Carol Clark - Burned

“Uh-huh.” Regan quickly wound up the conversation. She promised to get up to the ranch for a little “giddyap” when she visited the Big Island, secured Boone’s home and cell numbers, and hung up. She immediately dialed Will’s direct line.

“Is Jazzy there?” she asked.

“No.”

“I’m coming over. I really need to talk to you.”

“I’ll be waiting,” Will said wearily. “I really need to talk to you.”

J oy had rented a beach chair, slathered on suntan lotion, and parked herself on the sand close to the lifeguard stand, but not too close. Zeke was up there keeping an eye on the masses, and she enjoyed stealing a glance at him every few minutes. She knew that he was checking her out, too, but she pretended to be engrossed in her magazine.

I can’t wait until tonight, she thought. Maybe we’ll really click, and he’ll ask me to move in with him. Then I can get out of Hudville. Now that I’ve won this vacation, there’s nothing left worth staying for in that puddle-ridden boondocks. Since you can’t win this junket twice, I’m never going back to any of those stupid Praise the Rain meetings. Joy couldn’t believe that her parents didn’t mind living there. Her mother believed Hudville was the perfect place to live if you wanted to avoid wrinkled skin. Better than Botox, she always told Joy. Joy had other ideas.

Bob and Betsy, wearing slacks and camouflage hats, walked past Joy down to the water’s edge. Those two are so weird, she thought. Didn’t they say they had to stay in today and write about their exciting relationship?

What a tour group. Joy shook her head. It’s unbelievable. We have almost nothing in common. Gert and Ev leading Artie, Francie, Bob, Betsy, and me. The twins are the only ones who get to go to Hawaii every three months. What a waste. They never take advantage of what Hawaii has to offer. All they do is prance around the hotel in their muumuus and chaperone our meals. Tonight I’ll have dinner with them and then take off. That’s the only way to eat for free. They’ve been such penny-pinchers, encouraging us to lay off the appetizers. They even invited us to their room one night for cheese and crackers and cheap wine so they wouldn’t have to pay for the expensive tropical cocktails that came from the blender. I don’t think that’s what our benefactor had in mind.

And that Francie. She drives me nuts asking about my love life every night. I don’t want to talk about it with her. She’s older than my mother! She confessed to me last night that she had a crush on Ned. Well, at least they’re around the same age.

Joy watched as Betsy and Bob kicked water at each other. Bob looked as if he was really getting into it, almost in a mean way. I hope he falls over backward, Joy thought. She looked up at Zeke who had told her last night that he was a people person. Maybe I should go over and talk to them and let Zeke see that I love people, too. Joy hoisted herself out of the beach chair and, knowing full well that Zeke was watching, did her best sexy strut over to the water. Bob and Betsy had their backs to her, facing the sea. They didn’t realize she was right behind them.

Joy could barely overhear what they were saying. Are they calling each other Bonnie and Clyde? she wondered. These two are definitely from the twilight zone.

“Hi.” Joy announced her presence.

The two of them spun around. “Joy! What are you doing here?”

“I was sitting on the beach and saw you walk down to the water. What are you two doing here? You’re not exactly dressed for the occasion.”

“We’re taking a break from our writing,” Bob explained. “We wanted to get a little fresh air.”

“Too bad you have to work when you’re on vacation,” Joy opined.

You’re not kidding, Betsy thought.

“This book is going to help a lot of people,” Bob told Joy. “You are young and can’t imagine that a relationship could get dull. But believe me, it can. We all need help.”

Joy stole a quick glance at Zeke. He looked awesome. There was no way things would ever get dull with him. She was sure of that.

“Things can really get dull. Dull as dishwater,” Betsy agreed wholeheartedly. “Have you talked to your mother since you’ve been here?”

“Yes.”

“How is she?”

“Fine. She said it’s raining.”

“So what else is new?” Betsy sighed.

“What else is new is right,” Joy echoed. I don’t want to get stuck in Hudville and end up like these two, she thought. Their brains are waterlogged. “Well, I’m going to sit and relax. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Are we having drinks in Gert and Ev’s room?” Bob asked.

“I hope not!” Joy cried.

“We have only a couple of days left. I thought I heard them saying something about using up the wine they bought.”

“That jug was so huge, it’ll never be used up. It’s the least expensive swill you can get. I think they’re cheating us.”

“You do?” Betsy and Bob asked in unison.

“I do. A friend of mine who went on this trip three years ago got spending money and said his group was free to do as they pleased except for breakfast and a few dinners. With us, if you don’t eat with the twins and if you don’t want to pay for your own meals, you starve.”

“Don’t you like eating with the group?” Bob asked, sounding hurt.

“It’s all right. But I wish I had more money to go off and do my own thing. I’m finishing school, so I don’t have extra cash.”

Bob pulled out his wallet, much to Betsy’s horror. He produced three crisp twenty-dollar bills and offered them to Joy. “Go out and have some fun tonight.”

“Nooooo. Thank you, but no.”

“I insist.”

Joy hesitated. Briefly. “Well, okay.” Joy took the twenties, said her thanks, and walked up to the lifeguard stand.

“Hey there,” Zeke greeted her. He was twirling the cord of his whistle around his finger.

“Hey. I’m buying drinks tonight,” she cooed.

“Did that strange guy just give you money?”

“Yeah. He’s from Hudville. He’s an old guy, but he likes to flirt. He gave me cash because our tour directors are so cheap.”

“Someone from the last Hudville group told me that.”

“Who?” Joy asked quickly, afraid it was some girl she didn’t know about.

“A guy I got friendly with when a bunch of us went surfing out here. He mentioned that it was great to win the trip, but the group had nicknamed those two women the Scrimp Sisters.”

“You’re kidding! Why didn’t you tell me that last night?”

“I wasn’t thinking about the Scrimp Sisters last night,” Zeke said softly. “I was only thinking about you. I’ll see you later.” He turned and stared out at the water, his whistle twirling and untwirling around his finger.

Joy walked on air back to her seat. Zeke really really seemed to care. She sat down, lay back, and closed her eyes. She made a decision. She was going to get everyone in the group together for a little powwow. Everyone except Gert and Ev. It wasn’t right if they weren’t getting the trip they deserved. Sal Hawkins had wanted them all to enjoy these trips. He wanted them to bring sunshine back to Hudville. Who can bring back sunshine when you feel as if you just spent a week in budget boot camp?

Joy was taking a workshop at college about being assertive and getting involved in causes. I’ll make this my first cause, she decided. Joy versus the Scrimp Sisters. She couldn’t possibly have guessed how dangerous it could be for anyone to go up against that dynamic duo.

“O kay, Will,” Regan began. “Why don’t you tell me what’s really going on?”

“I don’t know where to start.”