Out on the Lake

1

"Probably, I guess.", he said.

"Why can't you go up there?", she asked realizing he had glossed over the reason why he couldn't go to meet his friends from college. She knew they got together a few times a year until a few years ago. The group of fifteen men had started to grow up and start families of their own. Now the get-togethers were a yearly thing. She had met them all when they were in college. A group that spanned the four years of college in age she had been nearly fifteen when the older ones had graduated. She remembered being dragged to the ceremonies with her brother for each of the men. She had never really thought of them again until a twist of fate, and she had been recruited to work for the military but not in it after medical school and stationed at the base. She had run into one of the men her brother had been friends with. She smiled and shared information with him and then moved on. At some events, they had both gone to they would nod to each other but nothing more, it wasn't like they were friends. He was friends with her brother nothing more.

"I had an, um, accident.", he said.

"An, um, accident?", she asked not liking the sound of that, "What does that mean?"

"Look something happened at work, and I am stuck in the hospital for a few days.", he said. She could tell there was much more to the story, but she also knew from experience he was not going to say more. "Could you do that for me, please. It would be like three days max. basically, go up there and unlock all the cabins and make sure they somewhat behave  though their wives and girlfriends will do most of the hard work for you on that."

"Three days, huh?", she asked.

"That's all.", her brother said.

"I will go and talk to my boss. So you said it was on Friday to when?", she asked.

"Like Tuesday or Wednesday. They are there till the following Monday.", her brother said.

"Okay call me back in fifteen or so.", she said not knowing if he was on his cell phone. She hung up the phone and walked through the maze of hallways and up two floors to her bosses office.

"What do I owe this pleasure, Doc?", he asked as she knocked on the open door and he looked up.

"I have a favor to ask.", she said.

"Come in and have a seat.", he motioned for her to take a seat in front of him. He waited for her to get seated and comfortable.

"So I need a few days off next week.", she said.

"We don't have anything on the schedule do we?", he asked.

"No.," she said with a smile.

"Then I don't see why not.", he replied. "It isn't like you to ask for time off. So even though the request is informal, I will let you have it this time."

"Thanks.", she said.

"So what do you plan on doing?", he asked with a glint in his eyes.

"My brother and his friends from college get together once a year sometimes more, but it is an annual event. Something happened to my brother, and he has to miss a few days of it though he is the host this year. He asked me to go up to our dad's place and unlock it for them and basically keep an eye on them until he can get up there.", she said.

"What happened to your brother?", he asked as he eyed her over.

"Something at work. He is in the hospital.", she replied.

"Are you sure you just need a few days off?", he asked.

"I guess I should ask for more just in case. So can I have the week off instead?", she asked.

"Again I don't see why not.", he said as he scratched off the dates and rewrote them and then had her sign the request which he had already approved with his signature.

"Thanks, boss.", she said as she stood with her copy of the paper in hand.

"You deserve it.", he said as she went for the door. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That isn't saying all that much, you know.", she replied as she walked out the door and down the hall. The older man sat in his chair chuckling.

"I know my dear that is why I hope you do something wild for once.", he said under his breath so she couldn't hear him even though she was already on the stairs. She was headed back to the section that her office was housed in when she ran into a wall of muscle as she was reading the paper in her hand and not paying attention.

"Hello, sweetheart.", she heard the wall of muscle say as two arms had locked around her and steadied her on her feet. "If you wanted to be in my arms all you have to do is ask."

"Shut up Akechi.", she said without looking up.

"In a hurry, my dear.", he asked.

"I am expecting a phone call from Darren if you must know.", she said as she started to walk away.

"About the trip this week?", he inquired.

"Actually yes. Something came up, and he will be late getting up to the cabins.", she said over her shoulder.

"Figures.", he replied. The simple response was enough to let her know how well the group understood her brother and his behaviors.

"I will be standing in so there is no disruption to your vacation and fun.", she said holding up the chit she had in her hand.

"Wait you?", the man in back of her said in a voice she was sure she had never heard from him before. It was almost shocked. She had known of him professionally for years as well as being the younger sister to one of his friends from so many years prior, she had never known him to be shocked before. It was something that was almost endearing about him that he was never really shocked or surprised. He at least never showed it if he was.

"Yes me.", she said as she spun around to face him, "Is there a problem with that?"

"I don't believe there is, my dear.", he replied with the mask of indifference locked on his face.

"Why do you treat me like that?", she asked as she took three steps in his direction instead of the way to her office.

"Whatever do you mean?", he asked.

"Like I am thirty years younger than you and a small child? My dear, sweetheart, or Princess? I am not a child.", she said.

"I know that.", he said with his smirk. "Does it bother you?"

"You know what, nevermind. You have done this since you were in college.", she said as she turned back to head to her office and wait for her brother to call. He had followed her part of the way but stopped dead in his tracks as she turned to the last hallway. He watched the woman return to her office and began thinking to himself maybe this trip would be worth his time after all.