"Dammit Harry, I can think of a lot better ways of being greeted in the morning than by that apron that you insist on wearing. Not only is it the size of a mizzen sail, it is genuinely blinding. That color yellow should be illegal, except for where it is safe, about a million miles up, with stuff revolving around it." Sam Austen made his usual morning grumble of a greeting to his friend while absently receiving a thick ceramic mug of steaming coffee and sinking into his comfortable kitchen chair. He leaned forward and poked at the early morning fire, "So what's today?"

"Well, we've got a group commin' in. Got a little problem though, John called off, he's got a thing. Doesn't say what it is, but it is a noun so that's a start I guess. We'll be short one guide. I've got all the equipment lined up at the river and the supplies are fine." Harry handed Sam the New York Times, the crossword page folded open with a pen lying across it. He turned toward the stove.

Sam looked up at Harry and sniffed deeply, "Corn fritters, what is this for? You only make those when…"

"She's here, Sam. I saw her in her room as I was coming down earlier." Should be up soon, she never sleeps in."

"So, when were you going to tell me?" Sam Austen pushed his chair back and stood up suddenly. "She never lets me know; she stays away forever and then comes suddenly. We've got work lined up for weeks. I'm not going to get to spend time with her." Sam paused in his diatribe and placed his hands on his hips, scowling down at the table. "I hope she's okay this time, that bastard Wayne better not have touched her. If she has so much as a scratch, I will kill him."

Harry put his large hand on his friends shoulder. "It's okay, Sam, she seems fine. You know that neither of us has that girl figured out. Who knows why she does what she does, let's just be glad that she comes when she does, and enjoy it. And do you think she needs to be babysat here? I'm sure she'll be a lot happier with you busy and not breathing down her neck like a mother hen. Maybe that's why she doesn't tell you when she's coming."

Sam shook off Harry's reassurances and raced toward the stairs, keeping his tread as light as his agitated condition would allow. He stopped at her door and opened it as gently as possible.

There she was, his beautiful girl. Her dark mass of curls cascaded on the pillow and she had herself all twisted in her covers, like her sleep was never easy. Her fingers were grasping an ancient teddy bear that he had given her for her fourth birthday belying her twenty one years. Sam felt a deep tenderness rise in his chest, such an arrow of a person, this Katie. She, who was always so fierce, always at attention, was now so still, so languid in her sleep. Sam knew that she wouldn't like him to see her like this, so he turned away from the door, regretting his busy day.

"Dad?" Kate opened her eyes and sat up suddenly, instantly alert, taking in the glorious aroma of fresh corn fritters, Harry style. "How do some people luck out. Dad, can you leave and just let me marry Harry all ready? I've been waiting for years and nope, there you still are, hanging around and there's me left out in the cold, corn fritter-less..."

Sam chuckled and let the sound of her voice wash over him. He shook his head, "I know how lucky I am, but don't you let him know it. We will just have to share him because I am not going anywhere, any time soon. Come on down, they're hot and they're ready."

"Yeah, Dad, just give me a minute". Kate watched her father's retreating back, he didn't seem to age. His back was as straight as she remembered it being ten years ago. But something else had changed in the intervening years, he didn't look at her in the same way. Their relationship was no longer the uncomplicated one of worshipful daughter and doting dad. No, Sam Austen couldn't understand her anymore. He couldn't fathom why she stayed in Iowa with her mother and with Wayne. He didn't know that if she didn't stay, her mother would be dead, no question about it. The only reason that she was able to come now was that Wayne had collapsed in a bar the day before and was in detox for two weeks. Two weeks when she knew that her mom was safe.

And now, for two weeks, she was free. Kate stretched, and took in her simple surroundings. Even if she came rarely, Sam always kept her room ready for her. This room, with its large windows looking out into the woods and mountains with its wispy white curtains, curtains Harry had chosen, assuring Sam that they were the right kind for a girl. Sam had grumbled, Kate wasn't just a girl, she didn't need gauzy curtains. Harry had insisted and secretly Kate was glad, a little part of her did need them. She looked at her old book shelf with all of her childhood favorites, old fashioned books like Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe, Lord Peter, Sherlock Holmes and all of Oz. Kate reached forward and fingered their aged spines, she remembered the long summer days she had spent reading those books. She had been transported to different worlds and all the while she had been so safe, so secure in the confines of Sam and Harry's warm home. Whatever happened to her now, she would always have those memories. Those days were long over but perhaps not completely gone, she could visit and she vowed to make the most of this one, perhaps she would raid her Dad's bookshelves and relive some of those old afternoons.

Kate arrived at the kitchen table in the midst of one of Sam and Harry's affectionate wrangles.

"Did you call someone else, Harry? Someone who doesn't have prior arrangements with a "thing"? We've got three rafts, six customers and two guides, it's not gonna work."

"I did Sam, if you want, we can make other arrangements for today, tell 'em the mountain is perfect for a hike today and the rapids need to wait. Jon is coming tomorrow."

"Nope, have you looked out the window, Harry? The fog is rolling in, the mountain isn't safe and even if it were safe they would be climbing and they would see as much scenery as they would in their closet at home, at midnight."

Kate sidled up to the kitchen counter and filled her plate with steaming fritters. "God, Harry, I have missed these. Is this real maple syrup?" Her eyes rolled back and she pretended to swoon.

Harry, turning red, pulled Kate into his chest and rubbed the top of her head with his fist. "Katie, it's good to see you girl. I've missed you."

Kate stood on her tip toes and planted a sound kiss on Harry's cheek, I've missed you too Harry, but I am deeply ashamed to confess that I might have missed these more." Kate took her plate to the table and hitched in her chair. "So what's up with the rafts?"

"Short a guide. Got some folks from southern California coming in and they booked months ago. We're fine, we'll scramble and make it work like always. Harry, can we call…?"

"Dad, you don't need to call anyone, let me be part of the scramble. I can still navigate a raft, what can happen? I haven't been on the river for a while, sounds fun."

"Katie" Harry looked at her, "you know it's not gonna be fun, who knows what these people will do. They probably think they're experts and they're likely to kill themselves. You've got to be a combination psychiatrist, den-mother and first grade teacher."

"Well, I'm not any of the above, but I do not have prior arrangements with a "thing", at least not that I know of." Kate gave Harry and Sam her most winning smile and they both nodded their heads.

Half an hour later, Kate and Sam were piling out of Sam's jeep ready for a day on the river. Sam walked over to the river's edge where the equipment and a guide were waiting. Sam turned to Kate, "Kate, this is Justin, our other guide."

Kate put out her hand, "Hi, Justin, I have some experience rafting but very little guiding, so I'll stay behind you and follow your lead."

Justin looked at Kate and felt that this was not going to be such a long day after all. He made an effort to appear unimpressed and took her hand, surprised at the firmness of her shake. "Looks like we have a group of doctors, well, maybe half doctors (they're interns) from LA. They'll think they don't need guides so don't push 'em, just make sure they're alive at the end so that their checks clear.

Sam laughed, "Here they come." A touring van approached the river and grounded to a halt. The incline required for the vehicle to make the approach clearly taxed its size and the limited capacity of its engine. Six young men spilled out. Kate, Sam and Justin looked them over with a gimlet eye while the interns were still too busy getting their bearings to notice. Sam was used to assessing customers. He decided that Kate would not take the bearded fellow who had been driving, he had been far too hard on that engine for his liking. Justin looked over the customers with another end in mind. The tall one with the dark hair was definitely not getting into Kate's raft, not if he could help it. Kate was just amused, she was looking forward to a day on the river, she felt a little like she did in junior high, babysitting for the first time. Her dad had told her, "Don't lose". Her mom had told her, "Just keep them alive till their mom gets home". She figured that it was still good advice and she turned her attention to the gear.

The customers were in high spirits, taking in the beauty of their surroundings but by no means humbled by it.

"Jack, look, there's three rafts, six of us, three guides, one old guy, one younger guy and a hot babe. I don't know about you but I know what boat I want to be in."

"Listen, Mark, this is not a group dynamics scenario, I have eyes, I can see. I don't need the running commentary. We'll get on the boat that the guides give us." Jack rolled his eyes, he could indeed see. He looked at the guides and it was hard for him to concentrate on anything but the beautiful woman with the wild brown curls standing by their rafts. He purposely averted his glance.

Sam took charge, he looked at the two young men who seemed the most sensible, "You two." He pointed at Jack and Mark, "You're going with her." Mark pretended to buckle his knees, he looked at Jack and gave him a joyful thumbs up. Jack rolled his eyes once more and hoped that Kate did not see the ridiculous antics of his friend. He did not have the strength however, not to look behind him and give his four disappointed friends a broad smile and a cheerful wave.

Mark greeted Kate with an effusive grin, as he plunked himself into their raft. "I'm Mark and I'll begin in the front, that way before the river gets away from us, I'll know what I am doing and I'll be able to save this guys skin." Mark gestured at Jack, "That's Jack by the way, and your name?" Kate greeted Mark with a laugh, "I'm Kate, it's nice to meet you Mark" she looked to the side at Jack, "You too, Jack." She gave Jack a friendly grin and a nod. "You can start in the front if you want, Mark, but we won't be getting out for a while, so you better be sure that's what you want. Jack, why don't you take the center, I'll take the rear." Kate grabbed the paddles and the packs and tucked the gear together in a dry tarp and secured it expertly. They waited for the rafts to que up and then pushed off.

They had been on the river for fifteen minutes and even Mark was silenced by the majesty of the mountains and the clear, rushing river. Kate was lost in her surroundings, they would not hit any rapids for a little while and she took the opportunity for some peaceful reverie while she could.

She did not notice that Mark was getting increasingly uncomfortable. "Whoa, I don't know man, but I did not know that it was possible to get motion sickness in a little rubber tub."

"I don't think it is Mark." Jack looked at his friend with concern, he did look a little green. Mark waved him off, "It'll probably pass."

Kate looked at Mark in alarm, he did look pretty bad, she had never heard of raft motion sickness, maybe he was just sick. He had better get off the raft soon if he was though. They were headed for some serious rapids soon.

Mark leaned over the side of the little vessel, "You'd better take me back, I'll phone the tour company to send someone up for me. I guess I'll just sit take this day out and try to sleep it off."

"We'll have to let the other groups know and then we'll pull the raft to the bank and hike back to base." Kate looked at Mark, she was glad that he was using sense and was calling his day to an early end rather than put the rest of the rafters at risk.

Kate radioed her dad, "Sam, one of the guys suddenly got ill and we're gonna walk him back to base, you and Justin go on ahead and if the other guy, Jack still wants to go out, we'll meet you at the first turn." Kate listened for a moment. "Yeah, everything is fine; they're doing the right thing. Pretty sensible".

Jack put his arm over Mark's shoulder, "Do you think you can make it buddy? It's gonna be an uphill walk you know."

Mark gave a faint hearted laugh, "Yeah, I'm not dead, just a little green around the gills, I'll make it."

Kate followed the two of them, the taller, darker one, Jack was watching his friend carefully making sure that his walk was steady enough to take the hike's incline. Kate was impressed, these two really seemed to care about each other.

Back at the base, Kate dragged out some fresh water bottles from the equipment shed and Mark called the touring company based at the hotel in town.

"Jack, I know you're going to protest but hear me out. You're the one that really needs this break, you're the one that wanted to go rafting, don't wait on me. Go on out and enjoy yourself." Mark looked at Jack, he knew that he would feel obligated to go back to the hotel with him and he wanted to quash that right away.

"I don't know Mark, I hate to leave you all alone."

Mark barked out a weak laugh, "Yeah I will be so bored- sleeping. All I want to do is sleep Jack and that I am perfectly capable of doing on my own, unless of course she would want to join me. But you know we don't know each other that well." Mark looked over toward Kate who was at the shed checking out the first aid gear.

"God, Mark, don't you ever stop? Even when you're on death's door you're still at it." Jack glared at his friend and Mark felt a little sheepish for his remarks.

"Okay, you're right. Nothing stops me but the sleep of the dead which I am looking forward to. Please stay here, please have your day."

"I don't know, Mark"

Kate came over and patted Mark's shoulder, "Hey, I've got a little flu medication for you. Harry, our supply man, always makes sure that this stuff is updated. It should help you not to lose your breakfast going down the mountain to town." Kate handed Mark some liquid medicine and squatted facing the two men. "So what will it be? I don't mean to press you guys but the others are going to wait at the first bend and I need to let them know if we're going to pack it up or join them. She glances up at Jack, really seeing him for the first time. She looked into his warm brown eyes and she felt a very unfamiliar, almost giddy sensation tickling at her stomach. She lowered her head and coughed and scratched the toe of her boot into the dirt of the river bank and gestured vaguely behind herself, "Maybe you need a minute to decide, I'll just wait over there."

She got up and walked over to nearest tree and leaned her weight on it. Her thoughts tumbled, god, Kate, it isn't like you've never seen a good looking guy before, get a grip.

Jack looked at her retreating figure and smiled, "Well, Mark, I think that I am going to go ahead and stay on the river today, if you're sure that you're going to be all right." Mark nodded his head. Jack leaned back on his hands and turned his face to the sky, "I guess I'll see where this day takes me.