“OOOH, that looks like something Jack Kennedy would take Jackie out on atThe Cape.” Goldie had played young Joan Kennedy in a miniseries back in the early aughts.
“Yeah, Keith’s Chris-Craft is a beauty, isn’t she?”
“Wow, okay, so is that George Clooney behind the wheel?”
“Donottell Keith you think he looks like George Clooney.”
“That’sKeith? Wow, nice one, sister.”
“Stop, but yeah, George Clooney wishes.”
They held hands and started laughing. They were both more or less soaked.
“Stop, this is making me have to pee,” Goldie said as the situation grew more and more absurd.
“Well, you’re in the lake. Go for it.”
“I mean, I am really falling down the shoot here now.”
“There’s not a potty on the boat, Goldie.”
“Right.”
A moment later, Keith got as close as he could get to them.
“You’ll have to swim out. That seaweed is gonna muck up the engine. Hi, Goldie.”
“Hey Keith, thanks for the lift.”
“You okay to swim a few feet?”
“I am, I am.”
Goldie took Libby’s lead again, and they got close to the boat. Libby tread water easily, but Goldie wasn’t as sure of herself.
“Here!” Keith flung a life preserver to Libby, and she slowly slid it over to Goldie.
“I’m really okay.” As Goldie said it, a little lake water went up her nose.
“Take it. It will not be good for tourism if an Oscar winner drowns in Lake Manitou.”
Goldie gratefully grabbed the life preserver. The little panic she had been starting to experience ebbed. They’d be fine. They’d be just fine.
“Get her first,” Libby said as Keith put out a hand. Libby slid Goldie toward the boat.
“I got you.” He grabbed her hand and lifted her ball cap to toes out of the water. She landed on the deck of the boat like a fish.
“Whoa, you’re heavier than you look, bubble butt,” Keith said and gave her a wink. He kneeled down and looked at her like he was a surgeon. He was the same old Keith, and she was inclined to either punch him in the shoulder or hug his neck.
“You’re okay, just waterlogged.” He was kind and patient with the antics of the Sandbar Sisters. In between teasing them. He really was an honorary member of the club.
“I’m okay.”
“Okay, Q, get in here.”
Libby was on the back of the boat. Goldie watched as her friend confidently used her arms to push herself up.
“Wow, someone has been doing her pushups,” Goldie said.
