LITMIR.BIZ

      Jane didn’t have much to say on the trip around the lake on Tuesday to meet Corrie’s bus. Nell took a hand off the wheel long enough to give Jane’s knee a pat. “It’ll be fine, dear,” she promised. “You’ll see.”

      Jane returned a weak smile. Back in the city, Corrie Ottley was Jane’s closest friend. But that was at home; Sky Lake was different. Sky Lake belonged to her.

      When Corrie stepped down off the bus, she looked like an ad for an outdoor store—new hiking boots, khaki shorts and matching blouse with barely a wrinkle, even after a long, hot ride. A gold clip held her hair off her face. Corrie’s fine brown hair was perfectly straight and shone like silk. In contrast, Jane’s blonde mane only got frizzier with the heat and humidity, and her clothes were rumpled and comfortable. After a week, most of them were still in her knapsack.

      “I just didn’t know what I was going to do till you got back, Jane,” Corrie bubbled, letting Jane take one of her two matching suitcases. “I’m so glad you and Nell invited me.”

      “We’re glad too, dear,” said Nell warmly. “Now, I must warn you that My Blue Heaven doesn’t have all the creature comforts. But as Jane and I always say, who needs them when we have nature right at our back door. Right, Janey?”

      Jane slid the luggage onto the seat and ducked back out of the car. “Right, Nell,” she said, thinking of the snake.

      Before they headed back around the lake, there were supplies to pick up from the store. While Nell filled her basket and chatted with Jackson Howard, Corrie and Jane wandered around the big, airy room attached to the front of the building and Jane got caught up on news from the home front. She had already decided she was not going to ask Corrie how the party two nights before she left had turned out, the one Corrie had been invited to and she hadn’t.

      They were eating ice cream and studying the trophy fish mounted on the walls when Jesse came into the room. Seeing the girls, he stopped and took the broom he was carrying off his shoulder. “Oh, sorry,” he said. “Didn’t know there was anyone here.”

      “It’s okay, isn’t it?” Jane asked. “We were just looking around, waiting for my grandmother.”

      “No problem. My dad asked me to sweep the floor, is all. We had a bingo in here last night.” He was staring at Corrie.

      “Oh, Jess,” said Jane quickly. “This is my friend, Corrie Ottley, from home. Corrie, this is Jess Howard. He lives here.”

      Corrie tucked a long strand of hair back behind her ear and turned on her brightest smile. “Hi, Jess,” she said. She had mocha ice cream on her upper lip.

      Jess leaned on the broom and continued to stare. This was exactly what Jane had been afraid of.

      “You’re so lucky to live in a place like this,” chirped Corrie, indicating the view of Sky Lake and the rock on the opposite shore.

      “He’s one of the lucky ones who has a job, too,” Jane pointed out. “Jess works at the municipal centre.”

      Jess gave a short laugh. “You wouldn’t want that kind of job,” he said.

      “What’s wrong with it?” Jane asked. “Isn’t the pay any good?”

      “The pay is zip. Zilch? Nada? I’m doing community service.”