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John sat in the chair for a moment. “We don’t need to fish.”
“I just packed our lunch, John.”
He laughed. “I know. We can go out on the lake still. But we don’t need to fish. We can explore.”
“That sounds fun. I like that.”
“Scott says there’s a swimming hole about a half-mile down the shore.”
“Yes, there is.”
“Do you have a suit with you? We could swim.”
“I didn’t bring a suit. And even if I had, I wouldn’t swim.”
He cocked his head. “Why not?”
“I don’t like to swim in water I can’t see thebottom of. Besides, it’s really cold water. Even in June.”
“So you’re a sissy.”
“Call me names. It’s fine. But I’m still not swimming in the lake. I’ll watch you though. There’s a rope swing. Or at least there used to be.”
“That sounds fun.”
“If you’re twelve.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying I’m too old to use a rope swing?”
She smiled. “No. Not at all.”
“I think you are. And I take that as a challenge.”
“Oh boy. Now I’ll be responsible if you hurt yourself.”
“Good thing you’re a nurse.”
Chapter eight
"Hand me a Chocolaty Chippity."
They packed their picnic lunch, a blanket, and a towel, into the boat, then John started the small outboard motor and went out about one hundred feet before turning and following the shoreline. After a half-mile, they got to a big oak tree hanging over the water with a rope tied to one of its branches, he pointed the boat toward the shore. He turned off the motor as the nose of it hit the dirt, then the momentum carried it another foot. Ember stepped off the bow of the boat onto the sandy ground, then John handed her their things before getting off the boat and pulling it another foot higher onto shore.
There was a ring of stones around a bed of ashes and sand with four stumps sitting upright around it.
John smiled. “Looks like a popular spot.”
“Yeah. I guess we’re lucky there’s no one else here.”
She set their things down, then looked at him. “Okay. I know you want to do it.”
John walked to the tree and looked at therope. It looked fairly new and solid. It wasn’t frayed, and it seemed it would hold his weight. He looked at Ember.
“How does one swing from the rope? I’m sure there’s a cool way to do it.”
She walked over to him. “Two ways. The macho, manly way. And the wimpy way.”
“Okay. Explain them both, please.”
