A Baumgartner reunion

“Hey, Dad, I thought we weren’t supposed to take the raft out at night?” Henry called.

Doc pulled the raft toward the house. “Special circumstances.”

“Are you okay?” Henry grabbed my hand as I walked by, stopping me short. I didn’t want to talk. I most definitely didn’t want to be introduced to the girl who was sitting on the blanket next to him.

“I’m fine,” I replied, trying to shake him loose, but his grip was too tight. “Is everyone home?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Liz gave me a ride back here so we could go for a swim.” Neither of them were wet or wearing suits but I wasn’t about to mention that fact. I wanted to get into the house as fast as I could.

“Hi, I’m Liz.” The redhead waved and gave me a smile and I tried to smile back. It was the same redhead from the bar, the one Brian had bent over the bathroom sink. This day just kept getting better and better…

“Hi, Liz,” I replied, pulling my hand from Henry’s persistent grip. “You two have fun.”

Right. Now what? I wondered as I walked through the sand toward the house where Doc was securing the raft. Janie’s boyfriend was cheating on her…with the same girl Henry happened to bring home? I had better odds winning the lottery than finding myself in this predicament, I thought, glancing back at the two of them sitting close, holding hands.

“You okay?” Doc asked as I approached, reaching for my hand.

“Sure,” I agreed, letting him take my hand before we went into the house.

“I just need a shower.”

“Want me to join you?” He raised an eyebrow, smiling.

I smiled back. “Not this time.”

I needed time to think.

Turning the water as hot as I could stand it, I stood under the spray and wondered what to do. Should I tell Janie? Should I warn Henry? Or should I just stay out of it and let it all crumble down around their heads like it clearly, inevitably would.

I realized, as I got out of the shower and pulled on a t-shirt and comfortable pair of shorts, that at least Janie and Henry’s problems had distracted me from my own for a while.

I heard Mrs. B and Gretchen laughing as I made my way downstairs and knew they, at least, had returned. When I poked my head around the banister, I found everyone sitting around-Doc and Mrs. B and Gretchen cuddled on the couch, Janie and Henry next to each other on the loveseat, and Henry and the redhead sitting on the floor. I surveyed the scene for a moment, blinking back my surprise as another round of laughter went through the group, brought on by something Gretchen said.

“I told her three times!” Gretchen howled, leaning against Carrie as she doubled over in laughter. “And she did it anyway!”

“Some people,” Liz remarked, smiling.

“There she is!” Carrie smiled warmly as I came slowly down the stairs, still incredulous. Obviously Janie didn’t know about the redhead, or she’d be freaking out, right? Still, the redhead knew about her…that much had been clear from the bathroom encounter…but she didn’t care? And Brian, he sat back, his arm thrown casually around Janie’s shoulder, cool as could be. He didn’t care that the redhead was now clearly interested in Henry?

The complexity of it made my head spin.

“Come sit,” Carrie implored, patting the couch between herself and Gretchen. I contemplated that idea for a moment, but then saw Janie’s cool gaze out of the corner of my eye.

“I think I’m going to get something to drink,” I replied, redirecting myself toward the kitchen.

“Ooooo good idea!” Liz agreed, jumping up. “More margaritas! I’ll help!” Great.

Before I knew it everyone was crowding into the little kitchen, the blender going at full tilt with tequila and margarita mix.

“But Daddy, you said you liked this one,” Janie teased, turning and pulling her shirt up in back, and her skirt down to reveal the top of her panties-Hello Kitty-and then pulled those down to expose her tattoo.

“Tramp stamp,” Henry muttered behind me, and Liz, the redhead, giggled.

“I guess, as tattoos go, it’s not bad,” Doc said with a grimace. “I’m just saying, it seems like everyone has so many of them nowadays.”

“I’ve got four,” Liz piped up. “Bet you can’t guess where.” Henry’s eyes turned to her with interest and I smiled to myself.

Then Brian spoke up, “I bet I can.”

The words, “Not fair, that’s cheating,” almost slipped off my tongue as Janie turned and nudged him with her elbow. But she was smiling, teasing. I flushed and slipped past Brian and the redhead toward the door, excusing myself.

At least the upstairs bathroom was quiet and I could think. I splashed water on my face to cool it and stood at the sink for a minute, wondering what to do next. Clearly I couldn’t say anything to Janie. Or Henry, either. How could I?

Then again… how could I not? My stomach clenched at the thought, and I took a deep breath and opened the door, choking off a cry of surprise at Brian standing outside.