With his finger, he catches a drip of water from her chin. Smiles. He brings his finger to his lips and licks the water. “Mmm,” he says, nuzzling her neck. “Carp shit.”
1:53 p.m.
Cabel nods off on a blanket under a shady oak.
Janie sits, chin on her knees, staring at her toes. Listening to the rhythm of the soft waves washing up on shore. After a while, she gets up. “I’m going for a walk,” she whispers. Cabel doesn’t move.
She slips a long T-shirt over her swimsuit, shoves her toes in her flips, grabs her cell phone, and walks behind the cabin and through the little parking lot, up the steep driveway to the main road.
Across the road there’s a field and a railroad track. The rails glint in the late afternoon sunshine.
Janie walks along the track and thinks, glad to have a quiet place where she can let her dream guard down.
After a while, she stops walking. Sits on the track, feeling the hot metal against the backs of her thighs through the thin cover-up. Opens her phone and dials memory #2.
“Janie—what’s going on? Everything all right?”
Janie gently waves a bumblebee away. “Hi. Yeah. I’m just doing a lot of thinking. About what we talked about . . . you know? Lots of time to think on vacation,” she says, and laughs nervously.
“And?”
“And . . . you’re sure you are okay with whatever I decide?”
“Of course. You know that. Did you make up your mind, then?
“Not really. I’m—I’m still deciding.”
“Have you talked to Cabel about it?”
Janie winces. “No. Not yet.”
“Well, I don’t blame you for wanting—and needing—to consider all of your options.”
Janie’s throat grows tight. “Thank you, sir.”
“You know the drill. Call me anytime. Let me know what you choose.”
“I will.” Janie closes the phone and stares at it.
There’s nothing more to say.
On the way back, she picks up a train-flattened penny from the track and wonders if one of the vacationers down the hill placed it there. Wonders if some excited little kid will come back for it.
She sets it on the railroad tie so whoever it is will be sure to see it. Walks slowly back to the cabin to drop off her stuff. And then it’s back outside, under the tree.
She watches Cabe sleep. Later, she dozes too, whenever she can get a chance while she wearily dodges Cabel’s dreams, and the dreams of a sleeping child somewhere, probably in the cabin next door.
There is no getting away from it all here. Or anywhere.
No escape for her.
5:49 p.m.
A whistle blasts and the train rushes past up at the top of the hill. Everyone who was sleeping awakes.
“Another busy day at the lake,” Cabel murmurs. “My stomach’s growling.” He rolls over on the blanket. Janie can’t resist. She snuggles up to his warm body.
“I can hear it,” she says. “And I smell the charcoal grill.”
“We should really get up now.”
“I know.”
They remain still, Janie’s head on Cabel’s chest, a nice breeze coming off the lake. She squinches her eyes shut and holds him, takes in the scent of him, feels the warmth of his chest on her cheek. Loves him.
Breaks a little more inside.
6:25 p.m.
Janie hears the click of the cabin’s screen door and sits up guiltily as Megan walks over to them.
“I’m sorry, Megan—we should be helping you get dinner.”
“Nah,” Megan grins. “You needed a nap after all that skiing and drowning. But your cell phone is beeping inside the cabin. I don’t know what to do with it.”
“Thanks. I’ll check it.”
Cabel sits up too. “Everything okay? Where’s Charlie, anyway?”
“In town picking up some groceries. It’s all good. Relax,” Megan says. “Seriously. It’s been a tough time for you guys—you need the rest.”
Obediently, Cabel sinks back down on the blanket as Janie gets to her feet. “Be right back,” she says. “It better not be Captain with an assignment or I’m quitting.”
Cabel laughs. “You wouldn’t.”
6:29 p.m.
Voicemails.
From Carrie. Five of them.
And they’re bad.
Janie listens, incredulous. Listens again, stunned.
“Hey, Janers, dammit, where are you? Call me.” Click.