The houseboat was equipped with two bathrooms. and one shower. Maille showered and washed her braids. rinsed them out painstakingly and then dressed in her T-shirt and shorts. It was warm inside the houseboat but not overly so. She could hear Kell moving around, and as she exited the bathroom he was standi ng on the stairway.

"Are you tired?" he asked, and there was a hopeful tone in his voice.

·'Um hm m.'' She answered. knowing it was what he wanted to hear for some reason.

"I made up a bed for you." He stepped back up the stairs towards the one bedroom with the queen bed. He saw her skeptical glance and hurried to reassure her. "They won't be here for several days, Maille."

Maille crossed the hall. A night light gleamed over the bed which was made up with silk sheets, and a blue cotton comforter and then a beautiful quilt over that. Pillows were plumped over the top of the bed and a corner was pulled back for her. The window was open and the night air freely blew into the room, ruffling her wisps of bangs now loose from their braids with all the swimm ing she'd been giving them. She stepped past him and sat on the bed gingerly.

She turned co look ac him and a light shone in her dark eyes. "I always feel so cared about. How do you do it?"

"Ideas just come to me," Kell stated with a shrug. he had looked above her as if embarrassed by her admiration. She ran a hand through his dreads, which were matted and preposterous  looking.

"You'll have to shave these, you know." She whispered watching bis mouth. the way he smiled beneath the beaded goatee.

"I'm looking forward to it. I'm told I have a very round head." He had one arm braced against the door way, the other at his side now drifted up to cup her cheek. "How tired are you?''

Maille leaned into his hand a bit. "Some:·She smiled warmly.

Kell leaned down to kiss her and then right before his lips touched hers he jerked away. He let go of the doorway and picked up her feet and put them up on the bed. Then he covered her with the sheet and comforter and tucked her in. Then he hopped up on the other side of the bed and plumped a few of the pillows up under his head. He patted his T-shirt clad chest.

Maille smiled softly and laid her head against his heart, hearing immediately the steady thumping of that life giving organ beneath her ear reassuringly. She knew she was not alone. Her eyes closed easily, sleepily, even though pa1t of her body was acutely aware of his presence, she'd also conditioned herself to fall asleep with him. The added dimension of attraction and excitement only made her feel more secure.

The last thing she saw before she drifted off to a very sound sleep was her ring against his dark hand, tightly gripped against his chest in a very loving manner.

***** 

The next days were spent lazily on the houseboat. either tanning. or sleeping. Kell and Maille found that they enjoyed the water sports very much, and snorkeled as easily as they jet skied. They

explored the shoreline and sat for hours and talked about religion mostly, but sometimes about other subjects like history or politics. To be safe, and not because they were avoiding the subjects, they tried not to bring up the fragile ties with Shawn and Myndee. Not to dishonor them, or to deliberately slight them, but more to give them each some time. They ate when they were hungry, they slept whenever they felt like it, and occasionally found that they skipped meals together, not needing so much sustenance.

They weren't big movie watchers, although Kell had purchased the satellite TV for them and they did watch the news together and a couple of old reruns.

The time drifted lazily by and the day arrived when they headed back to the marina to pick up Maille's family. lt was early morning when they arrived and they both felt the need to clean and do laundry.

Kell was amazed at how easily they anticipated each other's needs and duties and wondered if it would always be that way. Maille was organized. Kell was thoughtful. Maille was super neat. Kell was quick to observe her desires and stay out of her way if she chose to scrub something.

The morning flew by and finally, a truck pulled up followed closely by two cars. Maille looked up thoughtfully, her heart feeling a bit of trepidation at the sight of her sisters and their husbands. But the amount of work to be done to get them on board in the next tew minutes kept her mind off the dynamic between them all.

They were greeted warmly, the children were exuberant, and immediately loved their bedroom, which as Maille had anticipated was directly above their parents, with the stairway through their room. Life vests were procured for each little one, and donned.

Matthew was Maille's favorite of her sisters husbands. He came up as Maille was putting away one last kitchen box in the kitchen cupboards and she felt h is arms around her. "Whatchoo' been up to out here all alone with Kell Stevak, little Miss Maille Mann." His voice was slightly accented , she didn't know quite where from, but his arms tackled her from much h igher up. Matthew was over six foot, maybe two or three inches over, compared to her five foot five, and Kell's five foot nine, that was tall. She even knew her sisters were under five foot six, and Cassie was even smaller. But she loved when Matthew snuggled her neck, he was the only one who ever djd it. He always called her Little Miss Maille Mann, or Little Sister.

Maille grinned and hugged his arm to her. "It's been wonderfully relaxing, Matt. Kell's been very good to me.··

"Yes..." he answered breathily, "But where do you two sleep?" his voice was very teasing, if she had chosen not to answer it would have been okay. But Mail le almost wanted to tell him the truth, that she was married, so it wouldn't have mattered where she slept, but she didn't.

"I've been on the bed which Kell wisely gave to Megan and Steve. But it was very comfy while it lasted. Kell's been sleeping up on top. He's got an air mattress and a sleeping bag, but he says it does get ch illy towards morning. Ton ight I am sleeping on the back bunk. the bottom one pu lls out to a double. We left all the bigger beds for you old married couples."

"Just in case this romantic setting gets us in the mood, huh?" Matthew let her go. "You better be on your best behavior Miss Maille, all your big brothers are here now."

"Have no fear, Mattie dear. Kell and I have been very good."

"You 'll have to tell me all about it." He said, but his attention was caught by the closing of the front gate and Kell moving to take the boat out. "Hey!" he exclaimed. "May I?" he wanted to drive it, and Kell was very happy to let h im.

Maille watched as Kell explained to Matthew how the gears and steering were manipu lated, but Matthew seemed competent as if just having to remember something he'd already known. Kell called up the stairs to the upper deck that they wou ld be leavi ng, so the mommy better account for all her l ittle

ch iJlun's.

Maille went onto the back porch and watched for any debris as she'd been doing for Kell when he backed up. She was just getting ready to go up and visit with her sisters, as they made their way calmly out into the lake along the shore, when she overheard voices directly above her. Jt had to be Ryan and Mel ia, Ryan 's voice was lower than Cousin Stevie's.

Maille felt at first that she might be intruding and would have gone around to the front to go up, but then she heard her own name and slowly she backed into the shadows.

"She's been here for days alone with h im! I had no idea! It's indecent." Melia's indignant but muffled screech.

"Ah, Mia, your mom told you the little boy died, and Maille needs time to recover. She's been pushfog herself too hard these last several weeks."

"Pushing is right... pushing herselfright at Kell Stevak."

''Don 't go thinking things, Mia. It could be just as simple as you and me travel ing to visit my folks before we were marri ed. Nothing happened there."

"There were people there all around us, Rye, lots of chaperones. She's been here alone, and you know what h is rep is."

"Mia, that's absurd. Are you l isten ing to gossip?"

Their voices were more hushed, and Maille couldn't make them out dearly anymore, but embarrassed she went back to the front. Kell was in the kitchen making something in the blender. She thought tojust go on through, maybe stand on the front porch and let the lake breeze cool her flushed cheeks. But Matthew saw her.

"Hey, Miss Maille, you know you look good in that tan ." He said and patted the seat next to h im.

She wanted to h iss at h im that it wasn't all tan, and then be alone to contemplate the words she'd heard but then from the back came Megan.

Her eyes lit on Maille. "I haven 't given you a proper hug." Megan exclaimed and rushed through the corridor to give her sister a hug. She put her l ips to Maille's cheek, "I 'm sorry about Shawn, I know you gave him a lot of love there at the end, I know he loved you too."

Tears suddenly welled in Maille's eyes and trickled down her cheek. Megan easily wiped them on her own bathing suit cover up and with a gentle squeeze, went to see what Kell was making. They all looked up as they heard the thumping oflittle foet above them and a holler from a cautious parent.

Maille really d id turn to the front of the boat then, but not without seeing Kell out of the corner of her eye and she knew he'd seen.

She hurried through the screen and leaned against the rail ing. So... Mel ia thought she'd been

sleeping with Kell on the boat. Well. that would make sense. the two of them alone on the houseboat for four days, what was to have stopped them?

Yes what? Except the commandments. the gospel. Didn 't Melia know she wouldn't do such a

th ing? And if she had been sleeping with Kell, why suddenly make a big issue out of it? Why not keep it up? Maybe she should have kept the bigger bed. No pretense. Oh brother. Did she have to foel that tension when she was around Melia? Walking on eggshells?

A warm shoulder pressed against hers. A cool glass found it's way into her hand. Kell's face kept

unfalteringly towards the distant shore line, but h is voice cut through her like a knife. "Did Melia say something?"

''Mel ia? Why? Did she say something to you?" Maille found herself in shock that he would know

so soon.

"Mel ia always has someth ing unkind to say to me." "Why, Kell? Becau se of me?"

"That will be her current excuse. Maille. But the real reason is far more ch ildish."

·'What is it? Why would she be so snide?" Kell shrugged. "I have rejected her."

··Rejected herT' Ma ille's voice was genuinely concerned and confused. How cou ld a man reject a

woman who wasn 't interested in h im? Melia was a married woman. I low could she?

Kell was silent. Ma ille's eyes searched h is dark ones, but they remained unfathomable, look ing away, reflecting only the murky depths of the Colorado River. Vaguely she recalled a conversation she'd had several months ago with her sister. One in wh ich she'd mentioned Kell 's name and Mel ia had gone al l weird. She had mentioned not knowing why Kell wouldn't touch her. And Kell had blown it off. .. blown her off. Maille wasn't the least bit threatened by Melia. She thought of Mel ia as a happily married woman. Sure. she had the current. But Kell seemed to know all about that. Then she stopped. I ladn 'lhe once said he was skeptical about the current? Maybe he d idn't believe it?

But just as she was about to pursue that l ine of conversation Melia herself came down the ladder. Both Kel l and Maille looked up at her. She was dressed in a blue and wh ite one-piece bath ing suit, with a sheer white cover up blowing negligently in the wind. She saw Maille and Kell and smiled a falsely bright and cheery smile. "Whars up guys?" she quipped when she got to the bottom. She linked an arm through Maille's, and immediately Maille could feel the heat of her. She saw Matthew look up from his driving.

he 'd been studying a map. He frowned slightly and then caught Kell's eye and there was an almost imperceptible shake of his head. Kell moved away from Melia, in a natural sort of way that couldn't have been construed as offensive as he took their drink glasses back into the kitchen. But Maille caught the slight frown that crossed Mel ia's features as her eyes watched h im leave. She knows, Maille thought. She knows he is avoiding her. And somehow Matthew is aware of it also. In fact right tJ1en, Matthew got up and came to Mel ia's other side and took her arm.

"How's two of my favorite ladies this fine day?" he said. that slight accent of his turned way on with the charm. His blonde hair blew straight back from his face in an adorable way and Maille forgot to frown as she stared up at him.

·'Fine thanks. Are you having fun driving?" Maille teased , but Mel ia made to excuse herself and follow Kell. She tried to pull away from the two people holding her arms. Maille let her go easily, nobody stood linked like that for long, but Matthew didn 't let her go.

"You're not running away so easily, there, Miss Mia." He said with that very charm ing tease in h is

voice.

Mel ia wrenched free and blew by him. ''I wanted to thank ... Kell for this drink." She said and

even Maille knew a brush off when she heard it. Maille glanced at Matthew whose eyebrows raised in uncharacteristic astonishment. She was about to call her sister on the carpet for her rudeness when she heard Melia's airy voice addressing Kell, and she paused to hear what she said.

"I t's funny seeing you out of costllme, Kell, you look less intimidating in just your shorts." She said and leaned provocatively against the bar. Kell was putting things away and rinsing out glasses and didn't turn.

"I 'll put on a shirt, to make you feel more comfortable, Melia."

"No, that's not what I meant at al l. You're a hunk, Kell, everybody knows that. Just in costume you're all ...covered up." She laughed brightly, and Maille shook her head and frowned, even she knew a come on when she heard it. What in the world was Mel ia thinking, and right in front of Maille coo?

Kell dried his hands and went the other way around the bar. "Right." I le stated, as if he couldn't care less, and Mai lle knew she had never heard or been the recipient of such coldness from him ever. He leaned over to see where Matthew had marked the map, nodded approval and was about to walk out onto the porch when Mel ia stepped into his path. Kell stopped and looked down at her, his eyes were frosty.

Melia put her hand on his chest. "Why don't you l ike me Kell?"

Kell stepped back away from her and didn't answer. Maille had known he wouldn't.

Melia's eyes darted to Maille and Matth ew out on the porch still. A knowing little sneery smile twitched her lips and Ma ille fell Matthew stiffen perceptibly. "After aJI we've spent so much time together on set, and we've never been this uncomfortable. Is it that Maille is here? But you two told me there isn't anything behveen you."

Kell turned, his eyes at first closed as if he were forcing himself to count to ten for patience. "First of al L Melia ..." he said in the soft and rather sinister voice he reserved for those he sincerely disliked, and a voice neither Maille, nor Matthew, who had known him and worked with hi m for four years, nor Mel ia had ever heard. " Spending time with somebody on set is work. I tolerate you because of work. You know that, we've actually had this entire conversation before. But yes, for Maille's sake, since you want it right

in her face right up front, I 'll tell you. I avoid you Mel ia because I'm in love with your sister. I never told you there was nothing between us.''

"You both told me you weren't sleeping together. .... Melia said snidely, hurt and anger in her voice now, ··and that's clearly a l ie. You've been lying to us all about that little piece of information all along, haven 't you?"

"I just got baptized, Melia."Kell said calmly, but Matthew was havi ng to restrain Maille by that

time.

"I doubt you have a clue what that means." She sneered, and tossed her head w ith a nasty look for

her sister outside the door.

"Why did you come?" Kell asked. now his posture had changed, he had one hand up blocking her path out onto the deck, and his stance was more aggressive. Matthew had to admire a man who could

remain so calm under the onslaught he was receivin g and Melia in full force. He kept a hand on Maille who had suddenly frozen as if her awareness of Kell had also warned her of his advancing stage of irritation.

"Because you asked me to. Kell." Mel ia purred , her eyes smiling coldly into his. "I asked Maille's family to come, to be close to her, to comfort her."

''Why would she need comfort? She knew those kids were going to die, she knew it when she went there in the first place. She chose to get involved in all that, she chose to quit our band, to leave our parents house. Why? So she could pursue a relationship with you, the first guy she meets.''

Now Matthew feared for Melia's safety as Kell's posture changed even more. He now moved steadily towards her, his chest thrust out a bit, his arm raised against the wall harm lessly, but the tension i n it was a clue.

''Have you ever held a child in your arms Mel ia. a child that was dying?"

'Tve held a man. A husband. It's much worse!" but Melia was backing up.

''A husband?" clearly this was something Kell hadn't heard about. "How long were you married

Melia?"

''A lot longer than Maille knew those two kids!" Melia shot back and she came to stop against the

back door. Kell had stead ily walked her down the entire corridor without her being aware she was being pushed.

"I believe you, Melia, and I apologize if I seem to mock your grief. I t must have been a very tragic th ing for you to go through. Maille has told me only a small portion of what those in your fam i ly have had to endure." His voice was completely sincere, and Mel ia faltered, not knowing what to make of his capitulation. Her eyes showed her consternation.

Kell had stopped advancing.

"I know what it is like to lose---.··

'·But do you give your little sister credit for having lost as well? That is the question I ask of one so acquainted with grief. Do you throw it in her face as not being as great a loss as your own? Did your sister somehow show ill treatment of you when you lost your husband? Was she somehow not

--

compassionate? I think not. The Maille I know is a very compassionate person."His voice was slick, quiet, unfaltering, low. Mel ia bli nked at him as if the words weren't penetrating .

''No... I " she stammered. now at a loss against h is calm logic.

"Melia, let me ask you th is... did I ever give you the impression I was asking you and you alone to come on a houseboat trip with me... and me alone? Do you think I take into consideration the fact that you are a married woman with a husband who obviously loves you and your family very much?"

Mel ia's eyes were very wide. Maille and Matthew had moved closer to the opening of the C01Tidor and they could hear every breath, every nuance. Melia looked over Kell's shoulder. "But you seem to want to be away from me... even on set."

"And you want to know why?" his voice slithered around her now, and Matthew recognized the

persona he'd used in a movie he'd done with Kell not too long ago. It was true then that each aspect of a created persona, was actually a part of the person playing that character. He marveled at Kell's abil ity to utilize his characterization so easily.

Mel ia nodded.

Kell sighed. "Have you never had a man not be interested in you?" Melia's eyes widened. "You make me sound..."

"Noth ing. Answer the question honestly Mel ia. Have you never had a man not be interested in

you?"

"I've never encountered a man who wasn't.. .." her voice trailed off. "I never had a boyfriend

before Ryan, and then ..."

"l don't want to know the entire history of your love life. Suffice it to say l am among the first that do not find you personally attractive. Accept that, Melia. Not all women are attracted to all men, and vice versa. There is no reason to expect that all men will fall under the spell of your charm. But there is also no

reason to believe that you and r can't tolerate each other, either in a professional setting, or a familial

setting."

"A famil ial setting..." Mel ia repeated as if she'd never heard the words before, but Maille could see that she only contemplated them for a second and then went right back to herself in her customary fashion. She would have to relegate the entire conversation to what it ultimately meant for her. Melia had a bad habit of never considering anyone else's needs first.

Here it comes, Matthew thought, noting the same emotions flit across Mel ia's features.

Kell waited , as if waiting for the storm to hit, but hoping that it would actually turn into a squall and blow itself out.

"There is a condition, I'm sure you're not aware of or you wouldn 't be treating me this way---" "!am very aware of your condition, Melia. and pardon me ifl won't buy into it. You have a

husband and a father who can help you with yom condition..." he stressed the word oddly. "You don't need other males to help you."

"You have no idea what you 're...:"

"No, but I do." Came Matthew 's calm voice.

Melia's eyes widened as if seeing Matthew for the first time. Her mouth opened and closed rather like a fish and she puckered her lips to form an ugly sneer for just a second before molding her actress face back into the perfect l ittle cupid bow. Maille rolled her eyes.

''Then you real ize that unlike your precious Cassie, I cannot control my reactions ...."'

"And you are saying that you are having a reaction to Kell, a man who has professed not to be able to feel you at all?" Matthew's tone was incredulous.

'·1 never said f couldn 't feel her, Matthew. I said I don 't care about it. It doesn 't affect me in that way. I'm absolutely not attracted to her. There l ies the basis of my opinion that a man, aware of the condition can also control his reaction to it. l have no intention of ever becoming involved in any way with Mel ia on any level whatsoever, therefore I feel her current, if you will, and I ignore it. Possibly in the same way Cassie is learning to control her reactions."

"Cassie 's reactions are not as strong as mine." Melia said rather haughtily.

"I suppose I 'll have to be tbe judge of that having been the recipient of both." Matthew jeered at her and then turned away. "Nothing has changed Melia. Nothing."

"Then why did you come, Matthew?"

Matthew whirled around on her as if seeing her yet again for the first time. ''Did you think it was for you?"

Melia's silence was very telling at that point and everyone there knew that she had thought that ce1iain men were coming on this houseboat trip to be close to her. It would explain the vivacious way she had commandeered the boat when she arrived, choosing first tJ1e largest room and the best bathroom as her own. until she'd found that Kell and Maille had already assigned her that room. had already earmarked all the bathrooms for anyone's use.

Matthew's short bark of laughter wasn't very flattering. ·'You've got to be kidding." He turned once more to walk away.

"I guess you rea lly can call us a dysfunctional fam ily." Maille said behind Kell, in a sad little voice as she realized ju st how much anger and resentment Melia harbored against so many members of the farn i ly. Cou Id they really pull off this kind of a vacation without their parents to keep them in check? How sad. How urrerly sad.

"Not by a long shot. love."' Kell pulled her to his side, glad to have her close to him, glad to be ending this conversation. •·I've seen dysfunctional. This is simply a straighten ing out of the k inks. Melia and I had a couple of kinks to work out is all, and Melia has to come to terms with that, as well as her relationsh ip with the others in her fam ily. But it is not my bel ief that there is anyone else on board with whom I will personally have a problem, and Idoubt you will either." He smiled at her gently, noting tJ1e dark l ine of her brows drawn together in concern. "I th ink Melia understands now."

But Melia was not to be discarded like an old shoe of no consequence, her ideas of herself and her place were too ingrained and her image of Maille as the l ittle sister. not in the spotlight, simply part of the back up band, was very strong. ·'You think he will love you, Maille? He doesn 't know what love is.''

"I suppose I'll have to be the judge of that." Maille said qu ickly, her voice not as strong as she'd l ike, but the words out anyway, and clearly distinguishable.

Mel ia gazed at her sister once more, that cold look drown ing out her other features. Maille felt as she had on several occasions when Melia was in this mood , that she really didn't like her. Again that same sadness overwhelmed her and she turned away.

Melia chose that moment to make her grand exit as well and she left the corridor and quickly climbed the ladder to the upper deck without so much as a backward glance.

With a smile, Kell pulled Maille close. "Ihope you won't let this ru in your vacation." He said to her as he stroked her hair, holding her against his sun-warmed chest, tightly.

"I th ink that's what she would l ike to have happen."

"Then we'll just have to be the grown ups for her. lfor one have no problem being on the boat with her no matter how many t imes Ihave to tell her the same th ing. It's not a problem , Maille Mann. It's you Iam interested in.'·he tilted her chin up and saw the shimmer of unshed tears. "Bl ink." He commanded, and Maille shook her head, trying to swallow the sudden lump. ·'Isaid bl ink.'. He whispered. So she closed her eyes and forced the salty l iquid out, but as soon as she did, she felt Kell's tongue lick them off her cheek and she giggled .

He rubbed her back softly. "Um ... Maille tears, the best k ind." "Kell, you're crazy." She whispered.

"Always give me your tears, Mail le. I can handle alJ you can get rid of." "Even for Shawn and Myndee?"

'·Especia lly for them ... those are the chocolate tears. Like a fudgsickle. Keep ·em coming.'·

Now she was laughing outright and Kell kissed her lips as she squirmed to get away, but his hands were everywhere and he tickled her mercilessly, eventually picked her up and jumped over the side with

the both of them, yelling: "Man Overboard!"

Maille plunged into the cold water, feeling her worry dissipate and herjoy diffuse her. Kell was Kell, hers. He could handle h imself even with Melia. She swam away from the boat which had stopped it's motor. Kell was a few feet away, and the family had come to look over the edge at them. The children were screaming, and Hannah was calling: Can Ijump in Momma, can Ijump in to Aunt Maille and Uncle...

Kell?

Kell had lifted up his arms and was pointing at Hannah . "Come to Uncle Kell linle lady, I 'll catch you.'' A nd before anyone cou ld say she couldn 't 1lannah bad jumped overboard. She landed in a heaping splash between Kell and Maille, who both swam the few feet to reach her as she bobbed to tJ1e surface, blonde hair straggling in her face, her eyes scrunched up and her fingers wiping at them frantically as children do. Her orange life vest actually kept her floating with them a little away from the back of the boat.

"Hannah Sariah!'' Melia's voice was a screech in the smattering of applause that accompanied it.

Rvan and Matthew and Steve were now on the back of lhe boat, look ing to help the swimmers in, unt il Ryan gave Steve a shake. to scare him and actually pushed h im in . When he came up laughing, he yelled for Matthew to push Ryan in and then all Lhe men were in the water.

'·Who's driving the boatT Melia cried in alarm and ran for the front. ''Nobody is! Nobody is!" her voice was definitely shril l.

Ryan got back on board laughing. ''Melia chill out, the houseboat can't go anywhere. We could

stay here and play all evening and we'd not go anywhere. It's a lake.,.

"Ryan, our l ittle girl is in that lake and she's not a good swimmer. She jump ed off the boat, did you see her? What do you have to say about that?" Melia was stand ing with her arms akimbo when

suddenly another little body went hurtling over the upper deck and she heard kell 's voice calling "One two three!"

'·That was Abbie!" she screamed. "That 's enough. You tell him to stop it! I won't have my

girls....''

·They're my girls too, Mia, and they are having fun." Ryan watched as Kell caught Abbie and hugged her in the water.

"It's dangerous!" she watched the eyes of her two small boys light up in anticipation as they prepared toju mp off as wel l. And just at that moment Megan went shooting down the sl ide holding Melia 's son. Gordon.

"Loosen up. Mia. I don't know what's got into you, but we're here to have fun. Come swim."

Ryan took her hand, but Melia snatched it away. She picked up two year old Ammon and held him as he would have jumped off the back of the deck. He kicked and screamed wanting to be let down.

Maille forgot to watch Melia 's reaction as Cassie also came shooting off the sl ide. Everyone was in the water, it was cool and refresh ing, and the splash ing and swimming going on was fun. Ryan threw the huge raft off and those who wanted to held on to it. and piled the children up on the top of it. Kell encouraged the little girls tojump off it and then turned them in the water and with a gentle push had them '"swimming··back towards the raft safely. Ryan and Steve and Matthew climbed back on board and hastily

climbed the ladder to jump olTa higher point on the upper deck. Megan and Maille got in on the action then and jumped off the top hold ing hands though. Maille swam to Kell and let him take a turn while she balanced the children.

One time when he had cannonbal led into the water and come up l ike a clean kn ife, hair all fuzzily standing out as if no water could penetrate those awful dreads, he grinned at Maille and since they were on the far side of the raft he came up next to her. "Having fun, Maille Mann?"

·The best." She laughed. ''Not all is Melia."

"No only Melia is upset about anything." "Not worth worry ing about, huh?"

"No. Not worth it." He kissed her gently looking into her eyes for proof she was having a good time, and satisfied. he pushed olTto go dunk another of the guys.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The children were asleep, or at least only the two girls, Hannah and Abbie were whispering quietly in the upper chamber where they were staying. Maille dried her hands on the dish towel and folded it and hung it over the stove hand guard. She surveyed the kitchen for spots one more time and then turned and made her way to the upper deck where the other adu lts had assembled. The hot tub was being warmed and they were all sitting around in anticipation of it. Kell and Steve were on the top tann ing deck playing a game of cards, while Matthew watched. Megan and Melia visited calm ly, and Cassie read a book in the wan ing l ight.

Maille caught Kell's eye as she approached and he winked at her, patting his side absently for her to sit beside him. She glanced once at Melia and then decided to sit with Kell after all. His side felt warm when she sat next to him. He was actually laying on his stomach, his dark skin bare to the waist, his dark hair black in the twil ight. She scooted as close to his side as she could and gently began to tickle his back and shoulders. He squirmed a l itt le, and she increased the pressure so he wouldn 't be tick lish. Sudden ly the sunset, the far away clouds and the balmy night air, the lapping of the water against the boat all made a

feeling of utter joy well in her heart and Maille squeezed her eyes shut, tilting her head back. Her hair flew out in wispy tendrils but her braids swished against her back. She leaned forward.

'·1 need you to do my braids tonight.'' She whispered in his ear, but Steve who was watching her

heard.

·'Kell did your braids?'.he murmured.

·'He always does them. He's good at it." She said softly, the voices a drone in the stillness. Matthew stud ied Steve's hand and pointed to a card. which Steve discarded. Matthew leaned back.

"'You have bloomed Maille." He said with his sl ight accent. "You are simply radiant. Would you say that's love?" he gave her a tender look over the tops of Steve's and Kell 's heads. Ryan glanced at her.

"There is something different, Kel l."

Kell didn't look up but drew a card and quickly discarded another. "Matthew has the right of it

eh?" he said.

·'First love, young love. Yeah ... I remember well." Matthew said with a smile and glanced over at Cassie who took that moment as if sensing his interest and looked up with a sm ile just for him.

Steve played another tum and then grinned. ''I wouldn't have pegged you two, Maille and Cassie as the romantic types. But look at you both, almost l ike newlyweds ... do you think there will be bells in the near future?"

Again Kell didn't look up, but concentrating on his cards, flipped his discard over and laid his

hand down. "Wedd ing bells? Yeah, I hope so. Maille has consented to be my wife. Next year, of course, Cardston Temple."

He pulled her braids down and kissed her cheek, then he sat up and examined a braid in the darkness. "You want me to do these? I 'll take them out and you go shower.'' He qu ickly started loosening her braids. Ryan who was sitting next to them took a long braid in his hand. He exam ined it carefully and then looked over at Melia who was completely engrossed in her conversation with Megan. He pulled the tiny rubberband out. "What do I do with these?'" he asked and Maille held her hand out. He dropped it into her palm and began loosening her braid. Her hair felt like spun silk against his fingers as it slithered through in kinky waves. Steve scooted around and grabbed another braid , Kell moved over to make room for him. "More hand s make the work lighter, yes?" he said.

In moments Matthew had joined them from the front and Maille bent her head forward to allow them better access.

"Maille's hair is over three feet long." Kell said as if beginning a disse11ation about hair length. "The first time I saw it she had it up in one of those bun things at the back of her head l ike she used to wear."

The others nodded in remembrance , concentrating on not pulling the hair they held, but listening to Kell at the same time. "Yes. Kell went on, the first time I saw her I wanted to pull that hair down and see how long it actually was.''

'·How long did it take you to rally do that?" Matthew asked with interest. "Ob, about five minutes."

"You're saying that within five m inutes of meeting her you had pulled her hair downT' Ryan asked, thjnking that Melia's hair was pretty much off limits to him, and when he had felt it, it was much more coarse than the stuff i n his fingers right now. Like a babies hair, very soft, but with more substance, like flowing silk.

"Yes." Kell answered matter of factly, with a mischievous smile on his face. He parted Maille's front hair and stuck his face in hers. "I had her out of her clotJ1es in ten minutes."

"Oh! Don't be an idiot! I was changing because you asked me to." She cried. Kell pushed her head back forward. "This is my story." He laughed.

''You had her change her clothes and pulled her hair down?"

"Our first date I took her to dinner dressed in a peacock blue medieval period costume, with her hair softly pulled away from her face and left to fall in great ringlets down her back." He said with the tone of one who had conquered the unconquerable.

There were suitable appreciative comments made and then Ryan peeked und er Maille's now mostly kinky curls. "I never knew you were so daring, sis."

''Daring?" she repeated, her face flam ing, not just at the memory of their first dinner together, but also because of the sharing it with her brother-in-laws.

"Oh, but in actuality it wasn't a date. Maille simply accompanied me to dinner 10 save me from complete boredom."

Steve laughed. "Not a date?"

·'This gets better and better.'" Matthew grinned. "1ley, lets find out more about each other, it's been a long time since I played a good game of truth or dare."

"What?" Maille screeched, remembering truth or dare games in their youth with cousin Stevie out by the creek. Sometimes the dares were kind of risky, and the truths were all lies....

She tlung back her head to protest, but four pairs of hands gently shoved her back in place and

continued to unravel her braids.

·'Megan! Mia ...'' Steve called, forgetting as the rest of the family always did that Cassie was present. ··How about a game of truth or darer

"With all of us?" Megan hopped up and came over to see what the guys were so engrossed with.

When she parted the rack of shou lders and by sheer dint of will raised Maille's face, what she saw made her laugh.

"You'll have to hula for us, Hawaiian girl." she laughed, and sure enough Maille's hair was as fu ll as any full blooded Hawaiian girl's.maybe even the one she was named for.

"Come on, truth or dare, like you did as k ids...." Kell suggested getting back to the original subject. completely intrigued by this development, especially noticing Maille's reaction..

Megan hopped up next to her husband."Mommy's rules?" she exclaimed exuberantly. "This is gonna be fun.''

Cassie had come to join them, Matthew pulled her up next to h im and wrapped her in his arms. "I

can't remember, what were Mommy 's rules?"

"Nothing 's sacred.'' Mel ia joined them . There was a hesitant silence as they each contemplated what Mel ia's truths or dares might mean.

·'With in reason. There are some things Imay not want to know." Matthew growled.

·'Okay. Within reason. A person can call clemency, but then the task has to be modified by the entire group till it's suitable." Megan agreed giving them all one roundabout look and then she grinned. "We always start with the oldest."

"How old are you Kell?" Melia asked with sweetness dripping from her voice.

"Twenty five." He answered promptly without rancor at being asked by her. Though he was thinking that there might be a few moments of weirdness if she did manage to ask him something.

"'When's your birthday?"' she continued knowing she and Megan were twenty-five as wel l. ''January.'' He said.

"Ours is April. You're older than us."

'·But I 'm older than both of you." Matthew said with a laugh "so I get to start.''

"Now wait just a second here. J think Im ight be older than you, boyo." Steve stated. "I-low old are you?"

''Twenty six... Matthew laughed.

"l just turned twenty-seven. Ha!" Steve grinned and peered around the group sizing them up carefully. "Let's see, who's avoiding my eye the most? Who's chicken?"

There were a chorus of chicken noises and then Steve's eyes lighted on Megan 's and she squared her shoulders. "Truth or dare?" he asked her.

"Dare." She declared. "What else?"

"I dare you to...." He started and then thought about it for a moment. "Okay ... I dare you to stand before me on the deck and for one full minute. tell me what a wonderful husband l am, with complete sincerity, and if for one second this company feels you are insincere, and that will include no laughing, you will be subject to being thrown off this boat into the icy depths."

"And drowned?" she quipped and prepared to stand.

"Heaven's no. We said within reason!" he laughed and turned to face her.

Megan bowed , and then proceeded. "My husband, the most brilliant man L've ever met... you are timing this right? J admire everything about you. Your eyes are the bluest in the history of blue ..."

"Sincere now..." Matthew warned.

There were some cat calls, and hoots from the assembled and then Megan continued. "Your hair is the softest..."

"Maille 's is softer.'' 

"Your darling dimples are the sexiest, your muscular physique puts all others to shame ..." "Now listen here..." came a chorus of male grumbles.

"Your toes are the least smelly in all of creation ... your surfing out shines even the greatest of surfers on Oahu, your .... Om.... Let me see... ·

"Fifteen seconds!" Melia chirped.

"You are the gentlest lover, the kindest most thoughtful husband, you make breakfast in bed a daily occurrence and spoil me rotten ..." she paused for breath.

"Okay, this is getting thick." Kell shook his head with a good natured chuckle.

Megan hesitated. "You take the shortest showers, leaving all the hot water for me..." 

"Five, four, three, two...."

"And l love you!" she finished.

Steve stood up amidst the general applause and took h is wife in h is arms for a very loving kiss. There were a number of catcalls, and then Megan turned and when Steve sat back down she sat on h is crossed legs and surveyed tbe gathering.

"Who shall it be? Who shall it be?" she mused. "Kell!"

Kell raised his brows at her in submission and straightened his back, squaring his shoulders. "Have at it." He said to all of their laughter.

"Truth or dare?" "Truth ."

There were a couple of oh 's, as if this were a chance of a lifetime, and then Megan smiled. "What is your most embarrassing moment?"

"That's hard. he doesn't have any!" Maille grinned and wrapped her aims around him from behind, Kell held her hands to his chest gently.

"My most embarrassing moment? I n what category?" he held up a hand. "Just kidding." When Megan took a breath to redefine her terms. "My most embarrassing... l 'm sure I need to make this good... 1 was swimming with a girl in Costa Rica, in a pool , not high , not drunk, and I really liked her, and it was very quiet, and she was talking, in fact telling me how much she loved me.... And l .... Was trying very hard not to fart. I was pretty sure there was more than the fart coming.... But it came out. It was in the water, and I thought she wou ldn 't know, but then she stopped talking and sniffed."

"EEEWWWW !" the group cried in unison and Maille pulled Kell over on his back and poked

h im. "That 's so gross... don't you ever do that to me! Now we'll have to wonder when we're swimming with you!!" she teased him.

Kell pulled Maille over on top of him and sat her in h is lap, much to the surprise of her sisters, and then grinned at them all, with h is arms securely around h is girl. "Truth or dare.... Cassie."

Cassie looked surprised. In reality she'd never been one of the first asked, in fact, she was so used to not being seen by her family, she never really expected to be asked. "Dare." She said hesitantly.

Kell favored her with a sly smile that made her giggle nervously wh ich was so unlike her that even her sisters drew in their breath sharply.

"I dare you, to pour 7-up on al l. of our feet and l ick it off for ten seconds each without laughing, spitting, snorting, or otherwise making any bodily noises."

The group erupted into gales of laughter at the thought, Kell sat staring intently at Cassie who remained glued to her spot in shock. "7-up?" she repeated.

It would definitely be the most undignified act she had ever performed and one way more involved and creative than any her cousins and sisters bad ever come up with when they played by the creek as children . "You will all have to put your feet in the hot tub for thirty seconds."

"That 's reasonable." Kell said and they all scooted across the tann ing deck to put their feet in the water while Cassie got the 7-up."

"I can 't believe she's going to do it." Melia snapped to her husband.

"It's harmless." Ryan laughed and hugged her to get her out of the bad mood she seemed to have acquired since arriving on the houseboat. He felt the heat of her and noticed at the same time the concerned looks given him by his brother-in-laws, Steve and Matthew. As a ground, Matthew was actually stronger than he was, but Matthew abhorred diffusing Melia, and would l ikely let her suffer. His opinions on the subject were well known in the family and were deeply moral. But he was stil l concerned. Jt would definitely ruin the trip if Melia were to have an episode. Ruin it for all of them. Sometimes he wondered if Mel ia intentionally did let the current build, even fostered it, to get attention. But that was such a mean thought, he pushed it away. Neverthe less, he hadn't missed the sibrn s of Mel ia looking at Kel l. There was a sense of hostil ity there, either coming from Melia, or from Kell, Ryan couldn 't say for sure.

Cassie came back with a towel and a bottle of 7-up and she knelt before her husband first. "I 'm only doing one toe." She said, modifying the challenge. She glanced at Kell who grinned at her. "All right." He said and she poured the fluid on Matthew 's big toe and then holding the towel beneath it', she ran her tongue over his big toe. All the assembled company burst into gales of laughter, and then held out their