by Sara Marion
She was barely away from the campsite when a calm force overtook her again. She didn’t feel as agitated as she walked through the camp areas. Some people were up with their kids, but it seemed like most people were still sleeping. She arrived at the dock by her campsite and realized she just enjoyed walking. She headed up towards the entryway of the campground. Her thoughts cleared and she just took in the fresh air, the sunrise forgotten. Looking at her surrounding she couldn’t help but think she had been here before, but then again, some campgrounds look alike. She just wandered around, losing herself in her surroundings.
Jennah didn’t know how long she was gone but she only walked through the front half of the campground when she returned to her own campsite. Dobry ran up to her. Jennah lifted her and kissed her temple, “Good morning, baby girl.”
“Momma!” Dobry squealed. “Momma play!”
“Have you eaten? Are you hungry?”
“I just fed her,” Pike appeared.
“Thanks, how long has she been up?”
“About thirty minutes.”
“Was I gone that long?”
“Yeah, I was about to start looking for you, make sure you were okay.”
“I am. I just wandered around the front half of the campground.”
“Walk, momma, walk.”
“You wanna go on a walk?” She asked Dobry. Dobry giggled and wriggled in Jennah’s arms. Jennah set her down and went to Pike’s SUV and grabbed her stroller.
“Mind if I join you?” Pike smiled as he picked up Dobry and placed her in her seat.
“Sure. The more the merrier. Are Audra and Chase up yet?”
“No, but they stayed up playing some board game Chase is into.”
“Alright well let’s walk the back half,” Jennah smiled.
They walked idly chatting about Pike and his job. Jennah found it fascinating. He was a photographer for a magazine. He went to take the photos of famous people, big events, and whatever he could get hired on for. Jennah was drawn to photography but she had no skill in it, not like Pike.
Jennah looked around the stroller shade. Dobry was idling chatting with herself. They rounded the corner as they continued talking. Pike said he could push Dobry for a while and Jennah let him. It wasn’t very often Dobry saw her uncle. She felt electricity in the air as they got towards the cul-de-sac at the end of the pathway. She looked around, spacing out on Pike, trying to locate the source of it.
“Are you okay?”
She looked over at Pike and had no idea how to explain what she was feeling without making him worry. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she smiled. She hoped that Pike would buy the lie. He continued walking but didn’t say anything.
Jennah continued to look around. That’s when she saw him. Duke was lying in a hammock and appeared to be dozing. His baseball cap was pulled down low on his face. An arm was tucked around he head and the other resting on his stomach. His legs were stretched out the length of the hammock with his ankles crossed. He looked content and peaceful. She looked over at the tent and wondered if he was camping with anyone. He adjusted his upper body and settled back down. Jennah couldn’t help but smile looking at him. An image flashed in her mind and she stopped dead in her tracks. It was a picture of him, smiling over at her as she casted out her line. It was a look of love and pride.
“Jenn, are you sure you’re okay?” Pike broke through the image. She turned and saw that he was slightly ahead of her. He had stopped and turned towards her.
“Uh,” she looked back over to Duke’s campsite. Her heart started to beat against her chest. It was hammering faster and faster.
“What is it?” he turned around. He put the brake on the stroller and cupped her face. Her eyes ventured to Pike’s steely blue eyes. “Jennah, what’s going on?” She couldn’t answer. She was frozen. Something about that image bothered her. She couldn’t put her finger on it and that scared her.
“I think it’s time to head back,” she avoided answering the question.
Pike kissed her forehead, “It’s okay baby sister. I’m here for you, for whatever is going on. You just tell me in your own time.” He let their foreheads meet and she smiled.
“Thanks,” she said trying to turn the focus back to something normal. She grabbed Dobry’s stroller and started making her way back to the campsite.
Pike didn’t bother trying to talk on the way back and Jennah was thankful. She kept the flash of the scene she saw in her head. The look on Duke’s face. It was a look that said he would go to the end of the Earth for her. It didn’t make sense though. They were barely friends. Sure he tried taking her out but that was as a thank you, wasn’t it? She shook her head as they got back to the campsite. They were around the corner from Duke and she wondered if she could get through the weekend without running into him. Her realized her heart was still hammering from seeing him. She could not longer deny that she liked him. She was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. She could no longer fool herself and if given the chance, she could fall hard for him. She would follow him into the deepest, darkest corner of the world if he wanted her to.
TWENTY-FOUR
After Jennah vanished around the corner, Duke sat up in the hammock. He stood up stretching his muscles out, but he felt his heart dropping slightly. She was taken and she had a child. Jennah never mentioned either of them. It must have been why she didn’t want to go to lunch when he asked. Duke shook his head and grabbed his fishing equipment. He was heading down to the dock today. Not many fish were biting yesterday at the bend where he was camped out. He decided to try closer to the feeders.
Duke walked along the water instead of taking the road. He didn’t want to run into Jennah. Approaching the dock, he saw that someone was already fishing off of it. The other side of the dock was still unoccupied. He made his way onto it and set his stuff down. There was an attached bench on the dock so he sat down on it and baited his hook.
“Hey there Coach,” a well-known voice rang out.
Duke turned and saw Chase sitting on the other side of the dock. “Hey, what are you doing here?”
“I woke up and wanted to fish. My mom sent me down to catch something for dinner tonight while, her, my Aunt Jennah and Uncle Pike take Dobry down to the park. We are here for the weekend.”
“Me too. I’ve been out here since Monday night.”
“You here with anyone?”
“No, just me enjoying the peace and quiet.”
“The fish have been biting. The feeder hasn’t gone off yet, but I have caught one and two others got away.”
“Good, maybe between the both of us we can catch more than enough,” Duke smiled.
“Yeah maybe,” he agreed turning back to watch his bobber.
They fell into a comfortable silence as they watched their bobbers in the water. That’s what Duke loved about fishing. You could accompany someone and not have to hold a conversation. Too much movement and noise would drive the fish away. It was just a relaxing sport. It wasn’t long before they both saw Chase’s bobber go under.
“I think I got one,” he exclaimed as he reached for his pole.
“Quick, pull it back!” Duke told him. He felt Chase’s excitement as he was reeling his fish in. Duke watched to see if he could get it in without losing it. Chase was fighting with the fish, trying to get it in, but his line was getting to tight. Hopefully the fish would tire out soon and Chase wouldn’t give up.
Duke saw a flop in the water by the end of Chase’s line where it disappeared in the water. Struggling with it a few more minutes he was finally able to get it out of the water. It was the biggest catfish Duke has seen in the last couple of days. “That has to be a twelve pounder.”
“I knew when they opened the tubes yesterday, fish should be flowing over. We stopped so Dobry could see and I saw a lot of big ones jumping.”
“Well, hopefully I can catch my own dinner tonight. My fish stock is slimming down from what I already caught this week. Maybe you will be my lucky charm. You seem t
o be having more luck than I have.”
“Hey guys, what’s going on?” a voice sounded behind them. They both turned and Duke felt his smile fall as he saw Jennah with her daughter on her hip.
“Hey Aunt Jennah,” Chase replied. Duke couldn’t find his voice. He kept seeing flashes of Ella instead of Jennah.
“Hello Coach,” Jennah smiled. He felt his smile being forced on his face but he knew it didn’t reach his eyes. She looked beautiful although it looked like she just threw her hair back. Her smile was radiant, her eyes were so bright today. Nature definitely agreed with her.
“Hey there,” he managed to finally spit out.
“Say hi Dobry,” she cooed at her daughter.
“Hi,” Dobry said before burying her face into Jennah’s shoulder.
Duke stood up and went over to Jennah. He reached out and took Dobry’s little hand. “Hey there,” he shook her little hand. She turned and looked at him. He met a pair of pale blue eyes. Dobry smiled at him. “How are you doing?” Duke asked her.
“Dada!” Duke felt a pang in his chest. Right now he didn’t know if he would ever have a child of his own. No one would call him Daddy, he wouldn’t watch anyone grow up.
“No, not Dada. Duke,” Jennah corrected.
“Dada!” Dobry said once more.
“Sorry, she only knows a few words. Some days she calls me Dada,” Jennah smiled.
“It’s okay, she young.”
“Well I just came to tell Chase that we were back and lunch will be ready soon,” she smiled and peered around him to make sure Chase heard her.
“Got it. I’ll come back when I’m hungry. Just save me something,” Chase replied
“Okay,” she smiled at both of them and walked back to their site. Duke turned his attention back to his pole. Ella was now back in his thoughts. He couldn’t let his feeling for Ella conflict with his attraction to Jennah. It wouldn’t be good for him or any friendship.
Silence fell over Chase and Duke again. Duke imagined what life with Jennah would be like. Dobry seemed to like him, he joked with himself. He could see himself walking into their house, greeting Jennah and Dobry with a smile and kiss. He would watch Dobry when Jennah had to work. They would be the perfect family, happy, and together.
“Coach, you’re going to lose your fish.”
Duke looked at his line going crazy. He grabbed his pole and hooked the fish. He concentrated on pulling it in. Within a few minutes he pulled his fish out of water. He smiled as he strung it to the dock. He baited his hook and threw his line back out in the water. “Thanks.”
“Coach, I know this is going to sound weird, but are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I guess I was just lost in the beauty of the outdoors. I will probably be wrapping this up soon. I need to head back to camp.” Chase didn’t need to know Duke was fantasizing about a life with Jennah.
“Yeah same here. I’m almost out of bait for the day.”
“Well you should have some good meals out of the fish you have been catching.”
“Yeah. There are a few more mouths to feed at my camp though.”
Duke smiled. They fell back into silence. They sat there enjoying each other’s company but they focused on their lines. Duke’s bobber went crazy again. By the time he grabbed his pole, the line stilled.
“Ahh, I lost it.” Duke reeled his line in. “Guess I’m done for the day.”
“I guess I will leave too,” Chase reeled his line in. “Thanks for hanging with me Coach.”
They gathered their stuff. Walking up the road, Duke walked with Chase back until he had to make the turn to get to his campsite. When Chase headed to the site right by the communal bathrooms, he now knew Jennah was right around the corner from him and will be all weekend long. He knew this would drive him crazy.
“Duke!” Jennah called out as he was saying his goodbyes to Chase. “Wait up.”
Duke waited as Jennah approached him. “Hey Jennah.”
“Eat with us for lunch?”
“No I don’t want to interfere with your family.” He meant that in more ways than one.
“Please they won’t mind.”
“I need to get back to my campsite, but thank you for the invite.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. Maybe you all can come over to my site for s’mores later?” Duke didn’t know why he offered but he wanted to run into her again. This week he realized that he liked Jennah. His feelings for her were genuine and he wanted to get to know her better, but seeing her with her boyfriend earlier made those images of them together diminish.
“Sure. I know Dobry would love that. She loves marshmallows.”
“I’ll be sure to save her some. I love my s’mores too.”
Jennah laughed. He couldn’t help but smile. Her laugh was music to his ears. “S’mores are everyone’s favorite.”
“Agreed,” he smiled. “I’m going to go now. See you later?”
“For sure.”
Duke walked away form Jennah smiling. However, knowing she was taken dampened his mood back down. Hopefully they would show up.
***
Duke sat poking the fire. The sun had started to set about an hour ago and the sky was glowing orange. In the next hour or so there would be no more light. He was hoping that Jennah would still show up. He knew there was a high chance of all of them coming over, but that would help remind him that she was not available. She is just like Paxton, not available. He leaned back in his chair staring into the fire. You sure know how to pick them buddy, he thought to himself.
He watched the flames flicker and glow in the growing darkness. He saw movement on the other side and saw that Dobry was walking towards him, Jennah, Chase, Audra and the boyfriend behind her.
“Dobry, careful. The fire is hot,” Jennah warned when Dobry got closer to the fire.
“Hey every one,” Duke welcomed them. “I have s’more stuff laid out on the picnic table. Feel free to start Chase.”
Jennah came and hugged him, “Thanks for inviting us. This is my sister Audra as you know,” she moved out of the way and Duke shook Audra’s hand. They knew each other but that didn’t stop him from being polite. He noticed the guy move up between Audra and Jennah. Jennah continued her introductions, “This is Pike, my older brother.”
Duke shook his hand. He was relieved and smiled. On the inside he was celebrating. The guy he thought was in a relationship with Jennah was her brother. He was thankful he misinterpreted what happened earlier between Pike and Jennah. That means he still had a chance with her, “Good to meet you, Pike.”
“Likewise.”
They settled around the fire. Jennah and Audra set up the chairs they brought. Jennah sat in the chair that was set up next to Duke. A smaller chair next to her was for Dobry. Then Audra, Pike and Chase rounded the rest of the circle. They all had roasters with marshmallows on it. Jennah handed Dobry plain marshmallows, as Jennah roasted her own. Duke couldn’t help but watch Jennah. The light flickered in her eyes as she laughed. Pike was telling some stories about his photography adventures. If Ella were here, she and Pike would have gotten along great. His love of photography could get Ella going on the subject. As much as Duke loved her, Ella could drone on about her passions.
“So Duke, I hear you coach football as well?” Pike interrupted his thoughts.
“Yeah. I have camp in July. We have a lot of young guys coming in and we lost a lot of good seniors. So we will have to see how the season goes.”
They fell into a conversation about passing time. Every once in a while Jennah would chime in and surprised him with her football knowledge. Every time he looked over at her, she blushed a little more. The light of the fire danced upon her delicate skin and the attraction between them was almost tangible. It took everything Duke had not to grab a hold of her hand. Flashes of her body pressed up against his at Athens flashed through his mind, the feeling of her lips on his came crashing down on him. He knew he needed to oust those images b
efore he was caught. He looked over at Dobry who fell asleep in Pike’s lap.
“Looks like we tuckered her out,” Duke smiled.
“Yeah, I should probably get her to bed. I guess I lost track of time,” Jennah smiled.
“I’ll take her, you should stay and hang out,” Audra offered. “Besides Chase can help me put away things.” She stood and took Dobry from Pike before Jennah could protest. Duke was hoping that Jennah would enjoy the free pass Audra was giving her. He wasn’t ready for her to leave yet.
“Yeah you guys have fun, you don’t worry about her. I got her. She can sleep in our trailer tonight.”
“No, I will come back and get her,” Jennah stood up
Duke watched as Audra said something under her breath to Jennah. Jennah glanced back at him and then back at Audra. Jennah sat back down and Duke felt relief flow through his body. He just wanted to spend more time to get to know Jennah.
“I should get going to. I told Phil that I would run with him in the morning,” Pike said as Audra eyed him.
Duke saw Jennah try to decipher what her siblings were doing. He wondered if Jennah had said something about him before hand. Something that would make her siblings both vet him out a bit before leaving her alone with him.
“You guys are more than welcome to stay,” Duke voiced. He tried to ease Jennah’s nerves.
“No, we should really get going.”
“Well, it was nice meeting you Pike.” Duke stood and shook his hand one more time.
Pike took a step closer, closing the distance slightly. “Nice meeting you too,” he then pulled Duke into a half hug. “I will kill you if you hurt her,” he mumbled to where no one else can hear.
Duke smiled as he leaned back. His suspicions about Jennah’s feelings were just confirmed. He still wanted to take this slow so he could see if they could really work. There was still a small voice in the back of his mind that said getting mixed up with Jennah was not the best decision. He squandered that voice and turned to find Jennah staring up at him.
