Balefire

by Barrett

  Kirin watched as Melissa crossed the street to the pub. She found the entrance to the inn and registered. There was a message for her saying Alfred Kobach would meet her in the lobby. She had just enough time to get her belongings and freshen up.

  THE GUEST COTTAGE looked much as Silke remembered a typical Wisconsin Lake cottage—square, weathered wood with green trim and rusted screens. Lofty pines sheltered everything, and the smell always reminded her of summer. The narrow dirt path to the cottage, just like the ground around, lay blanketed with pine needles and pinecones.

  Rachel honked, and Dawn Rizzoli came out of the main house and waved. Behind her was a woman Silke didn’t recognize, but seemed to be much younger. If memory served, Dawn was a couple of years older, which would mean her early fifties. Silke thought the younger woman couldn’t be more than thirty.

  “Riz, you old goat. How are you?” Rachel jumped out of the car and greeted her old friend.

  “Your day is coming, Bates. Where’s your better half?” Dawn walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. “Come on out here, beautiful, I wanna give you a hug.”

  “It’s good to see you,” Silke said. “Thanks for inviting us.”

  The bear hug was genuine, and Silke only had a moment of self-doubt when she couldn’t remember whom they had told about her loss of vision. The white cane in her hand was a giveaway, but Dawn didn’t say a word. She must know.

  “Let me help you with your stuff, and when you’re settled, c’mon up to the house for a drink.” She opened the trunk. “Jeez, you gals planning on staying all summer?”

  Rachel poked her in the ribs. “We brought that stuff for you, since you were kind enough to invite us. I’ll help you carry it up to the house.”

  “If you just stick the bags inside,” Silke said, “I’ll unpack while you carry the boxes up to the house. I’m sure you need to catch up after so long.”

  Dawn looked confused, but Rachel jumped in. “Good idea. Do you want me to come back and get you?”

  “I’ll be fine. Go ahead.” Silke needed a few minutes to summon her courage.

  For the past year, while she and Rachel were at odds with each other, she had steadfastly avoided any social entanglements that might draw attention to her blindness. It was hard enough relearning every daily task without the added embarrassment of people watching her. Every stumble, every bruise, every failure fueled her resentment. Now, looking out at the beautiful two-story log home, the same one that had always represented summer fun, she felt apprehension. Rachel hadn’t told her who might be there.

  She put their things in the bedroom and smiled at the sight of the twin beds. Rachel would hate it. She, on the other hand, was relieved.

  Eighties music blared, and she could hear laughter as she came closer to the main house. There was a short slope to the water’s edge and a large deck boat tied to the end of the pier. She let herself in the kitchen door and found the young woman she’d seen earlier.

  “Hi, I’m Haley. We didn’t get to meet earlier.” She dried off her hands and extended one. She looked even younger than thirty.

  “I’m Silke. Good to meet you.” Silke shook Haley’s hand. “Sounds like I’m late for the party.”

  “Naw, Riz is just excited about everybody coming. You want something to drink?”

  “I’m okay for now. What time do we have to leave for the parade?”

  “I think by noon, I’m not sure, but I think they need to lineup around one-thirty. Go on in. I just need to get some more ice.”

  Silke walked through the older dining room to the large screen porch that covered the back of the house. Six women were sitting around, while Dawn held court behind the bar. She thought the two women seated at the bar looked vaguely familiar, but the two women seated on the couch with Rachel were strangers. At the moment, they appeared to be acquainted with Rachel. An odd prickly sensation started in the back of her neck.

  “Rachel was just telling us about your new commission. Congratulations. I guess Dyson sculptures are going to be in hot demand now.” Dawn pulled out a stool at the bar. “Can I get you something?”

  “A diet coke, if we have time,” Silke said.

  Rachel whispered to the redhead on her left. They laughed, and Rachel came up to the bar. Silke cringed as she wondered what other stories may have been told at her expense.

  “I know. All those great works of art, and I don’t even have one.” She draped her arm around Silke’s shoulder and put on a smug smile.

  Silke looked around, feeling uncomfortable with not knowing what had been said. She resisted a sarcastic response, knowing that Rachel never had any interest in any of her art projects. She always treated them as a hobby and not meaningful work. The thought of Rachel’s disdain opened yet another avenue for suspicion and distrust.

  “I never knew you were interested in one.” She squeezed the aluminum can.

  Dawn set a glass on a coaster. “You remember Karen and Marilyn. They have the farm up in Erin?”

  Of course, she remembered. They used to have an annual Super Bowl party. “Yes, it’s good to see you both. I’ll bet the last time we saw you was four years, or was five years ago?”

  “Five years. That was the last year we had the party. The next summer was when Marilyn had her mastectomy.” Karen squeezed Marilyn’s hand. “So far so good.”

  Silke didn’t know, nor had she asked. Still she felt badly. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know, but I’m glad you’ve done so well.”

  Riz handed Rachel another beer. “You probably don’t know the gals on the couch. They have the pleasure of working with me at Harley. The big brute is Steffi from accounting. And old carrot top there is Lissa. She’s new and works in HR.” They both waved.

  Haley brought the ice bucket and snuggled up close to Dawn in a provocative manner. “You said to remind you to change.” Dawn rewarded her with an R-rated kiss that brought hoots from Karen and Marilyn.

  “C’mon, Steffi, let’s dazzle these civilians with a dress blues,” Dawn said.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  “THANK YOU VERY much, Sergeant Kobach,” Kirin said. “I really enjoyed meeting you and hearing your story.”

  “It was my pleasure, young lady. We’re always pleased when someone takes the time to recognize our veterans. And this year’s parade is going to be even more important since were honoring the young fellas who are finally getting home from Iraq. Damn, if anybody deserves a ticker tape parade, it’s these guys, and gals.” He chuckled. “Sorry. I guess I’m still not used to the ladies fighting. But from all I hear, they did a damn fine job right alongside the guys. When we sent out the flier, ten women signed up right away.”

  Kirin smiled at the way the uniformed octogenarian twinkled when he talked about the lady vets. She’d enjoyed the interview. “I’m looking forward to it, and I’ll make sure the magazine sends several copies to your local post.”

  Robbie, the teenager assigned as her escort, approached her. “We should go if you want to avoid the crowd.”

  Kirin picked up her messenger bag containing another notebook and her cameras. She tucked the tape recorder into one of the pockets. Melissa had left her a note telling her where to meet after the parade.

  She followed Robbie along the sidewalk crowded with summer tourists and locals lined up in lawn chairs. John Philip Sousa blared from strategically placed speakers along the route. The smell of popcorn and hot dogs filled the air.

  The so-called grandstand was in reality a flatbed truck bedecked with patriotic bunting and a makeshift awning over a dozen or so folding chairs. Robbie left her at the stairs to go and find the chamber secretary who could introduce her.

  It was a perfect summer day with a few billowy clouds dotting a clear blue sky over the Northern Wisconsin peninsula. A nice breeze made it comfortable and caused the bay to look frothy with whitecaps. Kirin snapped a few shots of the empty parade route lined with enthusiastic patriots waiting to cheer their heroes. Flags waved and mus
ic played.

  She snapped on a telephoto lens. She wanted to get some close-ups of the wide-eyed children and world-weary seniors who were waiting, as they did every year, for the Fourth of July parade. She was glad she took the assignment. It wasn’t as exotic as some locations, nor as breathtaking, but this was Wisconsin—her home state—and she was proud of it.

  SILKE FOLLOWED RACHEL and the others across a crowded parking lot, through the back door, and into a smoky, noisy bar. Her anxiety level shot up as soon as an excitable crowd of women surrounded them. She gripped Rachel’s arm as they navigated through. It was dark, and she felt claustrophobic.

  “I thought we were going to a parade,” she shouted.

  “We are,” Rachel said. “It’s out front.”

  Her jaw tightened, and she bit back a retort. The questions, suspicions, and barely concealed anger were taking a toll on her. She wished she’d never agreed to this trip. She wasn’t sure whether Rachel wanted to flaunt her or embarrass her. Either way, she was uncomfortable and feeling trapped.

  Someone squealed behind her, and she recognized Haley’s voice. “Oh my god, Melissa. I had no idea you were going to be here. Hey, guys, this is my friend Melissa. We met at the Pride Parade in Milwaukee last year.”

  As they moved out the front door, Haley tried to make introductions. “Over here, there are some seats.” Silke followed, desperate to be out of the shoving and tripping. From what she overheard, the owners of the bar had set up a makeshift set of bleachers so that customers could view the parade. She made her way to the top row in order to avoid the shoving.

  “Do you want a beer?” Rachel hollered from below her.

  She nodded. From her vantage point, she had a good view of the parade route as it passed in front of them. They were also across from the viewing stand where the judges would sit.

  She choked back her frustration. There was nothing she could do and no way to get out. Even if she complained to Rachel, she knew it would only lead to more placating comments. All she could do was to stick it out until tomorrow and hope they could go home early. Maybe a beer would help.

  A loud speaker crackled to life. Silke could barely see him, but thought that a man was standing at the front of the viewing stand. The music quieted as he welcomed everybody to the annual celebration. He sat down as a man and a woman stood up with microphones and began to describe the participants of the parade. Fortunately for her, the sun was slightly behind her or she wouldn’t have seen any of the faces.

  After the first few floats and the high school marching band, Rachel climbed up to join her.

  “Isn’t this great? I’m glad somebody thought of these bleachers, otherwise we would be standing shoulder to shoulder.” Rachel handed Silke a hot dog wrapped in foil. “I thought you might be hungry.”

  “Thanks, I am.” The hot dog smelled great.

  “Are you okay? You don’t seem to be having much fun.” Her question was earnest.

  “Rachel, you know how difficult crowds are for me, and I really don’t know these people very well. It’s just . . . it’s uncomfortable.” Silke stopped when sadness filled her throat.

  “You have to make an effort. These people don’t know you either. It’ll be more fun when we get back to Riz’s house. She has a big barbecue planned and fireworks. Try to relax a little.” Rachel patted Silke’s shoulder.

  A cheer went up as the veterans came into view. Silke was surprised at how many there were. Looked like about twenty, and at least nine of them were women. It took her a minute to find Riz and Steffi. They did look smart in their uniforms. The crowd was applauding wildly and someone from the hotel on the corner was throwing paper confetti. The vets all beamed with pride.

  As they passed in front of the viewing stand, Silke saw a photographer move close to the front taking pictures. She shielded her eyes and looked carefully. The woman looked exactly like Kirin Foster. How could that be possible? She watched as the woman hopped off the platform to get closer pictures. It was definitely Kirin.

  “Way to go, Kirin!” someone in front of her hollered.

  She craned her neck to see who had shouted. They had just met the woman in the bar. What was her name? Melanie? Melissa. Then she remembered that Kirin’s ex was named Melissa. Well, I’ll be damned. Small world. She smiled and watched as Kirin returned to the viewing stand and continued to take pictures of the parade.

  For the first time all day, Silke felt that tingle of familiarity. In all the confusion, there was a friendly face. She looked back at the viewing stand and thought for a moment that Kirin was staring at her. She wanted to wave, but resisted. She glanced at Rachel who was busy talking to Dawn’s friend Lissa. Instead, she nodded and waited.

  Kirin returned the nod and smiled.

  Silke hoped the warmth in her cheeks would pass for sunburn. Surprisingly, the large cadre of adorable children on decorated bicycles did not hold her attention. A single figure in a red-and-white striped shirt and white shorts just across the street held her gaze.

  As the parade ended, everyone began milling in the street. Very cleverly, the owners of the Beer and Brats set out two long tables where they sold plastic cups of beer and pre-wrapped brats. Silke remained in the bleachers and tried to keep her eye out for the red-and-white striped shirt.

  “Here.” Rachel reached up with another cup of beer. “Are you okay up there?”

  “Yes, thank you. Better than down there.” Silke did feel better. The beer, the hot dog, and a very familiar face helped.

  “Okay. Stay put and I’ll let you know when we’re ready to head out.” Rachel disappeared into the crowd.

  No problem. She felt safer away from the suffocating throng of strangers. She spotted the red-and-white shirt. Melissa was dragging her across the street. Kirin simply waved.

  “Haley, I want you to meet my friend, Kirin. Kirin this is Haley and her friends.” Melissa laughed. “You’d better introduce everybody.”

  Riz and Steffi joined the group and cheered. Silke watched the introductions from her safe spot on the bleachers.

  Rachel shook Kirin’s hand. “Hey, Silke, this is Kirin Foster.” She pointed up at the top row of the bleachers. “Silke’s my partner.”

  Kirin nodded with an imperceptible glint in her eye.

  “Nice to meet you,” Silke said. It was an amusing and ironic moment. She had never mentioned meeting anyone on her trip to Belize. And Rachel never asked. Now she was glad because she had a secret.

  One by one, people joined the group. The afternoon faded until Riz started organizing everyone to follow her back to the house. Silke kept an eye on Kirin and watched as Melissa and another friend cornered her. It looked very much like they would be joining the group. Much to her delight. At last, a friend.

  “Are you ready?” Rachel’s voice surprised her.

  “Oh. Yes.” Silke took one more look as the red-and-white shirt crossed the street.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  BY THE TIME they reached Riley’s Bay, there must have been a dozen cars already parked on the lawn in front of the house. Rachel parked near the guesthouse, and the two women who rode with them got out.

  “Why don’t you guys go ahead. Silke and I will be up in a little bit?” Rachel held the door while Silke got out. “I guess Riz got a little out of control inviting people. Should be interesting.”

  “I don’t want to hold you up, I’m just going to grab a quick shower and put on some long pants. I’m guessing the mosquitoes will be out in full force.”

  “Good thought. I’ll do the same and see you up there okay?”

  Just remember, the more people there are the more distracted Rachel will be.

  “I THINK YOU can park behind the car at the guest cottage. They won’t be leaving.” Haley pointed to the small cottage on the right.

  Kirin pulled up behind the Lexus. She and Melissa followed Haley to the main house, which shone brightly through the trees with its electric blue paint and white trim, and music played from outd
oor speakers. Originally, she had a few misgivings but figured Melissa knew some of the people so it might be fun. Either way she had her car and could easily slip out and go back to the hotel. Ever since she saw Silke sitting on the top bleacher, she vacillated between eager anticipation and nervousness.

  The assignment was nearly complete, and all she needed to do was transcribe her notes. Just the same, she brought her tape recorder. Two of the women who marched in the parade were supposed to be here and it would be nice to have the perspective from one of the first out lesbians to march in a parade to celebrate local veterans.

  As soon as they got inside, Kirin looked for Silke. She had been thrilled when she saw her across the street before the parade and amused to be included in the group that was celebrating. Small world.