Chapter Six
Wanda smoothed her sleeping bag, stood, and stretched.
With the tent set up, they went outside and doused themselves with the herbal mosquito repellent Wanda had brought along.
“My friend has an organic chemical company. She makes lotions, shampoo, cleaners, and this bug stuff. It’s a marigold base, and much better for your body than the toxins in typical repellent. ”
“It smells decent at least. Thanks for sharing. Let’s go find the others. We don’t want to miss any more exciting team-building events.” His wry tone made her laugh.
“Hey, this is your company, and I repeat what I said on the bus. I am here under protest. I can’t afford to lose my contract.”
He raised both hands in surrender. “This wasn’t my plan. I could be at home right now, curled up with a hot beverage.”
“Oh,” she trailed the word out thoughtfully. “Maybe there will be hot cocoa tonight with marshmallows. And s’mores.” She snatched up her old forest green hoodie. “Let’s go, there are snacks in my future. Oh, maybe supper too. I could eat a bear.”
For half a second, she could have sworn his eyes widened when she said bear, but he blinked, and the fleeting expression vanished.
Four hours later, after a short walk, a dinner of barbecued ribs, baked potatoes, and a singalong beside a campfire, they made their way through the increasing dusk toward their tent.
“I’m stuffed,” Eric said. “I don’t think I could eat another bite.”
“Really? You only had one s’more. Don’t you know that s’more is always plural? You must eat s’more of them. One is never enough.”
“As much as I love sweets, they’re s’more than I can take. One is s’more than sufficient. I’m ready to curl up for a rest.”
“I have to double back to the washroom building. I need to brush my teeth.”
“Good plan.” He paused. “I wonder if I have a toothbrush.”
“What?” she whirled to face him. “How could you forget a toothbrush?”
As they passed under a dim light, his cheeks looked pink.
“Wait, you didn’t pack your own bag, did you? Who packed for you?”
“I’m assuming my mother. She and my father showed up at my office, handed me the bag, and kicked me out.”
“Aw. Poor little Eric had to have his mommy pack his bag to go camping.” She crowed, dancing around him.
“May I remind you,” he said haughtily, “I am your boss. I can fire you at any time.”
“That’s twice you’ve threatened me. Is this going to be a thing? Do I have to watch my every word with you? You might as well tell me now, so I can say everything up front, before I get canned.” She was only half joking.
To her surprise, he laughed. “No, Wanda, you don’t have to watch your words with me. I’m man enough to take a shot or two. Do be warned, I’m not above taking a shot of my own.”
She stuck out her hand. “Fair enough. Deal?”
“Deal.”
They shook, and she pointedly ignored the tingling in her hand and said, “Excellent. Now I don’t have to feel like I’m walking on eggshells, wondering when I’m going to slip up and stick a foot in my mouth.”
He stared at her for a very long time–sixteen seconds by her count. Finally, after a flash of a frown, he gravely said, “Wanda, you never have to worry about that. I’m not that kind of man.”
He frowned again and unzipped the tent. “In you go. I’m bushed and ready to turn in.”
After a quick trip to brush their teeth and clean up, they were snuggled into their surprisingly comfortable beds.
Sleep was a long time coming for Eric. He lay still, staring up at the roof of the tent, trying to keep his attention from the woman beyond the nylon dividing barrier.
Outside, frogs sang, an owl hooted, and off in the distance, coyotes yipped and howled.
Idly, he wondered if the nearly full moon made them more active.
The day ran through his head. Despite an inauspicious start, he’d really enjoyed himself. Wanda was pleasant company, and she’d made him laugh more than he’d laughed in ages. He hadn’t anticipated enjoying this team building, but it was turning out okay.
Slowly, the peaceful sounds of the rural night soothed away his tension and worry about the office, and sleep overcame him. His last conscious thought was that he couldn’t wait to see how Wanda made him laugh in the morning.
An icy hand pressing on his mouth jerked him out of a deep, dreamless sleep.
“Wha-” he mumbled through the hand.
“Sh,” Wanda hissed. “There’s something out there.”
“What?” he whispered back at her.
“There’s something, an animal, out there. What if it’s a bear?” Her whispered voice trembled.
If it were a bear, they could be in serious trouble. He should have moved the car from the main parking lot to the adjacent parking pad. At least then they’d have a place to escape to.
He nodded to indicate that he understood her concerns, and she withdrew her hand from his mouth. Cocking his head, he listened. Nothing but the sound of his own startled heartbeat. Slowly, it returned to normal beating, and he was able to hear beyond it.
Soft footfalls. Quiet grinding.
“I don’t think it’s a bear,” he murmured. “Let me up, and I’ll look.”
Warily, she backed away from him. He slipped out of his sleeping bag and kneeled to unzip the back window.
He tried to keep it quiet, but the zipper was like a shout in the night.
The sounds outside froze. The tent was spacious, but with both of them on one side, trying to see outside, it was a close fit.
Her lovely floral scent wafted over him, momentarily distracting him from checking what was outside.
He lowered the corner of the window cover and peeked out.
A deer! And a fawn!
“Look,” he whispered, beckoning Wanda closer. “It’s a doe and a fawn.”
“What?” She scooted over on her knees to peek out with him. “Awe. That’s so cute.” They watched for a moment, and she whispered, “They’re so loud when they chew.” She giggled.
They watched for several moments, their shoulders occasionally brushing as they shifted in place.
At first, she was warm against him, then her skin began to cool.
He glanced down; she wore a sleeveless T-shirt and shorts.
She had to be chilled in the cool night air.
Heaven knows he was cooling off rapidly, despite the long pajama bottoms his mother had packed.
“I think I’m going back to bed before I get any colder.” He backed away from the window and climbed into his sleeping bag. “Watch as long as you want.” She stayed for a few more minutes. Lying on his back with his eyes closed, he tried to ignore her and get back to sleep.
“Are you going to be awake enough to go out on the lake tomorrow?”
“You’re right. I should get to bed.” She zipped up the window and crawled back to her side of the tent. She rustled around for a minute and then whispered, “Sorry I woke you. Goodnight, Eric.”
“Goodnight, Wanda. Sleep well.”
Slowly, silence returned, broken only by the sounds of animals in the night. The deer crunching grew further and further away and eventually disappeared. Sleep was overtaking him when Wanda whispered, “Eric? Are you still awake?”
Her voice held a tremor. Was she cold?
“Yeah,” he whispered back. “Why?”
“Um.” She went silent.
“What is it, Wanda?”
“Can I sleep on your side?”
His eyes flashed open. What in the world? “Yeah. I guess. If you want to.” Great, now you can barely string a sentence together. Varner, you need more sleep.
“Thank you.”
More rustling, and she pushed her sleeping bag under the dividing wall to his side of the tent, came around the wall, shifted the bed closer, and climbed in. “Thank you.”
He tried to sleep, but she lay there, breathing softly, shifting slightly, and rustling around. “Are you going to go to sleep?” he muttered.
“I can’t sleep.”
“Why not? Aren’t you tired from all the exercise we got at the playground on the lake?” He could barely keep his eyes open.
“I am.”
“But?”
“I’ve never slept in a tent before. I’ve never been camping before.”
“But you put the tent up in seconds.”
“Ya,” she muttered, “I used to work at a sporting goods store.” She sighed heavily. “But this camping, it’s so loud out there. Not city loud, like cars and sirens, but weirdly loud.”
“How can I help?” He really had no idea how to make her feel better. The night noises didn’t bother him. He lived on an acreage outside of Calgary, and his bedroom had French doors to his enormous yard, and he kept them open all summer. Night sounds were normal to him.
“Could you…” she grunted. “Never mind.”
“Wanda,” he said warningly. “How can I help?”
“Could you…” another sigh, “could you, maybe, hold my hand. Just until I fall asleep.” She blurted out the last bit.
The request shocked him. He had no idea how that would help. But if it meant she’d feel better, and he’d get some sleep…
“Sure. Scoot closer and turn your sleeping bag zipper to this side.” They shifted so their bags were touching on the zipper sides. “Now, stay covered up so you’re warm, and give me your hand.”
They lay facing each other, both of his hands cradling one of hers. “Get some sleep, Wanda. I’ll keep you safe.”
She squeezed his hands in response, and in almost no time, her breathing evened out, and she stilled in sleep.
His heart stuttered. When had he ever soothed someone like that? He never would have guessed that it was even possible. The pure beauty and peace of the moment washed over him and lulled him into much needed sleep.