Mulligans

24. Back Early

Stacey, Tyler, and Birdy pulled their suitcases out of the car and dragged them into the lake house. The trip had exhausted Stacey. More specifically, her mother had exhausted her, and she was quite ready to sink into the comfort of her own home.

"Birdy, start unpacking your things, please, and I'll be in to help you in a minute," she said, already heading through the living room to her own bedroom. She glanced at the carton of ice cream on the table and shook her head; it had begun to melt out of the bottom of the box. Noting the second spoon, she smiled to herself. At least Nathan had taken her advice and fed the boy, albeit perhaps not what she would have chosen.

Stacey set her suitcase on the bed and began unpacking just as Nathan emerged from their washroom with a towel around his waist and another drying his hair. "You're back early."

"I love my mother, but three days would be pushing it." She leaned in for a kiss, resting her hand on his chest. "You're shivering... out of hot water?"

"Yeah... I'll have to check the pilot light on the hot-water tank," he said, tossing the towels in the laundry hamper and pulling on a dry shirt and some sweatpants.

"I saw you fed Chase," Stacey remarked, hanging her clothes back in the closet.

Nathan turned to her with a startled expression.

"The ice cream? I hope there was more to the meal than just dessert," she scolded playfully. "It's melting right now in the living room."

"Oh geez... I completely forgot. I'll clean it up," Nathan apologized and hurried out of the room.

Chase shivered in the cold water, not sure what to do next. Nathan had not returned, and he was about to head for the dock when he heard someone scrambling down the cliff stairs. Nathan must have dealt with whoever had stopped by. He smiled, anticipating an opportunity to resume where he and Nathan had left off by suggesting a hot shower.

His smile quickly faded as Tyler ran yelling onto the dock, pulling off his shirt and shoes and diving into the water. He emerged ten feet in front of Chase in the dark water and swam toward him. "Hey."

Chase swallowed hard and tried to gather his thoughts. Reality was crashing down hard all around him. "Hey."

"Night swim, huh?" Tyler exclaimed with a splash. "Love coming out for a night swim. It's gorgeous out here, right?"

"Yeah... totally." Chase nodded, unable to completely look at his friend.

"So, how did it go hanging with the old man?"

"It was all right."

"Lots of golf talk probably," Tyler guessed and leaned back floating, taking in the starry sky. "You missed out at my grandma's place. Happy hour starts at breakfast. There were mimosas at nine, wine by eleven."

Chase tried to casually lean back and join Tyler in floating, taking in the night sky, but the guilt was nearly pulling him under.

"Oh God! Put that thing away!" Tyler exclaimed. "I can see your jangler floating. Way to wreck a perfect view!"

Chase sank back into the water, having forgotten his shorts were lying abandoned on the dock.

"Aren't you scared a fish is gonna bite that worm off?" Tyler joked, pushing Chase's head down under the water.

Chase emerged and splashed Tyler. Maybe if he pretended like nothing was amiss, that nothing had changed, then he could make the weekend disappear and everything would return to normal. He yelled and swam after Tyler, putting him in a headlock.

"Ahhh! Get away from me," Tyler screamed, pushing Chase away. "I felt your jangler jingle against my leg! Come on, I'll race you in. It's freezing out here. You're gonna get frostbite."

Tyler turned with a splash and swam to the dock. The regret grew in Chase's stomach like a lead weight, threatening to drag him down into the lake. His arms and legs felt weak, and he knew he had to swim to shore now or his remorse would surely swallow him alive. "Oh God, what did I do," he whispered.