Hurricane Season

Siouxsie and the Dobbs twins quickly acclimated to the job and the staff at the park. Siouxsie was never late for work. She rode a bicycle every day, regardless of the weather, for the first few weeks. One thing I noticed about her was I never had to chase away someone trying to flirt with her when she was on a tower chair. She chased them away. She'd respond to a legitimate question but never took her eyes off the water. Not even when I talked to her. But casual conversation with a flirt? Uh-uh. Didn't happen. When she was in the guard shack, she was one of the gang. Everyone liked her. Siouxsie and Kinsey didn't seem to hit it off, but there was no conflict between them. They just didn't take lunch together and I never saw them engaged in a nonwork-related conversation. It never became a problem. You can't be friends everyone.

Siouxsie and I got comfortable with each other over the first few weeks. Our interactions were much like my interactions with the rest of the lifeguard crew. There were a few instances when we were at the table eating lunch at the same time. I found her attractive but maintained a professional relationship with her. No double entendres. No compliments about her appearance. No off-color jokes. On a couple occasions I overheard her being asked out by one of her coworkers. Her answer was always the same. A polite "No," that clearly communicated she wasn't interested. If I had any inclination to ask her out, and I didn't, her arms-length friendliness with male lifeguards was enough to discourage me. But over the course of a couple weeks, several lunches at the guard shack table, and a couple rides home, I developed a sense that we were becoming friends. A few times it seemed like she was flirting with me, but I dismissed it as wishful thinking.

We were having lunch together one Friday afternoon in June when the park was mostly deserted. The weather wasn't horrible. But it was cool and breezy with broken cloud cover. Afternoon rain was forecast. She had her usual peanut butter and jelly, a baggie of cut vegetables, a banana, and a Nalgene bottle of homemade iced tea.

"Can I catch a ride home with you tonight if it's raining," she asked.

"Sure," I said.

"I should mention we moved to a different part of town last weekend. We're not on Ball Street anymore."

"Okay. Where do you live now?" I asked, hoping I hadn't just committed to a much longer drive.

"Do you know where Davis Street is?" I nodded. "We're on the dead-end part. Mom rented this big old farmhouse." Then added with a grin, "Five bedrooms. My brothers won't be fighting with each other all the time now that both have their own room. I have the whole second floor to myself."

"I live on Koin. Right around the corner. You moved into the old Davis farmhouse? The big house at the end? Brown shingles up top and white clapboard on the bottom? Green shutters. Wraparound porch?"

"Yeah, that's the one. Where do you live?"

"One-sixteen. Yellow house. Black shutters. Detached two-car garage," I told her.

"The gray garage?" she asked.

I smiled. "That's the one."

"How come the garage is gray instead of yellow like the house?"

"My father and I painted the house last summer. He was supposed to do the garage after I left for school. Weather and work meant it didn't happen. I'm waiting for him to tell me to get started on it," I smiled. "He's still real busy at work."

"What's he do?"

"Industrial mechanic. Lately he's been working Saturdays and some Sundays. Mom does real estate. Your mother's a nurse at the hospital?"

"Back shift charge nurse on Pediatrics."

"Your father?"

She hesitated. "He sells industrial supplies and equipment. He's on the road a lot. Mom and Dad are separated. She filed for divorce just before we moved."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not. I love him. He's my father. But he can be a shithead."

I'd never heard Siouxsie swear. "Now I'm really sorry."

Siouxsie laughed. "Don't get me wrong. Mom's not entirely blameless in all this nonsense." She grinned. "Mom's a redhead with that legendary fiery redhead temper. But Dad was the definitely the bad guy."

"How about you?" I teased. "You seem pretty even-keeled," I asked with a grin.

"Yeah? Mess with me. You'll find out." She sounded serious. When I looked up from my lunch, she had a straight face. But she grinned after I looked at her for a few seconds. "I have a temper but not like Mom's. You might get singed if I'm mad at you." She was still grinning, but then the smile dissipated. "Mom's never physically hurt anyone, but feelings can get pretty bruised when she's angry. She always feels bad afterward. But . . ." Siouxsie was done with her lunch. She packed everything away, got up and put her lunch bag on a shelf. "I'll talk to you later. Time to get back up on a chair."

When I pulled up in front of Siouxsie's house that night, there was no car in the driveway. She opened the door but didn't get out. "Thanks, for the ride, Paul." Then asked, "Want to come in? Hang out for a bit? I'll make something for us to eat."

"I don't want to intrude on your family."

"You won't be. It's just me at home tonight. My brothers are with our father for the weekend. Mom's at work until morning." When I smiled, she added, "Don't get any ideas. It's just an invitation to come in for something to eat and hang out for a while. Do you know how to play cribbage?"

"I do. I brought the cribbage board and cards that are on the lunch table."

"C'mon in and I'll teach you how to play," she said.

"Cocky. Prepare to get handed your butt," I replied with a grin as I set the parking brake.

I popped the hatch open and called home while she took her bike out. I told my mother I was hanging out with a friend from work and shouldn't be too late.

The house had that still-moving-in look. Piles of stuff that hadn't been put away yet. Stacks of unopened boxes. Boxes stuffed with packing paper. Flattened boxes already unpacked. Siouxsie heated up some leftover meatballs, peppers, and onions, and made subs. We hung out playing cribbage with a radio tuned to a music station in the background. I had a great time with her. But she enjoyed herself more than I did. When we called it a night, she was grinning from ear-to-ear. My tail was between my legs and my wallet twelve dollars and forty cents lighter. I got an object lesson in how to play cribbage. At a nickel a hole.

Siouxsie walked out onto the front porch with me. I said goodnight and turned to leave. "Paul," she said.

I started to say, "Yeah?" but didn't get it out. She raised herself up on her toes, put a hand on my shoulder and planted an open-mouthed kiss that practically curled my toes.

"Something to think about later," she whispered.

"Want a ride in the morning?" I somehow got out, almost sounding normal.

"I'd like that," she said.

I awkwardly walked to my car. It was less than two minutes to home. I sat in the driveway at home for ten minutes. Long enough for my erection to fade. Last thing I wanted was to go into the house and talk to my parents sporting wood.

My father had gone to bed already, but Mom was in the living room looking over some paperwork. "Hi, Paul. Have a nice night?"

"I hung out with one of the other lifeguards after work. Had something to eat and played cribbage. Got my butt handed to me. Got skunked three times. I think I won two games all night. And then only by a few holes. I lost twelve dollars. But I had fun."

My mother laughed. Dad taught me to play cribbage when I was old enough to identify runs, recognize combinations that totaled fifteen, and add quickly. He played in a league during the winter and always finished near or at the top at the end of the season. I always gave him a game when we played, winning as often as not. "Is she anyone I know?" my mother asked, catching me a little off guard.

"I don't think so. Her family just moved to town. How did you know I was with a girl?"

"It's almost midnight," she said. "I don't imagine you'd be out this late with one of the guys from work when you have to work in the morning. And you're in a good mood after a losing your shorts playing cribbage? C'mon, Paul."

"Yeah, I see your point. I didn't realize it was so late."

"You're working tomorrow?"

"Yeah, my weekend on."

"I'm leaving early tomorrow morning. I've got a list of houses to show to a client. Your father is working, too. Will you be home for dinner?"

"I don't know, Mom. Don't worry about feeding me. I'll have some leftovers when I get home or grab something while I'm out."

I made a glass of ice water and went upstairs and got ready for bed. I turned on my TV and surfed through the channels while I thought about Siouxsie. I'd avoided summer romances the last few years. I didn't see much point in getting attached to a girl that was headed to a different part of the country in a couple months and then potentially suffering through an awkward reunion with uncertain expectations at semester break. A few hookups had happened but only if we both understood they were hookups and nothing more. None were with Kinsey.

Siouxsie Hurrican presented a dilemma. I liked her. It seemed she liked me. What could make it different was we were both going to the same school in the fall. A summer romance didn't necessarily have to end with the summer. I rolled over and closed my eyes after checking to make sure the alarm on my cell was set. I was just starting to drift off when my cell buzzed with an incoming call.

I picked it up and looked at the number. It seemed familiar but it wasn't in my contacts list. "Hello? You know it's after midnight?" I asked.

A woman laughed. "Yeah, I guess it is," Siouxsie said. There was a background hum in the connection. It was a little annoying but not enough that I wanted to hang up.

"Oh, hi," I said, rolling over onto my back. "Sorry, I didn't recognize the number.

"It's the house phone," Siouxsie told me. "Tonight was fun," she said. "Did you learn anything?"

"I learned not to play cribbage with you for money," I responded. "But I had fun, too.

She giggled. "I liked the way it ended," she said.

"You took me by surprise," I said.

"Good surprise?" She sounded a little breathy.

"Yeah, good surprise." The hum now had a rhythm to it. A bit louder for a second, softer for a second. "I think we have a bad connection," I said. "Do you hear a hum on the line?"

"No, I don't hear anything on the line." I heard her giggle softly and then take a deep breath. "I think I should say good night, Paul. Just wanted to call and say I was thinking about you." Her voice was strained. And the rhythm of the hum on the line was more rapid.

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning. I'll pick you up about eight-thirty," I said.

Siouxsie huffed. A loud exhale that almost sounded like a grunt. "I'll see you in the morning, Paul. I gotta go." She was definitely struggling to talk. The call disconnected.

I looked at my cell phone. Perplexed. Then it hit me. The humming noise wasn't in our cell connection. She was the source. Or rather, her vibrator was. I thought about it for a moment, then got up and fetched a dirty tee shirt from my laundry. I was tempted to call her but didn't. Instead, I grabbed my laptop and earphones. My parents' bedroom was on the first floor. But there was no point taking a chance they'd hear the soundtrack of one of my favorite websites. I called up the link and did a search for redheads. I found a woman with the same body type and hair color in a solo masturbation video featuring a vibrator. But honestly, I can't tell you anything else about her. Not the noises she made. Or how she moved. All I imagined while I watched was Siouxsie.

Siouxsie and her bike were leaning against my car when I left the house in the morning. I popped the hatch. She took the front wheel off the bike and put the disassembled bike in my car. She was getting off at five. I was working until eight.

"Sleep well after I called?" Siouxsie asked, looking out the window as I drove to work.

"Eventually," I said.

"Me, too," she said, turned to me, a big smile on her face and added, "Eventually."

We didn't talk much on the drive.

We had some excitement at work that day. A scare I could have done without. One of the lifeguards on float duty needed a restroom visit. There wasn't anyone to take his place. That meant everyone on the float had to go ashore when he did. He watched everyone swim ashore then swam in himself. He checked in and told us where he was going and then headed off to the restrooms. A few minutes later, just before he got back from the rest room, a distraught mother and a kid about nine or ten showed up at the shack.

"I can't find my son," she said in a panic.

"Where was he the last time you saw him?" I asked.

The boy piped up. "We were on the float. When the lifeguard said we had to go ashore we decided to race back to the table. When I got to shore, I ran to our table. I didn't even look for him after I got out of the water until I got to our table. He never showed up."

I asked for his name and picked up the PA to page the boy, telling him to report to the lifeguard shack immediately. I hoped he ran into another friend and stopped for a visit. After a minute, I paged him again. When he didn't show up, I nodded at Jeremy who called Search and Rescue. I picked up the PA again. "Code Algae, Float Two. Code Algae, Float Two." A message to the lifeguard crew we had a missing swimmer who was last seen on the middle float. Then I made an announcement for park visitors. "The water is temporarily closed. Everyone must exit the water immediately. Again, the water is temporarily closed. Please come ashore immediately."

The lifeguard crew had already scrambled to begin searching. One of the crew grabbed the key and ran up to open the gate for the Search and Rescue truck. We searched fruitlessly for the boy. I was starting to get a sinking feeling in my stomach. When Search and Rescue arrived, two divers got ready while I briefed their commander. They were just about to get in the water when a police whistle sounded three times. I looked up and standing on Float Two was Bill Dobbs waving his arm. A tow-headed boy, looking down at his feet, stood alongside him.

Instead of swimming to shore, the boy had gone under the float and hid in a gap between ballasts. I gave him a stern lecture and told his mother he was banned from the park for two weeks. I took his photo and told him it would be posted at the gate where an attendant checked passes. Then he got another lecture from the Search and Rescue lieutenant. While the lieutenant lectured the boy, his mother assured me he was facing additional discipline at home. She was relieved her son was safe but still in tears. I watched them briefly as they made their way to their table and began to pack up. I could see she never stopped barking at her son.

As search and rescue got ready to leave, the crew and I took a moment to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Then did a quick review of how we handled the incident. I thanked everyone and sent them back to work. After everyone was back at their assigned post, I announced the water open. I that was left was to call Jane Truesdale. She wasn't in her office. I left a message asking her to call. She'd be getting an invoice from the fire department detailing search and rescue costs. She wouldn't like it, but it was preferable to a drowned kid.

After work, I went to my brother's house. My sister-in-law gave me a hug and told me Mark would be back from the store shortly.

"Who's the hot redhead I saw in your car yesterday?" she asked after she handed me a beer.

"Someone I work with. I gave her a ride home. She lives in the old Davis farmhouse."

"Mom said you came home late last night. Sounds like more than just someone you work with."

I laughed. "Mom has a vivid imagination. We hung out and played cards. If you ever meet her, don't play cribbage with her. She'll take you for every cent you've got."

"Really?"

"Yep. She took me for twelve dollars last night."

"Is that why you sat in the driveway for ten minutes after you got home?"

I cursed my mother silently. She didn't miss anything. "Yeah. I was licking my wounds."

"Or maybe wishing she was licking them for you?"

"You're bad, Joanie. I need to talk to my brother about you," I laughed. "What happened to that sweet innocent minister's daughter my brother was dating?"

"Your brother corrupted me," she replied with a smile. "Turned me into a wanton woman with a dirty mind."

"I'm not so sure about that. I think it's the other way around. That you were secretly wanton all along."

"You'll never know," Joanie replied with a grin.

I stayed at my brother's house until ten. My phone rang just after I parked at home. It was Siouxsie's cell number.

"Hi," I said. "What's up?"

"I was hoping you could come over for a while. Hang out."

"I can. But just for a little while. It's ten-thirty already."

"No point in coming over anyway. My mother will be home in an hour or so. She covered part of a shift for someone tonight. Far as I know she's not working overnight. Just as well. We have to work tomorrow." Before I could say anything, she asked, "You okay? That was quite a scare today."

I shrugged even though I knew she couldn't see it. "Yeah. That kid scared me half to death. I wanted to wring his neck. I'm glad he was okay. But I wouldn't want to be in his shoes when he got home. His mother looked ready to kill him."

"What are you doing?" Siouxsie asked.

"Talking to you."

"Nothing else?"

"Nope. You called just after I got home from my brother's. I'm still sitting in the driveway. When I get off the phone, I'll go inside and talk to my parents for a few minutes then go to bed."

A minute of silence passed before Siouxsie said anything. "How about I call back after my mother gets home? Think you'll still be awake?"

"What time will she get home?"

"Her note said before midnight. She'll look in on me when she gets here." It sounded like she wanted to say more so I waited. "I'd rather talk to you after she looks in on me."

"Yeah, I'll be awake. Want me to call you?"

"No. I'll call you," she said. "It'll be better that way. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay."

Mom was in bed when I went inside. Dad was sitting in the living room watching an old sitcom rerun. He looked tired. "Hi, Dad."

"Hi, Paul. How are Mark and Joanie?"

"Good. Joanie was in rare form tonight," I told him. "Busted my stones all night."

Dad laughed. "She's changed so much since she married Mark. Doesn't turn bright pink when she hears someone swear anymore. I hated tiptoeing around and watching my language when your brother first brought her around."

"She's the one making people blush now."

"I think she was like that all along and afraid to show it. It must be tough be a minister's daughter," my father said.

"I like her. She's good for Mark," I said.

"Your brother picked a good one. He certainly could have done worse. I'm sure you didn't get to see it, but her father has a sense of humor. He was strait-laced and pretty uptight all day at their wedding reception. But he slipped up a few times, too. I liked him. It's too bad they moved so far away."

"I'm going to bed, Dad. See you tomorrow after work?"

"Maybe not. I'm taking your mother to dinner. I've been working so much lately we haven't been able to spend any time together."

"Okay. Good night."

"Good night."

I grabbed a snack, went upstairs and got ready for bed. After checking email and catching up on news, I sent Siouxsie a quick text telling her I was ready for her call. A few minutes later, she responded. "Mom just pulled into the driveway. I'll call soon."

A half hour later, my phone buzzed. "Hi."