Milaine came bounding off the dock, and running up to Tina and Bette, hesitated for only a moment before pulling Tina in for a hug. “This is wonderful! Thank you for bringing us here.”

Tina hugged Milaine back, like it was something they had been doing for years. “You’re welcome, sweetheart.” Bette just stood beside them, grinning from ear to ear, watching the two most important people in her life, as they discovered their affection for each other. Tina stepped back, but continued to hold onto Milaine’s hands. “Ok, let’s get the car unloaded, so we can start playing!”

The three women worked quickly, getting everything in the house, and into the refrigerator. “Good Lord Tina! You brought enough food for an army!” Bette was staring at all the bags and plastic containers of food and drinks. “You would think that we are going to be here for a week, not a day!”

Tina just laughed and continued unpacking. “Hey, I normally am feeding an army, so leave me alone. Besides, I had to bring some extra things that I knew Milaine has probably not had before…like S’mores. I want her to have the whole lake experience.” Tina looked over at Bette, who had a blank look on her face. “Don’t tell me…you don’t know what a S’more is, do you?”

Bette shrugged her shoulders. “Sorry honey, but I don’t. Is that a food, or a game?”

Tina just shook her head. “God Bette, I am still amazed by the things your parents didn’t let you experience as a kid. A S’more is a food.”

“Ok…it’s a food.” Bette started looking through the prepackaged bags for something that had S’more printed on it. Tina saw what she was doing and started to laugh. “No Babe. It doesn’t come ready made. We are going to make them tonight by the campfire.”

Cooking something over a campfire really held no interest for Bette, but she wanted to see what this whole thing was about. She leaned up against the kitchen counter. “Ok, so enlighten me my beautiful partner…what exactly is a S’more?”

Tina walked across the room and kissed Bette lightly on the lips. “Well, since you asked so nicely…you take a Graham Cracker and put a square of Hershey’s Chocolate on it…then you roast a marshmallow over the campfire and lay it on the Hershey’s Chocolate. Now…some people leave it at that, but we always take another Graham Cracker and lay it on top of the marshmallow…and squish it all together! It’s delicious, you’ll see.”

Bette just stood there, looking like she’d just been told she was going to have to eat liver and onions every day for a month. She let out an involuntary shutter. “Uh…ya know what T, I’m not a big fan of marshmallows, but you two go for it. I will however be more than happy to have some chocolate while you’re playing with your other food.”

Tina giggled. “God, that’s right Bette. I’m sorry, I totally forgot that you don’t like marshmallows.”

“Tina, it’s been 15 years. You can’t be expected to remember everything…besides, you remember all the important things.” She smiled and moved in for a hug. She grazed her lips against Tina’s ear, as she whispered, “You remember how much you love me…and that’s more important than anything.”

Tina felt her knees go weak. “God Bette, what you do to me.” She leaned forward and did a little whispering of her own, making sure her tongue left Bette’s ear wet so her breath would…”I can’t wait for it to be dark, Baby…I have plans for you and that lake out there.” Bette shivered, not sure if it was because of how turned on she was by Tina, or because she was a little fearful of what Tina was suggesting…lake water, and at night when she wouldn’t be able to see anything…Bette shivered again.

“Come on you two, let’s go for a ride in the rowboat!” Milaine had walked into the kitchen and was smiling at the two women.

They were all wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts, but decided to put their swimsuits on underneath. “Ok, let’s go…don’t forget your sunglasses, it can get bright out on the water.”

Milaine was already standing ankle deep in the water, waiting next to the boat, by the time Tina and Bette had changed. Tina decided that she should be the first one to row, so she could show them how it was done, then they could switch off. “Bette sweetheart…why don’t you sit here in the bow of the boat. That way you can just sit back and watch…and be the beautiful queen bee that you are.” Bette giggled, not offended at all…knowing that she probably looked exactly like what she was…a city girl, through and through. After she was all settled, Tina instructed Milaine. “Ok Milaine. Your job is to push us off, so that the boat is not scraping the bottom, then I can start rowing, Ok? Walk us out until the water is up to mid calf, then put one foot in the boat right there where you will be sitting…hang onto the sides, and push.”

Milaine was listening to Tina’s instructions, but figured the last part out on her own. Just like that, they were free of the sand and Tina started to row them out. They stayed fairly close to the shore, as they made their away along, looking at all the summer houses around the lake. After about fifteen minutes, Tina looked at Milaine. “Are you ready to try rowing?” Milaine bobbed her head up and down with excitement. “Yes!”

“Ok, let’s switch places. Don’t stand straight up, just kind of squat and swivel into my seat. Go to your right…ready…go.” As the two women switch places with ease, Bette’s arm had automatically reached out, ready to grab Milaine if she lost her balance. Milaine settled herself in and practiced her strokes a couple of times, with Tina quietly giving her instructions. Bette just watched. ‘God, what a beautiful sight.’

Milaine was in heaven. She had picked up the rowing stroke like she had been doing it all her life. Every once in a while, she would turn around and look at MaBe, give her a dazzling smile, and then go back to rowing. The conversation between Tina and Bette was easy and relaxed. “Some of these houses look like people live in them year round. Isn’t that kind of dreary in the wintertime?”

Tina shrugged her shoulders. “Yea, the winters here are wet and gray for months on end, but you just learn to enjoy lots of things indoors. Although the kids play outside, all year…they don’t seem to mind. I have to say though, there’s something to be said for warm comfortable sweats, a warm blanket, a fire in the fireplace, and a cup of hot chocolate.” Tina smiled. “It took me a while to get use to the weather here, but I really don’t mind it anymore, and the summers are so worth it.”

It was Bette’s turn to smile. She took a deep breath of fresh northwest air. “It certainly is beautiful here this time of year. That’s for sure.” She looked down into the water, sitting silent for a moment…just staring into the grayish green water. “I don’t know, there’s something very Machiavellian about lake water. I’m not sure I trust it.”

Tina looked at her and raised her eyebrows. “Machiavellian, Bette?”

“Yea. I’m not sure what’s under there. It’s all dark, and sinister looking. I mean, there’s got to be rotten logs, mud, algae, those things that are kind of like lobsters, but not really…I don’t know, something about lake water, makes me uncomfortable.”

Tina and Milaine looked at each other and grinned. “Are you talking about crawdads?”

Bette nodded her head and pointed at Tina. “Yea…those things. Just the name is creepy.” This statement caused Tina and Milaine to giggle.

They were coming back toward the cabin, and Milaine was mastering the art of turning the rowboat with one oar. They were just about even with the dock, Milaine leaning back to take a stroke, when the oar slipped out of her hand. The force cause the oar to slip out of it’s holder and it splashed into the water. Tina let out a shriek and leaned over the side of the boat to grab it. She picked it up out of the water, but as she was bringing it around, it caught on the ever present antique chain around her neck. The clasp broke and both the chain and the locket fell into the water.

Tina yelled, scaring Milaine with the emotion behind the sound. “OH NO!! MY LOCKET!!” She started crying and was just about ready to jump in, when she heard Bette’s calming voice.

“It’s Ok T. I’ll get it. Sit back down.” Bette didn’t even think about the fact that she was jumping into the very same water that she professed not to trust. She pulled her shirt and shorts off and gently eased herself over the side of the boat. Tina was rocking back and forth crying. “Please Baby, you have to find it…please.” Milaine couldn’t believe how Tina’s demeanor had changed, just like that. She had been so strong and confident every moment since they had met. She wondered what was so important about that locket that could cause this kind of reaction from her.

The water was only about ten feet deep where they were, but it was murky. Fortunately though, the sun was out and provided some light under the water. Bette took a deep breath, and kicked hard towards the bottom, her eyes blinking fast, hoping that would help her see better. She looked around and around…nothing. She didn’t see a thing. She kicked back towards the surface and came up next to the boat. She took another deep breath and went back down. After about four try’s, she came back up, sputtering. “T, I’m sorry, but I don’t see it.” She grabbed onto the side of the boat to catch her breath. “I’m sorry T.”

Tina just shook her head, her arms wrapped around herself. “No, Bette…no. You’ve got to try again. I have to get it back…please Baby.”

“Tina…”

“NO! I have to find it!” Tina started pulling off her shirt. “Tina…Baby stop. I’ll try again.” Bette looked over at Milaine, noticing the worried look on her face. She smiled at her. “It’s Ok sweetheart.” She took a deep breath and went down again. Bette was determined to stay down as long as she could, hoping to find the locket. She was just at the end of her stamina, when she saw a small glint. There it was, both the chain and locket. Starting to feel the need for air, Bette quickly grabbed the treasure, feeling her hand also close around a fist full of muck, as well as the chain and locket. She inwardly shuttered, and then kicked like crazy towards the surface.

Tina and Milaine both had their heads bent over the boat, waiting for Bette, worrying that she had been down for too long. Just then she came up, sputtering and cursing. “Good God Tina, I know this locket was a present from Shane, but geez…do you know what I had to touch down there? EEEWWWWW!!” Then she smiled at Tina, to let her know she was just kidding and brought her hand out of the water, handing Tina the locket.

Tina took the locket and held it against her chest with both hands collapsing against her seat. She took a deep breath, then bent down to give Bette a kiss. “Thank you so much Bette…thank you Baby.”

Still holding on to the side of the boat, Bette looked at Tina. “Tina…now that I’ve gone diving for it, will you tell me what is in that locket that is so important to you?” Tina just smiled, calm again, any sign of her emotional outburst was gone. She reached out, laying her hand on top of one of Bette’s that was hanging onto the boat. “Yea, let’s get to shore, and I’ll show you.”