Decky scrambled to her feet, grabbed her crutches and set out after the two scared animals. She called after Charlie, “Drop the pole! Just drop the pole!”
Charlie screamed back, “It’s the only weapon I have.”
“Stop running, it won’t hurt you.”
“I know all about eels. I’ve seen them bite the hands off divers on TV. Remember ‘The Deep!”
“Jacqueline Bisset, wet tee shirt, yes I remember ‘The Deep.”
“Not the tits, the eel you idiot.”
Decky had been hustling up the dock, but she just fell over. Charlie stopped running. Decky wasn’t moving. Charlie carefully placed the rod on the dock and warily made her way back toward Decky and the eel, which was now wrapping itself in line, as Dixie pawed at it. Charlie approached the creature, giving it a wide berth, then sped over to Decky. When she was close enough, she could see Decky’s shoulders moving as if she were sobbing. She bent down and rolled Decky over.
Decky was laughing so hard she couldn’t speak. Tears ran down her cheeks.
Charlie hit her on the shoulder. “Damn you. I thought you were hurt.”
Decky gasped, “I am. I can’t breathe.”
“Stop laughing at me. What in the hell is that doing in that water?”
“It lives there. I thought you were a fisherman.” Decky was able to take short shallow breaths, but the muscles in her abs were still in spasm.
“They don’t have shit that looks like that in the ponds in Oklahoma.” Suddenly struck with a realization, she hit Decky on the arm again.
“You let me swim in that water, and I was naked. Oh my God!”
Charlie did a little gross-out dance.
They burst into sheets of laughter, ebbing and subsiding with the memory of their first fishing expedition together. Decky would never forget this moment or this woman.
#
During supper, Charlie’s cell phone rang. Charlie looked at the caller I.D. “I have to take this, I’ll be right back.”
Decky and Dixie finished their plate, they always shared, long before Charlie reentered the room.
“Bet that’s cold now. You should put it in the microwave. Lobster bisque is not my favorite cold.”
Charlie sat back down. “Oh, I think I’ve had enough.”
“Are you sure? You didn’t eat that much. Do you want something else?”
Charlie started clearing the dishes. “No, I don’t have much of an appetite, must have eaten too much at the meeting.”
Decky knew that was a lie. Nobody eats at those luncheons. The phone call, you idiot. Decky finally came to an understanding of what had just happened.
“That was her, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.”
Decky went to the sink where Charlie was rinsing the dishes and putting them in the washer.
“What did she want?” Decky told herself she wasn’t angry, a little jealous maybe. She told herself she only wanted to know what had upset Charlie and how she could fix it. She told herself that she would give Charlie the space she needed to finish this thing. She told herself she wouldn’t involve herself in that part of Charlie’s life. It was none of her business. It had nothing to do with her. She could tell herself anything. Her heart knew it wasn’t true.
“She was checking on the medication dosage for Miss Kitty and finalizing travel plans.”
“You don’t look like that’s all.” Decky hated that Charlie wouldn’t look at her.
“Really, that’s all.” Charlie said it, but Decky didn’t buy it for a second.
“I don’t believe you. You can talk about it. Maybe I can help.” Decky reached out and stopped Charlie from placing the next plate in the washer.
Charlie looked up, “Don’t you understand, I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to think it over, hash it out…I want it done, finished!” Charlie slammed the plate to the floor.
Decky pushed the door to the washer closed and stepped up to Charlie. “Hey, hey…I’m on your side. Nobody wants Lynne out of your life more than me.”
Charlie was angry. She found a broom and dustpan to clean up the glass. As she did this, she talked rapidly. “I don’t want you on my side. I don’t want you involved in this. You have to promise me to behave while she is here. Just stay out of it, if you know what’s good for you.”
“Is that some kind of warning or a threat? What am I supposed to do, hide? She is coming here tomorrow whether I like it or not and for the record, I don’t. You act like this when she calls you on the phone. What will you be like when she’s here in person?”
Charlie put the broken plate in the trash. “She just said something that made me angry, that’s all. No big deal, okay. Can we please drop it?”
“What did she say? Tell me.”
“Can’t you leave it be, please.” Charlie was pleading with her now. “I don’t want to tell you, isn’t that enough?”
Decky persisted, “I thought we discussed lies of omission.”
“She said she loved me! There, are you satisfied?”
“And that upset you enough to break a plate? Should I be worried here?”
“Decky, Lynne doesn’t know what love is. She is lonely and scared and she wants to run home to momma. Kitchen’s closed, momma’s moved on.”
“Then why did you get so mad?”
“Because she thinks she does. Because she thinks for a second that I could forgive and forget. That right there says she has no clue who I really am. It only proves she never loved me in the first place, because she hasn’t the faintest idea what love is.”
“Are you mad at Lynne or mad at yourself for falling for it?”
Charlie did not hesitate. “Myself. How could I be such a poor judge of character? How in the hell did I get myself in this mess to begin with? I was young and successful, and then I did the stupidest thing. Somewhere along the line, I lost me.”
“I think I found you.”
The emotion of the moment beginning to subside, Charlie put her arms around Decky.
“I am so glad you did. I love you, Decky.”
“I love you to, and I promise you, I do know what that means.”
Charlie smiled up at her, “Prove it.”
Decky grinned again, “You sure you don’t want me to meet her at the airport, grab the cat, and put her ass back on the next plane out of town. I would do that.”
Charlie laughed, “I bet you would.”
Decky could see Charlie wanted her to kiss her, but she teased her some more, “Even better, you can call her back and tell her we’re sending a private jet for the cat.”
“Shut up and kiss me.”
Decky did as she was told. She then took Charlie by the hand and led her to the elevator.
“Are you taking me back to the Jacuzzi?” Charlie said playfully
“Well, now that’s an idea for later, but first I have a surprise for you.”
“It doesn’t involve fire does it?”
“Yes, it does but it doesn’t involve any of your personal belongings.”
Decky lead Charlie out of the house, toward the dock. The evil eel had long since been disposed of, but Charlie walked a little more warily anyway. Decky’s ankle was feeling better, the moon and the stars were shining. It was a perfect early June evening.
The water was slick black all around them when Decky finally pulled the boat to a stop and anchored in the middle of Currituck Sound. Charlie sat up a little, “I know you don’t expect me to get in that water with you. Not now that I know what lives in there.”
“No, this does not involve you getting in the water. Close your eyes.”
Decky had made Dixie stay behind. She had whispered to her what was about to happen and Dixie agreed it was best if she stayed on the shore and watched. Decky uncovered a box she had hidden in the front of the boat.
“I’m not sure I like having my eyes closed this long. I mean, I’ve only known you a few days. This could be the culmination of some psycho horror movie. You know,
people screaming at the screen, ‘Open your eyes, she has an ax’.”
Decky called from the bow, “Don’t open them yet, I forgot to sharpen the blade.”
Charlie laughed, but kept her eyes shut. Decky worked a minute more and then returned to Charlie. She sat down beside Charlie and pulled her up onto her lap, cradling Charlie in her arms. “You can open your eyes now.”
Charlie opened her eyes. She looked at Decky and then all around the boat. “Okay, what’s the surprise?”
Decky leaned back and pulled Charlie’s head down on her chest so they were both looking up at the stars. “Wait for it.”
Just then, the little floating platform Decky had dropped over the side exploded in a torrent of fireworks. They watched the bursts of color erupt in the sky above them. The water around the boat reflected the sky as it exploded time and time again. It was beautiful.
When the fireworks had played out, Charlie turned so she was facing Decky again.
“Decky, you are a dream come true. Do you know that?”
“I want to make all your dreams come true Charlie, every last one of them.”
“Well, I do have this dream about making love under the stars in a boat.”
Decky took Charlie’s chin in her hand. “Your wish is my command.”
They fell into the bottom of the boat. They had not made love in fourteen hours, a record for them at this point in their relationship. They tore at each other’s clothes frantically. Soon their bodies were bathed in moonlight. The only sounds were heavy breathing and the gentle lapping of the swell from a distant boat on the waterway.
At first Decky thought, she was seeing things. Then she knew she wasn’t. A light was shining on the boat and growing brighter. Charlie was involved heavily with one of Decky’s breasts when Decky grabbed her by the sides of the head. There was no time to waste.
“Charlie, oh God, somebody’s coming. Put your clothes on.”
Charlie didn’t need to be told twice. She was grabbing clothes before Decky had gotten all the words out. Luckily, they were not heavily clothed to begin with. They both were wearing tee shirts and shorts. Decky couldn’t find her underwear, so she just slid the shorts on. As soon as she had the tee shirt over her head, she was up and at the wheel.
Decky could see the boat was much closer than she had thought. If she tried to run now it would look strange. Instead she grabbed a beer out of the cooler popped the top and kicked back like she had not a care in the world. Charlie, finally dressed, slid up onto the seat and following Decky’s lead grabbed a beer.
Decky saw that the boat was not a game warden or the coast guard. She breathed a sigh of relief. Firework shows were not exactly legal, not without a license, she was sure. Then just as she was about to relax, she saw who it was.
Alan Jr., that’s what everyone called him. No one ever said just Alan or even Alan Spencer, Jr., which was his full name. Alan Jr. and Decky had been an item in high school on and off until Decky met Trey. Alan Jr. had taken it hard, but they moved on and went about their separate lives. When Decky had moved back home, Alan Jr. started coming around again. He was also divorced. They dated a few times, but Decky decided she would rather have him as a friend.
Alan Jr. had a way of popping up at Decky’s. He never stayed long. He would say he was just checking up on her. She didn’t mind. He had always been a sweetheart so she figured he was just trying to be nice. Right now though, she wasn’t real happy about seeing him.
“Hey, Decky,” she heard him call across the water after he shut off his engine and drifted toward them. “I knew that was you when I saw the fireworks. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah Alan Jr., everything’s fine. Just having some fun.”
Alan Jr.’s boat was now parallel with Decky’s. He shined his flashlight on Decky and then moved it over to Charlie, who shielded her eyes. “Who you got there?”
“Alan Jr., this is Charlene Warren. She just moved here. Charlene, this is Alan Jr., an old friend.”
Alan Jr. moved the flashlight over the entire boat and back to Decky. He studied her for a minute. “Well, I guess if you are okay, I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing.”
“Thanks for checking on me. That was sweet. See you soon.”
Decky watched carefully as Alan Jr. started his boat and drove away. When she was sure he could no longer see them, she doubled over laughing. Charlie was laughing too.
“I’m glad you are laughing now,” Charlie said fighting the fit of laughter, “because I hate to tell you this, but I believe I am wearing your underwear and those would be mine hanging off the throttle.”
Chapter Six
Charlie had to leave early the next morning. The airport was an hour and a half away. Miss Kitty’s flight arrived at 9:00 a.m. Decky had taken to calling it Miss Kitty’s flight so she wouldn’t have to say Lynne’s name. Charlie could tell her as many times as she liked, that it was over between she and Lynne. Decky was going to see for herself soon enough.
Decky had never been this jealous in her life. Even when Trey had betrayed her, she wasn’t jealous. She was hurt and angry, but not jealous. The green monster was rearing its ugly head eating every thought process in Decky’s brain, except the ones focused on the fact the woman she loved was on the way to the airport to pick up the woman she had once loved. It even sounded complicated.
Decky could only watch as Charlie scurried around the bedroom. Decky was lying propped up on her elbow in the bed. She had on only a sheet draped around her waist. “I wish someone were going with you. It’s a long drive.”
“With Miss Kitty’s case, it would be a tight squeeze for anyone else to ride with us.” She checked herself in the mirror and then slid up into the bed beside Decky. She looked deep into Decky eyes, “Don’t worry. It will all be over soon and we can go on with our lives.”
“Remember when you asked if you could trust me? Well, I’m asking you now. Can I trust you with my heart Charlie, really trust you?”
“I have fallen completely, madly, inexplicably head over heels in love with you Decky. I have never felt so alive in my life. I see myself rocking on the porch with you when I am old and gray. So, yes, you can trust me today, tomorrow and the rest of my days, with your heart and soul.”
Decky grinned, “I have been a terrible influence on you.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you, Dr. Warren, are turning into a shameless, hopeless romantic.”
Decky pulled Charlie under her with one swift movement. She kissed her hard on the lips.
“Decky, if we start this now, I’ll have to speed to get there on time.”
Decky wasn’t to be stopped. “I’ll pay the ticket.”
#
During the morning, Decky and Dixie helped Brenda set up for the big party coming up that evening. This party, the annual Hawaiian luau, had been planned for months and just happened to coincide with Lynne’s arrival. Brenda and Decky started calling it Lynne’s going away party. The women disliked Lynne, even though neither knew her too well, but they both loved Charlie.
Brenda and Decky were almost the same age, but Brenda had always assumed a motherly role in their relationship. She was like a big sister. Brenda was pulling leis off of Dixie, who was serving as a lei caddy, and hanging them from the branches of a small tree.
“Decky, the only time I have ever seen you lose your temper was when you were protecting a teammate or your son. You can’t protect Charlie. She has to do this on her own. I know little about Lynne, but the little I’ve seen spells trouble. This is going to get ugly. You have to promise me, no matter what she says or does, you will let Charlie deal with this.”
“Charlie told you to talk to me, didn’t she?”
“She did call on her way out this morning. She is worried about you.” Brenda hung some more luau grass around the deck as she talked. “She doesn’t want Lynne to provoke you, she’s like that, Lynne, I mean.”
“What, like a fist fight? Jesus, are w
e twelve?” Decky was a lot more at ease than she thought she’d be. She guessed the talk she had with Charlie this morning had relaxed her or maybe it was the sex. “I trust Charlie. She’ll do what she has to. It’ll be alright.”
Brenda looked hard at Decky, “You know Lynne’s gorgeous don’t you?”
“I’ve only seen a grainy black and white from the net.”
Out on the Sound Page 13
