Cabin at the Lake Ch. 05

The light in the room takes on that certain quality that announces to the observant that it is mid-day. I make my way to the kitchen and make myself a sandwich from leftover chicken. Cold barbeque chicken on white bread. Call me a redneck; I don't care. It's the best sandwich ever. Top it with a cold beer on a hot day and you're damn near in Heaven.

I take my sandwich and beer out onto the front porch, stooping to grab a throw pillow off the couch. I set my beer on the porch rail and use my free hand to adjust the pillow behind my back as I ease myself into the porch swing. I keep one foot on the floor and use it to rock myself. I eat my sandwich slowly. I'm content.

At some point, my brothers join me, each with their own sandwich, each with their own beer. I don't need to be psychic to know Terry has made his favorite, fried bologna, no mustard, just bologna and bread. He wolfs it down in four bites and turns his attention to his beer. Gary methodically eats his way through his PB&J. PB&J with beer? Yuck.

Gary throws the last bit of crust over the railing and into the grass as he sits in one of the Adirondack chairs. Terry takes the other. I sip on my beer and rock. The storm broke the back of the heat wave but it is still August in East Texas. I feel sweat begin to trickle down my side. An occasional, too occasional, puff of wind bestows a cool kiss to my skin. I'm too sleepy to finish my beer. I lean over and sit it on the rail before curling up on the swing, tuck the pillow under my head and begin to drift into sleep.

I'm vaguely aware of my brothers grabbing the picnic blanket that we left lying on the porch and spreading it on the grass. They stretch out in the shade of the house. As I drowse, I catch snatches of their dreams and I know they are asleep.

The crunch of car tires on gravel wakes me. I'm confused, not sure where I am, as I sit up. I recognize the front porch but not the car pulling up to park in the shade of one the trees in the front yard.

Dr. Mallory and Julie. Fuck! I didn't think they'd be here until supper time.

I stand and lean against the porch rail, intending to wake my brothers. They're awake.

It doesn't take a psychic to feel my brothers grow tense. "Relax," I assure them. "Texas is full of nudists. If you act normal, it makes it hard for people to do otherwise."

Both car doors open. Dr. Mallory climbs out from behind the wheel. Julie peers at us over the top of the passenger door. Her grin is evident as she waves at us before turning to retrieve something from the car.

"Goddamnit. Fuck." I hear Gary whisper under his breath.

"Just chill, big brother. Relax."

Julie calls out a greeting as she closed the door with her hip. Mark, Dr. Mallory, was trying too hard to look unfazed. I take pity on him.

"We're pretty isolated out here. We tend to not bother with clothes. Our parents were libertarian hippies if that makes any sense. We weren't expecting you so soon. Give us a sec, we'll throw some clothes on. Make yourself at home."

"When I told you to cover your scalp I didn't mean that your scalp was exclusive." Dr. Mallory drawls.

Julie's grin is wicked. There's no other way to describe it.

"I don't know about Mark but I'd like to join you. It's a beautiful day. I love the feel of the sun on my skin."

I skip down the porch steps and walk toward their car.

Mark looks at Julie as if she were a spot on an X-ray he's never seen before. She laughs and hugs him.

"Relax, Dr. Mallory, sir. We're not at the hospital or at your office. You're not really that aghast at your fiancé are you?"

He shook his head. "No," he says with a rueful grin before his face turns serious. "We may not be at the office but I am here to see a patient. Can the frivolity be saved until later?"

"Frivolity?" Julie rolls her eyes and grins at me. "Underneath that young man exterior lives the heart of a 60 year-old grandpa."

"Don't tease him," I insist and smack her on the arm. I look at her fiancé and my doctor over my shoulder. "Let me go slip on some clothes and I'll meet you in the living room." Turning back to Julie I tell her, "Make yourself at home, clothed or nude, your choice."

I don't wait for an answer but head back toward the front porch. The boys are on their feet, backs turned to our guests. They are pretending to shake the grass off the blanket and fold it but in reality they are trying to hide their sleep boners. I want to feel sorry for them but I'm their sister after all and all I feel is a delicious enjoyment of their predicament. I duck into my room and slip on a pair of decent shorts, not the Daisy Dukes. I top the shorts off with an old and immensely comfortable tee shirt I've had for years.

Mark wears his professional face as I enter the living room. I can see my brothers and Julie on the front porch. Julie and Terry sit atop the blanket on the railing. The two of them are both nude. Gary is back on the swing and has on a pair of shorts. Terry is evidently happy with simply crossing his legs and letting his hands rest in his lap.

I consider trying to probe Mark but decide that would be rude so I ask him. "You okay, Dr. Mallory? We didn't mean to shock you. We are actually pretty considerate to guests most of the time. It's a southern thing."

"I was a little taken aback I admit, but no, I'm fine. It's your house. We were very reserved in my house but I don't think I'm the old fuddy-duddy Julie likes to portray me as."

"She's teasing you. You know that, right?" I look at him closely. "She adores you." He looks unsure and suddenly I feel irritated. "Oh my God, men are such morons sometimes. I guess I'm lucky you're way smarter at doctoring than with relationships."

He grunts before throwing himself into full doctor mode. He repeats all the tests he's done a dozen times before. He runs a pinwheel over my arms and legs and gives me the policeman's drunk driver test, heel to toe, touch my nose - the works. Finally, he peels the edge of my bandage back, probes along the incision, asks me about headaches, funny odors, seeing funny colors, or things that aren't there.

"Like my mom?" I snap and for the first time, he allows himself to smile.

"Other than the scar on the side of your head your exam is totally normal. If you keep having hallucinations, go see a shrink. I think you were sleepwalking or something."

I tell myself to stop being irritated and be grateful he's letting it drop.

"Okay, Dr. Mallory. You finished playing doctor? Ready for the beer I owe you?"

"Please." He puts his rubber hammer and pinwheel thingamajig away as I fetch him a beer. I get myself one and he raises an eyebrow.

"I haven't needed anything for pain for a month. A beer is okay isn't it?"

He nods, takes one of the beers, and eyes it with suspicion as he follows me onto the front porch. Gary notices his look and offers reassurance. "It's a local brew, not one of the fancy ones they over-charge you for, but give it a try. I think you'll like it."

Mark takes a sip, nods at Gary and takes a long pull. He smacks his lips. "Excellent. I'll have to look for it. Thanks." He looks at Gary. "Hey you guys know how American beer is like making love in a canoe?"

Gary shakes his head. I shrug. When Mark looks at Terry, Terry shrugs. Julie smiles.

"Fucking close to water," Mark tells us with a smile. The boys laugh a little, real laughs not faux polite chuckles. Mark continues, "But this is a good beer. Thanks again."

"No problem, doc," Terry replies.

"Don't let him tell any more jokes," Julie pleads. "That's his best one."

Mark smiles at her. "Don't listen to her. Want to hear my favorite joke?"

Julie groans. "Please Mark, not that one. We're guests here."

Terry shushes her by waving his beer at her. "Don't leave us hanging doc, shoot."

"Why did the monkey fall out of the tree?"

We all shrug as Julie grimaces.

"It was dead."

We sit there for a second and then Gary laughs. "I like it."

Julie rolls her eyes at him. "You do not!"

"No, I really do." He insists.

Terry toasts Mark. "Don't give up your medical practice, doc."

I smile at Julie as she shakes her head. "Come on, Terry get up and let me have that blanket. Julie and I are going to sit out by the lake before the mosquitoes wake up for their nightly feast. You big strapping boys can bring your own chairs or grab another blanket. Come on, Julie."

As we walk away from the house, I holler over my shoulder. "Oh, and bring us a couple of beers when you come."

We spread the blanket near the pier and as Julie settles herself, I relieve myself of the tee shirt and shorts. I pick my beer up from its precarious perch in the grass and sit down beside her.

She takes a drink of her beer before she speaks. "Mark is a wonderful doctor, really. He's one of the best I've seen and I don't mean just his hands. He can cut and sew with the best but that's only part of it. He really seems to love his patients, even the ones the rest of us would like to take out back and shoot."

I nod. "I agree. We don't put much stock in God in this family but that doesn't keep me from saying a little prayer of thanks he was around when the boys brought me in."

Julie nods. "So what's really going on with you guys?" she asks in the same voice she might have asked, "Do you like chocolate ice cream?"

I glance at her. "What do you mean?"

"Mark is a great doctor but he's not a woman." She chuckles, "Thank God," then looks at me hard. "You weren't just sunning in the nude. I'm not stupid. Just tell me, are you okay? You aren't being forced or anything are you."

I stare at her for a moment. "No. My brothers would never do anything to hurt me. They'd kill anyone who tried. They love me and I love them. I don't expect you to understand." I'm quiet for a moment. "Do you want to go?"

She shakes her head. "No. I can't claim it doesn't freak me out a little bit but I don't want to leave. Be careful around Mark though. He really is a babe in the woods in many ways."

"Of course." We take another sip of beer. "It freaks me out sometimes, too. That's how I fell. I was running out of the house." I see her sharp look. "No, nothing like that. No one was chasing me, except to help me. It just all overwhelmed me. I freaked and went running for the door. It was no one's fault but my own."

"Bullshit." Her voice is sharp. "If you are okay with it fine, but your brothers are grown men. They are every bit as responsible as you are so cut the 'it's all my fault' shit. You just told me you weren't a battered woman so don't sound like one."

"You're right. I didn't mean about the situation per se, just the slip on the rug."

Julie seems satisfied. She finishes off her beer and stretches out on the grass. I wasn't sure before but now that I see her naked, it's clear her breasts are all her own. I try not to be jealous.

"Don't be jealous." I hear her say. "I love your boobs. They look good enough to eat."

My eyes jerk toward Julie. I'm surprised she would tell me she loves my boobs. She is lying perfectly still, eyes closed, not smiling.

"Did you say something?" I ask.

She opens an eye and looks at me, curious and maybe a little concerned. "No. Did you hear something?"

"I guess not. The wind most have carried the sound of the boys' voices. Here they come."

My brother's each have a chair upside down on their head, safari -style. Mark follows with five beers. The boys set the chairs down at the head of the blanket and plop into them. Mark passes around the beers.

As he hands me mine, I ask him, in a cloying voice. "So Dr. Mallory sir, am I discharged from your practice? Officially?"

He nods. "Yes. Unless you decide to try cracking another safe with your skull, you are no longer my patient."

"Okay. Now, since you are no longer my doctor, I'll scoot over and you can take off your clothes and sit by your beautiful fiancé." He starts to frown. "Sorry, Mark, but I'm afraid this blanket is not 'clothing optional' but 'no clothes allowed'," I tell him with a smile.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Gary stand up. He steps out of his shorts and drops them by the chair. "Don't let my sister push you around Mark. She can be a complete, total, fucking pain in the ass. If you want to join us, I promise you you'll fall in love with the feel of the sun and breeze on your skin. If you don't want to join us that's fine. No one cares. Just tell my sister to shut the hell up and move over." He glares at me. "Be nice."

"I am nice, asshole."

Julie giggles. "Ah the joys of family. Mark's sister is quite a bit older. He was basically an only child. Sit down by me, babe. Take your shirt off and I'll rub your back. Don't worry about the rest."

She gives him such a bright smile he can't help but smile back. He unbuttons his shirt and slips it off. He starts to fold it but Julie pulls it from his hands and tosses it over her shoulder. It lands in Gary's lap. He laughs but I notice he folds the shirt before laying it on the grass beside the chair.

Mark tries to glare as he balances on one foot to take his shoe and sock off. He continues to glare as he turns his attention of this other foot. As the second shoe drops to the grass, Julie reaches up and grabs him as he's tugging at his sock. He falls across her lap with a grunt. Before he can speak, she wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him. It is a long deep kiss and I can see the wave of relaxation spread through his body.

Terry gives them a two-fingered whistle and Gary offers an "Attaboy, doc." My blanket mates ignore them. When they separate, Julie cups his cheek.

"Sit beside me and I'll rub your back. Nurse's orders."

"Yes ma'am."

He sits beside her, looking more than a little silly in khakis with no shirt and no shoes or socks but the look of childlike adoration he gives Julie is so sweet, who the fuck cares if he looks silly?

I stretch out. Everyone is quiet. I can hear the whispery sound of Julie's fingers trailing over Mark's back. I'm half asleep when I realize I can feel her fingers on my own back. Fuck, I'm in his head without meaning to. I start to retreat but before I can, I sense his fear, longing, confusion, and love. For a smart and accomplished man, his head is a mess.

He loves Julie, that's easy to see the normal way. It's also easy to see he is afraid she is not kidding when she teases him about being a fuddy-duddy. I'm surprised he can't see that it doesn't matter to her, then I'm surprised that I'm surprised. Most relationships are misread cues, followed by correction, then misunderstanding and over-correction. It is a wonder we aren't all hermits.

I can tell he wants to get naked for Julie, wants to lie skin-to-skin beside her, wants to prove to my brothers he's not a stuffed shirt. It's me that's the problem. He may no longer technically be my doctor but his sense of what is appropriate and what is not won't allow it.

I want to tell him, suggest to him, it's okay but I'm afraid he'll beat himself up with guilt afterward. I open myself to him, not sure it will work with anyone not part of the family. I let him see that I'm okay, that it won't change anything. Seeing him naked doesn't mean he can't be my physician again, should the need arise. What if we meet at a resort? I also try to share the whiffs of Julie's mind I've seen, try to reassure him with more than words that she's nuts over him.

I feel a shift, not just in Mark but in Julie. It isn't as evident as a change in body position or even a change in breathing or heart rate. Something clicks, thoughts re-align, energy flows. Though my eyes are closed, I see her pat him on the shoulder in a go-ahead-it's-okay-I-love-you-regardless gesture. Mark stands. My ears hear the sound of his belt and zipper but I can see much more clearly in my mind. I see it from Julie's angle. His mind is full of images of Julie's naked body stretched out in front of him. Terry's mind, I realize in a rush, is full of me, with side glances at Julie and an approving glance at Mark's decision to join us.

I don't want to linger. It seems wrong but I'm interested in how differently Terry views Mark's body. As my brother has said all along, I sense he has no sexual interest in Mark, just surprise at how muscular the man is. Terry has noticed things I had yet to see, the firm V of Mark's lats, and, now that his pants are coming off, the size of his legs. An image of Mark speed skating fills my head.

It's too much. I'm appalled I've let myself spy on my friends like this. I flip a switch and all I see behind my eyelids is the play of sun and shadow. A brief yet intense pain lights up my head and I envision a cable under tension snapping whipping through the air. I tell myself next time, if there is a next time, I'm not sure there should be, not to flip a switch like that. No, a dimmer switch is a much better idea.

I tell myself not to feel guilty, tell myself that I was only trying to help and I think I have. The shift I felt between Mark and Julie felt good, felt right. I very clearly hear my father saying all interventions carry unexpected consequences. It was a rule he lived by. He didn't mean you shouldn't get involved, not at all. But if you were going to get involved, go in with your eyes open and prepared. I fall asleep missing him.

Terry's toe pokes the top of my shoulder, waking me. I can't have slept long. I tilt my head back and peek at him from under my eyelids. He's smiling. He points with a toss of his head. I rise up and look to my right. I join him in smiling.

Julie has rolled onto her side her head is on Mark's arm. She has one arm draped across his chest. They are both asleep. Mark has a boner. His cock is huge.

I look back at Terry with an exaggerated look of surprise and wonder and his smile widens. I get to my feet silently. Gary is also awake. The three of us walk quietly back to the cabin. The sun is too low to burn them and the air is nice and warm.

When I glance over my shoulder I see Julie reaching for her fiancé's cock.