Chapter Six

"Yes, mom. I'm fine," I said, the receiver pinned between my chin and shoulder. I rummaged through the open fridge as I listened to her. "You didn't have to call and check up on me. I can amuse myself around here today until you and dad get back."

"I know you can, Jeremy. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, honey," she told me. In the background I could hear the murmur of people as they milled around the shop where she worked. "I forgot to tell you before I had to leave, but the nice young man next door, Zachary, is going to come by and mow the back yard."

"Yeah, he's already here. As a matter of fact," I crossed to the window overlooking the back of the house and peered out at Zachary as he made the final passes of the lawnmower. The crisp scent of freshly cut grass managed to filter through the closed window. Even at this distance, I could just barely make out the grass clippings that clung to his sweaty legs and bare feet. "He just finished." I left out the fact that he'd have finished the grass much sooner if we hadn't had our little bit of fun upstairs first.

"Well honey, you know there's no reason for you to stay stuck in the house all day long," my mother said. "Why don't you ask Zachary if he knows of anything that's going on that he could take you to? I'm sure that there's got to be something happening around town that he could take you to. Or, even better, why don't you take him to the spot you used to go hiking at all the time? I remember you used to spend hours hiking through the woods."

I'd completely forgotten about the "hikes" I used to take. Little did she or my father know that on my first foray into the hills outside of town I'd come across a secluded little lake just deep enough to go swimming in. There was a large outcropping of rock in the middle that stayed in full sun almost all day. The memories of sunbathing nude on that rock, the cool rock against my bare ass a stark contrast to the sun beating down on my bare skin, flooded back.

"Jeremy? Honey are you there?" my mother's voice brought me out of my reverie.

"Yeah, Mom," I replied. "I'm still here. I was just thinking. You know? You're right. I think I will go explore some of my old hang outs."

"Good. You do that, honey. Be sure to ask Zachary if he wants to go with you. I know that since he and his family moved in, he hasn't had much of a chance to find that many people to hang out with."

I didn't say anything; I just smirked into the phone at her words. That's what you think Mom, I thought.

"Yeah, you're probably right, mom," I told her. I caught sight of Zachary as he walked back in the back door; his t-shirt clinging to his broad chest and thoroughly soaked from the sweat he'd worked up mowing the yard. "Listen, Zachary just finished the yard. I think I'll take him out to my old hang out. I'll try and be home before you, but don't panic if I'm not here, okay?"

"Okay, honey," she said. "Have a great time, and I'll see you later.