Come, Josephine

Chapter 6

1927

   By midday, Jack had decided to walk us to the local lake. He admitted he had almost drowned in it as a child and warned me that the surface was deceiving; the lake itself plummeted several meters beneath the surface despite the shallow appearance. He mentioned that although it looked level. It often dove sharply, making it almost trap-like.
Once we arrived there Mamma began unlacing her boots and removing her stockings. Nearly girlish, she laughed at Jack's objections to her swimming in the lake.
I understood why he might be fearful of both the lake in particular and any body of water in general. Despite my deep sympathy, however, I allowed myself to chuckle at her attempts to lure us in.
Jack shook his head, hands thrust into his pockets, telling her how cold the water would be despite the fine weather. I agreed with him, standing closer as a united front.
Mamma shrieked as she tiptoed into the water, hardly able to conceal the jolt that went through her. Instead of backing off, however, she continued to go deeper in until the water was up to her knees. She laughed again, skirts hitched up, shouting about how cooling it was on the hot day.
Jack laughed then, and said that perhaps he should attempt to get in. I realised he must be more reserved that he was afraid, and made my own judgement that it might not be too cold to get into.
   Jack removed his boots and rolled up his trousers, waiting for me on the bank. I joined him, hitching up my skirt, and let him take my hand to help me in.
   We both let out small gasps as we joined mamma who was cautiously sliding her foot along the lake bed. She was still laughing joyously, even as jack and I shuffled closer.
   We wadded around the lake, staying close to the bank, laughing and talking for most of the afternoon. We swapped stories mostly, and mamma and Jack seemed more comfortable together than I had expected.
   I too felt immediately welcomed by Jack. He was genuine person, every ounce of him stripped bare to the world. He seemed to be the sort of person to take to anyone, regardless of class, or race, or gender. He seemed different and lighter than most people I knew, making me feel far more settled around him.
   As we rounded another corner, I felt my foot slip.
   I shuffled backwards, trying to regain my balance. With the sharp movement though, I gambled with what footing I had left and found myself plummeting down.
   I slipped backwards, my arms shooting out, trying to grasp something, anything.
   Suddenly, I felt someone latch onto my arm, halting my fast decent.
   I opened my eyes, unaware that I had shut them, to see Jack holding me up. I laughed, feeling him lift me up from the water.
   "God, Josie!" He seemed more upset that I was, "are you alright?"
   "I'm fine," I stopped laughing, but continued smiling, "just a little clumsy."
   He finally returned the laugh, and I looked over my shoulder to see where mamma stood behind me. She stepped closer, her arm resting around my shoulder.
   "Oh, Josie!" She laughed, "what are we going to do with you?"
   We laughed together, happy and bright. 
   The day cooled, Jack suggested we go home at last and find something to eat.
   Mamma and I agreed gratefully, eager to eat our first full dinner in days.