Matthew Costello - Vacation

“You’ve had no blight? I saw the trees—”

“Oh, some things won’t grow, for sure. But I guess we’re isolated enough that a lot of crops still grow here just fine. For now.”

“Good.”

Ed slapped his hands together. “On with the tour. This way!”

“Down there, got our big playing field. Lot of fun family games, softball, old-fashioned things like sack races. And to the right, a game room—”

“With video games?” Simon asked. “Really?”

“You bet. Oldies but goodies. And Ping-Pong, pool, even that football game, you know, with—”

“Foosball,” Jack added.

“Yes, foosball. Now, past there, we have the nature trails. Nothing too big since we need to keep everything and everyone well within the camp’s confines. Still, good safe places for a little walk or to explore.”

Ed turned around and started walking back to the main lodge.

But Jack had noticed a road up on a hill, past the parking area, nearly hidden by the trees.

“What’s over there? By the cars. That road?”

Ed barely tossed a glance back. “Our service road. Maintenance buildings. Laundry. Storage. Landscaping and so on. Nothing fun.”

Ed pointed ahead.

“You’ve seen the Great Lodge. We all eat together in the big dining hall. Sometimes there are special announcements, sometimes we play some games. Like I said, good food and good fun—and good people .”

Already, Jack thought, the dark streets of Red Hook were starting to look better.

As beautiful as it all was, this was alien terrain for him. And they were caged in.

With this much-too-jolly Ed Lowe as the keeper.

Still, Christie seemed wide-eyed at it. The kids looked like they loved it.

And Jack kept thinking of Ed’s assistant. Shana.

Funny how guys work, he thought.

Probably never see her again.

I’m only human. And male.

“Okay, let’s see your digs. Cabin seven. Great view from there. Come on!”

“If I may…” Ed took the key from Christie.

He opened the door and they walked in.

The cabin was a picture from a hundred years ago. Homemade furniture, a woven rug, a 1950s-style Formica kitchen table. Small hallway leading to bedrooms.

“No TV at all?” Kate asked.

“Sorry, miss. No stations operating anywhere near us. Get some radio, shortwave and all.”

“And no phones?” Christie asked.

As in: how isolated are we?

“Well, the workers here like to joke that if we get a good wind off Mt. Hope you can always yell.”

Ed laughed.

What a card.

“And truth is, Mrs. Murphy, we’re kind of self-contained here. Can’t say phones would be of much use.”

Jack noticed that Kate stood there, scanning the rustic cottage, the lake, the woods—all so unfamiliar to her.

Should be an interesting week.

“Well, I guess I’ll let you folks settle in. Unpack.” Ed looked at his watch. “Whoa, dinner in two hours. Maybe time for a quick swim, eh?”

“Good idea, and thanks.”

Ed started out.

Jack turned to Christie, and then with a slight tilt of his head he followed Ed out, catching up a few steps behind him.

“Ed—one more thing.”

“Yes? What’s that?”

Jack looked around. From this area just outside the cabin, he had a good view of much of the camp, from the lake area to the Great Lodge and all the way to the playing fields.

Even a peek at the service road.

“Just got a question. Didn’t want the kids to hear. I mean…” Jack looked Ed right in the eyes. “Ever have any problems here?”

“Problems? You mean, like the septic backing up?”

Another joke, but Jack didn’t smile this time.

“No. With what’s outside the fences. With the Can Heads.”

Ed nodded. “Jack, something happen to you folks on the way here?”

“At a rest stop. A break-in. One Can Head. I took care of it.”

“That’s what you do back home, right? Being a cop and all?”

“Yeah. And I was hoping to get away from that. Which is why I asked.”

“You’ve seen a lot, hm?”

Jack paused before answering.

“Enough.”

“Listen, Jack, Paterville has amazing security. Since you’re a police officer, you’ve probably noticed it. And that’s only what you can see. The fence is fully electric, and the turrets see everything. We got other things all around—motion detectors at the perimeter, cameras checking the woods outside.”

“I imagine you do.”

“And yes, they’re out there. But that’s where they will stay. So, I hope you can forget that stuff that you’ve dealt with in the city. You and your family can have a real good time here, Jack.” Ed put a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “You just got to relax and enjoy yourself. We’ve thought of everything.”

Jack nodded.

Then, over Ed’s shoulder, halfway to the lodge, he saw Shana watching them. The camp director seemed to notice as well.

“Hey, gotta dash. See you at dinner.”

“Sure.”

Jack went back inside the cottage.

Christie wriggled her toes in the sand. Not quite the beach sand of her childhood summers at the Jersey shore. Grittier, coarser.

But still, after everything—wonderful.

She looked over at Jack.

“You look like the lifeguard.”

“Hmm?”

They both sat on the sand, not caring that it would stick to their pants. It felt so good to be here.

“The way you—I don’t know—scan the waterfront. No, I got it. You’re the sheriff in Jaws .”

He laughed. A good sound.

“Gonna need a bigger boat.”

Christie pointed at a scattering of rowboats and canoes over by the dock to the right of the swimming area.

“That’s as big as they get here, I’m afraid.” A beat. Then, more seriously: “Gorgeous, isn’t it?”

“Oh yeah. Sure.”

The sun was slipping behind the mountains. Dusk would come early. The lake captured the last hour of golden sunlight, the water sparkling as if alive with lights. Squealing kids of all ages ran in and out of the icy lake water.

It was cold—Christie had confirmed that.

Simon had been brave, running into the water, then spinning around when fully wet and running out again. It may have been the biggest smile she had ever seen on him.

And that felt good.

And Kate?

Kate went in just up to her calves. She wore a striped one-piece, though she had pleaded to get a bikini. Christie vetoed that.

She wondered if she did that because she knew Jack would have said, quite simply, take it back.

Then: “That’s some assistant Ed Lowe has, hm?”

Jack nodded. “Yeah. Guess so.”

“She seemed to check you out.”

Jack turned to Christie and grinned. “Maybe she’s part of security.”

“Or maybe she’s here to keep the dads happy.”

Jack laughed.

A little too casual. Jack was a guy. He’d have to be crazy to not have taken in Shana.

Probably never see her again, Christie thought.

After all, this was supposed to be their vacation as well. For the two of them.

And we need it.

Something to let us recharge before we go back to life at home.

Home. She’d like to forget about that life for a while.

“Guess we should head back. Change for dinner.”

Jack nodded and stood up.

Christie did as well. She didn’t want to leave, but there would be other afternoons, other sunsets, other days ahead filled with the shimmering water and the squeals.

“Kate, Simon, come on!” she shouted.

The kids both turned to her as if her voice came from miles away.