A Summer By The Lake

She had a little smile. So did Sarah.

"Oh, no reason. Just wondering."

Know what's more irritating than a woman? A woman in training.

..................................................

Good news usually comes to you slowly, with little fanfare, but bad news travels fast and loud.

Sarah had taken some of the money she had gotten from her ex and had put a phone in, and they now had computer access. They still came over, just not at often. For a couple weeks I would think I heard B.B. in the house, but it would be wind or imagination.

She had bonded with Reverend Sampson's daughter, and they were almost always together, at one house or another, cutting even more into what I considered "my" time, and Sarah grew even more distant. With her, I never knew why.

The church was planning the end of summer picnic, that I always hosted. It wasn't a big deal, I had a large yard and house, plenty of room to park. I learned early, stay out of the kitchen and be available to move things heavy.

I went by one day to see if they were available for lunch. Sarah was obviously upset and I could see traces of tears, but she said she was fine, but she just wasn't in the mood to go to town.

B.B., her best friend Sandy, and her little sister Jan were there, and B.B. announced she and her friends would like to go. I looked askance of Sarah, and she said it would be fine, she needed a little alone time anyway.

The girls chattered about the picnic, boys, the upcoming school year, boys, their latest pop idols, and boys. B.B. was a little quieter than usual.

I caught a chance to ask her what was wrong when her friends got captured by a lady from our church, who was on the picnic committee and wanted them to volunteer for an activity. B.B. already had her assignment, so she didn't have to participate in the discussion.

"What's up, B.? And don't to try to song and dance me, your mother is definitely not happy."

I saw a glimpse of fear on her face.

"Mom lost her job! She didn't have tenure, and they blamed the economy and let her go. I think my dad had something to do with it. Without her job, we can't afford a good apartment. She's been working on her resume, but there's nothing here either. Dad is hinting about seeking custody, saying he can provide for me better. If that happens, it'll kill both of us. We don't have the money for a lawyer, we're in deep trouble."

She let a few tears go, and I gathered her to me and hugged her, tightly.

"Hush, baby. Maybe I can help. Let me talk to some people. Come by the house day after tomorrow. We'll do some planning. And don't tell your mother."

She put on a happy face when her friends came back, and we had a nice meal.

I called my lawyer and started the ball. No asshole was taking my kid without a fight. I actually said that to my lawyer, then stopped, not knowing where that came from. Freudian slip, maybe?

My lawyer was pretty sharp, and caught it right away.

"I think this is a little more than helping out a friend, don't you agree? Are you in a relationship with the mother?"

I snorted.

"Yeah, if you mean we get along five to ten minutes at a time. The rest of the time she's either not talking, or saying a lot of things I don't want to hear. She's been carrying a lot of anger around since she moved here. If she finds out I'm trying to help, she'll go ape shit on me."

"Right now, this is more about the kid. She hasn't had much of a life up to now. She told me she's been happier here than any other time in her life. She has good friends she cares about. She really doesn't want to leave. Help me out here, if you can."

I was paying the bills. If that's what I wanted, that's what I got. Again, he didn't handle such things, but turned me over to the associate that had helped me before.

I called her dad, explained what was going on, and swore him to secrecy.

"I'm sending you a little money. I want you to give it to her, to help her out. Say you cashed out some bonds or something, and you wanted to give her some money before the government tries to get it. Can you do that in good conscience? Remember, this is a gift, and she can't know I had anything to do with it."

He thought for a minute.

"Before I do, what's in it for you?"

"It's simple. I like your daughter and granddaughter. Her ex is an asshole that can't seem to leave her alone, and I want them to stay around me. To do that, she has to have enough money to fight him off and live on. Is it love? I don't know. Could it develop into love? I'll never find out if they leave. Either way, this gives her a cushion. If she decides to take the money and leave, so be it. You know I got a few bucks, so this won't hurt me, unless she finds out."

I could hear the humor in his voice.

"If you ever become my son in law, we're going to have a serious talk about how reckless you are with my granddaughters' inheritance. Send me the money."

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B.B. came blasting up to my house five days later. I had some friends over, unloading the chairs and tables into my shed to keep them out of the weather until the picnic.

"H., hi. Got a minute?"

I left the guys to it and went into the kitchen. I had a cooler full of drinks to take out anyway, It was the last week of July, and hotter than normal. It must have been in the low nineties.

"What's up, baby?"

"We're going to stay here! Isn't that great? Grandpa gave mom some of his retirement money, enough to live on for another year, plus mom still gets unemployment. We're going school shopping next week. I'm gonna be in the same class with Sandy, isn't it great?"

I hugged her.

"That makes me very happy. The thought of buying less groceries, picking up books and returning them to the right shelf, getting disturbed while I'm trying to work, and other things I won't mention, was filling me with dread."

She eyed me, trying to see how serious I was, before she smiled that miniature woman smile she had developed.

"I knew it! You can't do without me and mom. Relax, I've got at least fifteen more months to keep you straight. I might have you trained by then, with mom's help."

Her smile warmed my heart.

"Trained to do what, exactly?"

She had her head in the fridge by then, looking for the gallon of root beer I had taken to keeping for her. She found it and took a big drink right from the jug before she capped it and put it back.

"How to be a good dad. See ya."

She ran out the door, giggling, before I could think of something to say.

.................................................

Sarah was in a much better mood. They showed up about a week later to invite me to lunch. I was a little surprised when they asked me to drive my big SUV, but I wasn't about to refuse.

We got to the little village and I started to turn into the diner parking lot. B.B. giggled.

"Not there, silly. We're going to Morgantown for lunch."

We drove the next twenty miles, B.B. talking nonstop. School, boys, DVDs, boys, music, boys.

She was gonna be a terror when she got older. Sarah just smiled and let her ramble.

We had lunch at a very nice steakhouse, getting the buffet. I told B.B. not to stand too close to me later on.

"Why?"

"Because when that massive amount of food you've consumed causes you to explode, I don't want to be splattered."

She stuck her tongue out and went back to her third dessert. Sarah actually laughed.

We waddled out of the restaurant.

I got behind the wheel.

"The mall, or do you need to stop at Walmart?"

They both tried to act surprised.

"Can't we just take a friend to lunch?"

"Yes, but the diner would have been fine. B.B., you were drooling on the window when we went by the mall. I need a few things myself. Again, mall first?"

It was the week before school. The mall was packed with about five thousand teenage girls and their moms, and four or five guys who looked as uncomfortable as I did.

B.B. locked down on my hand. Old Navy, Banana Republic, Macys, Kohls, and a few names I couldn't pronounce, we ended up in all of them.

I handled it all right until B.B. started holding up bikini panties, asking my opinion.

That was the last straw for me, so I hid in the small pub on the ground floor until they came and got me.

We had to lay half the back seat down to get it in. Then we were off to Walmart.

I was having trouble seeing out of the rear view mirror, when I asked them if they had their boots yet.

"Boots?"

"Yes, B.B., boots. You haven't been here in the winter. Waterproof, thermal boots are a necessity. Your feet would freeze going to the bus stop in regular boots. You guys need at least two pair each."

We stopped at Dick's, and they got two pair each. Sarah had comfort in mind, B.B. went for style. they compromised and got one pair of each.

Sarah went to use the restroom and I grabbed B.B. and hustled her over to the coats. I gave her my debit card and the pin number.

"Get one parka for you and your mom. I'll go stall her. Put the bags in with the others. Believe me, in January you'll be thanking me."

Of course two days later I got the call.

"I'll pay you back."

"Do it and I'll never say another word to you. Consider it an early Christmas gift. Gotta go."

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We set up the tables and chairs, and used pop up canopies for shade. The picnic was a success. The food made the serving tables sag, the kids had a ball playing games, while the adults enjoyed horseshoes. People of all ages enjoyed the volleyball and batmitton competitions. B.B. and I won the parent child three legged race, although some cried foul because her legs hardly touched the ground, and she and her mom almost won the two man sack race before getting tangled up and falling right before the finish line.

We had developed the habit of having Sunday lunch together, usually with one or two of B.B.s friends. They would bring bathing suits and play in the lake while we prepared the meal. Simple stuff, usually salads and something grilled. Sarah was an excellent cook and there was often dessert. After everything was cleared up the girls would play on my computer until it was safe to go back into the water.

We would sit on the dock under the umbrella and watch them. I had a hammock and she would lie in it a lot, usually dozing off. I let her, because she was so much prettier when her face was relaxed.

I had a glider rocker, and we were sitting on it, rocking back and forth gently, listening to the happy screams of teenage girls as they played in the water, when I asked her.

"Would you like to go out next Friday?"

I felt her tense and straighten up.

"Define go out."

"A man picks a woman up from her house and takes her out socially. They're alone, without a child who thinks a large belch is amusing. They eat at a nice restaurant, maybe see a movie that has a rating higher than PG, or go to a place that serves more than root beer. In some versions of the date dancing may occur. That kind of going out."

Emotions ran across her face like water over stones. I could tell she wanted to say no, but then she surprised both of us, I think.

"We'll drop B.B. off at the Sampson's, and pick her up afterwards. Wear a suit, I want to dress up. I like Italian, and we'll skip the movie.

After we dine, we'll go to Dino's. I hear they make the best mojitos in the county and usually have a decent band."

She never said another word about it, and I got stuck taking the girls home, and B.B. rode with us.

..................................................

B.B. teased me unmercifully all week.

Wednesday I came in to see most of my clothes lying on the bed. B.B. was rummaging trough my drawers.

"Lose something?"

She didn't even look embarrassed.

"No, but you did, any sense of style. When was the last time you bought a new suit? And your underwear. Tidy whiteys? Really? This is the boxer generation, get with the program."

I turned bright red.

"Young lady, I refuse to discuss my underwear preferences with you. Out, right now."

It didn't faze her the least.

"Don't get your underwear" she held up a pair, twisted them, and smirked "in a bunch. I'm hungry anyway."

Despite her pleas I did not go out and get a new suit. I must have been presentable enough because B.B. gave me a thumbs up behind her mother's back.

We had a bottle of wine at dinner, along with a very good meal. I don't know if it was the wine, but she was relaxed. The conversation was good. I found out she taught high school history. We had a long discussion over my latest book.

"Dino's was THE place for people our age. She was a very good dancer. I enjoyed dancing but was nowhere near as good as she. She danced with me until I was gasping. She sat, tapping her foot.

A friend came over and asked her for a dance. She looked at me.

"Fine with me, let someone else try to keep up with you."

Her smiling face as she twirled out on the dance floor told me I had made a wise choice. She danced with him and two others, always making sure I danced every third one with her, and all the slow dances. As the night got later and the mojitos starting working, she got closer and closer.

I couldn't help it, that fine body rubbing up against me hard as a rock. The first time she felt it she drew back a little. The second time she didn't bother. I tried to apologize.

"Don't!" she giggled. "It's nice to know I still have it."

We closed the place, and I had to support her out to the car. I propped her against it while I unlocked the door. I don't know who was surprised more when she grabbed me. We must have kissed for five minutes. No hands roaming, just straight up kissing. She finally pulled away, rubbed my cheek, and dropped into the seat.

She didn't say anything for the first thirty minutes. She did reach over and take my hand. She held it until we pulled into her driveway. I escorted her to the door. We stood there awkwardly for a few minutes before she reached up and kissed me again.

When she broke it she smiled.

"Goodnight Harry. I enjoyed it, thank you."

................................................

I was in love.

It scared the shit out of me.

The memories of my first wife still haunted me occasionally. But Sarah was nothing like her. She was like nothing I had ever encountered before.

Unfortunately, events started interfering with my courtship.

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Sapphire Jade Diamond, of Diamond Realty, didn't like to lose. And as bad as she hated losing, she loved equally making money, lots of money.

Twice now that pissant author had thwarted her attempts to gain control of the lake shore. She already had the plans drawn for twenty six condos in a gated community. The profits would be enormous.

There was one piece of property left he didn't own, and she was determined to get it.

A loud, aggressive woman, she had been married three times. In her youth she was quite beautiful, but age and hard living was starting to catch up with her. Her last husband left her after she gained sixty pounds, telling her he couldn't live in the animal world.

Attitude of a shrew, face resembling a jowly bulldog, screeching laugh of a hyena, and an ass big enough to put a saddle on.

She didn't take the description well, and broke his nose. He had the audacity to call the police, and she spent two days in jail for spousal abuse. By the time she got out, he had taken everything out of the house he wanted, and half the bank accounts. Adding to her woes, he was also her accountant and knew where the money was. He ended up with a house and a nice cash settlement.

She now hated all men in general, and a few in particular.

.................................................

Jimmy came to me when she tried to buy his place.

He didn't want to sell to her, but she was offering him fifteen percent above value. I made him a counter offer of twenty five percent above.

Jimmy and I got along well, but of all my neighbors, he was my least favorite. He complained to me once that since I had redone our private road to state standards, his property taxes went up.

He was having a ball, visions of big money and the pleasure of playing us off each other.

I had my own plans. My lawyer did some research and got me in touch with an attorney in Morgantown to handle my real estate dealings.

He was young, but seemed to be sharp as a tack.

"The new imminent domain ruling from the Supreme Court could hurt you. It's all about tax base now. If the county can be convinced that a significant boost to the tax base will occur, you'll be in serious trouble. In my opinion, your best bet would be to take key strips of your property and turn them into tax exempt or historical areas, destroying the viability of condos or vacation homes. I'll look into it."

I had to do a quick book tour, ten days. I told B.B. and Sarah to watch my house, and got a nice kiss from both of them. B.B. lingered, trying to catch me alone.

She followed me to the truck, and as soon as Sarah went back into the house she started talking.

"Something is bothering Mom. She's used to working but can't find a job. She's looking online, and there's a good chance there is a job in Morgantown. That's too far to commute in the winter, and she's looking at apartments. I'd have to change schools, I wouldn't have my friends, especially Sandy. We'd go to a new church, too.

Every time I tell you my troubles they seem to disappear. You're my good luck charm. Help us if you can."

I told her I would see what I can do and she smiled with the faith of a child. Problem solved

She pulled me down so she could whisper in my ear.

"Most of all, I would miss you...Dad." She kissed my cheek and ran back into the house giggling.

I thought about it a lot on the plane, racking my brains. Our little county has a paper that is printed biweekly, the editor is often quoted saying there just isn't enough interesting stuff going on to fill a daily. I had picked one up on the way to the airport, knowing I would be reading mostly about births, deaths, anniversaries and marriages, mixed in with a picture of somebody's ten pound tomato and ads for the next VFW dance and bingo nights. Maybe a crime report, mostly vandalism by teens like throwing bubble bath in the fountain in front of the court house or painting love messages on the water tower. The front page caught my eye.

END OF AN ERA, it read, picturing a smiling woman with white hair standing in front of a brightly painted cargo van.

"Friday marked the end of an era. Mrs. Edwina Spivey drove her trusty old bookmobile for the last time Friday. She's retired, and the county has retired the van and discontinued the program, citing budget woes. All involved were deeply saddened, the bookmobile was a lifeline to the rural communities, especially the elderly and disabled without computer skills. The van was badly in need of replacing, and the county can't afford another one, or the salary to replace Mrs. Spivey."

I thought about that for awhile, and made some quiet arrangements. I picked a paper up on the way home.

A MIRACLE, ran the headline.

"Just eight days after the retirement of Mrs. Spivey and the bookmobile program, a nonprofit, private foundation dedicated to keeping libraries and other programs that make books and educational materials available to rural areas has given the county a grant to both keep the bookmobile route going and open a branch library in the Bear Lake community, to be named in honor of Mrs. Spivey."

It went on to explain that a brand new van was being outfitted immediately. The library would have six state of the art computers in a dedicated room, donated by a department of the federal government created to assure computer access to areas not normally covered, and classes would be offered on a rotational basis to train users. The service was free and also federally funded.