Chapter 5: A Nice Weekend

The condo project was almost finished. Five were already occupied, and all were done by Charley and company. House Beautiful did a spread on one, My State, the official state magazine, did another. Sherrie had to add two assistants, one for each of them. Charley had to add workers in both the office and the factory. With the economy in a slump, he could get the best, and took advantage.

He made David factory manager while he concentrated on his home studio, turning out custom furniture for ever increasing prices. They were all working like maniacs, and getting to see less and less of each other. All were getting frustrated. Charley looked around one day in loneliness and made a decision. He emailed them with instructions.

"You are to present yourselves at my house Friday morning. Be prepared to stay all weekend. This is not work related, but you are required to attend. Oh, and bring bathing suits. Non attendance is not an option. Eight o'clock Friday morning, do not be late!"

Sherrie and Norma were looking at each other when David called.

"Did you get the email?"

"We're looking at it now. What's going on?"

"Beats me, but he is the boss, and we all need to relax. Wanna ride together?"

They made plans to take his big SUV. He was at their apartment by six, loaded and ready to go by seven.

"Charley called me just before I left to pick you up, we're not to eat breakfast. He'll have it ready when we get there."

At seven fifty five they pulled into his driveway. He met them wearing an apron.

"Don't unpack, Breakfast is on the table. Let's eat."

Blueberry pancakes, bacon, cheese omelettes. Real butter and maple syrup. All hot and ready. They ate like pigs, in near silence.

They relaxed over coffee. Charley set the rules for the weekend.

"I cooked, so you guys get to clean up. If any of you cook, the rest of us cleans. House rules. If you can't find what you want in the pantry or fridge, we'll go out and get it. You can pick out bedrooms later. David and Sherrie, your turn to clean up. Norma and I will take a walk. Tonight we'll return the favor, while you guys enjoy an evening stroll."

He turned to Norma.

"Shall we?"

He looked at their faces and laughed as they walked out the door.

"No hanky panky in the kitchen! We have to prepare food there. We'll be gone awhile, I'm sure you'll find something to amuse yourselves with."

He took her down a small path, walking about a quarter mile before it turned uphill. The path ended in a small clearing by a stream.

There was a small waterfall, about eight feet high but fifty feet wide. A small rock shelf was just below it, and then the water fell into a large pool. It was beautiful.

"This place is amazing!"

He smiled.

"Yes it is. It's one of the main reasons I bought the property, that and the trees. Of course, I intended to cut most of them down for furniture, but other than what it took to build the house, I just can't make myself do it."

How much land do you own?"

"Here, about a hundred eighty acres. I own some more acreage here and there, mostly timber lots."

"Wow."

He seemed embarrassed.

"It's not that much, really. I've done well in my life, professionally at least."

She could hear the sadness and a small amount of bitterness in his voice. She took his hand.

"You talk like your life is over! You have a lot of good years left. You're kind, handsome, and I think you have a lot of love in you. All you need to do is find someone to give it to."

She hadn't meant to say all that, it just came out, but she meant every word, and she didn't let go of his hand, even as they walked back. Just before they left the wooded path he stopped, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her. Just a light kiss for a few seconds, with no tongue, but when he released her she looked down, expecting to see scorch marks on the ground.

"Wow! That was nice. Any special reason for it?"

His old grin was back.

"For being who you are, for making me feel alive again. And just because I wanted to, isn't that reason enough?"

She just smiled, grabbed him quickly and kissed him on the cheek. She stood back with her own grin.

"Sometimes I want to do things too."

She had a death grip on his hands as they came into the yard.

Sherrie and David were still doing dishes. They would have been done sooner but for some reason warm maple syrup kept getting spilled on her nipples, and David had to stop and lick it off. They ended up christened the dining room table, both being secretly glad Charley built such sturdy furniture.

Sherrie saw then first.

"Look" she said, pointing as they emerged from the trees, holding hands.

David had a happy smile on his face.

"About time. They look happy, don't they?"

She held his hand, happy at the sight.

"Yes they do. I hope it works out, they both deserve a good person in their life."

David started laughing suddenly.

"What?" She asked. He rarely laughed, and she loved to hear it.

"If your aunt marries my uncle, when I marry you, does it make them double uncle and aunt?"

He stopped suddenly, both realizing what he said. Before they could continue Norma and Charley came through the door. They were laughing, but stopped when they saw their faces.

"Anything wrong?" Norma asked out of concern.

They were both about to say something when Sherrie started grinning. David looked at her and she pointed with her eyes. He saw and actually laughed again.

"No, nothing wrong. Did you have a nice walk? I bet he showed you the waterfall, didn't he?"

Sherrie was trying to stifle a laugh but not doing a very good job. She was continuing to stare at Charley, and when Norma looked around she saw it.

A perfect set of lip prints, in pale red, on his right cheek. His tanned skin made it really stand out. She went a nice shade of crimson.

Charley was looking at them, trying to figure out what was so funny.

"What?"

David was almost choking.

"Charley, it looks like you ran into something out there. there's a mark on your cheek. Must have been a tree branch."

Charley reached up and rubbed his cheek, looking at the faint red on his fingers. To their surprise instead of being embarrassed he smiled.

"Yeah, I got too close to the kissing tree. That happens sometime."

Sherrie joined in.

"Where is this kissing tree? I've never seen it the times I've been up here."

He laughed, happily.

"Oh, you can't find it by yourself. There has to be someone special with you. I'm sure you and David will find it this evening. Just don't get too close, the effects can be permanent."

Sherrie looked at David.

"When we find it, I'm gonna turn into one of those tree huggers you hear about!"

David went red, while Norma laughed out loud and Charley smiled.

Even though it was supposed to be a non working event, they ended up discussing the condo project for about two hours before Charley stopped them.

"Enough! The next person who mentions work has to do the next meals' dishes alone. Grab your suits, let's go up to the falls."

They changed, packed a picnic lunch, a cooler, towels and other items they thought they might need, and loaded them into his little off road vehicle. It resembled a little truck, Charley used it to drive about the property. He and Norma rode to the falls while Sherrie and David walked.

It took them about three times longer to get there than normal, they were about to go check on them when they came into the meadow. Norma suspected Sherrie had used a whole tube of lip gloss up, judging by the prints on his cheeks and neck.

Sherrie bounced up.

"Sorry we took so long! Charley, you should have told me you had a whole grove of kissing trees on the path! I didn't think we were ever going to get here, but I didn't feel like rushing."

David was glowing in pride and embarrassment. Charlie hugged Norma before he spoke.

"Not a problem. We'll let you two drive back, wouldn't want to put you at risk. Norma and I will just have to sacrifice."

Now it was Normas' turn to glow.

They laughed, they played. When it came time to swim, both Charley and David were enthralled. Sherrie had on a modest bikini that fit her very, very well. Norma had a one piece, but it was cut high in the legs and back, with a plunging neckline. The built in bra enhanced her bust. Charley was glad the water was on the cool side.

They laughed, splashed, swam and floated lazily. The sight of the girls floating on their back gave the men very lustful thoughts.

They ate the light snacks they had brought, washing down the fruit and cheeses with two excellent bottles of wine. Charley promised to take them the vineyard Saturday, it was close by. Later, as the girls got some sun, that included liberal amounts of lotion applied by their men. Charley and David walked to the falls.

"Are you ever gonna get off your ass and ask her?" Charley asked David in an exasperated voice.

David looked at Charley with amused eyes.

"I kind of did, just before you guys came back this morning. It kind of slipped out, but I plan on making it official, real soon."

"About damn time. You know I look on you as a son. You're my heir, when I go or retire the business is yours. So get with the program, give me some grand kids I can spoil."

David was speechless. He knew Charley loved him, but he never expected him to give him the business. Tears were in his eyes, he tried to speak but failed. Charley saved him from further embarrassment.

"Come on, time to head back. Remember, you're driving."

The girls had been having their own talk. Sherrie told Norman about David having his Freudian slip, saying he was going to marry her. Norma hugged her in joy.

"Don't be so hasty, he hasn't actually asked yet. But it's gonna be soon, I can feel it. How about your man? Set the hook yet?"

"No, but he has it in his mouth. I'm gonna let him run with it before I set it, deep. There's a lot of love in that man. Damn that ex of his! He should have a house full of grandchildren by now. I guess the burden is on you now."

Sherrie laughed happily.

"I don't know about a house full, but two or three, definitely."

The men came back, and they gathered their things. David and Sherrie drove the small off road truck, while Charley and Norma took their time on the path. A twenty minute walk took them over an hour. When they got back, his face was basically painted with lip gloss. There wasn't a spot bigger than a dime from his hairline to the bottom of his neck that wasn't marked. Sherrie and David never said a word, and he seemed in no hurry to wipe anything off.

David grilled chicken and pork chops later in the evening, while Charley made salads. The girls laid on lounges on the patio, talking about how they planned to become accustomed to this.

Sherrie pointed to a small knoll just past the property line.

"When we get married, we're gonna build a cabin there, so the kids can run back and forth between houses. Maybe we'll get them a golf cart or a couple of four wheelers. That way, when we want alone time, we can send them off to grandma's house."

Sherrie had lost both parents a few years ago. She was an unexpected baby, coming when her parents were in their early forties. Her mom passed from natural causes, and her dad died in a car accident. Sherrie thought he was still grieving her mother and wasn't paying attention when it happened.