Part 24 (2/2)
Afterward, I went for a quick swim, then walked to the rocks at the far end of the bend and sat down, letting the sun dry me off.
I watched the water drift lazily past and thought about Rodney, one of my first boyfriends. I f.u.c.ked him once, right here, sitting on these rocks with the sun beating down on us. f.u.c.ked him hard and proper. Then he f.u.c.ked me hard and proper. We spent much of our time giving each other b.l.o.w. .j.o.bs. I thought I was in love, but he lasted about three weeks and he was gone, and I was sort of glad because I was getting bored with him and wanted something else. What, I didn't know. The s.e.x was fun, the s.e.x was good, but it wasn't enough. There was no smoldering to it, I thought, remembering Jackson's word.
With Jackson, there was all kinds of smoldering going on.
Noah woke, wandered over to the rocks, his skin red and gold. He sat next to me, checking in, smiling.
Are you hungry? I asked. I asked.
He shook his head.
Did you sleep well?
He nodded.
Wanna go swimming?
His face brightened.
We waded into the water and had a long swim.
When he got tired, I held him in my arms and waded into the deeper parts. Then he got behind me and held on to my neck while I swam out further, dog-paddling, enjoying the exercise. Then I turned around and dog-paddled all the way back to the sh.o.r.e, where we sat on the sand, water dripping from our bodies.
Jackson emerged from the tent, wandered off into the trees, came back, and smiled at us sheepishly.
”Did you sleep well?” I asked.
”Out like a light,” he admitted.
”Did you know you fart during your sleep?” I asked.
”I do not!” he said, outraged, offended, not sure whether to believe me.
I waved a hand in front of my nose and my eyes went wide.
”You are such a liar!” he exclaimed.
”Ask Noah. He didn't hear but he could sure smell it. We had to air the tent out.”
”You did not.”
”Suit yourself.”
”You are such a bad man,” he said. ”But I love the way you talk.”
”That's good, because I do a lot of it. You sound like an uptight British drag queen,” I said.
”I do not!”
”I do not!” I said, imitating him, but grossly overexaggerating the effect.
”I don't sound like that!”
”I don't sound like that!”
”Stop it!”
”Stop it!”
”I'll show you!” he vowed.
He dropped his shorts and underwear.
I got up, laughing.
”I'm going to kick your a.s.s!” he said.
”You and what Union army?” I asked as I waded out into the deep water, laughing.
Noah honked.
Jackson waded into the water after me, a determined look on his face.
”Come on, chicken!” I called.
I swam out to the deep end. He followed, dragged me back. Mayhem ensued. He dunked me. I dunked him. We roughhoused. Then we took to hefting Noah and tossing him as high as we could. He splashed into the water and laughed with delight. Again and again, we heaved him about, Jackson grinning, Noah honking and hooting, me more in love with these two boys than I knew what to do with.
Then I heard the whine of a four-wheeler.
”Wait!” I exclaimed, holding up my hands for silence.
Whrrrrrr!
”Oh s.h.i.+t,” I said, hurrying to the sh.o.r.e.
”What?” Jackson called.
”It's Mama. Don't let her see you! She'll have a f.u.c.king coronary.”
I waded as quickly as I could to the sh.o.r.e but she arrived on the campsite before I could get to my shorts. She took a good look at my w.i.l.l.y and was furious.
Noah shouted happily, ”Memaw!”
He ran to her wearing nothing but a huge grin.
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