"Easily."
"Well, I couldn't because those guides watch everybody like a hawk and we're their dinner. I couldn't get away and by the time the walk was over I forgot about the path. I didn't remember it until our little wander yesterday," she explained.
"So you think you could find this path again?" I asked her.
She jumped to her feet and nodded. "Yep. It's the only one without a sign."
"Great, but which signed paths do we follow to get to this unsigned path?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. We just keep following them until we find it."
I rolled my eyes. "This sounds like a recipe for disaster."
"Yeah, especially since I don't cook very well," Susie agreed.
I sighed and stood. "Well, if we're going to face the trails we'd better get started now. Otherwise we'll miss our swimming session with your boyfriend," I teased.
We traipsed out of our cabin and down the woodland path behind our little abode. The hour was later and the other cabins were alive with activity. People who just yesterday shuffled to dinner walked side-by-side with tennis rackets in their hands and smiles on their faces. Others who hobbled on canes now walked long strides towards the lodge. The aged and infirm were young again.
Susie tugged on my arm. "You coming or going to gawk at all the miracles?" she wondered.
"You sure I should have suspended my suspicions about this place being strange?" I asked her.
She waved her hand at my concerns. "That happened last time."
"And that doesn't strike you as weird?"
"What strikes me as weird is why we're standing around here blabbing while that path waits for us to find it." Susie grasped my arm in her hands and tugged me towards the path. "Come on. I can hear it calling our names right now, so let's get going."
I rolled my eyes, but let her lead me on. "Have you thought of what would happen if we get caught?"
"We'll turn on our feminine charm and weasel our way out of it. It seemed to work for you last night," she quipped.
"I don't think that would work for just anybody," I argued. Not everyone would be willing to jump my pudgy bones.
"I'm willing to try if it means a glimpse of whatever's on the other side of the lake," she insisted.
Susie pulled me down the path and we took a left at the first fork. The other fork led to the lake, and I heard the far off sounds of people laughing and splashing. More evidence of the youth serum. My pushy friend led me away from the noises of people and into the wilderness of the woods. The only sounds were the chirping of birds and our own feet on the hard dirt path. The trees cast their shadows over us and stood as silent sentinels blocking a clear way to the other side of the lake.
The woods were full of paths that wound their way around, over and through the thick of trees and brush. We clamored over rocks and traipsed over stumps and roots. One after another the forks fell beneath our feet as Susie led me on. After an hour I began to worry about more than just her sanity.
"Are you sure you know where we're going?" I spoke up.
"Of course I know where I'm going."
"Then where are we?"
"We're here."
"Susie."
She stopped and turned around. "Come on, Abby, where's your trust in me."
I jerked my thumb over my shoulder. "I left it behind four forks ago."
She sighed and pointed at the woods to her left. "Finding the other side of the lake isn't that hard. It's really just about science. I'm taking the fork that keeps us closest to the lake."
"You flunked science twice in high school, remember?"
"That's not important. What's important is that I know where I'm going, and I know where I'm going. We should be there in no time and won't find any trouble getting back," she insisted.
She was a little off on the trouble part. We found trouble, but on the way there. Susie led us onto a side trail that traveled northward and we rounded a corner just out of sight of the main path and found ourselves in the company of a tall, burly young man. There didn't seem to be an end to the handsome young employees in this place.
He wore the clean clothes of a server, but there was a frown on his face and he had a pistol on his hip. He held up his hand while his other one went to the butt of the gun. "You can't go this way, ladies," he told us.
Susie and I stopped in our tracks, but my bold friend was undeterred. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. "Says who?"
"The Garden rules. I'm also going to have to report you," he informed us. He moved his stopping hand to a walky-talky that was pressed against his other hip.
I narrowed my eyes and leaned against my friend's arm. "No trouble, huh?"
She shrugged. "Not too much."
"He's about to tell Young and Nelson about us."
"It could be worse."
"How?"
"We could be dead."
I rolled my eyes as the man pressed his finger to a button and spoke into his machine. "Sir, we have a couple of guests on the north trail." He removed his finger and a voice crackled over the receiver. It sounded like Nelson.
"What are their names?"
The man looked to us. I sighed. "Abigail Lee."
"Susie Baker," Susie added.
"Abigail Lee and a Susie Baker," the man spoke into the set.
"I see. Escort them back to the camp. Their attendant will be there to meet them at Cabin Fourteen."
"Very good, sir." The gruff man pocketed his walky-talky and nodded at the path behind us. "I'm afraid I'll have to-"
"We know, we know, escort us back," Susie spoke up. She dropped her arms and spun around.
I joined her, and we were marched prisoner-style back to our cabin. Our little adventure was a failure, but thankfully over.
Chapter 4
When we arrived Linda stood outside our cabin and her lower lip was bit beneath her teeth. "Thank you, George, for finding them," she spoke to the gruff man.
He scoffed. "They found me." He turned and went back into the woods.
Linda turned her attention to us and sighed. "You both know you're not supposed to go towards that end of the lake," she scolded us.
I heard Susie sniffle, and I looked at her. Her eyes were big and wide, and there were pools of tears in them. I rolled my own eyes. This was her alligator-tears trick. It was impressive to watch the first time, and cringe-worthy after that.
"We're so sorry, Linda!" Susie cried out. She flung herself into Linda's surprised arms and sobbed into her shoulder. "We didn't mean to! Please don't kick us out!"
Linda smiled and patted my friend on the back. "You're not being kicked out, silly."
Susie's sobbing stopped immediately and she pulled away from Linda. Her tears still had pools, but none of them spilled down. "Really?"
Linda blinked at her, but nodded. "Really. You're just let off with a warning."
By this time her show had attracted the attention of half the cabins. I shrank beneath the dozen curious eyes that fell on us. "Can we take this inside?" I hissed at my friend.
"Yep!" Susie's cheerful voice quipped. She swept from Linda's hug, grabbed my hand and pulled me into our cabin. "We'll see you later, Linda!" she promised.
"I'll be right out here if you need me," she returned.
Susie paused in the doorway with my half-yanked-off arm in her grip and frowned. She used her free hand to point to the ground beneath her feet. "Right here?"
Linda nodded. "Right here. I've been instructed not to leave your side."
Susie's shoulders drooped as did her face. "We don't need babysitting."
"You do. . ." I muttered.
"I'm afraid those are my orders," Linda insisted.
I changed our places and took hold of Susie's arm. "That'll be fine. We'll see you at lunch," I replied as I dragged Susie into our little abode.
I shut the door behind my friend. Susie shuffled over to the bed and plopped herself on the foot. "This isn't fair," she moaned.
&nb
sp; "What did you think was going to happen? Medals for bravery?" I asked her as I seated myself on my bed.
She shrugged. "I don't know, but not this. Now we can't do anything."
"You mean anything that will get us into trouble. We still have our little swim to do this afternoon, and Nelson's our instructor," I reminded her.
She perked up at my reminder. "I guess that's not so bad, but I still want to drive one of those golf carts."
"Not likely to happen."
"I'll make it happen."
I rolled my eyes and rolled over onto my stomach. "Well, while you dream about driving wild golf carts I'm going to take a nap before our swim."
"I think I'll join you. Not much else to do," she replied.
Our nap whiled away the hours, and lunch finished off the space between then and our swimming excursion. At fifteen minutes till one we were in our cabin dressed in our swimsuits. Mine was a one piece suit, and Susie wore a bikini. Wrapped around my middle was my towel. That was to hide my fatty thighs and pudgy stomach.
Susie inspected my outfit. "You know, you don't look that bad," she told me.
"I'm fat."
"You're happy."
"My thighs tell me I'm fat."
"Stop listening to them."
"I can't. They're like a big bully that won't leave me alone."
"You're not fat, and I'll prove it to you." Susie grabbed my towel to pull it off me, but I grabbed her hand and leaned my face towards hers so our noses almost touched.
"One yank and you lose an arm," I warned her.
She released her fingers and pressed her lips into a pout. "Not even going to believe an old friend?"
"Not when it's you," I quipped.
There came a knock on our door. "Susie? Abby? Are you ready?"
"Coming!" I called back.
Susie glared at the door. "We can't even go to the lake without supervision. . ." she mumbled.
I looped my arm through one of hers and pulled her towards the door. "You always have Nelson to look forward to," I reminded her.
She swatted me away. "He's not my boyfriend!" she insisted as we reached the door.
I gave her my best innocent smile. "Who said anything about that?"
Susie frowned at me as I opened the entrance. "No being evil! Only I'm allowed to do that!"
I laughed and led us outside where Linda awaited us. She smiled and looked us over. "I hope you like swimming. Our lake is one of the best in the country," she told us.
"I'm like a frog to water," Susie spoke up.
I rolled my eyes. "That's a fish to water," I corrected her.
She snorted. "I don't swim that well, and I'm better at the frog stroke."
Linda laughed and gestured to the trail behind our cabin. "If you'll follow me."
She led us down the path and to the lake. A group of a dozen people in swimsuits was gathered around the lifeguard chair. I wasn't thrilled to see Platt among the people. Nelson stood in front of them closer to the edge of the water. He wore only swimming trunks. It showed off his tight muscles and perfect tan.
I glanced at my friend and noticed how she ogled him. "You're drooling," I whispered to her.
She snapped herself out of her admiration and glared at me. "He's not my boyfriend!" she hissed.
I held up my hands. "Whatever you say."
We reached the group and Linda stepped off to the side and took a seat in the sand. Nelson clapped his hands. "All right, it looks like we're all here. Let's gather around." Our small group crowded around him in a few layers of semi-circles. "First thing's first, does anybody not know how to swim?" Nobody held up a hand. "Good. Now I'll repeat a warning Mr. Young spoke about during the initiation dinner. There was some dangerous weeds outside the swimming area, especially to the north. Please don't go out there or they may pull you down."
I raised an eyebrow and nudged Susie. "To the north," I whispered. She glanced in that direction and her eyes widened. That was the way to the employee cabins. "Just a coincidence?" I mused.
"Before we swim I want to do a demonstration of mouth-to-mouth. You might be called upon to save one of your fellow guests, and I want to make sure you know what to do. Do I have a volunteer to assist me as the victim?" he asked us.
Platt pushed her way through the broken crowd to stand before Nelson. There was a wide, almost lecherous grin on her face. "I would be glad to help."
I cringed for Nelson, though he himself didn't show any signs of discomfort. Platt was a few years shy of ancient and her lips were wrinkled messes of flesh. I had to think of something to save him from a fate worse than death. Susie stood at my side, and we stood together near the front. An evil idea came to me. I slipped behind her and gave her a hard push. My strength and aim were better than I guessed. She stumbled forward past Platt and into the arms of Nelson. He caught her, and she looked up into his face with reddened cheeks.
"S-sorry," she stuttered.
He smiled in return. "It seems we have a very eager volunteer. Would you like to help me with this demonstration, Miss Baker?'
Her face was bright red, but she nodded her head. "S-sure," she agreed.
Platt's face was bright red, but for an entirely different reason. She marched up to them, grabbed their shoulders and yanked them apart. "I was the first to volunteer!" she screeched.
"Wouldn't you rather watch than participate in this dreary demonstration?" Nelson suggested.
"No, I would not! But I see what you're doing here! You're just going to take this floozy because she's a pretty young thing!" Platt growled.
Nelson pursed his lips and his eyes narrowed. "Miss Platt, we don't allow insults among the guests. If you would please step back with the others we can commence this demonstration. Otherwise I'm going to have to ask you to return to your cabin."
She fisted her hands at her sides and stomped her foot into the sand. "But I was-"
"I'm aware you were the first to offer your services, but your behavior disqualifies you from assisting me. If you insist on arguing the point then I'll have to ask you to leave," Nelson told her.
"Damn children! The whole lot of you!" she screeched. She spun on her heels and stomped towards the woods. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when she disappeared among the trees.
Nelson managed a shaky smile at the remaining guests. "I'm sorry you all had to see such a scene, but don't think too unkindly of your fellow guest. I'm sure it's just all this new-found energy you're all feeling. Now let's begin the demonstration."
I watched in bemusement as Susie pretended to drown in knee-deep water and Nelson dragged her onto the beach. He laid her down and gave her mouth to mouth. I couldn't help but notice that their lips were locked much longer than was necessary. If she had been a drowning victim his efforts to save her might have caused her to suffocate.
Finally the pair of lovers broke apart and Susie returned to my side with dreamy, hazy eyes. I grinned and nudged her arm with my elbow. "Earth to Susie. You still there or are you still remembering his kiss?" I whispered.
Susie shook herself and glared at me. "It was all for educational purposes," she argued.
Nelson interrupted our little discussion. "Now we will begin private swimming lessons for each person while the others can do as you wish."
The rest of the swimming lesson alternated between splashing and lounging like lizards in the sun. The older folks had more energy than their wrinkled faces let on, and I found myself more than once outpaced by their fast strokes in friendly races. After one particularly heavy race where I was beaten by an eighty year old grandmother I retired to the sand to lick my wounds. There were spare towels, and I made myself comfortable on it while my own was wrapped around my thick thighs.
I'd nearly fallen asleep lying there on my back when a shadow fell over me. I opened my eyes and was surprised to see Young's face. He leaned over me with a smile on his lips and his handsome blue eyes shining at me. Young wore a polo shirt and pants, but his feet were bare. That explained
how he was able to sneak up on me.
"I hope you're enjoying your swimming lesson," he commented.
I sat up and instinctively tried to cover my bare flesh. That was when I remembered he'd seen a lot more of me than this, and I blushed. "I-it's okay," I replied.
I was both excited and nervous when he took a seat in the sand beside me. In front of us lay the beach and the other guests. Nelson had Susie for her private lesson, and I noticed he wasn't squeamish about setting his hands on her hips as he stood behind her.
Young smiled and nodded at the pair. "They get along quite well, don't they?"
"Yeah, two peas in a psycho pod," I quipped.
He chuckled. "Dan would argue against that, but I can see what you mean. It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for, and accountants are no exception." He turned his attention to me and I blushed when his eyes swept over my figure. "You're not too cold, are you?"
I looked down at myself and saw the towel. "This? No, it's just to-well, to keep me from becoming sunburned."
Young leaned towards me and lowered his voice to a sultry tone. "You may not believe it, but you look wonderful in a bathing suit."
I blushed and wished I could bury myself in the sand beneath me. "Maybe if I were a few pounds lighter," I argued.
He smiled and shook his head. "I prefer my women with a little meat on their bones." Young stood and brushed the sand off his delicious rear. "You know, Dan and I flipped a coin to see who would teach this swimming lesson. I lost. Just remember that." He turned and strode away to the woods.
I watched him until he disappeared into the trees. Damn that man and his deliciously sensual way of wooing me.
Chapter 5
Our swimming lesson ended just shy of dinnertime. Susie walked away from the beach the epitome of a blushing bride. Her cheeks were red and her far-off eyes showed her thoughts were elsewhere.
"I hoped you enjoyed the lesson," Linda told us as she guided us back to our cabin.
"It was wonderful," Susie breathed.
Linda turned to me. "I noticed my brother came to see you. Was there something the matter?"
Susie shook herself from her thoughts of a certain man and turned to me with a sly smile. "Scott came to the beach just to see you?" she teased.
I rolled my eyes. "Why don't you go back to thinking about Nelson and him giving you mouth-to-mouth?" I suggested.