Tread Softly

There might even have been a bruise, though she hadn't noticed one before. Her breast looked fine now.

Hardly pristine, though.

Slightly used.

She shut her robe and glanced at the alarm clock by her bed. Four-thirty-five. 'Gads,' she muttered. Sitting cross-legged on the carpet, she blow-dried and brushed her hair. The lock chopped off an inch short across her brow looked bad. 'Bitch,' she muttered, and got up to find scissors. Her sore legs reminded her of the near miss in the pool. Maybe you've had your run of bad luck for the day. If anything should happen to spoil the date. Nick, at least, didn't have the curse on him. The old bitch didn't get his hair or blood. What the hell am I thinking? There is no curse!

Sitting down with the scissors, she did her best to even out the sweep of hair. Try not to poke your eye out, she thought.

By the time she finished with her hair, the clock showed ten before five. She flung her robe onto the bed, took a pair of fresh, pink panties from her drawer, and stepped into them. She pulled out a bra and started to put it on. You wouldn't catch me dead. Guys get frustrated. It's a colossal drag. Heart pounding fast, she plucked the bra off and hurried to her closet. Her hands trembled as she removed her blouse from the hanger. She put it on, held it shut, and looked down. Through the shiny, bright yellow fabric, her dark nipples were clearly visible. 'No way,' she said. Not in front of everyone. Even if it were just Nick, she doubted that she would dare.

By five o'clock, she was ready. She gave herself a final check in front of the mirror, approving of the cheery, fresh way she looked in the yellow blouse, the skirt of forest green, and sandals. Her choker of thin gold chain was a nice touch. The bra was the right touch: the lacy pattern of its cups, instead of her nipples, showed through the clinging blouse. 'Decorum,' she said. She grinned at herself and left her room.

Benny was no longer in the den. Through the sliding glass door she saw him outside, sitting with Karen at the table. They were both staring in the same direction, their faces rigid.

Julie tugged the door open and stepped outside. The heat of the afternoon enveloped her. Her father, a few yards away, squirted fuel into the barbecue.

'My God, be careful,' Karen warned him.

'Never fear. I've done this a thousand times.'

'Famous last words,' Julie said.

Dad noticed her, and smiled. 'Say, you look terrific.'

'Thanks.'

He took a book of matches from the pocket of his blue Aloha shirt. 'If you go up in flames,' Julie said, 'it'll ruin your pretty shirt.'

'Always the wise guy.'

'Let me light it,' Karen said. She started to get up, but Benny reached out and grabbed her hand.

'Don't,' he told her.

'This is ridiculous.' Dad tore a match loose.

Julie walked quickly to his side.

'Stand back, honey.'

'See, you are worried.'

'You people are driving me crazy. What are we gonna do, stop eating? If I don't get the fire started before long — '

'I've got an idea,' Julie said. 'Let's wait for Nick.'

'Yeah!' Benny blurted. 'He's okay. Nothing'll go wrong if he lights it.'

'Oh, for Pete's sake.'

'Let's wait for him,' Karen said.

Dad shook his head. Somehow, he looked both dismayed and amused. 'You want us to sit around here like four loonies waiting for the Great Uncursed One to arrive and light the charcoal? Is that the picture?'

'Yep,' Julie said.

Benny nodded.

'We don't have to sit around like loonies,' Karen explained. 'We could sit around like sensible people.'

'I'm not so sure,' Dad said. But he tossed the un-lighted match onto the charcoal, and returned with Julie to the table.

Chapter Thirty-three

We'd better get going,' Julie said. 'It's a twenty-minute drive to the theater, and there might be a line.' As she started to get up, Nick pushed back his own chair and stood.

He thanked Julie's father for the dinner.

'Any time,' Scott said. 'I'm glad you could make it. Maybe, if your mother is feeling up to it, you can all come over tomorrow.'

'That'd be great.'

'You can bring your suits. We'll make a day of it.'

'I'll check when I get home.'

'That's all right. I'll give your dad a call tonight.'

Nick made his good-byes to the others. Scott walked alongside him toward the gate. 'You two are sure you wouldn't rather stay here?'

'Dad.'

'We've got some spare trunks around, Nick.'

'We can swim all we want tomorrow,' Julie said. 'Tonight we want to go to the movies. You said I could.'

'I know. And I won't stand in the way. I was simply offering a suggestion.'

'I wouldn't mind staying,' Nick said.

'We've got a date,' she told him, looking hurt. She frowned at Scott. 'Besides, I'd like to know what's so safe about this place. If you're worried about the curse — which you keep claiming you don't believe in anyway — it can get me here just as easily as somewhere else. This is where I almost drowned, you know.' 'I realize that.'

'We'll be very careful,' Nick assured him.

'Besides,' Julie added, 'Nick'll be driving, and he'll be with me the whole time, and he's the Great Uncursed One, as you put it so nicely.'

Scott smiled, but he still looked uneasy.

'I won't let her out of my sight, I promise.'

Scott gave him a pat on the back. 'Okay. What time does the movie let out?'

'It's a double feature,' Julie said. 'The second show's over at about ten-thirty.'

'I'll expect you around eleven, then.'

'Dad!' Julie looked appalled. 'What if we want to go someplace afterward?'

'I think you'd better come straight home.'

'For God's sake.'

'I mean it, Julie. I don't know what's going on — if it's just been a lot of bad luck or what — but I think we all need to be especially careful until things settle down a bit. So eleven o'clock, or you can stay home. That's final.'

'Thanks,' she muttered.

'I'll have her back by eleven,' Nick said.

'Fine. Well, have a good time, you two.'

'Sure thing,' Julie muttered, and pulled open the gate.

Nick followed her down the walkway alongside the house. 'I'm sorry about all that,' she said, looking back at him.

'It's all right. Your dad's just worried. I guess everyone is. Man, I had no idea all this stuff's been going on.