Anne made a face. “Yes, I’m drinking. Yuk! I’m not enjoying it, but I’m drinking.”
“How’re you feeling, anyway?” Her mom didn’t look as perky as when they started.
“Maybe a little queasy, but I’m okay.”
Steven announced, “We’re stopping for a second.”
Anne mumbled her objection, but he forced her to sit on a log, take sip of water and eat a few bites of a granola bar. One look at her mom’s chalky face confirmed his wisdom. He whispered something in her ear, and she shook her head forcefully.
By this time the entire group was sitting down. Emily noted with a bit of satisfaction Becca was breathing heavily and Candace’s mascara had started running from the sweat on her face. Then she scolded herself for her malicious feelings toward the girls who’d done her no actual harm.
Spencer caught her attention. “Emily, I thought you’d never been hiking. You’re sure setting a blistering pace on the climb.”
“Sorry. I was in the zone, I guess.”
“How’re your feet doing?”
“Great.” At the obvious relief on his face, she added, “Thanks, Spencer. I’m sure I would’ve been slipping all over on the steep part without my new shoes.”
His face lit up like she’d given him an amazing gift. “I was glad to help.”
Becca sat with a sullen expression beside Candace, whose eyes were darting nervously toward Steven. Emily couldn’t help feeling sympathy for the two girls and attempted to make them more comfortable.
“I really like your hair, Candace. Did you do it yourself?”
She smiled, fingering her hair to check the condition of the beautiful braid. “No, Becca did it for me.”
“Really? Becca, you did that? It’s amazing. How’d you learn to do it?”
Becca shrugged. “It’s nothing really—I just like doing it.”
Spencer inspected Candace’s hair. “Wow. It’s pretty cool, Becca. You have hidden talents.” Becca beamed at his praise.
“Well, Candace has such beautiful hair, but I’d love to learn how to do it. I always do this plain braid.” Emily indicated her own hair. In truth, she knew a variety of braiding styles, but usually didn’t bother with them. Still, none of her braids had ever approached the intricate design woven into Candace’s hair.
“I could show you.” Becca’s smile seemed genuine enough.
“I’d love that.”
“Your shoes are really cute, Emily,” said Candace.
“Thanks. They’re new, and I thought this might be the only time I used them. But hiking seems pretty fun, as long as I don’t have to pee in the woods.”
Candace and Becca both giggled and followed up with hilarious tales of hiking disasters. When Steven stood up with Anne to start the group moving again, Emily let them stay in the lead. Nothing she’d observed on the hike had bolstered her confidence in her mom’s claims about her health. She resolved to research ulcers a bit more. Was nausea a symptom?
Now the group moved up and down the trail in single file. But Spencer was behind the Gherrings, followed by Candace, then Emily and Becca. Candace and Becca chatted with Emily about inane topics. Emily discovered Candace had done ballet in the past and knew of a barre-based fitness program in the city. They stopped a few times to take pictures in the scenic spots. By the end of the two-hour hike, the three girls were conversing with animation and making plans together. Emily couldn’t see Spencer very well, but he didn’t look too happy.
Spencer brooded as he hiked. He ought to be glad the girls were getting along. At first, Becca and Candace had been rude to Emily. Then he’d had to fuss at Becca for intimating they’d spent the night together on a hike. Technically they had spent the night together, since the whole group of twenty-eight slept in one giant campground. He’d slept in a hammock, while Becca and two other girls had been inside a tent. Of course, that wasn’t what it had sounded like to Emily. Becca had pretended innocence in the comment, but he wasn’t convinced.
She’d always been flirty, but he’d laughed it off in the past. Had he led her on somehow? Ordinarily, he wouldn’t have cared whether someone had misunderstood such a comment. But this time he was upset both Emily and her mother had heard Becca. Mrs. Gherring had already told Emily he was a player, and he wasn’t even sure what she’d seen or heard to base her comment on.
But since the girls were acting chummy, Candace and Becca were monopolizing Emily. He’d barely gotten to speak to her on the entire hike. He frowned as the three broke out in laughter over some comment Candace made about leotards. What on earth was a leotard?
“We’re almost back,” Spencer said to Anne.
“That’s good,” Anne’s voice seemed bit shaky.
“Beautiful hike,” said Gherring. “Usually, even when I’m running or riding outside, I don’t really get to enjoy the scenery.”
“When’s your next Iron Man?” asked Spencer.
“Well, I’m signed up at the end of July.” He hesitated, glancing toward Anne. “But I’m thinking of backing out because of all the training time.”
“I don’t mind you taking time to train,” argued Anne.
“But, what if I’m off on some seven hour bike ride and… And something happens?”
Anne gave him a tiny shake of her head, pursing her lips. She asked Spencer, “Have you ever thought of doing triathlons?”
“Possibly someday… But not until after I graduate next December—the training is intense.”
Nearing the end of the hike, Anne grabbed her husband’s hand and whispered in his ear.
“Go on ahead. We’re making a quick potty break.” Gherring disappeared into the woods with Anne.
Spencer wondered why she couldn’t make it the ten minutes back to the parking lot. But he kept his thoughts to himself. Emily cast worried looks into the woods where they’d disappeared.
“Come on, Mr. Gherring said it would be a quick potty break. They’ll catch up.” He led the way down the end of the trail.
They waited at the parking area almost fifteen minutes before the Gherrings
