Secret Rock - The Family Secrets - Chapter 6

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The second day of the DeMarco family vacation at the lake house begins. So far everyone is able to juggle their secrets even though there is concern Mama Kumiyaski may have her suspicions.

After two hours of driving there was finally a bit of light creeping across the horizon to the east. The rapidly brightening sky began to illuminate some of the shadows and present him with the beauty of this place he had loved so much for so many years. His automatic window button took over from his quick touch to finish opening his driver side and passenger windows.

It became necessary to adjust the volume on his stereo as the rush of air competed with the volume of his Maynard Ferguson compact disc. This was one of a half dozen he still carried in the vehicle, gifts from his late wife. He tried to pretend he did not hear the scratches that were telling about not only the age of the discs, but their history of play. There would be no thought of either discarding these or replacing them with new copies. There was a significant sentimental value for each, one that would allow them to play even when the overall sound was very poor.

At the top of Kramer’s Pass he got his first view of the lake, which shone a vibrant blue in the early morning sun. He smiled as the glistening surface reminded him of so many pleasant memories with Miranda. From the summer they met while she was taking water skiing lessons to their lake side wedding to numerous adventures on their own boat, this lake held a special place in his heart and mind.

This was the first time since Miranda’s death he had been back to the lake. He was unsure how he would feel, but at least for now it was like finding an old friend waiting when you return from a long journey. Comfort was the only way he could describe how he felt about the situation for now. He expected Craig Daley would be pleased to find this was the case. He and Maggie had tried for a while to get him to come out for a visit. He had resisted numerous invitations, citing work commitments as his main reason. Now there were no work reasons as he was fully retired and looking for the next adventure in his life.

He flipped his sun visor down as he swung around a curve into a full blast of sunlight. As he did the picture of a smiling Miranda worked loose from a band sewn into the visor to hold registration or inspection paperwork for quick and easy access. He groped in the floor for the picture as he made quick glances to make sure he was staying in his lane.

A loud horn propelled him up into a straight sitting position as he realized he would have to wait to complete this task. “Mandy, you always did run off at the most inopportune moments!” he smiled. Less than five minutes later he rolled to a stop at an intersection, givin him the time to locate the picture, lying face up next to his right foot. He carefully retrieved the photo, holding it against the steering wheel for a few moments as he reminisced about the thirteen years he shared with this beautiful woman. He recalled the words of his supervisor as he speculated about the possiblity of Miranda accepting his proposal of marriage.

“Just how much money are you adding to sweeten the pot?”

“None sir, she loves me,” he had replied.

“Well, you must have her hooked pretty good, because guys like us don’t marry girls that look like her. You are certainly trading up mister.”

He nodded agreement as he continued to study the picture. After re-securing it in its usual place he looked to his right for the familiar sign of a diner they always visited at least a few times on each trip. He wondered if the years had passed the diner by, but chuckled with delight as the familiar boat and lighthouse came into view as he approached. Although many things had changed, there were some things here that apparently had not.

Cy Junior and Diane were the first ones up this morning. When they went to bed everyone younger than Sidney was in the kitchen, working on sundaes. They were amazed how clean everything was, without so much as a dirty bowl r spoon in the sink.

“Want some coffee?” Diane asked.

“Sure. There will be others desiring some I am sure. We might as well make a full pot.”

“What did you think about Mama Kumiyaski?”

“She is one like I have never met. Did you notice the way she studied everyone. It was like she was taking stock of each of us as we ate and talked. I wonder what she thought.”

“Who knows, she probably thought we were a bunch of over fed Americans. I mean compared to Rachu and her we look like giants.”

“Speak for yourself sis I have lost twenty two pounds.”

“Wow, what is your secret?”

“The thing I was telling you about,” C.J. said as he looked over his shoulder to the door leading out to the main living room, the route most would use to get to the kitchen.

“Are you sure you cannot give me more specific details?” Diane pried.

“I would love too, because it is driving me nuts keeping it in, but I cannot. Trust me it will knock everyone’s socks off if it comes true.”

“Good morning,” Donald said as he entered the kitchen dressed in his biking gear, with a helmet containing goggles and gloves. He set the equipment down on a stool and headed for the refrigerator with a water bottle to get ice and some of the filtered water from the refrigerator door.

“Are you still riding every day?” C.J. asked.

“Yes, I try to get in twenty five miles each day. Some days I do more, depending on the time available.”

“Twenty five miles?” Diane repeated. I would need twenty five days to recover before I could do that again.

Hey mom, you are the one that got me hooked on this. Remember when we all use to ride at home. Jack and I continued for a while then it was just me. At school I am part of a group that rides. We load up all the bikes on a trailer and go places often enough to vary our routine. Keeping things  fresh helps with the motivation.”

All of them turned when they heard the exterior screen door hinges announce the entry of someone from outside. Chuck nodded as he stumbled in the door, his hair pointing in all directions, looking as if he had spent a restless night somewhere other than a comfortable bed.

“So, how long did you ‘chase the moon’?” Cy junior asked as he worked to suppress the smile.

Chuck only blinked as the realization came of what the name of the game really meant. He sighed and shook his head, then stumbled through the kitchen on his way to the bed room he shared with Sidney on the second floor.

When they were fairly confident he was out of ear shot the three remaining in the kitchen let loose with a barrage of laughter. Every year someone got the treatment, sometimes the recipient was quicker to realize the joke and came in during the darkness, saving face. Chuck had managed to get in before any of the younger kids were awake to tease him.

“Be careful,” Diane said as she approached Donald and pecked him on the cheek.

“I will. See you guys in a couple of hours.”

Donald rolled his Schwinn High Timber mountain bike across the steps leading off the wide covered porch and onto the gravels he looked back at Jack’s Pacific Chromium Dual Suspension model and wished he had not spent what he did for his. In truth he wished he had his Victory Vision road bike as it was better suited to the climb he would make to Kramer’s Pass this morning. While the descent would not be much work, the smooth road bike tires would be a lot less jarring than his knobby mountain bike tires.

The Shwinn Thrasher micro helmet had been hard to get used to at first, but now with the equivalent of five thousand miles of use it fit like a comfortable glove. He slid on his well worn gloves and slid his Schimano cycling shoes into the pedal clips to begin his work out. He could feel the tightness in his calves and hamstrings as he began pumping the pedals to gain speed on the paved road.

He and Jack both used their mountain bikes at school, but only Donald also brought a raod bike along. Knowing he would not have the chance to use it, he had left it at home, not even daring bring it to the summer camp. With all the usual pranks he was concerned he might have trouble protecting both bicycles from well meaning pranksters.

About thirty minutes into the ride he saw another biker just a quarter mile ahead of him. Always excited to have a riding partner, he increased his speed so he could close the distance. The biker in fromt turned once to look when he approached, but kept their attention focused on the road ahead. When Donald moved close enough he was able to determine this was a girl similar in age that was riding a female model of Jack’s bike, the Pacific Chromium one.

“Hey, you mind some company?” Donald asked.

“Suit yourself,” the young woman replied.

“My brother has the same bike,” Donald offered as a attempt to start a conversation.

“Really? I’ll bet he looks cute,” the girl said.

“Well, I mean he has the men’s model, but the Chromium.”

“So does he have better taste than you?”

“Less expensive I guess,” Donald confessed.

The girl did not continue the conversation, choosing instead to quicken her cadence as they began to encounter the beginning of the incline that wound another seven miles to the peak of the mountain, where Kramer’s Pass. Donald stood on his pedals to push hard as he sought to match the girl’s pace and follow her up the road.

There was no conversation over the next few minutes as all their energy became devoted to the climb to the top of the mountain. During the time a few cars passed them going up and about the same number met them coming down the road. Donald felt his muscles complain about the more arduous than usual pace of riding, but he was determined to keep the young woman in sight.

During the entire ascent he was able to maintain a gap of less than a tenth of a mile and he caught himself admiring the muscles in her legs as she seemed to effortlessly complete the trip to the top. No doubt she was a regular climber as evidenced by her smooth movement up the slope.

Donald was thankful when he saw her steer her bicycle off the road onto a small gravel area tat the top that looked over the lake, several hundred feet below. He struggled to even out his breathing as he approached, but knew it would be obvious to anyone with experience on a two wheeler. He rolled his bike beside the girl who was unclipping the strap on her helmet and pulled it off to release blonde hair which settled on her shoulders as she shook her head to try to overcome the helmet hair feeling.

“I’m impressed,” she said. “There is not many guys that can stay with me on that climb.”

“Sounds like you make a habit of trying to beat them,” Donald said. He pulled the water bottle from the wire holder that was securely screwed into his frame and squeezed some of the icy water on the back of his throat.

“I will race anybody that wishes to try.”

“I’m Donald.”

“Casey, nice to beat you!” she said with a toothy, brace corrected smile. “Do you like granola?” she rummaged in a small knapsack strapped to her handle bars and offered him one of the small rectangles she had packed for the ride.

“Uh, sure. Thanks.”

“I love the view from here. I always have wondered how different it is at night.”

“You haven’t come back?”

“Well, this is the first time I really have had the opportunity. I am here to stay with my uncle for a few weeks. I just got in last night and this is my first trip out.”

“It’s pretty neat. Not a good place to be on a bicycle after dark, but the view is spectacular, especially with a full moon.”

“I think there is one this weekend.”

“That would be the best time to come then,” Donald said.

“There is so much to see here,” Casey said as she looked in every direction, shielding her yes from the sun.

“Have you been to Secret Rock?”

“Where?”

“Secret Rock it is about three miles down. We passed it on the right coming up.”

“Is that a big smooching place or what?” Casey smiled.

“No, it is…well you just have to see it. Are you interested?”

“It depends, are you going to try to take advantage of me?”

“No!” Donald said quickly, drawing a laugh from the girl.

“Why not, is there something wrong with me?” she said pulling the helmet back on, her hair still hanging to her shoulders.

Donald struggled to get the water bottle back in its place, his helmet back on and re-mount his bike as Casey took off in a sprint back down the road. He was finally to the point he could breathe easily but knew that would not last long. Even though they were pedaling down hill, the amount of exertion to catch Casey was quickly going to return him to the hard breathing state.

“Don’t you want to see it?” he asked when he finally got close enough for her to hear.

“Of course, but you will have to pass me before we get there or I will blow right past!” she giggled as she pumped her pedals hard.

Donald smiled when he realized she was toying with him. It had been to long since he enjoyed any kind of playful interaction with a girl his age. He was unable to remember the last time as he focused only on overcoming Casey in the mile remaining to the lane that led to Secret Rock. Again he stood on his pedals to allow him to use all of his body weight and strength to power his bike so he could go faster and try to edge Casey before they passed the trail leading to Secret Rock.

She did not let up, keeping her fierce pace even as she saw Donald making his frenetic attempt to pass her. Donald pushed the pedals as hard as he could, hoping there would be enough difference in the rate of revolution his tires to allow him to overcome the narrowing space. He could hear her grunting as she gave the maximum effort she had to maintain the blistering pace. It amazed him how much stamina she had, which was further confirmation that she did this on a regular basis.

The burning in Donald’s legs caused him to consider letting up, but his male pride was having none of that and he powered even more as he was finally able to pull up to Casey’s right side. He could see the sign for Secret Rock rapidly approaching and knew this push had to be all or nothing. He felt a surge of excitement as Casey’s bike disappeared from his peripheral vision and he began to prepare for a faster than desired turn into the lane leading out to Secret Rock.

Gravel and dirt flew out from under his wheels as he tried to navigate the turn, causing him to lose his balance and careen head first over the handlebars into a thicket of briars and bushes.

“Donald!” he heard Casey say as he flew through the air and rolled in the underbrush.

When she finally approached his landing position, he lay flat on his back or rather propped up on a collection of bushes and briars, staring up at the blue sky as he lay still and took stock of his situation. He wondered how long it might be before the pains started to report their positions in his limbs.

“Are you okay?”

“You mean other than the embarrassment and scratches?” Donald smiled as he saw Casey’s face, her helmet off and hair moving in the steady breeze.

“It’s as much my fault as yours. I may not have told you I am ultra competitive. I never quit.”

Donald was not able to reply immediately as he devoted his effort to trying to catch up on his breathing.  He nodded as he found enough air to comment on her words.

“I have the same problem.  This is the first time it resulted in such a physical display of idiocy though.”

“Here, let me help you out of that,” Casey said offering her hand. Donald slowly straightened his frame as he still anticipated some kind of physical pain, but so far nothing seemed to be wrong.

“Did your bike survive?” Casey asked.          

“I hope so; it is a long walk back to the lake house. I don’t suppose you would double me huh?”

“I am sure we can work out something,” Casey said.

When Donald righted the two-wheeler he immediately saw that the handlebars were askew of the frame. Immediately his thought was that he had bent them, but with a few more moments of reflection he saw that the securing nut was loose. He unzipped the small canvas tool pouch under his seat to grab the crescent wrench intended for such needs. Two turns of the nut made the handlebars right and it seemed the bike was no worse for wear.

“So how much father to this rock?” Casey asked.

“It is not very far, less than a quarter mile for sure.”

“Shall we walk,” she asked as she hung her helmet on the handlebars of her bike.

“Sounds good to me,” Donald replied.

When the couple rounded the first turn to Secret rock they found and unseen hazard that would have been much worse than the one Donald encountered. Due to heavy rain during the spring a rock slide had covered the main part of the lane that led to Secret Rock. If Casey had remained ahead of Donald she would certainly have crashed when she encountered this at full speed.

“I think you save me from breaking something,” she said.

Casey walked over to the sign flanking the famed Secret Rock when they reached the attraction and began to read the words that explained the legend.

“Many years ago an Indian legend was born that any secret left here was taken to the Great Spirit to be kept silent for a thousand moons. The legend grew with time and ultimately this spot became famous over many states and some foreign countries. If you have a secret you want to share write it on a piece of paper, wrap it around one of the small rocks and drop it in the hole.”

She looked at the wooden enclosure that flanked the rock and lifted the hatch to reveal a stack of paper pads along with a plastic tub full of the little pencils you could find at any putt-putt course. All of the pencils had writing on them and were from various businesses in the area.

“That is a smart marketing ploy,” Casey assessed.

“Are you saying you doubt the power of the rock?”

“Are you saying you believe in it?” Casey counter questioned.

“I have dropped my share of rocks,” Jack confessed.

“What secrets do you have?”

“Nothing embarrassing or illegal, just things I don’t have anyone to tell about.”

“So this is an attraction here?”

“My family always comes at least once during our stay here. It is interesting hearing the rocks echo ver two dozen times.”

“Wow, you have a big family!”

“It is grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.”

“That is still a big family to me. When do you guys do this?”

“No particular time. We might do it this weekend.”

Casey turned her attention to the watch which projected an alarm into the air.

“Uh-oh, I am late. I am supposed to meet my uncle and his friend at the Lighthouse Diner in fifteen minutes.”

“You can make it.”

“This was fun Donald, we must do it again, without the crash I mean.”

“Sure. Do you ride every morning?”

“Unless the weather is nasty, then I try to get in a workout at the gym,” Casey told him.

Donald watched her mount her bike and roll of back down the ridge toward the diner as he took another inventory of his body and the bruises that were now beginning to show. He wondered if stiffness would follow after he had time to sit and rest at the lake house. The thought of another ride with this pretty blonde convinced him he would have to find his grandfather’s stock of Ibuprofen when he got back to the lake house.