She hurried along the wet, rubbery-plasticky surface, careful not to fall into the lake, but didn’t get far before he caught up and passed her.He jogged up an incline, only to be stalled by a young boy trying to climb in front of him.Losing his momentum on the blowup surface, Eric staggered sideways and tumbled into the lake with a screech and an enormous splash.
Wanda stared into the water, trying to see him.When he didn’t surface immediately, she began to worry.She glanced around.Where was the lifeguard?Heart thudding in her chest, she kneeled down looking for Eric.
The water wasn’t deep, but the bottom was stirred up enough to make it nearly impossible to see anything.Or anyone.All around her, people carried on as if nothing had happened, and a man was drowning.She leaned further forward, preparing to slip into the water and start a manual search for him.She was a very strong swimmer; she could find him.
Heart thudding in her chest; her pulse beating triple-time, she searched.Another scan of the area enclosed by the play structure, and she prepared to slide in.What if he’d bumped his head or hurt himself?
“Whatcha lookin’ at?”Eric’s voice sounded in her ear.
A squeal burst out, and she was down…sliding into the water with her mouth and eyes wide open.She floundered for a moment and came up sputtering and coughing.She went under twice before managing to control herself.Thank heaven for hours of kayaking, practice spills,and muscle memory, which she was surprised was still there.It must be like riding a bike.Once you learn you never really forget.
She coughed up more water and hovered near the edge of the equipment, dog-paddling to stay in place.
“You’re a jerk.”She sucked in more air, coughed, and managed to get control of her breathing.“I thought you were drowning.I was coming in to save you.”
“Sorry.”
He didn’t sound particularly contrite.
She glared at him for a moment, part annoyed, part amused.He’d pranked her good.
“Can I help you out?”
She squinted at him.“Can I trust you?”
“Absolutely.Or there’s a rope ladder over there.”He pointed to her left.
She glanced at the ladder and back at him.“Help me out.”She paddled closer and raised her arm.
He squatted and grasped her hand, just as a naughty thought hit her.
“Lean forward and pull,” she demanded.He leaned and squatted lower down.
“On three.”He paused.“One, two…”
With each number, she gave a little bounce, pushing herself further out of the water.
“Three!”He leaned a bit more and pulled.
Pulling him harder, she ducked under the water.
He soared over her head and landed in the water behind her.She spared him one quick glance before swimming, as fast as she could, to the ladder and climbing out.Hands on hips, laughing uncontrollably, she watched him sputter and slowly make his way toward her.
“You’ll pay for that,” he warned with a grin.“I don’t know how or when, but you will pay.”He enunciated each word slowly and carefully.
“Truce?”She raised her brows and grinned.
“For now.”
Threehourslater,afteranother stop for food because playing in the water burned a lot of energy, they pulled into the campground on Lake Wabamun.
“Here we are,” Eric declared.The area was beautiful, with the lake shimmering in the distance beyond the shore.The area was covered in trees with multiple paths running through the sparse underbrush, and the air was fresh and sweet in a way you couldn’t ever get in the city.
“It’s a good thing your assistant could find out where we needed to be, but I wonder where everyone is.”
Their bus sat in the parking lot near a long, low building, but there weren’t any people to be seen.
“I’m guessing they’re inside.”He pointed toward the building.“Probably some type of orientation.”
