Part 2

Journal: 12-16-03

Raquel

I was asleep when I rolled from my side onto my back in bed. My arm flung itself straight out to the side, the knuckles rapping sharply against the side of the steel fuel oil tank beside my bed. There was a hollow booming from the empty tank and the sudden sharp pain in my knuckles brought me awake.

"Ow!" I sat up and cradled my injured hand while fighting the urge to curse. It had been twenty days since Aunt Connie and the girls had moved in and this was the tenth or twelfth time I'd hit the old steel tank... you'd think I'd have learned by now. I'd thought of moving my bed a few inches further away the last time, but there was barely room inside of my curtained 'bedroom' to stand and change clothes now.

"Bill, are you okay?" it was Raquel's voice speaking softly through the curtain; she must have been either going up to the bathroom or coming back down from it when I'd hit the tank. The small clock on the chair beside my bed showed it was only three-thirty so everyone else was still asleep.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just rapped my knuckles again. I've done it before."

"I know, lots of times... the booming noise wakes me up and scares the dickens out of me every time."

"I'm sorry about that, I'm not doing it on purpose. Maybe dad and I can hang a blanket or something to pad it tomorrow. I'll ask him."

"I'd imagine it would hurt a lot less too... Bill, can I come in? Are you decent? I'd like to talk if you don't mind."

"I've got p.j. bottoms on, you can come in." I threw back the covers and rolled into a sitting position on the edge of the bed as the curtains parted. Reaching across the head of my bed I turned on the small lamp sitting on a crate there. The crate was my bedside table. We both blinked in the sudden glare of light. She sat on the foot of the bed. It was at times like this, or when I got up to use the bathroom upstairs, that I was happy dad and I had 'fixed' the bed. When I'd first moved into the basement and set up the old bed we'd found the springs all busted down and stretched. Many of the connecting wires had been broken. The mattress had sagged and the whole thing had squeaked terribly. Working together, dad showed me how to cut slats for the bed and we'd trimmed down a huge piece of plywood to fit atop them, between the rails. My mattress rested on this board, there was no spring squeak and the bed was much firmer to sit and sleep on.

Raquel was wearing a large button down flannel shirt that came to mid thigh on her. Her long, curly, brownish-blonde hair was pinned up loosely about her head. In the past six days I'd learned that this was her normal sleeping attire; that shirt, a pair of panties and an old pair of yellow socks. I never saw her wear those socks at any other time, but they were always on her feet when she went to bed. She pulled her feet up onto the bed and crossed them under her, giving me a momentary peek at some kind of blue flowered panties she was wearing. She caught me looking.

"You really are a perv, you know that don't you cousin?"

"What? Me? A pervert? You're the one offering the peeks."

"We're cousins, Bill."

"Yeah, so?"

"First cousins."

"Yeah, so?"

"That's supposed to be almost the same as a brother and sister. You know, incest. You do know what incest is, don't you?"

"Of course I know what that is. But, no it's not. I'm looking, not touching. Like you care about such things anyway. Besides, I can't see anything but your panties."

"You are impossible," she said, leaning forward and slapping me on the shoulder. "But I love you anyway." As she sat back again though, she adjusted her legs and pulled the tails of the over-sized shirt more tightly about them.

"Yeah and I love you too, Rocks."

"I told you not to call me that any more. It was okay when we were younger, but I don't like it any longer. It makes me feel like a kid rather than a woman. It gives people the wrong impression. I have enough problems with that already... because of my lack of height and slight build, everyone thinks I'm still a kid."

"Slight build my foot. I've seen the shape of your boobs a few times while we were playing and I've seen a few of the guys making passes at you in the last week... you're hardly what I would call a kid."

"Yeah, well, those boys are just that, 'boys', and between the three of them I doubt there's enough brains to make one good one that works... Besides, they were hitting on my sisters too, and I saw them talking up another girl, one who's even younger than Alivia. They don't really care about a girl's shape or age or anything, they just want to get in some girl's... any girl's, pants. You've really noticed the shape of my breasts?"

'Yes, and I've seen your nipples get hard and poke at the front of your shirt, and I've looked at the curve of your butt when you were bending over or exercising or stretching around to tag someone out at second base."

"Really? But we're family, I mean, we are cousins."

"Again, so? I'm also a guy and you're a girl. Worse, I'm a guy who's grown up with only brothers and you're a girl with only sisters. A girl who is now living in our house and half naked part of the time. Some of the things that others get to see casually while they are growing up... a sister or a brother running around the house in their underwear... an occasional 'accidental' (or intentional) look at each other when things are partly or completely uncovered... these are things we've never had. So what is casual for them is more special to us - to me. Kind of exotic like, you know? Besides, I've noticed you looking at mine and my brother's butts when you thought no one saw you. I've seen all of you trying to see how one or another of us fills the front of a pair of under shorts since you moved in." She was starting to blush and I liked having that effect on her, so I pushed the issue one more step. "I've even intentionally left small gaps in my curtains here so you 'could' look... a couple of times." Her mouth fell open, shocked by what I'd said, and I could almost see her mind trying to figure out what other 'accidents' had been intentional since she and her sisters had moved in. "But that's not important... what did you want to talk about?"

"Oh, nothing, anything, everything. I just couldn't sleep and wanted to talk with someone for a while. What we are talking about is fine. You saw me looking then?"

"Yeah, I did. I don't think our parents have noticed, though Phil might have... Carl wouldn't notice... he doesn't seem too interested in girls yet... just his sports."

"But 'you' noticed?"

"Heck yes. Especially those times when you or your sisters were braless."

There was kind of an awkward silence for a few minutes and she pushed her hair behind her ears before she said, "What are you planning to do tomorrow?"

"Well, it's Thursday, so Phil and I have to mow the grass before we can do anything. Mom won't let us do anything until the chores are done. Carl gets to take out the trash in the morning, but Phil and I have to mow the grass every Thursday, unless it's raining of course - then we have to do it Friday. Phil and Carl want to ride their bikes up to Peach Mountain tomorrow... that's the big hill with the radio tower on it. It's all covered with pines and stuff and there's an old sawmill up there and an observatory and some other cool stuff. We explore up there pretty often... The University owns it and it's only a couple of miles away so mom and dad don't freak if we go there. On the way home they will probably collect pop bottles along the road and stop at the Trading Post. We usually get enough bottles for a couple of pops and candy bars... then we share them between us."

"But that's not what you want to do I take it?"

"No, I want to take the boat up river and go fishing... but mom won't let me do that alone. If my brothers wanted to go with me, it would be okay, but not alone. I'll probably go swimming or something instead. I really don't want to ride up to Peach Mountain though."

"What about if I go fishing with you?"

"I thought you didn't like to fish?"

"I don't, not really. I'll bring a book or something and read while you fish. I'll wear my swimsuit and work on my tan. You'll be able to take the boat and fish and I'll get away from my sisters for the day. If I stay here I'll have to watch them all day."

"Sounds good to me, if our moms agrees. I'll wear my suit too and we can go swimming off the sand bars up river later." I was really getting into this idea. I hoped she woould wear her yellow two-piece suit. It wasn't as skimpy as her blue bikini, and I really didn't like the color - it didn't seem complimentary to her for some reason. Still, the yellow one was of thinner material and really molded to her when she wore it. When it got wet, I could see the outline of her nipples and other things. Picturing it in my head, with the suit wet and sucking into the crack of her ass and pussy as she came out of the water, I began getting excited. My dick tried to rise in my shorts.

"Maybe we can take some sandwiches and have a picnic lunch too?"

"Nope, not likely. Mom will feed us an early lunch before we leave and we'll have to be back before dad gets home from work at five. Some nights he likes to go fishing when he gets home. If the boat's not here we'll be in dutch. We'll have five or six hours of fishing and boating though. It's about forty minutes by boat to where I like to fish. What happens if your sisters want to go with us?"

"They won't. Not when I tell them we're going to fish. Too boring and icky. Where will we be going? Will there be a place for me to sunbathe?"

"As I said, up river. We'll take the channel from the lake to the river and go up-river past Base Lake. We might try fishing on Tamarack. I've had no real luck fishing there lately, but there's a little sand spit beach you can lay on while I try my luck out on the lake."

"Unh uh. I don't know the area or the people. I won't want to be too far away from you. If you're out on in the boat and I'm on shore alone I'd be too nervous for tanning or reading. I'll be more comfortable if you're close by."

"I was thinking of going all the way to Zukey Lake, the water's cleanest there, but it depends on the water level in the river. It gets awfully shallow sometimes just before you get to Zukey lake. Sometimes even our jon boat can't get through. We can stop at Strawberry Lake for a while. There's a little public park on a spit of land there and I only have to be about ten feet off-shore for some good fishing. There's lots of trees there though and I'm not sure how much sun you'll get. If we have no luck there or it doesn't suit you, I will take us to Hidden Lake."

"Hidden lake? I don't know that one. Where is it?"

"Hidden Lake is not part of the Chain of Lakes. It's not much more than a large pond really and it's on land owned by the University. They use it as some kind of nature laboratory and keep it stocked with all kinds of fresh water fish. I don't know if it really has a name, but it's hidden from the view of anyone on the river or Base Lake. Because it's not visible and you have to 'know' it's there, my brothers and I call it Hidden Lake. It is surrounded on three sides by swampy ground. The fourth side is a hill, where the University has a cabin for students to stay in while they study there. We found it when we beached on a sand spit once for a picnic. There's a narrow grassy path that we sometimes drag the boat through so we can fish the lake."

"But isn't University land private property?"

"Yeah, we got caught once too. But they said we could fish there - as long as we don't do it while students are studying the lake and swamp. We even have a letter we can show if someone ever asks. It gives us permission as long as we don't take other fishermen in with us. They don't want it becoming popular or fished out. We haven't even told dad about it. We can always count on that lake for a good fish dinner, though we don't go there often. We usually don't need to."

"Can we swim there? Or sunbathe?"

"Swim? Probably, but I wouldn't. There's nothing in it that would hurt us, but the water is dark, the bottoms all mud and there's lots of weeds underwater. We can swim on Base Lake if you want, from a little sand spit beach nearby. The lake bottom's firm there and the water is clear and clean. Dad built a flat deck between the tops of the front two seats on the jon boat. I was planning to remove it, but if we leave it in place it will give you a place to lay out and sunbathe. Besides, I guess we could use it as a jumping platform for swimming too. Just try not to move around too much while I'm fishing, okay?"

"Promise. Look, I'll be right back." Raquel said as she rose and almost dashed through the part in the curtains. I heard the basement door softly open and close, then the sound of her footsteps padding hurriedly up the stairs. I guess she had been on her way 'to' the bathroom.

Reaching to the crate again I picked up paperback sitting next to the lamp and opened it to where I'd stopped reading. I'd read five pages before I heard the sound of rushing water in the pipes as the toilet flushed. I finished the paragraph I was reading and was replacing the book beside the lamp when I heard Raquel coming down the stairs.

Raquel was brushing her hair when she came back through the curtains, moving to take her place again at the foot of the bed. There was a thoughtful look on her face as she passed me the brush and turned away from me. This was kind of a ritual between the two of us. I think she'd been six and I was five the first time I brushed her hair for her. She loved it and I enjoyed the simple repetitive motions. I began moving the brush gently through her hair and waited. She would speak when she wanted to and anything I said would cause it to be left unsaid and change her mood. I knew the signs.

"Do you think my daddy is my daddy, Bill?"

"What?" I'd known she was going to say something. Known it was something hard for her to say. Even thought it might be something embarrassing, like when a boy or girl tried to work up the nerve to tell someone they really liked them. But something like this had never entered my thoughts. Of course he was her daddy. He must be her daddy. He and Aunt Connie were married, weren't they? I mean, that's how it works, isn't it? Who's daddy would he be if not hers? Or who would be her daddy if not him? I didn't understand the question. "What do you mean, Rocks?"

"I asked you not to call me that! My name it Raquel! Geeze! How many times do I have to ask you?"

"I'm sorry, Roc... uh, Raquel. But I've always called you Rocks, it's kind of a change, you know? But what did you mean by your question? I mean, he is your dad isn't he? And your mom's your mom, right? Isn't that how it works?"

"Oh, I don't know. I'm not really sure exactly what I mean. But I heard some people talking once... Oh, just skip it. If I talk about it I'll probably end up crying and wake up Patty or Alivia and get us in trouble. I don't think mom or your parents would be happy if we were caught like this."

"Caught like what?"

"Gawd you're dense sometimes. Look at us! I'm sitting here in nothing but a big shirt and my panties... "

"... and them ugly yellow socks you always wear to bed."

"Okay, and my sleep socks. And there you are in those old pajama bottoms, are you wearing anything under them?"

"A pair of Jockeys, why?"

"Oh, nothing. Not really. Mama just gets weird about such things. Doesn't think it's 'proper', even with family."

"That is weird. But, what did you mean about your father? I don't understand."

"I'm not completely sure I do, but I heard something once and I want to talk to someone about it. But not now, not here. Not where someone else might hear."

"Okay. I'll tell you what - tomorrow, instead of trying any other places, we'll go straight to hidden lake. No one will be able to hear or see us there. No one will ever know what we say except you and me. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay. Providing our moms let us go."

"Mom only worries about me going out in the boat alone, in case something happens. If you are going with me I'm sure she'll let us. I don't know about your mom though. I've got a few bucks too, we can get some sodas at the 'Boat Dock' landing on the way out."

"Grape Nehi?"

"Yeah, and some Faygo Rock n' Rye for me."

"Eww. How can you drink that stuff?"

"I like the taste. How can you drink Grape Nehi? That stuff's too sweet for me."

"I like the taste." We looked at one another and started giggling. "I'd better go back to bed," she said, rising. I rose too, since I'd been raised to think that's what you do when a lady leaves. Raquel stepped close and hugged me quickly, "Thanks," she said and then was gone.

I turned off the light and tried to sleep but couldn't. Turning the light back on I reached for the book and started reading.

It was Alivia who woke me up the next morning, banging the basement door back against the wall and calling out loudly, "Hey, lazy bones! Aunt Sarah says get it in gear! Everyone else is almost done with breakfast."

I got up and changed into clean jockeys, shorts and a T-shirt before heading upstairs to join the others. I entered the dining room to a chorus of "Lazy Bones" and "Sleepy Heads" and moved through on my way to the bathroom. In the kitchen mama asked if I was feeling okay and I told her I'd had trouble falling asleep and had read most of the night. She shook her head and said nothing more. Everyone knew I sometimes had trouble sleeping, always had, ever since I was a kid. Dad had already left for work, of course.

I hurried through breakfast so I could get the daily chores done. Usually, my brothers and I would be doing the morning dishes and helping mom sweep the kitchen and dining room floor after breakfast. Since they'd arrived, the cleaning chores had fallen to our cousins. Raquel was sweeping while her sisters did the morning dishes. Phil and I started on the lawn right after breakfast and Carl emptied all of the waste baskets and took out the trash. Done with the daily chores, Phil and Carl approached mom and asked if they could ride up to Peach Mountain. Pat and Alivia asked if they could go to the beach and swim, and I asked If I could use the jon boat and go fishing. As expected, Phil and Carl got told 'yes'. Pat and Alivia were also told 'yes' with the proviso that they couldn't actually 'swim' unless others were there swimming too. They weren't to swim in the lake alone. I was told 'no'.

"You know I don't like you going out in the boat alone." Mom said. "You must have someone else in the boat with you in case something happens."

"I'll go with him," piped up Raquel.

"You will? Fishing?" asked her mother.

"I've gone fishing with dad before."

"Yes. I also remember that you didn't like it."

"So I'll take a book and work on my tan while Bill fishes. I don't want to hang around here alone all day and I don't really know anyone else around the lake."

"Well, okay. Just so you know that he will be sitting in one place most of the time and you have to be quiet so you don't scare the fish."

"Like I said, I'll take a book and work on my tan." We got permission to use the boat.

At 'Boat Dock' we topped up the gas can for the outboard, bought three cans of pop each, two dozen night crawlers and headed down the channel for the river. I hated using the channel. Originally a narrow stream where lake overflow ran across to the river, it had been dredged into a twenty-five foot wide connecting channel at some time long ago. It was convenient, and a quick way to the river actually. It was also a boat docking place for those who lived along it's banks. The residents moored their fishing and speed boats against the steel barrier walls which made up it's banks. What I hated about it was the speed limit. It was a five mile an hour "no wake" area, to protect the moored boats from damage. At fifteen, when I wanted to go fishing, I wanted to get there as fast as the little Johnson outboard would allow and start fishing. The crawl through the channel always seemed to last forever at times like that. Still, we made it through eventually and turned up river.

The river too, was a no wake area, or rather a low wake area, with it's fifteen mile an hour speed limit, to protect the boats of residents living on 'it' as well. But from where the channel let out, going up river into Base Lake, there were no residents. As soon as I turned into the river I opened up the little outboard, like we always did, and the little jon boat rose into a plane - practically skipping across the water. About thirty yards up-river from the channel there was a small fast water spot. Long before I was born someone had built a partial dam at that point in the river. Two wings of piled stones had been built out from the banks on either side of the river. This created a narrow opening just wide enough for boats to pass through singly. I knew 'why' it had been built, if not by whom or when. It had been built at a time when a wide 'deep' channel had been dredged in the river. It's purpose was to speed up the flow of water through this channel and prevent settling sediment from filling the deeper man-made section. It wasn't really all that fast, heck, I could swim through it against the current, though it took a little effort and time. Still, it made for a nice bounce or two for a boat at speed.

Once out into Base Lake I made a quick circuit of the lake, looking for other fishermen, gauging the amount of other boating present and scanning the shores for what was happening here and there. Mostly what I was doing was scanning those houses from which the small cove, and the entrance to the narrow path to the hidden lake, could be seen. A circuit of the entire lake drew less attention than going straight to one point in the lake and turning immediately back. It also gave me a momentary view of the place where cars parked when University people used the little lake or the cabin. Satisfied, I aimed the boat at a small shrouded cove where the path began.

Positioned nicely so I could cast my line back under an overhanging tree, I baited my hook, cocked back the rod and let fly, allowing the line to sink to the bottom and sit. Raquel had taken four of our bottles of soda and put them into a potato sack I kept in my tackle box. A short cord attached to an oarlock allowed the sack to sink into the water and keep the sodas cool on hot sunny days.

Raquel removed her shorts and shirt, revealing the bright yellow suit I'd hoped she'd wear, and begun spreading tanning oil on herself. I leaned the pole against the other oarlock and rested my bare foot on it's handle to keep it in place. The position of my foot would also alert me should I get a bite.

A 'church key' from my tackle box opened two of the sodas and Raquel and I clinked our bottles together before taking our first sips, like two successful conspirators who had gotten away with something. We grinned and I reached for my book as Raquel stretched out on the front deck (as we called it) to tan. Dad's homemade deck allowed Raquel just enough room to lay mostly flat and catch the sun's rays. She offered me the tanning lotion and I passed on it. I'd already had my mild spring burn and anything I did in the sun now became a tan.

It was almost funny in a way. During the summers my brothers and I 'lived' in bathing suits and shorts, seldom wearing anything more, except for the occasional T-shirt, whereas Raquel and her sisters were normally fully clothed. Where they seldom got more than a few hours of actual tanning time in a week, we were hardly out of the sunlight for more than a few of the daylight hours in any given week. Yet if we were all to stand together, side by side, you'd swear it was just the opposite. My brothers and I don't get dark tans. Our skin darkens to a kind of golden tannish color and stops. Our cousins, on the other hand, were fully qualified bronze goddesses after only a few days, their skin darkening to a deep, almost metallic chestnut color. The more sun they got, the deeper brown they became.