She hoped the bugs were not going to be too bad – she hated bugs. She was also horrified at the thought of Michael seeing her in a bathing suit, for many reasons. She still wasn’t sure she had made the right decision going at all. She had been camping a few times in her younger days and it suited her well enough, but that was a long time ago.
She wasn’t sure she would be comfortable in the company of his children; would they even want her there? Would they get the wrong idea? She debated whether to bring a book or not, not having the slightest idea if she would get to read it. Whatdid they do for two days at the cottage? Well, she thought, the cottage must have a television, and all the amenities one could want.
If the mansion onMajesta Roadwas any indication, the cottage would be fantastic. Why, she was sure it would be just like staying at a luxury resort.
“I don’t know why I’m worried. It’ll be fantastic. No bugs I’m sure,” she reassured herself.
“I can’t believe you’re going to a cottage. You’re the least outdoorsy person I know,” Robert told her as he stood in the ensuite, brushing his teeth. “I don’t get why you’re going to this thing anyway.”
“Because Dot invited me...and....” She didn’t quite know herself.
“So it’s going to be you and her, and her son’s family?”
“Um...yes.”
“The old bag probably just needs a friend.”
“Exactly...” Angela hadn’t quite shared all the details. She didn’t want him to doubt her, although she wondered if maybe she should doubt herself.
Robert grabbed the black bathing suit she had packed from her bag. “You’re not wearing this, are you?”
“Yes. What’s the problem with it?”
“It’s like something my mother would wear. You should bring your white bikini – you look smokin’ in that.”
Yes, that’s exactly the look she was going for. No, she would not be bringing the white bikini.
She had barely slept a wink the night before but surprisingly Angela wasn’t tired behind the wheel as she worried she wouldbe. She listened to old CDs and took in the sights as she drove; mostly farm land and fields, the odd gigantic road signs advertising landscaping, RVs, attractions and restaurants. She had a game plan; she would stop
an hour in at this little burger place a friend had raved about. The anticipation was making the trip seem much longer than it actually was. Angela felt a mix of excitement, doubt and worry. She still wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do. She tried to maneuver the CDs on the passenger seat while concentrating on the road. She also had a map on the seat which she checked every time she saw a major road sign; she had a tendency to get lost.
When she finally got to the burger place, she ordered a burger and homemade fries and a Coke. She took a seat at one of the picnic table and enjoyed a nice summer lunch. She followed her lunch with an unfortunate rest stop in the dirty decrepit washroom at the restaurant. The burgers were good but the bathroom was filthy and mal-equipped; no toilet paper. As she washed her hands, she could only see the top of her head as the mirror was hung at a ridiculously high height, by a very tall man, she imagined.
The second half of the trip was longer but more beautiful. Angela admired the myriad of colorful trees set against the majestic rocks lining the road; grays and blacks and terra-cotta set against vibrant greens and a bright blue sky.
She wished she had someone to talk to. Maybe Michael; she loved talking to him. He was a good listener. But on second thought, she thought it would be best not to talk to him too much. She was threading dangerous waters with him. She told herself she would keep her distance; she would not get into intimate conversations with him, or look at him too much, or even have inappropriate thoughts about him.
She was there to help and that was it. She was in truth, partly there because she had been slightly bullied by Dot.
The sights were beautiful, the sky a bright blue. She would also have fun, she promised herself.
As she got closer to her destination, she kept a close watch on the road she was meant to turn on, off the highway; a gravel road which would probably dust up her car and be a little hard on her tires. As long as she didn’t have another flat, she would be fine; although if she did have another one, she would know what to do. After about ten minutes of intense focus, she felt a wave of excitement as she finally saw the gravel road and made and abrupt turn, leaving a cloud of dust.
Another five minutes and I’m there, she thought, excited. She was careful not to go too fast as the road was quite narrow and curvy and some of the pick-up trucks she passed drove insanely fast.
As she came to the marina, she saw the lake in all its glory, a few boats docked. She drove slowly into the parking area, looking to see if she could see Michael. As she got out of her car, she spotted him and waved. He jogged over and went to hug her but abruptly stopped. He looked at her chest, puzzled.
“What is that?”
She looked down at a big reddish blob soaked into her white tee.
“I didn’t notice it. I think it’s ketchup,” she explained, annoyed. “I’m a mess.”
He laughed.
“Just grab another shirt from your bag,” he suggested.
She considered this for a moment. “Well, is there a place I can change?”
