Chapter 10

Terry Scott wandered out to the pool. The water was aquamarine under the sun. A girl, about twenty, dove into the water from the diving board. She sliced cleanly into the water, disappeared for a few seconds, then bobbed up to the surface. She swam to the lip of the pool, to where Terry was standing. "Hi," she said. She put up her hand.

Terry took it, helped her out of the pool. Her head was encased in a bathing cap. She wore a two-piece outfit which clung to her slender figure. "New here, aren't you?"

"Yes," Terry said. "What shall I call you?"

"Terry."

"I'm Marsha. Marsha Hale."

"Pleased to meet you, Marsha."

"Do you have trunks?"

"No. But I can get a pair."

"Why don't you? Come on, I'll show you where to go." She took his arm and they walked to one of the smaller houses. "This is where the guards sleep." She opened a door. "This is a locker room. You'll find what you need here. I'll wait for you outside."

Terry went in.

A small man sitting in a chair looked up. "You the new guy, huh?" He was about fifty, balding, and his face was peeling from too much sun.

"That's right," Terry said. "Can I get a pair of trunks?"

"Sure. My name is Scotty, by the way." The small man opened one of the lockers with a key. He gave the key to Terry. "Leave your clothes in there. I'll get you a robe and trunks." He went to a foot locker where he rummaged around. He finally came up with a terry cloth robe and a pair of black trunks.

Terry undressed, left his clothes in the locker, put on the trunks and the robe, put the locker key in the pocket of the robe. He" thanked Scotty and left the building.

Marsha was waiting for him.

They walked to the pool.

A short blonde girl was getting set to dive into the pool from the high board when she spotted Terry and Marsha. "Hi," she greeted them, waving. She dived into the pool.

"That's Helen Walker," Marsha informed Terry.

Helen climbed out of the pool. Introduce me," she said.

"Helen, this is Terry."

"Hello," Helen said. She was a short, cute girl with an upturned nose.

"Let's go for a swim," Marsha said. "Do you want to dive?"

"Not from up there," Terry said. "I'm frightened of heights. But I'll go up if you'll give me a parachute." He took off his robe.

Marsha laughed. She dived into the pool.

"Excuse me," Terry said to Helen, and followed Marsha.

Helen watched them swim for awhile, then reclined in one of the lounge chairs under a sun umbrella.

She was almost ready to fall asleep when Marsha and Terry joined her. Marsha took off her cap and shook her hair out. Her hair was deep red.

"What sort of plans do you have for the evening?"

Marsha asked Terry.

"I haven't made any plans," Terry said.

"They're showing movies tonight," Marsha said.

"Yeah," Helen said. "The real stuff." She winked at Terry. "Shall we all go?"

"I was thinking of a quiet evening, then bed," Terry said.

"I'm thinking of bed too," Marsha said wickedly.

"You'll have to leave me out," Helen said. "I'm spending the night with Lester. He arranged it with Leona."

"Who invited you?" Marsha retorted. She linked her arm with Terry's. "I'm free for tonight. How about fixing it with Leona? You won't be sorry."

"I'm overwhelmed at the offer," Terry said. "But not tonight. I need rest."

"You'll rest much better after...." Marsha winked at him.

"Let's make it tomorrow night," Terry said.

"Okay," Marsha said, giving up. "I'm certainly not going to beg. I have feelings, you know."

Terry saw a car coming up the driveway. He saw Rocky Cirboni getting out with packages under his arms.

"If you ladies will excuse me?" Terry said, and hurried away to meet Rocky.

"You think he isn't interested in sex?" Helen asked.

"I don't know," Marsha said. "But I got a sudden yen for him."

"Funny," Helen said. "But I got the same yen."

"Too bad you've got an appointment with Lester."

"I'll still go with you two to the movies," Helen said. "I can see Lester after."

"Maybe you can even satisfy that yen," Marsha said. "Then you can duck out."

"You don't mind?"

"Maybe it'll be fun," Marsha said. "The three of us."

"What if one of the guests puts in a request for you?" Helen asked.

"I can always say I'm ... uh ... indisposed"

Helen nodded her head wisely. "I get it."

"We'll go to the movies after dinner," Marsha said. "Terry doesn't know it yet, but he's going to have company when he eats."

"And afterwards," she giggled, he will have to eat his company."

Both girls laughed out loud.