Page 40 of The Friend Zone
Both she and Dana hugged Tamika, pressing their cheeks to hers.
They all three stared at their reflection.
Tamika nodded with finality. “This is it. This is the one.”
18
Dana had never gone tubing on the Chattahoochee, and as Omar pulled into the gravel lot of the tubing company, she wasn’t convinced she’d made the right decision. She couldn’t swim, and her doggy paddle skills were questionable at best, but Omar insisted she would enjoy the outing, so she accepted his invitation when he mentioned taking his son for the first time.
Today he drove his less conspicuous gray Honda Accord. As the three of them climbed out of the car, Prince’s face lit up with excitement because on the drive over Omar let him watch a video of tubing on YouTube.
After a debate, they agreed on using closed tubes for the two-hour float down the river instead of letting their bottoms drag in the cold water. After Omar paid, a shuttle took them to the outpost where tubing company employees strapped life vests onto Dana and Prince and launched all three of them into the water on bright yellow tubes tethered to each other.
“Oooh, the wateriscold,” Dana said, dipping her feet in the frigid water.
“After a while, you won’t notice. You okay, big man?” Omar tapped his son’s tube, which was tied between theirs.
Prince was leaning back, staring up at the sky. He nodded with the vigorous enthusiasm of a typical child. “This is fun, Daddy.”
They all wore shorts and water shoes, and Dana wore a tank and bikini top underneath. When they started down river, Omar removed his shirt and stuffed it beside him. His exposed skin reminded her of the passionate nights she spent in his arms the past couple of weeks, and when he caught her looking, she blushed but blew him a kiss.
Omar chose a morning trip in the middle of the week because the river would be less crowded. Nonetheless quite a few people floated around them—couples, families, and individuals. Along the banks were nothing but trees and bushes containing forested trails which drew hikers and nature lovers. The sun’s warm rays weren’t too bad at that time of the day, and Dana figured when the temperature increased later, the water would cool down the tubers.
They meandered slowly down the river, their positions changing every so often as they turned in a circle. Dana was glad they were tied together, because the people who weren’t drifted apart from each other or struggled to stay close.
She, Omar, and Prince laughed, chatted, and teased each other. At one point, a speed boat zoomed by going upriver. Everyone waved, but mostly, the relaxing activity was filled with the quiet of the outdoors cut through by the sounds of people laughing and talking to each other.
“Look over there,” Omar said, pointing.
A duck waddled to the edge of the water, jumped in, and headed straight for them.
“It’s coming over here, Daddy,” Prince said excitedly.
“We should have brought a camera,” Dana said.
The duck unexpectedly jumped up on Prince’s tube.
“Whoa,” the little boy said, jerking away.
“Shoo.” Dana tried to brush away the bird with her hands, but it was aggressive and flew at her. She screamed and dipped her head, but the tip of its flapping wing brushed the bun she had fixed her hair into.
“What the hell?” Omar said.
The duck landed in the water and then swam toward them again.
“It’s coming back,” Prince shrieked, but he didn’t look afraid. There was a big grin on his face. He welcomed the confrontation.
The duck pecked at Omar’s tube.
“Hey! Hey!” he said, flicking water at the animal.
“I don’t think he wants us on the river. He’s acting as if we’re invading his territory, and he wants us to leave.” Dana twisted around to watch the duck swim by.
“Why us?”
The duck quacked loudly as it swam toward a family of four.
“Bye, Mr. Duckie,” Prince said, waving.
