Skinny-Dipping at Monster Lake Read Online Free PDF Page A

down under the dam. You know, where the water runs over? We’d have to take our bows and some real arrows and—”
    Zane moaned. “I want to see the monster.”
    Daniel propped his elbow on his knee and rested his chin on his fist. Only with not muchchin, it looked like he was resting his bottom lip on his fist.
    â€œWould you knock it off. There is no lake monster.”
    â€œI swear,” Zane protested. “I saw his eyes shining under the water. I really did.”
    â€œTwo years ago you saw that mountain lion,” Jordan said. “Thing was nothing but a scraggly old house cat.”
    â€œThe year before that, you saw a black bear,” Ted reminded him. “Only it turned out to be an Angus cows rump.”
    â€œAnd when was it you saw Big Foot?” Chet asked.
    Zane folded his legs and flopped down on the ground. He tipped over backward to stare up at the clouds. “I was just teasing about that Big Foot thing. I told you guys that.”
    Now that we had Zane shut up about the lake monster, we turned our attention back to the fishing trip.
    â€œDo we need worms and minnows, too?” Chet asked.
    â€œWhen can we get started?”
    â€œWe’ll go tomorrow night.” Ted was on his feet now. “That would give us time to get all the stuff ready. Everybody go home, check with yourparents—beg if you have to—then call my house. Okay?”
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    Dad’s pickup wasn’t in the drive when I got home. I put my bicycle away and went inside to see what Mom was doing. She had just started supper. Something sizzled in the pan on the stove. I eased up beside her to see what we were having.
    She smiled at me, then her nose kind of crinkled. “What have you been doing?”
    â€œBicycle polo.”
    She leaned away from me, so far to one side that I thought she was going to tip over. After I told her about the game and how much fun we had, Mom politely suggested that I go take a shower before supper.
    I heard Dad’s pickup pull in while I was washing my hair. They were both at the table by the time I got dried off and slipped into some clean clothes.
    When asking to spend the night out on the lake with the guys—timing is critical. First off, I didn’t just march in and blurt it out. I sat down at the table and listened for a while. If either of my parents was in a bad mood or had had trouble at work, asking should be put off until after dinner.
    Dad’s shift at the fire department was pretty calm. He only had to work two car accidents and nobody was hurt. Mom thought the house she was trying to sell in town was pretty much a “done deal.” So she was in a good mood, too.
    Dad and I helped set the table while Mom finished up the fried okra and got the meat loaf out of the oven. Since both had had a good day, as soon as Dad finished saying grace, I would ask.
    Before I could say anything, Mom folded her arms and rocked back in her chair. “I wish there was something we could do for Emma,” she said. “I just feel so sorry for her.”
    â€œMoney problems again?” Dad stopped his forkful of meat loaf just short of his lips.
    Mom sighed and laced her fingers together. “Yeah. Between having her husband in that nursing home, and taxes, and trying to keep that old truck of hers going . . . I just don’t see how she can make it much longer.”
    â€œWhat happened to her husband, anyway?”
    â€œHad a massive stroke.” Mom sighed. “Can’t speak or walk. He can feed himself, but . . .” She stopped and shook her head. “I went with Emma to visit him at the nursing home one time. She goes every single day.”
    â€œYou go up to her place, today?”
    â€œYes. She called just before three. Emma’s thinking about selling part of the farm. I tried to tell her that if she divided the lakefront up into three lots, that would bring in