Summer of the Loon

by Deanna Lynn Sletten

  Jo walked over to Ben and sat down on the bench beside him, facing him. "I don't know. What brought this on?"

  "Ali's worked for years to have her own money. I just found out she's owned second hand clothes her whole life. And we both know how Jen died. A drug and booze overdose. What kind of life did Ali have? What kind of mother was Jen? And why?" Ben asked, the frustration growing in his voice.

  "Maybe there was never enough money for new things," Jo said. "Jen was a single mother. Earning money for rent, clothes, and food can be expensive."

  "And booze? And drugs? Those are expensive, too. Did Ali do without because her mother was buying things she shouldn't have bought?" Ben asked.

  "Does it matter now?" Jo asked. "Jen is gone and Ali is here now. Ali's a good girl and a hard worker. Jen must have been enough of a good influence for Ali to turn out that way."

  Ben shook his head. He looked up at Jo and gave her a half smile. "You always find the good in a situation, don't you?"

  Jo winked. "Someone around here has to."

  "She never talks about her mother, you know. Why do you think that is?"

  "I don't know, but she will when she's ready. Just give her time." Jo stood and went back to her work.

  Ben finished his sandwich. His thoughts turned back to the day Jen had told him and Lizzie that she was pregnant. They'd fought. She'd run off. He could have helped her all these years. He could have made sure Ali was okay and had what she needed. He may have even been able to help Jen with her addiction problems, if that was what she'd had. But Jen had never contacted him, never let him know she'd needed help. It had been easier for him to ignore the fact that he had a daughter and granddaughter out there, somewhere, than to come face to face with it. Now, it was coming back to haunt him, and he wasn't handling it very well.

  Chapter Eleven

  The days flew by, especially the weekends when guests came to the lodge. Ali had worked hard as a waitress, but keeping up with cabin cleaning, meal preparation, and serving kept her busier than she'd ever been before. She didn't mind, though. She was earning money, and that made it all worthwhile.

  Ali had asked Jo what she should do about a checking account, and Jo had suggested she open an account with the bank in Auburn. "As long as you aren't saving hundreds of thousands of dollars, you're safe there," Jo had teased her. Ali didn't have hundreds of thousands of dollars, so she did as Jo suggested.

  Ali fell into a routine as the days went by. Each morning she'd get up early and sit in the boat with her grandfather. At first, she'd gone out with him only because he'd asked, but now she went out because she actually enjoyed it. The mornings were usually cool, with a mist rising off the lake as the sun came up. The loons always flew in before the boat headed into shore, and Ali loved watching and listening to the majestic birds. Sometimes her grandfather talked about the wildlife in the area, but mostly they just fished in silence. Ali enjoyed the peace of the lake in the morning, the stillness of the water, and the beauty of the sunrise. They almost always brought back fish, and enjoyed the competition between them, seeing who'd catch the most fish for the day.

  In the afternoons, Ali looked forward to Chase returning home from school and spending time with him. On weekends, they were both too busy to do much together, but on weekday afternoons, they found an hour or two to walk to the point and sit, or glide through the water in the canoe. They'd talk, which Ali enjoyed the most, getting to know each other better. They talked about their childhoods, their friends, their dreams for the future. The more Ali learned about Chase, the more it reaffirmed that he was truly a nice guy with a good heart. And each day, they grew closer as friends.

  Ali asked her grandfather to teach her how to start up the generator so she could go to the cabin some afternoons and wash clothes. Ben grudgingly agreed to show her, and she'd go there between work at the lodge and toss in a load of clothes or her sheets or towels, whatever needed to be done, and read books on her Kindle while she waited for each load to wash and dry. After finding fresh, clean towels in the bathroom and fresh sheets on the bed on a regular basis, her grandfather stopped grumbling about her using the generator during the day.

  On two occasions, Ali borrowed her grandfather's truck to go into town in the afternoon so she could talk to Megan on the phone. She always went to the coffeehouse for a caramel cappuccino and a brownie, visited a few minutes with Kat's mom, Karen, then connected with Megan for a chat. But each time, Ali came away feeling sad instead of happy. With each phone call, she felt the distance between her and her best friend growing wider. Megan was out in California enjoying an entirely different lifestyle from Ali and having fun with friends. Ali was no longer a part of that life. Ali mentioned it to Chase one evening as they sat at the end of the dock, their legs dangling over the edge and their feet in the cool water. He'd asked her why she'd been so quiet all afternoon and at supper.

  "I went into town and talked to Megan today," she told him. "Our lives are so different now. I don't feel as connected to her as I once was. I feel like I'm losing my best friend."

  Chase wrapped his arm around her waist and she scooted over closer to him. "I can be your new best friend, if you'd like," he said softly.

  Ali looked up into his gentle blue eyes. "I'd like that," she told him. "But do you really want to talk to me about clothes and makeup and boys, and all those silly things girls talk about?" she asked with a grin.

  Chase smiled. "You can talk to me about anything, and I'll listen to most of it, or pretend to listen if I find it boring. But you can't talk to me about boys. I don't want to hear that you like anyone except me."

  Ali laughed. "Deal."

  ***

  The month of May came to a close and Chase was finally graduating from high school. On the last Friday afternoon of May, the graduation was held. Ali, Ben, and Jo sat in the bleachers in the gymnasium along with the rest of the town of Auburn and watched as the graduates crossed the stage and accepted their diplomas. Ali had stared at the old school building in amazement. It looked to be built in the early 1900s, was three stories high, had a small gymnasium in the center of the school with a stage and balcony seating above, narrow stairways leading up and down to the different levels, and tiny classrooms. She couldn't believe that people still went to school in a place like this, and she really couldn't believe that she'd be attending school here in the fall.

  Right before the ceremony started, Kat had caught sight of Ali and run down the row of bleachers to sit beside her.

  "Do you mind if I sit with you?" Kat asked.

  Ali shook her head. "Do you have a relative graduating today?"

  "No. But I know the whole graduating class. Everyone comes to graduation. It's like a big event here."

  Ali nodded. It seemed strange to her, but she still wasn't used to small town living. At her old school, you had to get tickets for family members to attend graduation and it lasted hours. There were only twenty-five kids in Chase's class, so graduation was going to last a matter of minutes.

  Ali watched with pride as Chase accepted his diploma. He turned and smiled up at their little group in the bleachers. She figured he was smiling at his mom, but she hoped the smile was for her, too. Afterward, everyone met outside on the lawn for congratulations and family photos.

  Kat was running around, congratulating everyone, then came back to stand beside Ali. "Are you and Chase coming to the graduation party tonight?" she asked.

  Ali's brows rose. Chase hadn't mentioned a party.

  "Chase didn't tell you, did he?" Kat asked, rolling her eyes. "Chase never comes to any of the parties. But he can't miss this one. It's for graduation. It's the biggest party of the year."

  "Where is it at?" Ali asked, curious about this party that Chase had forgotten to mention.

  "It's out at The Landing," Kat said.

  "Where's that?"

  "Oh, it's just an old campground no one uses anymore out at the point on Black Lake. Chase knows where it is, he just never comes to any
of the parties. Try talking him into coming, okay? I can introduce you to some of the kids in our class and point out all the ones you won't want to be friends with," Kat said, grinning.

  Ali smiled. Kat was always so full of energy, Ali wondered if she drank too much coffee at work.

  Jo and Ben had to get back to the resort because it was a Friday and Jo had to take care of the arriving guests. Jo had made a cake to celebrate Chase's graduation and they were going to eat it after supper. It was Chase's favorite—carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. The four finally piled into Ben's truck and headed off.

  "Kat mentioned a graduation party tonight," Ali said to Chase in the back seat of Ben's truck. "Are you going?"

  "I don't know," Chase said. "I never do. It's really not the kind of thing I go to."

  "Why?"

  Chase nodded toward his mother and Ben in the front seat. Ali realized he didn't want to talk about the party in front of them.

  "Oh, go on and tell her, Chase," Ben piped up. "We all know the kids go out in the woods and have a drinking party for graduation. It's not a secret."

  Chase shook his head. "Can't get anything past Ben," he said to Ali.

  Later, after supper and cake, Chase asked Ali if she'd like to go with him for an hour or so to the party. "I don't usually go to those things, but it is graduation," he said.

  Ali wavered. She wasn't too fond of being around a bunch of drunk people, and she didn't know if her grandfather would allow her to go.

  "You both should go for a while," Jo piped up. "I know Chase will be responsible and not drink. It's probably the last time you'll be around all your classmates for a long time. Go and enjoy."

  Ben frowned, but didn't say anything.

  "Grandpa? Is it okay?" Ali asked.

  "Well, Jo went ahead and already said yes, so I guess I can't say no now," Ben said gruffly. "But be back by eleven. And no drinking."

  "Midnight," Jo said. "And I agree. No drinking."

  Ben rolled his eyes as he stood up and started helping Jo clear off the table.

  An hour later, Chase and Ali were in his truck heading down a gravel road the size of a cow path. Ali had asked Chase earlier what she should wear. He'd said her T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers were fine, but to be sure to bring a heavy sweatshirt because it would be cold by the lake, even with a bonfire.

  "See," he'd said with a wink. "I can talk about clothes when I have to."

  Ali had worn a pair of the new jeans she'd bought at Rosie's as well as the American Eagle sweatshirt. She'd left her hair down, just pushing it back behind her ears. The blue sweatshirt made her eyes a brilliant blue, especially with her dark hair framing her face. Chase had smiled wide when he saw her before they headed out in his truck. Ali liked making him smile.

  It was after nine when they arrived at the party. Ali couldn't figure out how Chase could see where he was going with the sky so dark and the road so narrow. As they pulled in next to a row of cars parked to the side, she saw a bonfire roaring, and the lake sparkling in the moonlight. Music was blasting from somewhere, and kids were already laughing and making all sorts of noise that echoed off the body of water.

  Kat saw them first as they walked up to the crowd around the bonfire. She had a plastic cup in her hand and it spilled a little as she ran up to them.

  "You made it," Kat said, a little too loud. "I'm so happy you're here." She linked arms with Ali as if they'd been best friends forever, and led her toward the bonfire. Chase just shook his head and followed them.

  "Hey, look everyone. The prom king is here. Long live the king!" a boy with shaggy, brown hair yelled as Ali, Kat, and Chase drew closer to the fire. Soon, another boy joined in on the chant of "long live the king" and they both laughed hysterically, as if it was the funniest thing they'd ever heard.

  Ali looked over at Chase with a teasing grin. "You were prom king?"

  Chase rolled his eyes. "Someone had to be," he said. "Okay, guys. Everyone heard you for miles around, so shut up now." Chase turned to Ali. "These two idiots are my friends, Jake and Eric. Don't get too close, though. They're insane."

  "Oooooh, lookie," Jake, the shaggy-haired kid said. "The prom king brought a princess." He stepped up closer to Ali, his eyes wide. "And she's really pretty, too. Hi pretty princess."

  Chase's eyes narrowed. "This is Ali, you jerk. Stop acting stupid."

  Jake bowed low in front of Ali, and Eric did the same. The cups in their hands spilled all over the ground in front of them, but they didn’t seem to notice. "So happy to meet you, Princess Ali," Jake said.

  "Just ignore them," Kat said to Ali. "They're already drunk. They were drinking right out of the tap a few minutes ago."

  A tall girl with long, blonde hair sidled up beside Chase and linked her arm around his. "Chase can't be the prom king without his queen," she said, smiling up at him. Ali saw Chase try to pull away, but the girl held on tightly.

  "More like Queen Bitchalot," Jake said in a pretend whisper, then laughed loudly at his own joke. Eric laughed along.

  The girl's eyes narrowed at the two boys. "Shut up, you jerks. Chase? Are you going to let them talk to me like that?"

  Chase sighed.

  Kat whispered in Ali's ear. "That's Emily. She's been after Chase for years. She's the banker's daughter, and she's a spoiled little snot. She hangs out with those two." Kat pointed out two other girls coming up beside Emily. "They're Ashley and Kelsey, and they follow Emily everywhere. They're all going to be seniors this fall, too. Have you seen the movie Mean Girls? Well, we all think it was written about these three."

  Chase disengaged himself from Emily, told Ali he'd be right back, then grabbed Jake and Eric by their arms and dragged them off toward the fire. Emily stood there a moment, her lips pursed and a crease between her brows, looking like she might scream. But then she turned her sights on Ali, softened her face, and came to stand in front of her with her two friends right behind her.

  "So, you're old man Jenson's granddaughter," Emily said, giving Ali the once over.

  Ali just stood there and stared at Emily. She'd dealt with many spoiled kids over the years, and some really mean ones, too. She could handle Emily if she had to.

  "I hear you're cleaning cabins at the resort this summer," Emily said, smirking. "I'm sure it's the perfect job for you." Emily's two friends snickered behind her.

  "What's it to you?" Ali asked, looking straight into Emily's eyes.

  Emily's eyes narrowed. She looked Ali up and down again. "Chase is too good for you," she told Ali. "If I were you, I'd just forget about him. He'll drop you as fast as he does all the girls he dates." With that, Emily and her friends laughed, turned, and headed back to the fire.

  "Stupid little bitch," Kat said, taking a sip from her cup. "I've had to put up with her my whole life. I should pour water on her and see if she melts."

  Ali turned and smiled at Kat. "She's not worth the trouble. I've found it's easier to ignore people like her."

  Kat nodded reluctantly. "My mom always says that too, but girls like her make me so mad. Don't worry, though, there are a few nice girls in school." Kat grabbed Ali's arm. "Come on. Let's go get you a beer."

  Ali shook her head. "You go ahead. I don't want one right now." She spotted Chase standing by his friends and went to stand with him while Kat went to get a refill. Chase had a cup in his hand which was half full, and Ali frowned at him as she drew near.

  "Don't worry. I'll only have this one," he whispered into her ear.

  Ali relaxed and listened as the boys talked about basketball games they'd played in at school. Chase introduced Ali to three boys, Brandon, Steve, and Matt, who were going to be seniors with her in the fall. Matt's eyes grew wide when he looked at Ali. "You're so pretty," he said, then turned red when he realized he'd said it aloud. Ali thanked him graciously, but the other boys teased him mercilessly.

  "It's okay," Chase told Matt. "I agree with you completely." This time, Ali turned red.

  Kat joined the group and so d
id Jake and Eric. The bonfire grew warm, and the kids at the party were getting louder and more rowdy as they consumed too much beer. Ali stood there, watching everyone, feeling like an outsider no matter how nice they were to her. At home, she would have never gone to a beer party. She'd had too much experience watching the consequences of alcohol at home. Megan and her other friends weren't into partying, either. Their idea of a fun time was shopping at the mall or hanging out at the pizza place and watching the cute delivery boys. Standing here, in the deep woods, by a lake with a bonfire blazing while everyone drank beer was just too new to Ali, and she didn't really like it. It reminded her too much of how her mother acted when she was drunk—silly and stupid— and it brought back too many bad memories.

  After a while, Chase looked down at Ali and quietly asked her if she'd like to go home. She nodded. They were just turning to leave when Jake came stumbling over to them with three beers in his hands.

  "Hey guys, don't leave yet. The party's just started," Jake said. Suddenly, he tripped, and the beers went flying out of his hands. Ali jumped back, but it was too late. Beer spilled all over the front of her new sweatshirt and jeans. Everyone in the group stopped and stared with wide eyes.

  "You idiot!" Chase yelled at Jake. "Look what you've done."

  Jake righted himself and ran up to Ali. "I'm so sorry," he said, swaying. "I didn't mean to, I swear. I'm so sorry." He reached out as if to brush the beer off of Ali's sweatshirt but Chase ran interference.

  "Don't touch her. Geez, Jake. What were you thinking?" Chase said, exasperated. He took Ali's hand and pulled her away from the group toward the truck. Everyone in the group looked at them for another moment before they went back to drinking and talking.

  Chase reached inside the truck and pulled out a clean rag. "Come on. Let's see if we can wipe some of that off of your sweatshirt." Ali silently followed him to a quiet place by the lake. There was only enough moonlight for them to see where the shore ended and the water began. Chase dipped the rag into the water, squeezed out the excess moisture, and turned to Ali. "Here," he said, handing her the rag.