Page 40 of Spring Showers

Before heading out of view of the barn, Thandie scanned the pathways for any sign of Grant. Once they continued down the old shoreline, it would be hard for him to catch up or find them. But the path was deserted. Though her shoulders slumped with disappointment at his absence, part of her was relieved she would have more time to process her feelings before seeing him again. She knew they would need to talk about the kiss and her unexpected attraction towards him, but she had been too tired after returning to her cabin to stay awake and think on it. Once morning came and she began prepping for the nature walk, she was too busy to think about the way his warm lips had hugged hers so.

Seeing no one, they headed south, and she continued pointing out what she knew of the native northeast plants, insects, and birds. Luckily, with all the rain, the countryside was teeming with interesting things to speak on.

A dashing robin flaunted his slate-blue wings and rusty underbelly as it darted along the ground in front of her, and grasshoppers soared above the swaying grasses in the wilds along the trail. As she was never out of facts, Thandie used her keen sense of her surroundings and drew attention to anything she felt the others might find stimulating.

She paused. “Everyone, take out your binoculars and focus them just below the pines there. You’ll see a group of deer.”

The weather could not have been better for the activity.The best weather by far this week,she thought. The temperature was in the mid-sixties and a steady, gentle breeze spread fragrant fresh air around the property. A jumble of little white and yellow butterflies pollinated flowers and fluttered from plant to plant, glowing brightly in the late morning sun.

“Thandie,” Margret said. “Would you be a dear and help me with these? I believe they’re broken.”

“The binoculars are not broken! You are. Now, give them here,” Anne said and wrenched the small black binoculars from Margret’s hands before Thandie could get to them. Anne turned the binoculars around and rotated the dial all the way to the other side. “Try it again.”

Margret looked through the lenses and smiled. “Well, I’ll be.”

“I mean, honestly, woman. I don’t know how you survived so long without me in your life,” Anne said.

“The deer are so cute,” Daisy proclaimed and pointed across the way. “Can we pet them?” she asked and turned to Thandie, who shook her head no.

Up ahead, the pathway split in two directions. To the right, it dipped down around a rocky outcropping. To the left, the trail narrowed and cut between a steep hillside and the stone ledge. She stopped at the fork and assessed the safety of both directions before sending any of the guests through. As it was her first time walking this trail, she couldn’t afford to take a chance on someone getting hurt.

Determining the path to her right was clear of overgrowth, she began directing the guests around the large rocks. Daisy and Brent, who had participated in all the activities so far and were the leading candidate for being the investor’s scouts, led the way. Margret and Anne rounded the rock edge next, followed by the rekindled lovers, Clara and William. The trio of older women had again missed this activity, which Thandie was now suspecting had to do little with the weather and more to do with where or when the food was being served at the various events. Buzz and his daughter, Frances, had gone into town for something, but said they would join them for supper. Fish-and-chips, last she heard.

As William went last, Thandie heard a “Psst” coming from the path to the left, the path that went between the hillside and the rocks. The path that none of the others had gone down. She took a few steps in the direction of the call and listened again.

The group had gone through and were waiting at the bottom of a small decline, and she looked back at the way they had come from. But seeing and hearing nothing, she stepped back around the front side of the stone ledge.

Another “Psst” came from the same direction as before.

Thandie, wanting to prove that she wasn’t hearing things, walked the more dangerous route around the hillside. Between the walls of rock, Grant appeared with a wild grin. His excited eyes sent her heart racing. He had the look of a mischievous boy up to no good. From behind his back, he pulled out a bundle of yellow flowers. The scraggly ends were uneven as though he’d picked the stems with his hands and not cut them cleanly.

“What do you have there?” she asked and joined him in the privacy of the narrow cut-through.

He presented the flowers to her, and she gasped in shock.

“Here,” he said and pushed the bouquet towards her again. “I thought you may like these. They glow in the sunlight and?—”

Thandie swatted the bouquet of wildflowers from his hand and took his arm, holding it straight out so that he could see the numerous swelling red bumps popping up on his skin. “There’s poison ivy in there. When did you pick those?”

“A couple hours ago. Why?” he said.

“It looks like you’re already having an allergic reaction.”

“No, I can’t be.”

“It’ll be fine,” Thandie said while shifting her head to try and meet his distant gaze. “Just about everyone I grew up with had a run-in with the stuff at one time or another.”

“I just wanted to give you something you would like.” Grant extended his arm out as he pointed to the flowers scattered on the ground. His eyes widened when he saw the extent of the bulging bumps on his arm. “Oh no.” Color left his face, and he stumbled to the side.

Thandie reached out for him and caught him by the shirt hem. She rested his back against the rockface as his breathing became rough and uneven. His reaction looked less like an allergy and more like a panic attack. She was unsure exactly what was happening, but she knew he needed help.

“Grant, look at me.” His teary eyes found hers and his breathing slowed as he matched her example. “Let me help you back to the barn.”

“Am I going to die? Are you going to bury me right here? You can put those flowers on my grave. It’s fitting, don’t you think?” His delirious phrases ran together.

“Don’t talk like that,” she said as her concern turned to fear. Not only did he require help, so did she, and she wasn’t afraid to ask for it, for once. She yelled for help and began walking him back up the trail.

William and Clara joined her after only a couple of pleas. “Clara, will you lead the others back to the barn? And Will, can you help me with Grant?” The couple helped without hesitation, and Thandie was glad for the assistance.

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