Travis crouched at the creek and dipped his fingers in the water. “Pretty awesome to have a swimming hole right in your backyard. Mighty cold temps, though. Probably not even above sixty.”
“Since when has the water temp been a deterrent for you?” Sam laughed and stooped down next to Travis. She finished the last of her Sam Adams and tossed it over by the other empty bottles.
“Well, when the surf’s up, I’ll brave water in the mid fifty-degree range—so long as I’m wearing a full wetsuit and hood.”
“Y’all are braver than I am,” Annie said. “I won’t get in the water unless it’s above seventy.”
Sam and Travis rolled their eyes and laughed. Sam peered down toward No Man’s Landing where a couple of kayaks were wedged in the sand as two guys stood on shore with fishing poles. On the other side of the Okatoma four people strolled along the water’s edge.
“Thanks for being here today,” Sam said and nudged her elbow into Travis’s ribcage. “You look handsome in that suit. Way different than your usual attire.”
“You both look nice,” Annie said and gazed at Sam. Her eyes drifted from her face, to her breasts, and farther down her body. “Haven’t seen you in a dress in years. You look...stunning.”
“I clean up well, huh? Pretty different than board shorts and T-shirts. Right, Miller?”
“I’m about ready to ditch the tie and dress shoes.”
“It felt right having you at the service. Mama was touched you flew all this way to be here.”
“You know I’d do anything for you, kiddo. You’re like a kid sister to me.” Travis draped his arm around Sam’s shoulders and pulled her into a sideways hug.
“Your sister? You’re old enough to be my dad.” Sam chuckled and shook her head.
“There she goes with the age thing again.” Annie laughed then handed her another beer.
“Seriously, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m just a text or a phone call away.”
For a moment, Sam thought about what Travis said, her mind focused on a possible way to honor Robert. She wasn’t entirely sure it would work, but she knew it was worth a try. “You know, there’s one thing I do need your help with. Well, and you, too, Annie.”
“Sure, anything,” Travis said and finished the last of his beer. By now, there was a collection of empty bottles near the creek.
Sam noticed the branches above her swaying slightly and then studied the river to assess the flow of water. She bent over to peel a piece of bark from the log then tossed it into the creek. For a few seconds, she watched the tiny piece of wood float downstream.
“Sam, what’s going on?” Annie asked and stepped closer to Sam.
Sam kept her eyes on the bark, which by now had floated downstream a few yards. Again, she tore off another piece, this one a much larger hunk. While she gazed at the bark, she waited until it reached No Man’s Landing.
Sam finally said, “Miller, we gotta get you out of that suit. Did you bring a change of clothes?”
“Not with me here. My stuff’s all at the hotel.”
“Robert’s probably got clothes you can fit into,” Sam said and glanced at his midsection. “Annie, you’ve still got some clothes in the barn. Anything’ll do, just something comfortable that you don’t mind getting dirty or wet.”
“What exactly are you gonna have us do?” Annie asked.
Sam gathered all the empty beer bottles and stepped into her heels then started up the path toward the lawn. “I’ll explain after you two get out of your church clothes. I gotta get out of this dress and these heels.”
Once the three of them changed into shorts and T-shirts, Sam led them to the side of the barn. In Robert’s old cargo shorts and a faded Padres T-shirt, Travis looked like a plump version of her brother.
Sam placed both hands on her hips and stared at the blue tarp. Then she peeled back the plastic covering and kneeled down to examine the raft. She surveyed the logs that were loosely connected with nylon rope and said, “Robert never had a chance to test out his raft. He always promised he’d take me down the creek sometime, even told me he’d leave this place by way of the river one day.”
“You think this thing’ll float?” Travis crouched down to examine the logs and loose twine.
“Looks pretty sturdy to me,” Annie said and bent down closer. “Maybe just tighten the logs a bit at the end? I’ve got nylon twine in the trunk.”
“Worth a try, don’t ya think?” Sam gripped her hands on one end of the raft. Likewise, Travis and Annie each took a side as the three of them lugged it to the middle of the lawn.
Annie jogged over to her car while Sam and Travis assessed the quality of the logs. Sam ran her hand along each one, looking for places that might need to be tightened. Once Annie returned with a spool of nylon twine, the three of them worked together until every log was flush with the others.
“Hang on,” Sam said and sprinted back to the barn. She returned with an oar and a blue baseball cap—the one Robert wore in the photo he’d sent her right before the accident. The neon green snake insignia above the bill hadn’t faded a bit. Sam placed the cap on her head then tucked the long strands of hair behind her ears.
The three of them hauled the raft across the lawn, past the magnolia tree, then down the dirt path. Once at the water’s edge, they dragged the raft along the sand a few feet until they reached an open entryway into the creek.
“This is where Robert would’ve wanted the raft to be launched.” Sam pointed to the creek then patted her front pocket to make sure the tiny keepsake urn wouldn’t fall out as she made her way down the river. Jane made the decision to have Robert cremated, his ashes divided up into three small urns—one for each of them to keep and one to be spread somewhere here along the Okatoma. But rather than spread the cremains along the creek, Sam had a better plan.
With help from Travis, Sam situated the vessel at the edge of the creek. Then she used her foot to nudge it away from shore. “Once I reach a stronger current, I bet this thing’ll go pretty far.”
“Wait, you’re actually going to ride this thing down the river?” Annie asked.
“What did you think I was gonna do with it? Just set it adrift with no one to steer it?”
“Doesn’t the river get pretty treacherous up ahead? What if the raft gets stuck on submerged logs or rocks in a remote area with no one around to help you?”
“Annie, relax, will ya? I’ll steer it so that I don’t get trapped in any low-lying branches, but if this raft does end up getting wedged somewhere, then I swim or walk to shore.” Sam kicked off her flip-flops and tossed them far from the water’s edge. She stood up to her ankles in the frigid water and again studied the current.
“What if the raft capsizes in a rough area?” Annie asked and flailed her arms in the air.
“Sam’s a strong swimmer,” Travis said, his voice calm. “There’s really nothing she can’t handle when it comes to dangerous conditions. River rapids probably won’t be much of a challenge for her.”
“What’s the worst that could happen? I might hit some class four or five rapids, and the raft might jostle if the whitewater gets real treacherous, but I can handle it.”
“Babe, this is a crazy idea. I can’t have you do this. This makeshift raft doesn’t seem sturdy enough to withstand any rapids. You could drown.”
Sam understood Annie’s concerns, but it was true that she could handle some of the most treacherous conditions in the water. “Annie, as a lifeguard, I’ve experienced far more dangerous ocean conditions than anything I could possibly encounter in this river. Besides, Robert knew what he was doing when he built this thing.” Sam stepped into the water up to her knees then set her hand on the deck of the raft and studied the waterway once more.
“I’m going with you,” Annie said and stepped out of her sneakers. “You can’t do this alone. I won’t let you.” Annie tromped through the water to get closer to Sam.
“You won’t let me? Annie, I’ll be okay.�
� By now Sam was up to her waist, her shorts and the end of her T-shirt totally saturated. A breeze chilled her damp skin, causing her to shiver.
“Frigid temps or not,” Annie said, “I’m coming along. You shouldn’t do this alone.”
Sam glimpsed at Travis and shrugged. “Guess I’ll have company on my journey down the river.”
“Travis, there’s a bridge a few miles downriver,” Annie said. “Meet us there. Ask Jane to tell you how to get there.” Annie hoisted her body up on the raft.
Sam sat at the front and used the oar to slice through the water to propel the raft forward. The gentle lap of the oar slicing through the water soothed her as she inhaled the crisp spring air. She barely needed to paddle, for the current gently carried them downstream. The vessel that Robert made years ago proved to handle the river well so far.
Focusing on the waterway ahead, Sam noticed whitewater but knew she could handle the stronger currents. “It’s nice to get away from everyone. I can’t really take putting up a front right now. You’ve always been okay with me being quiet and not prodding to ask me what I’m thinking. You’re the only person I feel real with.”
“I can relate. Can’t exactly let my guard down with just anyone like I can with you. It’s weird but with Marsha, I don’t think I ever fully let my guard down. It’s like I always felt I had to appear strong and seem on top of things when I was around her. Now that she and I are totally done, I can see this so much more clearly now.”
Sam scooted to the middle of the raft and sat on her knees. Then she used the oar to guide them away from the boulders on the left. The raft jostled when the water became bumpy and violent. She steered the raft closer to the middle of the river, and a huge wall of water saturated them. Sam felt invigorated being in the water again—reminding her of summers guarding the beach in San Diego. But within seconds, the raft rumbled over rougher currents. They were catapulted into the air a couple feet and sailed over the rushing river.
“Maybe we should get to shore and get out of the water!” Annie yelled over the surging waves.
“This is nothing, only a class two rapid. I got this.” Sam concentrated on each stroke of the oar while she guided the raft through the sloshing current.
“Only a class two rapid? Feels pretty dangerous to me.”
“It’s gonna be okay. Once we get past that bend up ahead, the river is like a lake.” The raft surged over the whitewater, but Sam steered them through the fierce waves and kept them safe.
The raft soared across the ferocious current with ease, the logs keeping them afloat as they entered the class four rapids. Sam heard Annie holler out something behind her, but the roar of the rumbling river drowned out her words. By now, the river was completely white—the frothy surge pulling the vessel through the water’s path.
“Don’t let go of the rope!” Sam yelled. “Hold tight no matter what, even if the raft flips over.”
Soon, the river narrowed, and the current became more treacherous. Not sure if the rocks up ahead indicated a surging waterfall or class five rapids, Sam guided the vessel through as it barreled over the falls. They bobbed up and down in a swirling pool of water in the middle of the surge.
The water then suddenly leveled out to what Sam would call only a class two rapid, and within a couple minutes, the water became glassy. Robert used to tell her about how the Okatoma was so unpredictable—calm in some areas and ferocious in others. Finally experiencing it for herself, Sam now understood what he meant. She knew he would’ve been proud of how well she managed the raft in the rough rapids, but she also knew that he’d constructed a sturdy vessel able to withstand dangerous conditions.
Right now, the raft barely moved in the current, so Sam used the oar to propel them along. After she set the oar next to her, Sam dangled her legs in the water then took off Robert’s baseball cap and wedged it between the logs. Once she determined that the current was safe up ahead, she lay back and gazed at the sky. Her arms felt weak from working through those rapids, but the sun on her skin soothed her.
“Holy shit!” Annie said. “That was intense. You were amazing back there.”
“Told you I’d keep us safe,” Sam said and closed her eyes then felt in her pocket to make sure the tiny urn was still there.
Annie slapped her hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Damn, girl, I’ve seen you guard the beach on a mellow day, but I’d never actually seen you handle rough conditions like this. I never thought I’d enjoy riding the rapids, but that was awesome. Maybe we could take up river rafting. One of the officers has been telling me I could borrow his kayak. How different is a kayak in the rapids than this raft? As long as I’ve got you to rescue me in case we capsize, I’m good to go.”
Sam didn’t respond right away but sat upright and moved to the front of the raft. She dipped the oar in the calm river and moved the raft forward. A cool breeze chilled her damp skin. She gazed at the trees along the river, the terrain looking familiar to her as they neared the bend where the Okatoma joined the Bouie.
“Annie,” Sam finally said and looked back at Annie for a moment. “I’m not gonna be in Mississippi much longer. I’ve decided to take the lieutenant position. I’ll be returning to San Diego in a couple days.”
“Wow, that soon?” Annie furrowed her brow, looking more angry than surprised at Sam’s news.
“Earlier today Travis told me they still want me as lieutenant. I need to jump on this now or else they’ll choose someone else for the position. Not sure how I feel about supervising lifeguards and not doing so many rescues, but I think it’s a good move forward.”
“You think your mom’ll be okay by herself?”
“We Cleveland women are strong. Mama’s ready to go back to work full-time and might even apply for a supervisor position at the hospital. I’ll be back periodically, at least over the holidays.”
Annie expelled a long breath and slumped forward. “Well, I enjoyed having you back in town these last few weeks, but...I know this really isn’t your home anymore.”
Sam once again focused on the surface of the water, ever watchful for a change in the current. “I’ll always have a home here with Mama, but...San Diego is where I need to be right now.”
“I understand. It’s time for you to leave Covington County.”
“I’ve enjoyed having you nearby. Even staying together in the cramped quarters of the barn for a few weeks was...uh, nice.”
“Even with my snoring?” Annie laughed and kicked the water with her foot.
Sam gazed at the path of water in front of them. She couldn’t even look at Annie to say what’d been on her mind for weeks now, but she knew it was time to finally say something. “Annie, I need to say something. I should’ve said something about this weeks ago, but with Robert going into the rehab hospital and then coming home and...well, then with his passing, I figured I’d just let it go. But I feel like I need to talk about it, or apologize, I guess. See, when you and I woke up that one morning and—”
“Sam, I know what you’re going to say. I’ve felt bad about this for weeks now.”
Surprised that Annie also felt bad about what almost happened a few weeks ago, Sam proceeded to finally get all of this off her chest. “I think it’s probably best we were interrupted.”
“I had the same thought right after your mom knocked on the door. I shouldn’t have...let it go as far as it did.”
Relieved that Annie felt the same way, Sam relaxed and felt the words flowing more easily than she anticipated. “I’m sorry if I led you on or gave you the wrong message.”
The raft surged forward in the gentle current, the water forming ripples with each stroke of the oar. Sam glanced at Annie behind her, wondering what was going through her mind.
Annie didn’t respond right away but then laughed quietly and said, “I know if your mom hadn’t interrupted us, I wouldn’t have stopped, but I think that probably wouldn’t have been such a good idea.”
“As I think back on that morning, I realize I was
probably overcome with the memory of how drawn to you I was at one time. I mean, we had something incredible.”
“We did have something amazing, but for me, it felt like more than igniting a desire from the past.”
Sam didn’t respond but sat up and put the oar back in the water. The current remained calm while she maneuvered her way down the Bouie River. She glanced into the water to see the rocks along the bottom. Crisp, clear, and calm, the river soothed her, but she kept her guard up should they encounter more rapids ahead.
“Annie, what I’m about to say is pretty hard.” Sam paused and stared at the rocks at the bottom of the river, but she got up the nerve to look Annie directly in the eyes. “What we had years ago was incredible, but I think part of me moving forward includes us remaining good friends and keeping those lines clear. I can’t deny that the feelings are still there...but it’s time for me to leave the past behind. Going back to San Diego and taking this new position provides me with the sort of new start I need right now.”
Annie sighed loudly and didn’t say a word for a couple minutes. She dangled her feet in the water and used her hand to help paddle the raft through the slow current. “Sam, I understand. If there’s one thing I learned about getting back together with Marsha, it’s that you can’t rekindle the passion from long ago. You and I really do make good friends, and I’m grateful for that.”
“Sometimes it seems easier to remain single,” Sam said and shook her head. The raft jostled as the current once again became stronger.
“Yeah, less complicated, huh? But, you’re young. You could find someone right for you. Now that you’ll be returning to San Diego, maybe you should pursue things with Kim. I know I’ve said some stupid things about how young she is, but hell, you and I had something amazing, and you and I had a much bigger age difference than you and Kim do. I think you should go for it.”
“I don’t know. I mean, I get the sense there’s a reason why she and I have only been...together once. It always seems like there’s some sort of obstruction in our way.”
“I think that obstruction has been removed, don’t you think?”
Saving Sam Page 27
