"Thanks," Erin said, without looking up from her canvas. When she did look up, she did a double take at the love she saw in Jackson's eyes, love that went beyond simple friendship. Something was being said with that glance. Her heart raced and she had to try to calm her shaking hands. Okay, that was intense. What's going on with me?

Jackson's voice fell to a whisper. "You're welcome."

Erin continued to pierce Jackson's skin and wipe away the dots of blood that appeared. Pressing against Jackson's chest, she could feel her heart thudding rapidly. She cast another glance into the mesmerizing eyes boring into her own. She swallowed nervously, disbelieving the tide swirling in her belly. Trying to break the tension, she said, "Stop looking at me like that, you're making me nervous." She chuckled to hide the tremor in her voice.

"Sorry. I think those endorphins kicked in and I'm feeling really good right now. I mean, really good."

"Keep still, I'm just about finished." Erin worked for a while longer until, with one final swipe of the cloth, her masterpiece was finished. She put down the needle and dabbed some alcohol on the cloth to wipe on Jackson's chest. "This is going to sting, so hold onto something."

As Erin placed the alcohol-soaked cloth on Jackson's skin, Jackson reached up and grasped Erin's face in her hands, pulled her head down, and kissed her. The kiss initially left Erin feeling shocked, but she soon found herself lost in the sensations of Jackson's lips against her own. When she responded to the kiss, Jackson let out a whimper that traveled down Erin's stomach and into her groin. She reached out and put her arms around Jackson, pulling their half-naked torsos together. They both moaned at the contact, which intensified their kiss.

Erin wrapped her legs around Jackson tightly, until her core met Jackson's solid stomach. Jackson's tongue gently probed Erin's mouth and her eyes rolled into her head when Erin's tongue met hers with just as much eagerness. Erin's hands were wrapped in Jackson's hair, gently ma.s.saging her already invigorated scalp. As their bodies crushed closer together, Erin grimaced at the tenderness of her newly punctured skin. Slowly their bodies pulled apart, lips separating reluctantly. She noticed a little blood on both of their bodies and wiped it with the cloth.

After a few heartbeats, Erin looked up into hungry eyes and felt Jackson's stare down to her toes. She had to look away. She took a breath. "Why did you do that?"

"You said to hold on to something. Your face was the nearest thing I could reach."

"I'm serious, Jack."

Erin's voice brought a solemn look to Jackson's face. "Because I've been wanting to do that for a long time and I just couldn't stop myself anymore."

"How long?"

Jackson's smile was warm and genuine. "My whole life."

"Wow! Well it definitely felt like that."

Erin still wasn't looking at Jackson so Jackson gently reached under Erin's chin and tilted her face up to look her in the eye. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that was some good weed!" She laughed, trying to break the tension. She didn't know what to do with all the emotions running amok inside her.

"Hawk, come on. Talk to me. If I just damaged something between us, I need to know, but I've felt something shift between us over the last few weeks, especially tonight, and I don't think I'm wrong." Erin tried to look away, but Jackson wouldn't let her.

"You're not wrong." Erin swallowed. "I just don't know what to do about it. You've had much longer to handle being attracted to girls. I didn't know I was until I saw you eighteen days ago," she said in a whisper. "I'm really confused."

Jackson caressed her face with the back of her knuckles. "It's okay, we can go at your pace. Fast, slow, it doesn't matter to me. I don't want you doing something you don't want to do."

"Thank you, Jack. I mean that." She reached up tentatively and stopped. "Can I hug...?"

"Come here."

Erin reached up and held Jackson tightly, feeling more connected to her than she'd felt with anyone before in her life. They stayed that way for a long time, relishing their closeness. Their breathing slowed and the intense grip they had on each other changed into the gentle warm embrace with which they both were very familiar.

They pulled out of their hug and realized they were still naked above the waist. Erin's blush was matched by Jackson's and soon they were covering up their chests as much as they could without it being painful.

"I'll take a hit off that now, if you don't mind." Erin pointed to the stubbed-out joint on the box.

"Sure. I may help you with that."

They finished the joint together and soon were giggling at each other. Erin put away her supplies and Jackson put away her stash. Sitting with their backs against the wall, underneath the window, they leaned against each other and tried to piece together in their addled minds what had just happened. Every now and again, they'd each look down at their new tattoos and smile at its meaning. They would have that forever, just like they'd always have each other.

After a time of soft words and gentle touches, the girls realized they'd better head back. Erin chewed on some gum from her pack, just in case there was any lingering smell of marijuana. They made their way through the dock area and out onto the grounds. As they walked over to the pier, the moon glistened brightly over the water, catching their attention. They sat in the chairs on the dock and silently watched the water ripple with tiny waves coming into sh.o.r.e. The night was as peaceful as either of them had ever known.

When Erin looked at her watch, she saw that it was approaching midnight. If she wasn't home before twelve, her mother would come out looking for her. "Jack, I gotta get going. It's getting late and I really don't want my mom coming out here."

"You're right. We still have a couple of days together before you go, so tomorrow let's do something just for us, okay?"

"I have no idea what that could be, but yes, let's do that."

They got up and walked hand in hand down the pier. Jackson walked Erin to her cabin. "Sleep well, Hawk. And thank you for my tomahawk. I absolutely love it. Every time I touch it or look at it, I'll think of you."

Erin was seeing Jackson in a much different light since their kiss. The attraction she felt was growing with each minute they were together. As much as she didn't want their evening to end, she knew it must. She turned to walk up the steps to the cottage, then stopped. She turned and walked back to Jackson, leading her around the corner out of sight of the door. She reached up and slowly pulled the dark head down so their lips could meet one more time. The kiss was pa.s.sionate and filled with so much love, Erin was loath to break the contact. She pulled away softly, adding several kisses, each more chaste than the last, until they parted.

Jackson leaned her forehead against Erin's. "Wow," she breathed.

"Yeah, me too," Erin agreed. "Goodnight, Jack." Erin backed up, not sure if her legs would support her. With a final touch to Jackson's hand, Erin rounded the corner and went up the stairs of the cottage.

"Goodnight, Hawk," Jackson said into the air, and on shaky legs made them work to take her home.

Inside the cabin, Erin's mother was on the couch waiting for her. "Where in G.o.d's name were you? It's almost midnight, Erin!"

"Mother, calm down. I was just in the boathouse with Jack."

"Of course you were. I should've figured you'd be with..." She stopped as she noticed a spot of blood on Erin's blouse. "What the h.e.l.l happened?" She pointed at the red blot.

"Oh, that, it's nothing."

"The h.e.l.l it isn't. Pull your shirt up, now."

"Mother..." she objected futilely.

"Now!"

Erin gingerly pulled up her shirt and her mother saw the tattoo above her bikini top. "That had better not be what I think it is. Now you're desecrating your body? What the h.e.l.l is wrong with you, Erin? Did she make you do this? Was this her idea?" She nearly spat her words at Erin making her cringe and blink wildly.

"No, Mother. I did this myself."

"Why would you do something like this to your body? You can't get those things off!"

"I don't want it off, Mother. I put it there because I wanted it there."

"Erin, why must you continually and intentionally do things that make me uncomfortable? I am sick of your att.i.tude, young lady! You are just doing this to make me angry and upset, and you know what? It's working!"

Awakened by the shouting, Joe walked into the family room. "What is going on out here? I don't think they've heard us in Chicago, yet, but let's keep trying!" he yelled at his wife. "What could she possibly have done to warrant this, Katie?"

"Show him." She pointed at Erin's chest. "She's branded herself with a...tomahawk!"

"You're about to bust a blood vessel because she got a tattoo?"

Shaking her head wildly, she sputtered, "No, Joe. She did this herself!"

Joe looked at Erin and shook his head like, why do you do this to yourself, you know she's going to yell at you? "Peanut, why did you give yourself a tattoo?"

Erin's tears began. "I did it so I could remember all of my childhood up here. You both know how special this place is to me. It always will be. So when I thought about it, it seemed perfect, and then Jack saw it and wanted one too."

"Jackson saw your naked b.r.e.a.s.t.s? What else aren't you telling me?" Katie snarled.

"Nothing, Mother," she lied. "We just wanted to honor our time on LakeTomahawk. It's not a d.a.m.n crime!" she shouted, beyond upset at the way the night had shifted.

"I don't believe you!" she yelled.

"Katie! That is enough!" Joe lowered his voice. "This conversation is over. There is nothing that can be done about it now. It's midnight and I don't want to spend the rest of this night screaming at you." He turned to Erin. "Peanut, I know you wanted to do something for you guys, but it might have been a little excessive. Perhaps if you'd asked, it would've been less of a shock to your mother and me."

Erin's tears fell harder, knowing she'd disappointed her father.

"Now, I want you to go to bed, and Katie, I want you to as well. I'm going to sleep on the couch because I am far too angry to share a close proximity with you right now."

Erin ran into her bedroom and closed the door. Katie stormed off and slammed the door to their room. Joe sat down heavily on the couch, head in his hands and sighed. "Something's gotta give here." He lay down and pulled the afghan from the top of the couch down across his body. With a final sigh, he closed his eyes and fell into a restless sleep.

Chapter Eleven.

2002 The NorthwoodsIslandCity Erin stood on the dock in the morning sun, rubbing the tattoo she'd created years ago. Thinking back to that day was bittersweet. Her mother stating it was a desecration of her body had countered all the love and symbolism that had gone into the tattoo. Erin wished she could take back that summer and do things over again. This time, she'd have the strength to stand up to her mother and her bigotry.

Feeling Jackson approach before she saw her, Erin turned to greet her. "Good morning. It's so beautiful here, Jack. G.o.d, I can't believe how much I've missed this."

Jackson was very pleased that Erin's love of the place hadn't changed. "Morning. Yeah, I don't think I'll ever get tired of this view, either. It's so much a part of me, I can't imagine living without it." She looked right at Erin and the two didn't miss the double entendre she'd snuck in there.

"That would be like a fish out of water, Jack. If that happened, you'd be miserable, and I'd be miserable for you." The metaphor game was one Erin didn't want to play, but they weren't ready to talk yet. "So, how's Jackie this morning?"

Jackson's face fell. "She's not doing too well, Hawk. Her doctor is in with her now. She isn't at all optimistic." Jackson's eyes began to well with tears and Erin instantly put her arms around her.

"I'm so sorry, Jack." Erin could feel the tremors in Jackson's body.

The tears were falling freely down Jackson's face. She finally had someone to lean on that she trusted. Even after all this time, Erin would be the one to get her through this terrible time.

"Shh, you just let it out, honey. I'm right here." Finally.

Jackson cried for a while, unwilling before now to completely unleash her sadness. She sat heavily on the metal chair and stared out over the water.

Erin wanted to do something to make her friend feel better, but wasn't sure what she could do. She knew times like these made your body want to shut down, and the only thing you had energy for was to make more tears. Sometimes there was no consolation. But I can try. An idea came into her head and she went with it.

"Are the keys to the boat still in the boathouse?" she asked, trying to mask her excitement.

"Yeah, why?"

"I'll be right back."

"Wait, grab the keys off the far right hook. You can take the Formula."

"You mean we." Erin smiled secretively. "I'll be right back."

Erin ran to the boathouse, but once inside, her mind reminded her what had happened when she was there last. Shaking away the memories, she went to the key rack and grabbed the last set of keys. Returning quickly to Jackson, she dangled them in front of her. "Wanna go for a ride, little girl?" she asked playfully.

Jackson gave her a tiny grin. "Sure. You gonna tell me where we're going?"

"Nope, but I'm sure you will guess once we get there."

"Ha, ha. You're no fun."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong." When the boat was untied, Erin started the engine and slowly pulled away from the dock. "Hang on!" She pushed up the lever on the side of the wheel and the boat picked up speed in very little time. "Whoa!" Erin cried, not expecting such power.

Jackson was holding on to the side of the boat. "Have you ever driven one of these before?" Her voice betrayed a little panic.

"No. But how hard can it be?"

Jackson acknowledged that she was right and sat back to enjoy the ride. The boat ran effortlessly through the water of LakeTomahawk. As they got closer to Erin's destination, Jackson's face lit up like a child in a toy store. "You're taking me to get potato salad!"

Erin's smile was electric. "Yes, ma'am!" She watched as Jackson's energy level soared. They pulled up to the docks and Jackson waved to an old friend who'd worked that dock since she'd been a child.

"Hey, Roy! How's it going today?"

"Well, if it isn't young Jackson Thomas. Where have you been, girlie girl?" He smiled brightly at her.

"I haven't been around much, sorry for that." They tied the boat up so they could go into the convenience store that sold Jackson's ambrosia. Roy gave them a hand up and both women stood on the docks. "My aunt Jackie has cancer, Roy, so I've been taking care of her."

His face fell at the news. Having known all of the Thomases for quite some time, Roy felt a wave of sadness. "I am so sorry. She's a wonderful lady. Please give her my best, won't you, Jack?"

She lightly touched his arm. "I will. It was nice to see you. We'll just be a few minutes. I don't know if you remember my friend Erin?" She drew Erin to her side.

"Of course. My, you sure grew up from that tiny towhead I used to know. It's nice to see you again, Erin."

Erin smiled at the sweet man. "Nice to see you, too. I took this one out to get some of her favorite-"

"Don't tell me. That darn potato salad?" he guessed, making the girls laugh.

"You guessed it. I figured it could do her some good since she loves that stuff almost more than air."

Jackson listened to the conversation floating between Erin and Roy and jumped in. "Hey! h.e.l.lo, I'm standing right here." I have really missed her.

Erin smiled and looked her up and down. "Why, yes, you are." Jackson rolled her eyes.

"Okay, you girls. I'll keep watch on your vessel in the meanwhile. Enjoy your time shopping."