'I don't know if this is a good idea or not,' she clutched her shoulders in a tight hug. 'I bet the water's freezing.'
'It'll wake you up,' he smiled, then darted to the water's edge and plunged in. 'Come on, the water feels terrific!'
Following his lead, she trotted to the water, did a little springy jump and cut into the lake in a graceful dive. Her head popped up close to him.
'You bastard!' she sputtered. 'The water's freezing!'
He splashed at her playfully, 'It feels great! Makes me feel alive.'
'My god, I've fallen in love with a polar bear,' she said as she pushed to the shore. 'Only polar bears could find this water invigorating.'
Stepping from the water, she quickly toweled the chill from her body, then dried her hair as she watched Neal swim around for a few minutes. Tiring quickly of being in the water by himself, he joined her on the shore.
'Feel like a little walk before waking every body up for breakfast?' he suggested.
'Let me get my sandals,' she nodded, rising from the ground and trotting into the cottage only to return after a moment.
'Feel like a long walk or a short one?' she asked.
'A middle-sized one,' he grinned.
'Mr. Difficult,' she smiled, taking his hand. 'Come this way and I'll see if I can arrange one middle-sized walk.'
He followed her into a small forest of pines and oaks growing along the lake's shore. The morning was quiet and peaceful. Only a few early-rising fishermen were on the lake. It was still too early for the boaters and skiers.
'It's hard to believe the summer's almost over,' she said as they walked. 'It seems like it only started when I met you.'
He hugged her close and gave her a quick kiss as a thank you.
'Two more weekends… then it's off to college,' she continued.
'It's exciting, isn't it?' he answered.
'Yes,' she nodded. 'But frightening in some ways.'
'I guess it is,' he pondered. 'I've always lived in this town. It'll be a bit frightening in the city with no friends… '
'Hey, wait a minute,' she elbowed him. 'I'll be there. Don't I count as a friend?'
'The best one,' he laughed, hugging her again. 'But you know what I mean.'
She nodded again, then fell into thought. Neither one spoke for several minutes as they mulled over their futures.
'What's going to happen to us, Neal?' Kari suddenly asked.
'I expect we'll both come through with flying colors,' he reassured her. 'After all, college is just another school.'
'No,' she shook her head. 'I mean us, all of us.'
'The family,' he chuckled. 'I don't know. But if I were taking bets, I'd say Mitch and Marta just might get married.'
'Do you!' she exclaimed with a wide grin.
'Yes, I do,' he laughed. 'I think our little ham burger dinner has worked out quite well.'
'When do you think it will happen?' she pressed.
'I don't know,' Neal replied. 'He's got to ask her first. Then she has got to say 'yes.''
'He will and she will,' Kari grinned. 'I know they will. I just know it!'
'Well, if you're so sure, maybe we ought to go tell them,' he shook his head in amusement.
'Don't be silly,' she chided playfully. 'I can wait for Mitch to work up his courage to pop the big question. I just hope he hurries up and gets on with it!'
'Why the rush?' he smiled.
'If you're my brother,' she smiled coyly. 'We could share an apartment at school without being hassled by any of the officials. Nobody would be the wiser, unless we wanted them to know.'
'Hey, that's right!' he pulled her to him and planted a big kiss on her lips. 'Like I said before, I could really dig having you for a sister.'
'Right!' Kari laughed. 'And when we return home during holiday breaks, we'll give a completely new meaning to the word 'homecoming!' '
