laundry here, that's fine, too. I do most of Ben's for him."

  Ali looked at Jo, surprised. "You do? Why? There's a washer and dryer up at the cabin."

  Jo waved her hand through the air. "Oh, I don't mind. I just mix his shirts and jeans in when I do Chase's laundry." Jo chuckled. "Ben washes his own underclothes and towels up at the house. Guess he doesn't want me touching his unmentionables. But I know that he's chincy about running his generator, so don't be afraid to do your laundry down here."

  Ali nodded, but she couldn't help but wonder why Jo would do her grandfather's laundry. It seemed strange to her. Ali figured she'd do her own laundry at the cabin. She didn't want anyone, especially Chase, to see her unmentionables, as Jo so delicately put it, either.

  Jo showed Ali around the grounds to where each of the eight cabins was nestled around the point. "All of our cabins are named for the wildlife around here, except one," Jo told her. "Since so many men come up here for fishing and hunting, the cabins have always had masculine-type names. We have the Bear, Moose, Deer, Wolf, Elk, Mallard, and Loon cabins. But I set aside the cutest one for a family or honeymoon cabin and named it the Lady Slipper cabin. That's our state flower. There had to be one girly cabin in this place."

  Ali chuckled. Jo, wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and a flannel shirt as a jacket didn't exactly represent a girly girl. It was funny that she wanted a feminine cabin among all the masculine ones.

  "Are there usually just men staying here?" Ali asked.

  "Oh, heaven's no. As soon as school lets out, we have a lot of families staying here. That's why we have that little play area over near the lodge with the tire swing, slide, and monkey bars. Ben and Chase will put out the swimming dock in a couple of weeks, too. The kids love diving and jumping off of it into the lake. And there are trails close by where families can go biking or hiking, although they have to bring their own bikes. There's a wonderful old Indian trail across the lake up behind the cliff. You can walk it all the way up to the top of the cliff or way back into the woods. A lot of guests enjoy doing that."

  Ali nodded, trying to take it all in.

  Jo took Ali into one of the cabins that wasn't being used. It had a front living room area with a small kitchen and table and chairs. There were two separate bedrooms, one with twin beds and the other with a full size bed, and a small bathroom with a stall shower. Everything looked cozy and very clean. The beds had soft, puffy quilts on them and the windows had cute red-striped curtains hanging across them. Woven scatter rugs kept the polished wood floors from being cool underfoot. Jo pointed out that each cabin had a small woodstove in it too, for heat. "It gets cold around hunting season and we also get a lot of men up here for ice fishing in the winter. Ben chops a lot of wood in the fall to keep these cabins heated."

  Ali stared at Jo. "Ice fishing?"

  Jo laughed. "Sorry. I forget this is all foreign to you. We put out small fishing houses on the lake in the winter and the men cut out holes in the ice and fish right through it. Some of the men bring up their fancy fish houses that are like small cabins on wheels and stay in them. Ben helps the men find good spots on the lake."

  Ali wasn't too sure about walking out on a frozen lake, let alone driving a heavy vehicle out on it. She thought that people in Minnesota did strange things.

  Each cabin was nestled in its own grove of trees which made them feel private, and four of them had lovely lake views from their spot around the point. Ali fell in love with the Lady Slipper Cabin. Jo had done it up in soft pink and coral hues, making it seem more like a fairytale cottage than a cabin. It stood on short stilts right in front of the point and had a large, screened-in porch facing the lake. The point was rocky, and there were huge boulders jutting out into the lake that the water splashed softly against. It was a dreamy, peaceful setting. A wonderful place to sit back and get lost in.

  The men soon came back and packed up, and just as Jo had said, Ben and Chase packed up their fresh fish for them to take home. Ali and Jo soon became immersed in changing bed linens and sweeping and vacuuming out the cabins. Ali learned how to run the washer and dryer and had washed several loads of sheets and towels and folded them, storing them in the linen closet. The hours went by quickly, and before Ali realized it, it was supper time.

  Since there was only the four of them, Jo made up a quick supper of fried fish, cornbread, baked potatoes, and raw veggies. There wasn't much conversation between them that night, mostly because they were all tired from the busy weekend, but there also didn't seem to be any tension in the air, which was a relief to Ali.

  When Ali rose to help Jo with the dishes, Jo waved her away. "You've worked enough for today," she told Ali. "Why don't you go outside and enjoy what's left of the day? Ben will help me with this."

  Ali saw Ben frown over at Jo in response, but he kept silent. Ali reluctantly took her sweatshirt off the hook by the door and stepped outside.

  There was a chill to the evening air as Ali wandered out onto the dock. So far, the weather had been mostly cool, and she wondered if it ever grew hot this far north. She walked to the end of the dock and stood there, arms crossed, gazing out over the lake. There was no breeze, not even a hint of one, and the lake was smooth as glass. The rocky cliff across the lake reflected in the water like a mirror image. Ali watched a loon out in the distance as it dived for food, then came up, continually poking its head into the water before diving again. She laughed at it, thinking how funny it was that the loon kept peeking down into the water. She supposed it was looking for food, but it looked silly to her anyway.

  Footsteps tread lightly on the dock behind her, and Ali turned to see Chase walking toward her.

  "It's nice and smooth out on the lake tonight. Want to go for that canoe ride to see the loons' nest?" Chase asked, grinning.

  "Sure," Ali replied. She followed him back up the dock to where the canoes were lying upside down on the shore. Chase had on a pair of tall, rubber boots, which Ali thought looked funny, but she didn't say so. She helped him turn the canoe over, then glide it halfway into the lake on the sandy shore. That was when she realized why he was wearing the funny boots.

  "Go ahead and get in," he said. "I'll push you out farther, then get in myself."

  "Shouldn't we wear life jackets?" Ali asked.

  Chase shook his head. "We'll stay along the edge of the shore where it's shallow. You couldn't drown even if you wanted to," he teased.

  Ali hesitantly stepped in, careful not to get her shoes wet. She moved up to the front of the canoe and sat on the narrow bench, facing Chase. Chase pushed the canoe farther out into the water, then carefully stepped in and sat at the back. He picked up one of the paddles that lay on the floor and started gliding the canoe in the water with strong, smooth motions.

  "Should I paddle?" Ali asked, feeling useless just sitting there while he did all the work.

  "It's okay, just relax," Chase told her. "I can manage fine."

  Ali sat, her hands holding the sides of the canoe, and watched Chase as he effortlessly maneuvered the canoe. He used long, smooth strokes, first paddling on one side, then lifting the paddle to run it through the water on the other side. They glided through the water, only leaving a small trail in their wake, hardly disturbing the crystal water. Even though Chase made it look easy, Ali suspected it took muscle to keep paddling so evenly. Chase was tall and slender, but Ali thought he must have muscles hidden under his sweatshirt from all his outdoor labor around the lodge, muscles that now were able to guide them so easily around the lake.


  "Do I look funny?" Chase asked.

  Ali snapped out of her reverie and her eyes grew wide. She'd been caught staring, and her face warmed in embarrassment. "No," she said, finally. "You just do that like it's so easy."

  "It is, if you've been doing it most of your life," he said, that adorable grin of his on his face.

  Ali noticed how blue his eyes looked here on the water, as if they'd turned an even deeper blue to match the lake. Quickly, she turned away so she wouldn't be caught staring at him again.

  Chase paddled the canoe along the edge of the lake shore, careful not to get too close in case they came upon a nest by the water. He headed around to the edge of the cove closest to the cliff. As they neared the shore, he stopped paddling and pointed to a spot by the shore. "Over there," he said quietly.

  Ali looked in the direction he was pointing. There sat a loon in a nest of grass and reeds, its body puffed up for warmth. Not far from the nest swam another loon, casually eating, ignoring Ali and Chase.

  "She must have finally laid her eggs," Chase said quietly. "Last week they were just building the nest. That's her mate in the water. She wouldn't let any other loon besides him near her nest."

  Ali watched, mesmerized by the serenity of the lake and the beautiful creatures that called it home. They were a family, and soon they'd have babies that would follow them out onto the lake and learn to survive, just like their parents. It was a heartwarming sight to see.

  "They're so beautiful," Ali whispered to Chase. "So different from any other bird I've ever seen." She looked over at Chase, who seemed just as captivated by the mother bird on the nest as she was. Ali knew he'd probably seen them a million times, yet he still enjoyed watching them, and that warmed her heart. Chase was more than just a nice guy; he was truly a good person.

  "There's another nest in the other cove behind the cliff," Chase said softly so as not to disturb the loons. "Maybe we can go see that another day when we have more time."

  Ali nodded. "Jo said there's an Indian trail over by the cliff. Do you think we could hike it someday?"

  Chase smiled and nodded. "Sure. It's a date."

  Ali watched as he picked up the paddle and started turning the canoe back toward the lodge. The sun was falling slowly behind the cliff, and soon night would be upon them. She concentrated on watching the loons as their canoe slipped away, but in her mind, all she could hear was Chase telling her, 'It's a date'.

  ***

  Ben stood at the open kitchen door, a dishtowel in his hand, drying a pan but watching Ali and Chase in the canoe out on the lake. "Now, what do you suppose they're up to?" he asked Jo gruffly.

  Jo stood by the sink, rinsing the few dishes from supper and stacking them into a dishwasher tray. "Don't worry about those two. Chase said he was taking Ali to see the loons' nest, that's all."

  "Humph. They're not even wearing life jackets. They'll fall in and drown. Do you know how cold that lake water is this time of year?"

  "They're not going to drown in four feet of water, silly. He's staying by the shore. And yes, I do know how cold the water is this time of year. Been skinny dipping in it a few times in the spring, remember?" Jo threw Ben a wink, but he only scowled at her.

  "Better not be any skinny dipping going on in this lake this summer," Ben said as he marched over to the rack of pans and set the one he'd been drying down. "A girl as pretty as that granddaughter of mine can end up in an awful lot of trouble, that's all I know."

  Jo sighed as she shut off the water and turned to face Ben, placing a hand on his arm. "Ben. She's a good girl. Will you just give her a chance? You're already accusing her of causing trouble when she hasn't done one wrong thing. She's a good worker, and a sweet girl. Be nice, will you?"

  Ben looked at Jo and realized she was telling him exactly what his Lizzie would have told him if she were still here. Jo was a lot like his Lizzie had been, smart, confident, compassionate, and intuitive. He knew he should just give in and do as Jo said, but he didn't like letting his guard down. He'd lived through losing his daughter because of a mistake she'd made long ago. Could he live through that again?

  Ben reached up his hand and covered Jo's, which still lay on his arm. "I'm trying," he finally said. "It's difficult. I wasn't prepared for her coming here. Heck, I wasn't prepared to ever meet her, period."

  Jo stepped closer to Ben. "She never expected to be here either. Remember that. This is harder on her than on you."

  Ben nodded and wrapped his arms around Jo's small body. Her face reached his chest, and she turned and snuggled into his warmth, fitting perfectly. "You know, I didn't mean skinny dipping was off limits for everyone," he said, chuckling. "Just for Ali."

  Jo laughed, then turned from his embrace to finish up her work.

  ***

  Later that evening, Ali stood in front of her dresser mirror brushing out her damp hair. She'd come up to the cabin just before sunset with her grandfather so she could shower before the lights went out. Tonight, she wore an oversized T-shirt and snuggly soft pajama pants for bed since it grew so cold at night. As she brushed her hair, she examined her reflection in the mirror. People at home had always told her she looked just like her mother, except for her dark hair. Now, she knew she looked like people other than her mom. Her face was shaped like her grandma Lizzie's and her dark hair and brows came from her grandfather. It felt strange, not knowing these people all her life but being made up of different parts of them. Ali wondered if her mother had lived, would she have ever met her grandfather or known what her grandma Lizzie looked like?

  Her grandfather had been quiet on the walk back up to the cabin and Ali hadn't said anything to him other than goodnight when she passed him in the living room on her way up to her room. There he sat again, in the rocking recliner whose identical mate sat empty beside him. Ali wondered if her grandma Lizzie had always sat in the other rocker in the evening, and if he sat there now, wishing she was still there.

  Ali and her grandfather had something in common. They'd both lost people they loved.

  Ali pulled back the comforter and sheets and sat down on the bed. She lit the oil lamp, in case the generator was turned off suddenly. Reverently, she ran her hand over the soft quilt, thinking about how her mother had once slept under this same quilt, maybe even when she was the same age as Ali. Less than a month ago, Ali had been living in their small apartment, working at the restaurant, and going to school with her friends. Each night, she'd come home from her waitressing shift to find her mother passed out on the sofa, an empty bottle tipped over on the coffee table. It could have been wine, vodka, or whiskey, it didn't matter. Her mother always found a way to bring a bottle into the apartment and drain it before Ali came home from work. Each night, Ali helped her mother up gently and walked her to bed, tucking her in like she was the child and not the parent. That had been their routine over the past several months, and at the time, Ali didn't know what they'd do when they were eventually evicted from the apartment for late rent and would have to leave.

  Ali had lived that scenario several times throughout the years. Her mother would fall into a depression and start drinking for months, then get help, clean up, and find a job for a while, then plummet back down into drinking. It didn’t help that the doctors gave her prescription medications like pain pills and sleeping aids, thinking these would help her cope better. The drugs only helped to send her mother off on a drinking binge again, and Ali was always left to care for her.

  Then the night came when Ali came home and couldn't wake her mother up. The booze and the sleeping pill bottles sat on the coffee table, both empty.

  Tears ran down Ali's cheeks as she crawled under the covers and pulled them up tight around her. No one knew for sure if her mother had accidently overdosed or taken her own life. Ali didn't know for sure. But the fact that her mother didn't care enough about her to try to stay sober hurt Ali deeply. Ali had loved her mother despite everything, but it hadn't been enough.

  As Ali lay in her bed, the lights
went out, and after a time her eyes adjusted to the darkness with the aid of the oil lamp's flame flickering, leaving shadows on the walls. In a split second, her old life was gone, and now here she was, trying hard to adjust to a new one. She didn't know if her grandfather loved her, or if she'd ever find it in her heart to love him, either. She liked Jo, and Chase had been very nice and welcoming to her. All she knew for sure was that she would try her hardest not to disappoint the people in her new life as she must have disappointed her mother, who had chosen to check out from their life rather than love her.

  Chapter Eight

  The next morning, Ali met her grandfather down at the boat as she had the morning before with her brand new fishing license in her pocket. Ben didn't say a word, acting as if her coming fishing was as normal as the sunrise, and soon they were off across the lake to a new spot he wanted to try.

  After baiting her own hook and dropping her line in the water, Ali was startled by her grandfather's gruff voice.

  "I made a thermos of hot cocoa instead of coffee today. It's just the powdered type, nothing fancy, but you can have some if you like."

  Ali nodded and Ben poured some of the steaming liquid into a travel coffee cup with a lid and handed it to her. She took a sip, savoring the rich, creamy drink. "Thanks," she said. Ali knew he preferred coffee, and that he'd made the cocoa just for her, but she didn't mention it. He'd only deny it anyway.

  They sat in silence and fished. Ben cast his line every so often and Ali dropped in her line, slowly reeled it up, then dropped it back in several times in the hope of catching a walleye's attention. Soon, the sun peeked over the horizon and rested its golden rays across the lake. Just as the sun touched the lake, a loon flew over Ben and Ali, loudly announcing its presence with echoing laughter.