"Greg? Lisa?" Amy called from the upper deck. "Could you come here, please?" When they'd gone, Fabian looked at Rodney.
"Lisa did not tell me anything except that you talk to her," Fabian said. "I found out from another source why you feel that way about Marlene. I also heard you have a new little sister."
"You know?"
"I know, and I understand. Been there and barely escaped. From the sound of things, you'll be okay. Dante's a friend of mine. But if you ever want to sound off about Marlene, I'm your guy."
"At least some good came of it. Jill is a neat kid. I almost wish I was ready to be her dad."
"Dante said pretty much the same thing," Fabian smiled, then looked up. "Hi," he said to the young woman who had joined them. He guessed that she was related to the twins -- she resembled them facially. She had lighter hair and carried herself with a strong sense of purpose and a no-nonsense demeanor. Fabian thought that she would, indeed, make a great police officer.
"Hi," she said. "Leslie Wright." She held out her hand.
"Fabian DiSanti. I'm here with Lisa."
"Yes, I know. I think Lisa's trying to get your attention." Leslie motioned toward the upper deck. Fabian turned to see that Lisa was, indeed, waving at him. He looked at Rodney for a minute and noticed that Rodney was very pale and uncomfortable. He wondered if Leslie knew about Rodney's daughter.
Outside of the pool, it's the best swimming hole in Twin Mills. It's been in the Kendall family for generations.
The wharf floated on barrels, and Fabian learned quickly that it made a pretty good platform for diving. He plunged in. The water was pleasantly cool and somewhat green in color. He surfaced and the gazebo was in full view in the distance. The rocking of canoes, oars splashing, children laughing. The gazebo looming closer and closer. Shouted warnings. A feeling of cloth on his hands. A huge splash. Bubbles; a cloud of red blood and brown hair beneath the surface of the lake. Cool, green water all around him....
"Hey Fabian!" Keith called from the wharf. "I hear you were a gymnast." He did a handspring off of the wharf that turned into an elaborate dive. Fabian swam for the rope ladder.
"Oh yeah?" Fabian laughed when Keith surfaced. "You're on!"
"Typical." Annie rolled her eyes. "Men. Everything's a competition." Annie and Lisa watched for a while from the shallower part of the river, losing interest as the gymnastics degenerated into a game of jump or dive. This was only entertaining for a while; Lisa eventually just stretched out on the surface of the water and closed her eyes. Keith and Fabian soon tired of their games and swam over to Annie and Lisa.
"How long can she do that?" Fabian asked Annie, gesturing at Lisa, who bobbed with a serene expression on her face. Her hair floating all around her reminded him uncomfortably of ....
"Indefinitely, we think," Annie said. "Amy and I think Lisa's as bad as our mother. Our mom could float on her back for days if she had to. Lisa used to compete on the swim team doing backstroke."
As if sensing that she was the topic of conversation, Lisa rolled and stood, then held her nose and dipped her head back to slick her hair back neatly.
"How do you do that?" Fabian wanted to know.
"Do what?" she asked.
"Float like that?" Lisa shrugged.
"Water feels like a comfy mattress to me," she said.
"That's the secret to it," Keith nodded. "You have to be completely relaxed. If you're afraid you'll sink, you will."
"Words to live by," Annie grinned.
"Come here, you," Fabian laughed, pulling Lisa close to him. "Speaking of words. What is Subtle Origami?" Lisa, Keith and Annie started laughing.
"I was describing a piece we were playing," Lisa said, "and I thought it was like all of the parts were folded together. Not creased, but gently. Like a subtle origami. Everyone, for some reason, thought that was hilarious."
"And a great name for a group," Annie nodded.
That floozie from the shooting gallery got arrested! And you're not gonna believe what for! -- overheard at the beauty parlor
"I'm here to pick up my wife -- Marlene Carrillo?" Dante leaned over the counter at the police station. The officer behind the counter looked up briefly, then checked something on his computer. Then he looked up again.
"I'm sorry," he said. "She was released an hour ago."
"Excuse me?" Dante's brow furrowed. "She called me five minutes ago and said she needed me to come and pick her up."
"Let me check with the Chief, sir, but I'm positive she was released an hour ago. Chief?"
"Yeah?" Rick Santo came out of his office into the main room.
"This man is here for Ms. Carrillo."
"I'm her husband," Dante hold them.
"I'm sorry," Rick said. "She left an hour ago. Didn't she call you?"
"Yes. About five minutes ago. She asked me to come pick her up."
"We released her an hour ago. The scoutmasters decided not to press charges after all. Mrs. Carrillo called someone from the holding area, and then she left. I'm sorry -- I didn't hear who she called or any of the conversation."
Amy and Greg give the world's best parties. Then again, that house was pretty much made for entertaining.
Amy nudged Greg and gestured with her chin to the sofa-lounge. Lisa and Fabian were sharing it. He was talking to Keith, but was also holding Lisa and playing with her hair as she dozed against his shoulder. Annie was toasting a marshmallow in the fireplace.
"Wow," Greg said. "That is something I always hoped to see and somehow never thought I would. They are gone."
"No wonder she was such a mess when they broke up," Amy nodded.
"Why did she break up with him?" Greg wanted to know. Amy shrugged.
"Annie and I think she was just scared."
"Of what?" Greg looked at her incredulously.
"Lisa has dated very little, Greg. And none of those were anything serious. I suspect she panicked before he could hurt her."
As they looked on, Fabian gave Lisa a little nudge. She stifled a yawn and sat up. He helped her to her feet, then looked at Greg and Amy.
"I think Lisa's had enough," he smiled. "I should get her home. This was a great party; thank you so much!"
"I'm sorry," Lisa said, trying to keep from yawning and failing. "I don't know why I'm so tired!"
Amy laughed.
"Gee. You baked pies, swam a lot, played volleyball ... oh, and whatever that thing was at the men's locker room earlier. None of that is tiring. Nope." She gave Lisa a hug and then hugged Fabian again.
"You keep taking good care of her," she said.
"I intend to," Fabian replied. Greg led them around the deck to the front of the house and waved as Fabian led Lisa down the driveway. Fabian led Lisa back the way they had come, but Lisa balked.
"Fabian, it's shorter if we ...."
"Shh. It'll be shorter yet if I drive you home in my truck. You're as exhausted as Bruiser was. That was a great party. Your friends and family are terrific."
"I had a really good time. I'm glad you were there and enjoyed yourself."