Chapter 5

I get the lawn done before noon and raid Rose Ann's refrigerator for some lunch before tackling the gazebo project. Locating the six 6X6s in the pile of lumber, I drag them over to where Rose Ann said she wanted it built and lay them out so they're ready to bolt together. Looks like it's going to be a nice size; about ten feet across. When I check them with a level, I see there's a decided slope to the ground and that means I'm going to have to move some dirt. I spend another hour figuring out exactly where and how much to dig.

I go into the kitchen for a glass of water and see it's almost three thirty. I think maybe I should knock off a little early since I need to get a little rest and a good cleanup before Dad and I come back for the meeting.

Rose Ann said casual but Dad and I take pains to make sure we're squeaky clean and dressed in something nice. At six thirty, we're both a bit surprised to see Dr. Greene himself drive up in the rehab van. He laughs when Dad asks him if business is so bad that he has to moonlight.

"No reason to pay our driver overtime. I think between the three of us we can manage, don't you?"

We see several very nice cars parked in the drive when we arrive. Rose Ann greets us at the door and gives Dad a little kiss on the cheek as she shakes his hand. "Thank you so much for coming, Warren. I can't wait to hear your ideas. Why don't you guys go on into the living room and introduce yourselves while I see to dinner?"

"We'll be there in a minute," I say. "I want to take Dad out back and ask him a couple of questions about the gazebo."

I wheel him across the lawn to where the base is laid out and show him where I plan to dig out some sod to level it.

"I'm glad you showed it to me before you started digging, Randy because that's not what you want to do."

"How come? It needs to be level."

"If you do what you're planning, it'll be level for a while but not for long. I could tell when you wheeled me out here that the ground is too soft. You're going to have to pour six concrete piers to set those beams on and that means you're going to have to pour them so the tops are on a level with each other. Lets go inside and I'll show you what you're going to need and how to do it."

In the kitchen, Rose Ann works around us as he draws diagrams of how the cardboard tubes have to be placed and leveled before they're filled with concrete. Of course it makes perfect sense once it's laid out in front of me.

"Thanks for saving me a lot of embarrassment, Dad. I sure would have hated to have to do it twice."

"Just things we learn along the way, Randy. You'll do a good job."

Rose Ann chimes in, "I don't see how he can miss with you as his consultant. Now, you guy stop talking shop and get in there and meet the people with the checkbooks." Dad wheels himself toward the living room.

"Rose Ann, could I ask a favor?"

"Asking is free. Shoot!"

"I'd like to work on this tomorrow if I could. Would you be willing to drive me to the lumber yard to pick up some stuff I'll need to get started?"

"No problem-o, Randall. Don't show up before nine though. Saturday's my day to sleep in."

Dinner is very nice and the committee seems very enthusiastic about getting started on the project, especially after Dad explains that, since the aquatic park will be a direct benefit to the city, there are probably lots of grant dollars out there for the asking. He volunteers to write the grant applications.

At Rose Ann's recommendation, it's unanimously agreed that he be hired as the project director. She tells him she'll discuss his fees privately after dinner. Dad has a very relieved look on his face when the party breaks up and Doctor Greene drives us home.

We pile several bags of Sac-Crete and lengths of eight-inch cardboard tubing into the back of Rose Ann's SUV. She asks the owner of the lumberyard to let me have anything I need on her tab if I come in during the week.

Back at the house, I find a post-hole digger in the garage and start moving dirt. By two in the afternoon, I've placed the tubes and filled them with concrete, leaving eight inches of bolt sticking out the top to fasten the beams to. There's nothing else I can do until it sets so I'm done until Monday. I take a shower while Rose Ann makes lunch for us. As I exit the bath, I'm shrugging and stretching shoulder muscles that I'm pretty sure are going to be a little sore tomorrow. Mixing and pouring concrete doesn't use the same muscles as swimming laps.

"Did you develop some new aches and pains today?" she asks as she slides a turkey and swiss wrap and a bowl of soup in front of me.

"I'll feel it but it shouldn't be too bad. I think we've got some liniment at home somewhere. I'll get Dad to smear some on me."

"I may have something better," she says with a sly little smile. "I happen to be very good at massages so we'll get you fixed up after lunch."

After I help her rinse off the dishes and put them into the washer, she takes my hand and leads me into her bedroom. It's absolutely huge and it's got the biggest bed I've ever seen; at least half again as big as a king-size. I'm thinking it must have been designed for a party of six.

"Take off your shirt and lie on your tummy and I'll get the good stuff." She goes to her dresser and retrieves a small bottle of some kind of oil. She sits next to me and starts rubbing some of it onto my shoulders and back. It smells kind of spicy and within seconds, I feel my skin warming up.

"Wow! That's some really nice stuff. It feels awesome."

"Oh, it's pretty special, all right. If you use your imagination, you can probably guess what it's intended for, can't you?"

As soon as the suggestion is out of her mouth, I know exactly what it's intended for. Her fingers continue to work the muscles from my shoulders to the top of my khaki shorts.

"Unbutton your britches so I can get down to your butt muscles. We don't want to do a half-assed job, do we?" She laughs at her own pun.

I follow her instruction but I'm beginning to wonder if she's really going somewhere with this or if she's just teasing me again. Whether she's teasing or not, I start to feel a little fullness in my underwear. She slides her fingers under the waistband of my boxers and aggressively kneads my glutes. I feel a little embarrassed but not so much so that I want her to stop.