Chapter 17: Sunbathing

On the gently sloping bank next to the Inkwell, couples from Cabins 3, 5, and 6 were lounging together. High, thin clouds overhead diffused the sunlight (although lotion was still needed to prevent any UV burns). In the balmy 79° air, only a weak breeze moved through the trees.

The original Cabin 5 group enjoyed a reunion, of sorts, with Cabin 6 joining in. By this point in the session, pairings were well settled, with Felicia and Oscar at the core. Sprawled around them were Cabin 5’s Celie and Will, Helen and Paul, and Marcia and Steve. Luann, Inga, and Serena were mixed in with their respective matches Barry, Martin, and Curtis.

On one side of the main group were Aina and Lewis, with Tara and Stan, all from Cabin 3. Avani led Kyle over to the diving rock for several rounds then took up a sunny spot to air dry. Last to arrive was Leo and his new partner, Davika. He proudly circulated while introducing Davika, born in New Jersey, whose parents immigrated from Thailand. Felicia elbowed Oscar gently, whispering.

“Davika must be the tiniest young woman in this camp. She’s three or four inches under five feet, I’d guess, and about the same color as Avani.” Many of them assumed, rightly or wrongly, that Davika’s small frame was well-suited to Leo’s comparatively compact penis. One thing was obvious: she was tightly attached and thrilled to be with Leo, whose link to her seemed equally tight.

“I had such a wonderful time here at camp, Oscar. I can’t believe there are only 10 days left before we go back. Oh, no! I just remembered! I live in Trenton, and you live in, um, Harrisburg. That’s like a two hour drive in good weather!”

Felicia tried to keep quiet, but tears were rolling down her face, and she was sniffling. Suddenly, Marcia was in Oscar’s face.

“What did you do to her this time, Oscar?”

“No, Marcia, come sit with me. He’s innocent; check that; he’s not to blame. I’ve enjoyed taking his innocence. I’m crying because I love him, but I live in Trenton and he lives in Harrisburg.”

“Selfish jerk. How far is that?”

“It’s 125 miles, <sniffle>, two hours by car. Probably $8,000 in a rideshare like Lyft.”

“Both of you, stand up and come with me!” Her tone showed she was not asking; she was telling. They moved back into the trees about twenty or thirty yards.

“Oscar! How long will it take you to move to Jersey?”

“It’s not a question of time; it’s the money. I don’t have any income or even my own car.”

“Stop fretting! If Glenda the Good Witch shows up with a bank vault in her pink bubble, how much would you need?”

“Uh, let me think.”

“Is that the right name, Marcia?”

“Don’t interrupt, Felicia. Oscar, how much?”

“I guess, with first and last and deposit, maybe $10,000?”

“Oscar, I have an understanding with Glenda. As soon as you get home, I need you to go to a federally chartered big bank, like Citi or Chase. Open a checking account that’s your name ONLY, and then text me the numbers along the bottom of check. Glenda will send you $17,900, that’s the federal gift limit.”

“But, but, how?”

“Oscar, Felicia, about 80 years ago, a man opened a highly productive series of mines and became offensively wealthy. Just by coincidence, his last name matches Glenda’s name, and mine too. Even better, the fortune was kept away from that crypto bullshit.

“Believe me, in comparison to the total accumulations, eighteen grand is like a frayed rug inside a sixty-story building. Felicia, if you make the same bank arrangement, almost thirty-six grand should get you a nice place to live together in either state you choose. Will you two stop crying now and give me a ‘Yes, please!’ for Glenda?”

They both responded with ‘yes,’ but the tears most certainly didn’t stop for either of them. Marcia watched them with a half-smile on her face.

“When you two are all settled, text me your new address so Glenda and I can come visit; maybe have dinner with you.”

Felicia could only nod, still too choked up to speak clearly. All three of them understood that Marcia would be bringing a 12-inch “fashion doll” in a pink gown and holding a sparkly wand. She would introduce the doll as “Glenda, the Good Witch.”

“All right, then. What we have planned, the banks, the moving, all of it, is for you to take care of after you leave here. We have a lot to talk about for the next several months. One more thing: I’m going to throw a big Halloween party this year; make sure you keep that night open. For now, you two run off to your cabin and have some fun.”

Marcia returned to the large group by the water, putting her fingers in her mouth to make a piercing whistle.

“I need all your attention. Those of you out on the edges should move in closer so I don’t have to shout!”

With obvious curiosity, the campers surrounded Marcia.

“I have a secret plan. What ISN’T secret is that I’m going to host a blowout Halloween party this year, and you’re all invited to come. I mean, everyone here who can hear my voice will be invited. I will send around a tablet to collect your names and addresses for the required paper invitations. I’m going to include a gift certificate for a costume shop in case you don’t have something of your own already to wear. My family is funding the whole thing.

“Now, for the secret part. They don’t know it yet, but I’m plotting to have Felicia and Oscar have a marriage ceremony during the festivities. What do you all think?”

Shouts of surprise and glee rang out, loud enough to startle some birds from the nearby trees.

“I thought you might like that. I was going to have Dracula as the officiant.”

“BEETLEJUICE!” somebody cried out, answered by raucous agreement.

“Even better. Just imagine the wedding pictures. So, please, keep your plans open for that night.”

“Mom, Dad, this is hard to say, so I’ll just spit it out.”

Felicia was nervous. She’d followed her parents out to the living room after dessert. Standing there, trying not to wring her hands, she cleared her throat.

“I’m moving out; I’m going to live with Oscar.”

“Of course you are,” her mother replied.

“It’s time I was ... What?”

“You’re an adult; we like Oscar; it’s fine. Do you need some money?”

“Wha?”

“Focus, Felicia. Do you need money?”

“Well, yes; I was going to go get a job pulling coffee or something.”

“Bullshit!” her father erupted. “Felicia, you’re not quitting college, and you’re not going to divide your time between studying and working some low-wage job, just so...”

“Honey, try...”