Chapter 6: Tit for Tat
The boat sped into view almost before the sound. Being in a cove must have blocked it. "Just stay down," Fred instructed when Cindy and I started automatically rising to look. Sure enough it kept going.
This time we heard the sound first. The boat obviously turned back after it passed.
It started to turn into the cove and slowed. "Do we swim for it?" I asked.
"Did you put the ladder down?" Fred asked back.
"What ladder?"
Cindy almost cried, "Mr. Wilkins I don't want to get caught like this again."
"I'll get them to go away."
"Hope so. I'm getting chilly too," she added.
"Hi grampa," a voice called out.
I heard a low, "Oh geez," from my wife.
Their boat stopped near his, a beautifully deep tanned girl at the wheel. A boy in the back was lifting the anchor. His skin looked like glazed milk chocolate.
"You didn't need to stop. Go enjoy your day," Fred called to them.
Pausing with the anchor in hand, the boy responded with a smile, "We came looking for you."
"Yeah," the girl said, standing and walking to our near side. She crossed her arms and grabbed the bottom of her tee shirt. "We can swim together."
Fred spoke quicker and louder, "Don't bother, we're done. Getting cold." He stood up and moved toward them.
"Aw," the girl puled, letting go of her top and slapping her thighs. What nice thighs they were too. She was positively beautiful. Very trim, solid figure, her facial features looked exotic. I started to stand.
Cindy pulled me back down. "Don't you dare leave me," she whispered forcefully.
Fred was speaking with them then turned to us. "Mind company later?" he called out.
Glancing at each other, Cindy replied, "No, that'll be nice." I looked at her again and she quietly explained, "Gotta be nice, they're his family."
"You're right, could they be Tom's kids?" Cindy's mouth opened but then she just shrugged a don't know gesture.
The kids' boat started up and slowly reversed. They headed off in the direction they first came from. Cindy and I started making our way to Fred's boat.
"They're gorgeous," Cindy stated.
"They sure were... Something's not right. Fred can't be related to them."
My wife laughed, "Don't you think Mr. Wilkins is cute?"
I splashed water at her. "It's the skin color."
"Yeah, that is odd. Well Tom looked rather dark. I thought it was just his tan."
Fred, who had been putting the ladder out at the stern, explained, "Tom's my son-in-law, he's Cuban mulatto."
We climbed aboard. Fred got out towels from somewhere under the bow deck and we dried off. We sat and finished our drinks and Fred rose to make more.
"Not sure I want any more thanks," Cindy said as she started to put her things on.
I just sat there thinking about the vision of Fred's lovely granddaughter. Fred handed me my drink. "Head back for a sandwich," he said, not really asking.
I slipped on my shorts. We began to talk as we headed back and had a late lunch. Fred, who was driving, this time without my wife, told us, "James and Jen, Jennifer, are my grandchildren. Mary, their mother, is my daughter. We have always been open. Mary and I before Tom came along. We met him during a vacation near Santiago De Cuba. He was a tour guide and showed us the sights. They corresponded and Mary went back a few times, and the rest is history as they say."
Cindy remarked, "So it wasn't just his tan like I thought."
"No," Fred replied. "The kids picked up their color from his genes. Don't know how they got their looks though," he chuckled.
"Jennifer's quite beautiful from what I saw," I stated with a bit too much enthusiasm.
Cindy came back with, "James is gorgeous." I looked at her and she stuck out her tongue at me. To Fred she added, "Tom's nice looking too."
"Mulattoes can often be quite striking, but not Tom, he's my son-in-law" Fred added laughing. "Figure he talked about being over, they wanted to meet you two."
Cindy blushed. "He wouldn't have told them aboutโฆ?"
Fred cut in, "We're all open, like I said."
Cindy blanched. I dropped my head. Hesitatingly, Cindy inquired, "How open is open Mr. Wilkins?"
"I reckon they were about to skinny dip with us," answered Fred.
"Oh my," Cindy exclaimed.
"Fred, how old are they?" I asked.
"James is twenty, Jen eighteen."
I got up from the table, put my plate in the sink and for the first time, chose to sit in an armchair. I heard movement and dishes then Cindy came to sit on the couch.
Fred started washing up. My mind was in a fog when my wife spoke, "What's up hon?"
"I'm sorry," I replied, still looking rather blank.
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry, that... Jennifer caught me off guard," I tried to explain.
"She did seem lovely."
I shook my head vigorously. "I need to get my act together. Sorry hon, I love you."
Cindy smiled and, for some reason that I didn't understand, blushed. When Fred was done he sat on the couch with Cindy.
She inquired, "So you're not going to put clothes on before they come back?"
He placed a friendly arm around her shoulder and queried, "Think I should?"