Free The Lady And The Lake by Diane Collier Page B

“Hello, can I help you”, asked Tiffany? “Ah, yes ma’am, I was wondering if you’d be needing help around the place”, replied the man as he tipped his hat. “Help”, quizzed Tiffany in confusion? “Help doing what”, she asked boldly? “You know, raking leaves, chopping wood, stacking wood, anything you need doing”, he replied as he focused his glare strongly on her. Just then, he popped his head backwards as if confirming something. “Do I know you ma’am”, asked the man in curiosity? Tiffany looked down at the man whose face was fully exposed to her. She squint her eyes and tilted her head trying to think if she had seen or meet him before. “No- no, I don’t think so”, Tiffany said finally. There was a brief silence when the man below finally said something. “Tiffany, is that you”, asked the man in surprise? “You know my name, how is that possible if I've never met you before”, asked Tiffany in reply? “Yes- yes, Tiffany Wilson, yep it’s you”, boldly replied the stranger. “I'm sorry dude, but I don’t know you, what’s your name”, asked Tiffany in a miffed tone. “Colton, my name is Colton Masterson”, said the stranger with a smile. Tiffany thought momentarily on the name he uttered, but still, nothing came to mind. Since he was cute, yes, she would have remembered him certainly. Nothing came to her with that name. Finally, after about five minutes of pure still silence, the man once again broke the silence of their surroundings. “Think about to high school Tiffany, remember- the short, bucked-tooth, thick-black glasses and skinny as a pencil”, Colton said. Tiffany stood there in awe and shock. The pimpled-faced, geek, that everyone used to pick-on and berate, turned out to be a hot piece of manhood. “Well oh my god”! Tiffany exclaimed in excitement and stun. “I've kind of changed a bit”, said Colton fiddling with his clothes. “Ha-ha, yeah think Colton”, replied Tiffany comically. “Would you like a cup of coffee”, she asked him? “Sure”, replied Colton smiling deviously. “Come on up then”, she stated back to him while motioning him upward.
    Colton looked about the sides of the high deck for the stairs that led upward. On the right side of the deck, was a- well-seasoned, leaf covered staircase. Tiffany walked back into the cabin and into the kitchen. Colton soon followed after ascending the steps to the upper, leaf covered deck. He walked into the kitchen and stood by the old porcelain red and white table. “You can take your jacket off Colton”, she said to him in a cute-shy tone. Colton removed his coat and hooked on the back of the chair that was in front of him. He pulled that same chair out from the table and sat down. As Tiffany’s back was turned, Colton touched up his hair with his hands and fingers, checked to see if his underarms stunk and checked his breath. “Nope”, he thought to himself, “All good”, his thought added. Tiffany turned about and walked over to the table. She placed a mug of coffee in front of Colton and walked over to the refrigerator to grab the milk. She reached over to the counter that was beside the fridge and grabbed the sugar bowl.
    All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a clash of thunder sounded. BOOM! The sound went as it shook the cabin to its bones. Tiffany dropped the sugar bowl and splashed the milk all over herself and the floor. “Christ”! Tiffany yelled aloud. “Where the hell did that come from”, she said. Colton smiled widely as he bent down to try and scoop up the sugar that was scattered about the floor. Tiffany reached towards the table and sat down what remained of the milk. She then too, squatted down and assisted Colton with the cleanup . She reached around Colton’s hand to get some missed sugar that he has missed, and ended up smashing both their heads together. “OUCH”! Tiffany stated as she pulled away. “Sorry”, said Colton as he looked up at Tiffany who was rubbing her head