Chapter 6: A Few Housekeeping Items

Blake unlocked the door and held it open for her to enter the cabin. She stepped into an open room featuring a seating area in front of a fireplace immediately to her right. Further into the room, a kitchen was arranged in the back left quarter of the space with a cast iron stove on the back wall and a kitchen table pushed against the right wall down from the fireplace. Between the fireplace and the kitchen table was a small desk that held some sort of radio equipment. Shasta peered into an alcove to her left and saw that it was a tiny bedroom.

“Now,” Blake was saying, “the lights run on propane. You turn this little lever, and you can light them with a lighter. Both the fridge and the cooktop run on propane. Same thing, you turn the knob and then light it with the lighter. I already lit the pilot on the fridge, and it should be fine.” He indicated a small metal box beneath the kitchen counter.

Wordlessly, Shasta followed him around the room, trying to take in all his instructions. “Now if you want to bake, or if you’re just cold, you can build a fire in the stove.” He showed her where to put the wood. “And there’s always the fireplace. Wood is stacked outside against the back of the cabin. I can always bring you more, too.”

He waved at the few kitchen cabinets. “We’ve stocked the cabinets and the refrigerator but if you need anything, just let me know.” He headed for the door. “Water comes from a spring near the front of the island.”

“Wait. What?”

“Water. You know, to drink?”

Desperately, Shasta searched the room, making a beeline to the sink. Instead of a faucet, there was a green-painted old-fashioned hand pump. She worked the handle a few times and a spurt of water came out. She looked back to him, bewildered.

“Well, you can’t drink that. Not without boiling it for about ten minutes. It comes straight out of the lake. Use it for dishes and things. You can drink the spring water right out of the ground.”

“Wait a second. Where’s the bathroom?”

“I was just going to show you. Follow me.”

Blake headed out the door and Shasta followed along behind him. He turned down the right side of the cabin, following a narrow trail through the trees. Shortly, the path opened onto a small clearing and to the right of the clearing was a tiny log structure. “Here’s your bathroom,” he pointed.

She began to shake her head. “Oh, no, no, no, no, no,” she murmured. “There must be some mistake. I don’t do outhouses. Does Eddie know about this?” she demanded.

“Who’s Eddie?” Blake returned, picturing the smarmy suit guy.

“No. Absolutely not. This is completely unacceptable. Besides,” she breathed deeply, trying to regain her composure, “where is the shower?”

“Well, some guests bathe in the lake.” He took in her incredulous expression and continued. “On the other hand, we do have a solar shower. I’ll show you.”

Shasta followed him down the other side of the cabin, to the place where the tiny bedroom jutting out from the main cabin made a little sheltered corner. A post was situated in the corner with a pulley rigged to the top.

“This is a solar shower.” Blake held up a large flat rectangular vinyl pouch that was clear on one side and black on the other. The clear side had a large round valve and there was a handle on one end. The other end had clear tubing attached and at the end of the tubing was a tiny shower head.

“You fill this up with water, seal the valve, and lay it out in the sun. The dock is a good place.” He watched as Shasta held her forehead with the palm of one hand, gaping at him in disbelief. “Anyway, when you’re ready for a shower, you hang it up here,” he indicated the pulley, “and just shower away. The spruce trees right here make for privacy, although you shouldn’t have any folks out on the lake, seeing as how you’ve rented out the whole place.”

Wordlessly, Shasta turned and hobbled back to the front of the cabin, sinking into one of the Adirondack chairs. Blake followed, hands in his pockets, uncertain whether or not to continue the tour. She glanced up at him, deciding to change tacks.

“Listen,” she smoothed, “we seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot.” She pasted on her dazzling Shasta Pyke smile. “Obviously, there’s been some kind of mistake.” Standing, she approached him, pushing her glasses back up onto her head and fixing him with soft brown eyes.

“Here’s the thing.” She reached out to stroke his arm, biting her lower lip provocatively. “I can’t stay here. And you don’t want me here, not really. The place is already paid for. Just,” she stepped closer, brushing her breasts against his arm, “maybe you could drive me someplace where I can get a cab or an Uber or something, and I’ll be out of your hair.” She wrinkled her nose and winked. “What do you say?”

A slow smile spread across Blake’s face. “What do I say?” He laughed lightly, shaking head. “I say, you’re a piece of work, lady.” With that, he turned. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”

“Wait!” she shouted after him. “You can’t just leave me here!”

He waved over his head and didn’t turn around.

“Come back here! You come back here right now!”

Wordlessly, he cast off from the dock and pushed the boat away from the shallow water.

“What about my bags? They need to be taken to the cabin!”

“And it will be dark soon. So you might want to get on that,” Blake chuckled.

Shasta was on the dock by now and she stomped her foot, fists balled at her sides. “Do you know who I am?” she screamed.

“You look to me like a little brat who needs her ass tanned,” he fired back.

She shrieked unintelligibly and threw a rock at the boat. She missed by a mile and the rock plonked harmlessly into the water.

Blake laughed again, started the engine, and headed back to the lodge.