by Tamie Dearen
Arriving at the trailhead parking lot, Emily’s cell vibrated.
“Hey, Charlie.” Emily moved away from the group to speak more privately.
“Hey, Sister. Are you hiking yet?”
“We’re fixin’ to start.”
“I’m sooooo jealous you and Mom are having fun without me. I wish I could be hiking with y’all instead of leading this group of thirteen and fourteen-year-olds on this rafting trip.”
“Well, I wish I was there with you.”
“What’s wrong, Sister?”
“We’d decided to go on a shorter hike, just the four of us. And I guess that could’ve been weird. But now we’ve been joined by Betty Boobs and Polly Perfect, and they’re putting the moves on Spencer, big time.”
Charlie’s peals of laughter rang through the phone.
“Stop it—no laughing. What am I going to do?”
“Why do you care so much? I thought you and Spencer were just friends.”
“We are just friends. But now I have to spend two hours hiking with these two bimbos.”
“Really? Are they that bad?”
“One has like double-D’s absolutely spilling out of her top, and the other girl is charming, tanned and beautiful.”
Charlie giggled again. “Em! You’re the only person I know who can say ‘charming, tanned and beautiful’ like a horrible insult.”
“Arghhh! You’re not helping.”
“Come on. What’s wrong with you? Since when do you compare yourself to anyone else? Especially not a couple of bimbos. And you know you’re beautiful. You must be—people tell us we look alike all the time, and I know I’m beautiful.”
“Interesting argument, Sister. But you’re right. I don’t know why I’m comparing myself to these girls. That’s not like me.”
“Have you figured out anything else about Mom? How does she seem today?”
“She seems fine. Steven’s really attentive and protective, but maybe no more than normal. It could just be my imagination.”
“Well, let me know what you find out. Have fun on your first hike.”
Spencer called, “Hey, Emily. Ready to go?”
“Coming.” She smiled down at her new hiking shoes and her matching lime green top. She didn’t really care much about clothes, but she liked her colors to coordinate. It soothed her artistic sensibilities. She was determined to have a good time. She detested pouty people who spoiled the fun, so she wasn’t going to be that person.
Steven and Anne took the lead as Spencer motioned Emily to follow, falling into stride beside her on the broad path.
They hadn’t gone twenty-five yards when Becca said, “Hey Spencer. I think my Camelback has a pinched hose. Could you check it for me?”
Emily continued on behind her mom, while he dropped back with the other two.
“You need to keep drinking the whole time,” Steven told Anne. “You can’t risk getting dehydrated.”
“I will and I am. I’m practically floating. I’m sure I’ll have to pee numerous times on the hike.”
Emily’s stomach constricted. She hadn’t considered what type of restrooms would be on the hike. “Where do we use the bathroom, anyway?”
Her mom smiled. “There was a bathroom at the parking area. Out on the hike, you have to make a little side trip into the trees.”
Emily gasped in horror. “Outside? On the ground? With people walking by?”
Steven laughed. “Hopefully you’ll get far enough away from the path you’ll have some privacy.”
“No way—the hike’s only two hours long, so I’m holding it.”
Anne chuckled. “I expect you will.”
Candace appeared beside her. “Hey, Mrs. Gherring. Don’t you have some good stories to tell about Mr. Gherring? You know, things we’d never hear about in the magazine articles?”
“Oh I’ve got lots of stories, but if I start revealing things about Steven Gherring’s personal life I might lose my job.”
“You work?” Candace asked in surprise.
Steven answered for her. “We work together now. We make a great team, and I like spending time with my wife.”
“Wow, that’s really romantic. It’s just not what I’d expected to hear after all the stuff they say in the tabloids.”
“What stuff?” A concerned frown creased Anne’s forehead.
“Nothing, sweetheart.” He reached out to take her hand. “We don’t care what they say in the tabloids.”
“Oh, I know it’s not all true,” said Candace. “Especially the stuff about Mr. Gherring having a love child and all that.”
“A love child?” Anne voice became a bit shrill. “They said that in the papers? Can’t you sue them or something?”
“If it were a legitimate paper, I might sue them; but it’s not worth the trouble with the tabloids.” He sent a cold look in Candace’s direction. “I could really care less about the opinions of the type of people who read the tabloids, anyway.”
Candace’s face blanched, and she stepped off the trail, mumbling about trying to find her lip balm before falling in behind Becca. Emily chuckled inwardly. Her stepdad could be truly intimidating if he wanted to be.
Spencer moved into stride beside Emily. “How’re the shoes doing? And the socks? I’m a little worried about you getting a blister. It’s not a good idea to hike in brand new shoes—it’s better to break them in first.”
“No problem. I brought moleskin with me in case I get a blister.” She was proud of her thoroughly researched preparation.
“So you’re not much of a hiker?” Becca’s voice sounded behind her. “I’ve been hiking with Spencer for a long time. How many hikes do you think we’ve done together, Spencer? I mean the group hikes, not our private ones.”
“I’ve been on a lot of hikes with the club, Becca. I really can’t remember which ones you were on.”
Emily noted he didn’t address the private hikes, but she wasn’t about to ask for clarification.
“You haven’t forgotten that overnight hike have you?” Becca grabbed Spencer’s arm, pulling him back to walk beside her. He slowed with Becca, speaking to her in low tones.
“Comin’ through.” Emily passed her mom and Steven, taking the lead and distancing herself from Becca and Spencer as the trail narrowed, entering the woods.
“Follow the yellow blazes,” directed Steven.
Emily set a slightly faster pace to prevent any possible criticism from the two experienced hiker girls. The trail became a bit steeper, but she managed to maintain her speed. She’d always been extremely disciplined about exercise, so she was undaunted by the cardiovascular challenge. Back home in Fort Worth, she’d managed to squeeze in a ballet class once a week. But the other days she followed a vigorous workout routine that included thirty minutes on an incline treadmill. After pushing her speed for about fifteen minutes, she realized she’d forgotten about her mom. She glanced behind her.
“Hey, Mom. Is this pace okay? And are you drinking plenty of water?” She took a swallow of her own water to encourage her mother, who’d always resisted drinking.
Anne made a face. “Yes, I’m drinking. Yuk! I’m not enjoying it, but I’m drinking.”
“How’re you feeling, anyway?” Her mom didn’t look as perky as when they started.
“Maybe a little queasy, but I’m okay.”
Steven announced, “We’re stopping for a second.”
Anne mumbled her objection, but he forced her to sit on a log, take sip of water and eat a few bites of a granola bar. One look at her mom’s chalky face confirmed his wisdom. He whispered something in her ear, and she shook her head forcefully.
By this time the entire group was sitting down. Emily noted with a bit of satisfaction Becca was breathing heavily and Candace’s mascara had started running from the sweat on her face. Then she scolded herself for her malicious feelings toward the girls who’d done her no actual harm.
Spencer caught her attention. “Emily, I thought you’d never been h
iking. You’re sure setting a blistering pace on the climb.”
“Sorry. I was in the zone, I guess.”
“How’re your feet doing?”
“Great.” At the obvious relief on his face, she added, “Thanks, Spencer. I’m sure I would’ve been slipping all over on the steep part without my new shoes.”
His face lit up like she’d given him an amazing gift. “I was glad to help.”
Becca sat with a sullen expression beside Candace, whose eyes were darting nervously toward Steven. Emily couldn’t help feeling sympathy for the two girls and attempted to make them more comfortable.
“I really like your hair, Candace. Did you do it yourself?”
She smiled, fingering her hair to check the condition of the beautiful braid. “No, Becca did it for me.”
“Really? Becca, you did that? It’s amazing. How’d you learn to do it?”
Becca shrugged. “It’s nothing really—I just like doing it.”
Spencer inspected Candace’s hair. “Wow. It’s pretty cool, Becca. You have hidden talents.” Becca beamed at his praise.
“Well, Candace has such beautiful hair, but I’d love to learn how to do it. I always do this plain braid.” Emily indicated her own hair. In truth, she knew a variety of braiding styles, but usually didn’t bother with them. Still, none of her braids had ever approached the intricate design woven into Candace’s hair.
“I could show you.” Becca’s smile seemed genuine enough.
“I’d love that.”
“Your shoes are really cute, Emily,” said Candace.
“Thanks. They’re new, and I thought this might be the only time I used them. But hiking seems pretty fun, as long as I don’t have to pee in the woods.”
Candace and Becca both giggled and followed up with hilarious tales of hiking disasters. When Steven stood up with Anne to start the group moving again, Emily let them stay in the lead. Nothing she’d observed on the hike had bolstered her confidence in her mom’s claims about her health. She resolved to research ulcers a bit more. Was nausea a symptom?
Now the group moved up and down the trail in single file. But Spencer was behind the Gherrings, followed by Candace, then Emily and Becca. Candace and Becca chatted with Emily about inane topics. Emily discovered Candace had done ballet in the past and knew of a barre-based fitness program in the city. They stopped a few times to take pictures in the scenic spots. By the end of the two-hour hike, the three girls were conversing with animation and making plans together. Emily couldn’t see Spencer very well, but he didn’t look too happy.
Spencer brooded as he hiked. He ought to be glad the girls were getting along. At first, Becca and Candace had been rude to Emily. Then he’d had to fuss at Becca for intimating they’d spent the night together on a hike. Technically they had spent the night together, since the whole group of twenty-eight slept in one giant campground. He’d slept in a hammock, while Becca and two other girls had been inside a tent. Of course, that wasn’t what it had sounded like to Emily. Becca had pretended innocence in the comment, but he wasn’t convinced.
She’d always been flirty, but he’d laughed it off in the past. Had he led her on somehow? Ordinarily, he wouldn’t have cared whether someone had misunderstood such a comment. But this time he was upset both Emily and her mother had heard Becca. Mrs. Gherring had already told Emily he was a player, and he wasn’t even sure what she’d seen or heard to base her comment on.
But since the girls were acting chummy, Candace and Becca were monopolizing Emily. He’d barely gotten to speak to her on the entire hike. He frowned as the three broke out in laughter over some comment Candace made about leotards. What on earth was a leotard?
“We’re almost back,” Spencer said to Anne.
“That’s good,” Anne’s voice seemed bit shaky.
“Beautiful hike,” said Gherring. “Usually, even when I’m running or riding outside, I don’t really get to enjoy the scenery.”
“When’s your next Iron Man?” asked Spencer.
“Well, I’m signed up at the end of July.” He hesitated, glancing toward Anne. “But I’m thinking of backing out because of all the training time.”
“I don’t mind you taking time to train,” argued Anne.
“But, what if I’m off on some seven hour bike ride and… And something happens?”
Anne gave him a tiny shake of her head, pursing her lips. She asked Spencer, “Have you ever thought of doing triathlons?”
“Possibly someday… But not until after I graduate next December—the training is intense.”
Nearing the end of the hike, Anne grabbed her husband’s hand and whispered in his ear.
“Go on ahead. We’re making a quick potty break.” Gherring disappeared into the woods with Anne.
Spencer wondered why she couldn’t make it the ten minutes back to the parking lot. But he kept his thoughts to himself. Emily cast worried looks into the woods where they’d disappeared.
“Come on, Mr. Gherring said it would be a quick potty break. They’ll catch up.” He led the way down the end of the trail.
They waited at the parking area almost fifteen minutes before the Gherrings returned. Anne was attempting to smile, but her expression was forced, her face ashen. She was grasping onto Gherring’s arm for support, and he didn’t bother to hide his concern.
“What’s wrong with your mom?” asked Candace.
“She’s… She got severely dehydrated earlier in the week. She probably shouldn’t have come today.”
“I feel bad for talking them into coming.” Spencer debated offering to help Gherring get her back to the car.
“It’s not your fault,” said Emily. “He tried to talk her out of it. She can be very persuasive when she puts her mind to it.”
The Gherrings made their way to the group, stopping once on the way for Anne to rest. Gherring looked like he was about to pick her up and carry her, but she stepped away and began to walk again.
“I’m fine. I just got a little overheated. I should have worn shorts.” True to her statement, Anne’s forehead was beaded with sweat.
Gherring was quiet while everyone climbed into their seats and buckled up. He drove back a little faster than the speed limit, glancing at his wife frequently to check her condition. The ride might have been interminably quiet, but for Candace and Becca gossiping about all the people in the hiking club and forecasting potential hookups within the group.
Spencer noticed Emily was smiling and nodding her head in response, but kept watching her mom in the seat in front of her. From his vantage point, Anne appeared quite grey. Gherring made it back in record time and unceremoniously deposited Candace and Becca where he’d picked them up. They were still trying to talk to Spencer through the window when he drove away.
“Where would you like to be dropped off?” he asked Spencer and Emily. “We’re going to the hospital.”
“No, we’re not,” Anne protested.
“I’ll go with you,” said Emily.
“No!” Anne’s alarm was evident in her voice.
Gherring said, “Right now, it would be easier to go by ourselves to the emergency room. I’m sure she won’t be admitted. They’ll probably give her another IV and let her go. But if they admit her, I’ll call you.”
“Okay, but I want you to call me as soon as you know what they’re going to do with her.”
“Hello,” said Anne. “I’m in the car. Stop talking about me in third person.”
“Do you think she’s just dehydrated again?” Emily disregarded her mother.
“Yes, she’s definitely dehydrated, and she’s not eating enough. I don’t think her medicine’s working,” Gherring replied.
Spencer cleared his throat. “Why don’t you drop us off at Papa’s Place? We’ll grab a bite to eat. It’s walking distance to the hospital if you call.”
They hopped out on the curb next to Papa’s and watched Gherring speed off. Emily was obviously worried, but at least he finally had her to hims
elf. The morning hadn’t gone well, but lunch at Papa’s ought to be a slam-dunk.
Emily tried not to worry about her mom. Hopefully she’d hear from Steven by the end of lunchtime.
“This hike turned into a bust,” said Spencer. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s not your fault. I have a feeling she’d have been back at the hospital today whether or not she’d gone on the hike.”
“Well, I’m also sorry about Becca and Candace.”
“There’s no need to apologize for your friends.”
“They’re not my friends—not really. They’re just part of the hiking club.”
“Just part of the club? Even Becca?”
Spencer’s frown was severe. “I never dated Becca. We didn’t spend a night together camping, and we didn’t go on any private hikes.”
“It’s okay. It’s none of my business, anyway.”
“It’s the truth. I never dated her.”
Spencer held the restaurant door open for Emily. She was about to respond to his declaration when they were suddenly bombarded.
“Spencer!”
“Hey look, there he is!”
“Spencer!
“Who is this? Is this your new girlfriend?”
Four attractive girls surrounded them, pulling Spencer inside. Emily was immediately overwhelmed. Three were as tall as her, but one stood about chin-high at five feet two inches. The taller girls were lean and lanky, but the short girl was curvaceous. She was evidently the spokesperson for the clan, because she held up her hand for silence.
“Spencer, you can have lunch with us and introduce us to your girlfriend,” she spoke in a commanding voice.
Spencer’s eyes were apologetic. “Emily, these are my sisters. And this is Emily, my friend.” He looked pointedly at the shorter girl. “Not my girlfriend.”
“You didn’t tell me you had four sisters.”
He shrugged. “I told you I had four siblings.”
“Why didn’t you tell her about us?” asked the short one. “Hi, I’m Grace, by the way.”
