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Lexie
Afterblowingupall the inflatables from the shed, Adam tied them all together and anchored them close to the shore so they wouldn’t wander off too far from the island. The setup reminded her of summers at the lake back home, when they’d all sit together in the middle of the lake tied off to the pontoon. She leaned her body back against the tube letting her butt dangle in the center soaking up the salty water below, while the front of her body absorbed the sweet summer sun from above. She pulled the bottle of beer to her lips and allowed the cool amber liquid to slip down into her throat. She was tied off in between Sedona and Avanna and they formed one giant circle.
She tilted her head to Avanna’s, matching her position on her own tube. “How is the shop doing?” she asked. Avanna popped an eye open before responding.
“It’s good! That article you wrote last year really propelled sales! We’ve sold to people from nearly every state this last year.” She sat up a little in her tube, pulling her full attention to Lexie. “I actually received a call from the University last week. They’ve asked me to start teaching pottery as part of their elective curriculum for art students, so I’ll be taking that on in the fall.”
Lexie smiled. She worked on a freelance basis for the Otsego Press newspaper and blog. Last summer she did a piece on Avanna’s store and it was a hit through print and digital. So much so that the newspaper offered Lexie a permanent freelance gig, which she gratefully accepted. She thought forlornly for a moment, realizing she hadn’t had the clarity or peace of mind to write since Oliver’s passing. She made a mental note to get back into her writing as soon as she returned to Otsego, and she had the perfect idea for an article now that she was experiencing this trip.
“I’m so happy to hear that! That’s such fantastic news,” Lexie gushed back at Avanna. Before their conversation had a chance to flourish she heard the slurred voice of Nav fill her bubble. He was sitting on the other side of Avanna and had been engaged in a conversation with Payson about something, but his eyes were squarely on hers now. “Lexie,” he said.
She raised her eyebrows and pushed her lips out. “Yeah?” she asked.
He lifted his beer and took a swig. He opened his mouth as if he was going to speak and then snapped it shut as a smile formed across his lips. She shook her head and pulled her attention back to Avanna, who had started to ask about her timeline for returning to work.
She conversed with Avanna, letting her know she would be returning to teaching in the fall. Conversations were flowing through their small group of friends as the waves lapped across the side of their tubes. The sun began to dip into the horizon and Eagle announced it was time to pack up and head back to the house. With the final sliver of light, they shoved the inflatables back into the shed and ascended up the stairs. She fell behind the group, feeling a protective obligation in making sure everyone was together and up at the house before dark.
