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ready for a barbecue.
    Amy cupped her hands around her mouth, then called out to
her Golden Retriever. “Come here, Gyp.”
    Standing at the shoreline, Gyp perked his ears, then bounded
toward Amy. His coat glistened as he drew up alongside and proceeded to shower
everyone with a shake of his body.
    “Awe, Gyp, stop it before you put the fire out.” Amy said,
and then laughed.
    “Did you have to bring the mutt?” Johno asked, patting down
his jeans. “I’m soaking wet.”
    “Don’t be a wuss, and less of the mutt,” said Amy, and threw
her arms around Gyp’s neck, receiving a rasping tongue across her lips in
appreciation of the cuddle.
    “That’s disgusting,” said Ted, and glared at Amy “He’s put
my fire out alright. Don’t go expecting us making out after seeing that.”
    “You should be so lucky. What’s in the garbage bag?”
    Amy shot a glance at Ted.
    “Tonight’s game.”
    “Yeah, but what is it? It’d better not be an Ouija board
like last time.”
    “No, this is better, you’ll see, but only when it’s dark.
Johno, go and haul a six-pack from the lake. We need to get into the mood.”
    Johno huffed and shrugged his shoulders.
    “Why me?”
    “Because you’re already wet, and you’re the only one who
needs to lose weight with the exercise. That’s why.”
    “You’re not funny.”
    Johno sprang to his feet and trundled over to the shore,
carrying his two-hundred pound, five-foot-four frame, scrunching pebbles under
foot and cursing.
    “That wasn’t called for,” Louise said, protecting her
boyfriend.
    “He calls me a skinny runt. What’s the difference?” said Ted.
    Louise prodded Ted on his shoulder with a stick.
    “Whatever, forget it. Just cut back on ordering us around.
No one voted you gang leader.” She poked the fire with the stick.
    “Don’t poke the fire,” said Tanya. “Like, it’s tinder dry
out there. D’ya wants us to get hauled in for starting a wildfire?”
    “Why d’ya think we are at the edge of the lake, dumb ass?
The sparks ’ll die out before they get to the trees,” said Oliver, teasing his
girlfriend.
    “I wasn’t a dumb ass last night when your hands were all
over me.”
    Oliver ducked as she gave him a playful slap on the back of
his head.
    “Come on you guys, why the faces? It’s weekend, lighten up,”
said Ted.
    Amy looked over at Johno as he returned, then watched as he
handed out the cans. Ted wiped the top of his can on his T-shirt, then pulled
the ring. A fountain of froth erupted, drenching him. Johno smirked.
    “Ya shook the can, moron.”
    “Yeah, well next time you go get the cans, ya skinny runt.”
    “See, I told ya’ll. Less of the name calling, blubber man.”
    Amy sighed. “Oh, for goodness sake, stop measuring your
wieners and one of you put the steaks on the grill. I’m going for a walk with
Gyp.”
    “I’ll come with you,” said Ted.
    “No, thanks all the same. I want some time alone.”
    “Why? Do I smell?”
    Amy shrugged. She wasn’t in the mood for a glib answer.
    Louise grabbed Ted’s arm. “You’re not going anywhere. It’s
your turn to grill the steaks. Let her go. She doesn’t need her hand holding
twenty-four seven, even if you do.”
    Ted scrunched his nose, but acceded to her request with
outward turned palms. Louise gave an all-knowing wink in Amy’s direction. Amy
turned, then walked away over the pebbles toward the fringe of the woods. Gyp
ran ahead, his tail wagging, and disappeared through the tree line. She wasn’t
sure if coming out there with her friends was a good idea. Least, not on today
of all days. Only Louise knew her secret. This was the first time she had
shared her dark day with anyone, except with the photographs of her mom, and
with her dad. She hoped her mom didn’t think she was disrespectful.
    Gyp sat waiting by a pine tree. Amy picked up a twig and
threw it past Gyp. He looked over his shoulder and back at her as if saying,
‘You go and fetch.’ She scooped a