“I felt like such a baby that night,” Christy remembered. “Everyone was drinking, and I was so naive!”
“You were innocent, Christy. You have no idea how beautiful that made you.”
Christy felt like crying. “Todd, I…” She didn’t know how to put into words everything she felt right then. “I’m really glad, I mean, this is so… I don’t know. It’s so right. I’m really happy we’re moving our relationship forward.”
Just then the roar from a ski boat engine broke their magical moment. Todd squinted and then started to wave at the boat. “It’s Doug and Katie. I bet he’s ready to start some serious waterskiing!”
Doug cut the engine on the boat and slowly drifted toward the raft. “Ahoy, mates!” he called out. Doug wore a bandanna “pirate style” around his short sandy blond hair. The broad smile that spread across his face showed he was in his typically great mood. “Would ye be needin’ a hoist back to the cove before ye find yourselves shipwrecked?”
Todd turned to Christy, “That wouldn’t be so bad. would it?”
“Which?” Christy asked. “Being hoisted back to shore or being shipwrecked?”
Todd didn’t answer, and for a moment the two of them locked gazes, their eyes revealing a thousand secrets of the heart.
“I think we’re interrupting something.” Katie’s red hair swished as she looked at Christy and Todd and then at Doug. She held up an orange flag used to indicate a downed skier in the water. Waving it like a fairy wand, she asked, “Tell us, you two, what did we miss out on this morning? Anything you’d like to share with the rest of us?”
Christy felt herself blushing again and wondered how old she would be before she outgrew this reflex.
“We’ve been checking out the dust of God’s feet,” Todd answered. “And making some promises,” he added in a whisper loud enough for only Christy to hear.
“So how about we make some of our own wave-dust?” Doug asked. “You ready to break up some of this glass?”
“Wait! We want you to tow us first,” Katie yelled. “Let me get in the raft with Christy, and you guys can tow us back to the houseboat.”
“As long as you promise to go slow!” Christy said.
Doug threw out a long rope for Todd to secure the raft to the back of the boat while Katie made the transfer from boat to raft. Todd climbed up the stepladder by the rudder and tightened the knot on the rope.
“Okay, here are the signals,” Todd said. “Thumbs up means go faster. A finger across your throat like this means stop, and a thumb down means slow down.”
Christy put her thumb down. “I mean it, you guys, go slow!”
“You’d better find something to hold on to,” Todd called from the boat. He tossed two orange life vests into the raft and instructed them to put them on.
Christy fastened the vest over her sweats and grabbed on to a black handle on the side of the raft. “Whose idea was this anyway?”
“Mine,” Katie said without regret. Then looking into Christy’s blue-green eyes. Katie said. “What?”
“What what?”
“What’s up with you?”
“What do you mean?”
Katie put her hand on her hip, tilted her head, and examined her best friend’s expression. “I was right. There was something going on between you two this morning. You have a secret, Christina Juliet Miller, don’t you?”
Christy didn’t answer with words, but the smile skipping across her lips gave it all away.
“I knew it!” Katie cried loud enough to awaken any lazy fish who weren’t up yet. “Don’t tell me; let me guess. You and Todd are finally going together! Am I right?”
Christy looked up into the boat, hoping to see Todd’s assuring grin. Instead she saw Doug’s usually smiling face transformed into a grim frown.
Just then Doug started up the boat with a roar. The rope pulled tight, and the raft lurched in the water.
Christy let out a scream and yelled, “Go slow!”
Doug jammed the ski boat into high. Their raft felt as if it suddenly became airborne. The girls held on, screaming and trying to motion the “slow down” and “stop” signals to the guys.
Doug turned to the right, and the raft flew over a wave and skittered outside the wake. Before they could get their balance, another larger wave rushed up from underneath the raft, flipping the girls into the water.
Their life vests brought them bobbing up to the surface at the same time, and Katie and Christy began to tread water and hurl threats at the guys.
“Doug did that on purpose!” Katie said as the boat slowly motored in a circle to come back and retrieve them. “And I have several ideas of how we can get him back this weekend.”
Even across the sparkling water, Christy could recognize the mischievous glint in the eyes of her redheaded friend.
“I leave all the revenge games to you.” Christy said, aware of how heavy her soaked sweats had become as she kicked her legs in the water. “I don’t want to start anything unless there’s a guarantee I won’t get hurt in the end.”
Katie tilted back her head and laughed. “It’s too late for that!”
Christy was now next to Katie in the water. The guys threw them a rope.
“One dunk in the lake by Doug doesn’t mean it’s too late.” Christy said.
“Oh, I didn’t mean Doug.” Katie answered. “I meant with Todd. Something happened with you two this morning. I can tell. And whatever it was. I have a feeling it’s too late for any kind of a guarantee you won’t get hurt in the end.”
When the foursome arrived back at the houseboat, Uncle Bob called to them from the window above the kitchen sink, “You’re just in time for pancakes. Could you smell them out there on the lake?”
The guys docked the boat, and the soaked girls wrung out the bottoms of their shirts one more time before stepping onto the deck.
“The guys want to go back out skiing while it’s still calm.” Katie told Bob.
“No problem. Breakfast is served all morning long in my galley.” He opened the sliding screen door and, taking a good look at Christy, asked, “Are you planning to enter some kind of contest for drowned rats that I didn’t know about?”
“The only drowned rat contest around here,” Katie informed him, “is going to involve two certain young pirates.”
“Anybody we know?” Bob asked, his merry eyes twinkling. For a man in his fifties who had never had children of his own, Bob always seemed to enjoy Christy and her friends. His easygoing manner made him everyone’s favorite adopted uncle. The only one who ever had run-ins with Bob was Aunt Marti, but then, she had tiffs with everyone at one point or another.
“Come on, Katie!” Doug called out from the boat. “We need you to come with us to hold the flag.”
“My public beckons me.” Katie dramatically placed the back of her hand against her forehead. “Oh, the price of popularity!”
Christy giggled at her fun-loving friend. “Go answer your call, Katie. I shall stay behind to put on dry clothes and stuff my face with pancakes. Do you want a dry T-shirt?”
“Not a bad idea. Throw me a towel too.”
As soon as the boat left with Katie vigorously waving the flag in a playful farewell, Christy changed into her bathing suit and a big T-shirt. Undoing her matted braid, she joined Bob in the kitchen and began to brush out her soaked hair. The excess water dripped onto the floor as she flipped her hair down so she could brush it from the underside.
“Gorgeous day.” Bob scooped another round of sourdough blueberry pancakes onto the already heaping platter. “Couldn’t have asked for better weather.”
“Good morning, all!” Aunt Marti called out, opening the door to their back bedroom.
Just then Christy flipped her long hair over to hang down her back. Beads of water, launched from the ends of her hair, flew across the small kitchen and. as if they had been directed at Marti, all hit the target.
“Oh, stop that this instant!” Marti said with a squeal.
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Christy turned to see her petite aunt adorned in a perky little sailor shirt with sprinkles of water all over it. Even her perfectly styled short, dark hair now had moisture clinging to the bangs. “I’m so sorry, Aunt Marti. I didn’t mean to do that.”
“It’s all right.” Bob said, jumping in with a towel for his indignant wife. “Just a little morning wake-up for you, Martha. I hear it works better than a cup of coffee.”
“I was already awake, thank you,” Marti replied stiffly, snatching the towel from Bob’s hands. Scanning the room, she asked, “Where are the boys?”
“Out skiing with Katie,” Bob said.
Marti’s expression changed. It seemed she wasn’t quite as upset once she realized her only audience had been Bob and Christy.
Giving her flawless makeup one more pat with the towel, Marti turned to Christy with a scowl, “You might consider doing your hair in the bathroom for the remainder of the trip.”
“I will. And I’m sorry. I didn’t see you.”
Bob handed Marti a mug of coffee. “Vanilla hazelnut, your favorite. Are you ready for some breakfast?”
Marti accepted the peace offering and sat down at the table. Christy sat across from her and helped herself to three steaming pancakes.
“These sure smell good.” She hoped Marti’s sour mood would pass quickly, especially before Christy’s friends returned. She had seen many of Marti’s moods come and go over the years, and she knew a lot of it was just her aunt’s personality. Still. Christy couldn’t help but feel grinding guilt in the pit of her stomach, as if she were responsible for whether or not Marti was in a good mood.
“It was a beautiful sunrise this morning.” Christy hoped to get the conversation moving. “Are you going to eat with us, Uncle Bob?”
He looked at the three pancakes browning in the skillet and, turning off the burner, said, “Sure. I suppose we have enough to get us started here.” Bob plopped the hotcakes onto his plate and slid into a chair at the head of the table.
“Would you guys mind if we prayed?” Christy asked. She had been through this a number of times, since her aunt and uncle weren’t the pray-before-meals kind of people. Christy had decided she wouldn’t give up praying around them just because they didn’t normally do it.
Bob and Marti exchanged glances before respectfully bowing their heads. Christy prayed aloud, thanking God for their safe trip, for the beautiful day, for the food and then for Katie, the guys, Bob, and Marti. When she looked up after saying “Amen,” Marti already had her head up and was glaring at her.
“A person’s food could go cold waiting for you to pray your blessings on the world,” Marti said.
Obviously she hadn’t snapped out of her bad mood yet. Christy decided it would be best not to say anything for a while and set to work cutting her pancakes.
“How you can eat like that and stay slim is beyond my understanding.” Marti sipped her coffee, which apparently would be her entire breakfast. “I hope you’re working on your thighs like I told you. It has always been a problem for the women in our family, and you can see how your mother’s thighs have succumbed to heredity. Make sure you don’t sit back and let the same thing happen to you.”
Christy put a large bite of pancake in her mouth and enjoyed it thoroughly before saying, “Actually, Aunt Marti I think my mother is just fine the way she is, and I think I’m fine just the way I am. As long as a person is healthy, I don’t think it should matter what their body shape is.”
“You may not care, but men certainly care. Keep that in mind if you think you’re going to attract a young man simply because you’re healthy.”
“I don’t have to worry about attracting young men,” Christy said under her breath. She knew better than to drop hints to her aunt. Especially hints about Todd. Especially if she wanted it to remain a secret. Still, the news that she and Todd were now going together would probably snap Marti out of her critical mood.
“What did you say, Christina? I couldn’t hear you.”
Christy put down her fork and took a deep breath. “I guess you both would be interested to know that Todd and I had a talk about our relationship this morning, and—”
Marti clasped her hands together, “I knew it! I knew he’d take my… I mean that Todd would take the initiative to cement your relationship. This is wonderful, Christy!”
“Well, nothing is really different except maybe that we’ve defined things.”
“So now you two are promised to each other. This is wonderful!” Marti’s whole countenance had changed from gloom to sunshine.
“We’re not promised,” Christy corrected her. “We’re ’going out.’ That’s how Todd phrased it.”
“This is absolutely perfect,” Marti said triumphantly. “You’re going steady! That is the first step, and for you two, it’s definitely the next step.” She pushed away her coffee cup and leaned across the table to give Christy her insights. “A steady boyfriend your senior year will make things so much easier for you. Football games, Christmas banquets, the prom—you’ll never have to worry about having a date. When you graduate, Todd will have two more years of college, and you two should attend the same university during that time. I prefer something close to home. Perhaps Irvine or UCLA. You can get married the summer after your sophomore year since Todd will be graduated. Then, while you finish your last two years, Todd can complete his master’s. It’s just perfect!”
Christy couldn’t help but laugh. “You have it all figured out, don’t you? But what if that’s not what God wants?”
Marti looked surprised. “Why wouldn’t it be? Doesn’t God want the best for you? I think even God would have to agree that Todd is the best for you.”
Christy laughed again at her aunt’s theology. “I think God gives His best to those who leave the choice up to Him.”
Marti processed that thought for a minute and was about to counter with a comment when Bob spoke up. “Just enjoy today, Christy. None of us knows what the future holds. You need to live for today and let everything come as it will.”
“There’s certainly nothing wrong with planning for the future,” Marti said. “If Christy doesn’t think through these important steps now, she might make some terrible mistakes she’ll regret the rest of her life.”
“But she doesn’t need to make all of those choices today,” Bob said softly. Turning back toward Christy, he reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze, “We’re real happy for you, Bright Eyes. Todd’s a lucky guy to have a young lady like you in his life. I’ll make sure he realizes how lucky he is.”
“And you make sure you’re always worthy of him.” Marti advised. “There aren’t many like him left in this world.”
“I know.” Christy felt her heart warming at the thought of Todd.
But in the back corner of Christy’s mind, Katie’s words of warning hung like a small, gray storm cloud heading her direction. Christy brushed the thought away. What did Katie know about relationships, anyway? She had never even had a boyfriend. Maybe all that would change this weekend, if Doug would only notice what a treasure Katie was.
“More pancakes?” Bob offered.
“Not for me,” Christy said. “They were sure good. I imagine the guys will put away what’s left.”
Christy’s prediction was correct. Todd ate at least fourteen pancakes, and she lost count with Doug somewhere after twenty-three. Katie kept up until the guys hit the double digits.
“These are the best pancakes I’ve ever had.” Katie wiped her mouth. “They must be loaded with sugar for me to like them so much. Sugar is one of my four basic food groups, you know.”
“You kids think you’re ready for some more water fun?” Bob asked. “I’m ready to take the boat out for a bit. Anyone want to go with me?”
All four of them eagerly took Bob up on the offer.
When Christy climbed into the boat, she sat in the first available seat, which happened to be next to Doug. As soon as she sat down, Doug popped up. Without looki
ng at Christy, he said, “I imagine you’d rather sit by Todd. I’ll move.”
What’s wrong with him? He wouldn’t look at me during breakfast either. He’s acting pretty immature for a college student. Just because Katie announced that Todd and I are going out doesn’t mean Doug and I can’t still be close friends.
Todd was the last one to board, and he took the empty seat next to Christy. “You want to get some skiing in first, Bob? Doug or I would be glad to drive if you do.”
“You guys go ahead. I’d like to get a feel for the lake first. Who’s up? Doug?”
“Sure, I’ll go. I’m ready to try one ski this time,” Doug said. He buckled up his life vest, and when Bob stopped the boat in the deeper water, Doug jumped into the lake. It took him only a few minutes to secure both feet in the one ski and get into position. “Okay, hit it!” he yelled, and Bob obliged by charging the boat through the blue water. Doug got right up and balanced on the ski as if he had done it a hundred times before.
“Are you sure he’s never gone on one ski before?” Katie asked. “Look at him, he looks like a pro!”
Doug appeared to become braver as he slid from side to side behind the boat, each time bouncing over the curling wake. Bob zipped around the lake more aggressively when he saw how well Doug handled each twist and turn.
One sharp turn to the right brought them head-on with the wake of a speed boat that had just passed. The impact of the water caused their boat to rise up and come down hard. For Doug, the crashing waves created behind the boat proved disastrous, and he took a big tumble.
“We should have had that one on camera,” Katie exclaimed, lifting the flag high as Bob slowed way down and circled back to pick up Doug. “Wasn’t he fantastic?” Then louder, so Doug could hear from his crouched position in the water, “You were fantastic, Doug! Wish I had a picture.”
He waved to Katie, and it seemed to Christy that his cheerful disposition was returning. Once he climbed back in the boat, his laughter convinced Christy that whatever was bothering him had somehow been left behind during his successful skim across the lake. Shivering, smiling, and soaking wet. Doug bent over Katie and gave her one of his famous hugs before looking for his towel.