Somehow the gang found themselves lingering around Austin that day, too tired to take up driving and Bolin too infatuated with a girl to want to leave. Opal had headed home for a shower and a nap but would otherwise meet up with them later. The only person who seemed reluctant to stay was Lin, and Kya wanted to get to the bottom of it.
"Say Lin, about last night…" Kya broached the subject while Bolin napped in the van.
"Did I make a drunken fool of myself?"
"Are you kidding? You were adorable. It was my pleasure to take care of you."
Lin's cheeks turned crimson. She wasn't used to letting loose but, among other things, Kya was warm and trusting and that made her crave something she couldn't name - freedom perhaps? Love?
It was late morning. The two women were leaning against the van, loitering, looking out at the Colorado River. This was the sort of thing Lin used to give folks a hard time for. But now she could see that if there was nothing to do and nowhere to go, why pretend to be busy?
Lin found herself getting hot for Kya, the way she lingered casually in the chilly air with nothing more than a Kool and the Gang T-shirt and loose-fitted jeans and second-hand cowboy boots she caved in and bought the day before. She had the shirt tucked in which cinched at the waist and accentuated her curves. Lin wanted Bolin to wake up soon so they could kick him out for a while.
"Anyway, you said something last night I was wondering about."
"Oh? What's that?" Lin breathed into Kya's neck, fingers tugging the loops of her belt.
"You dated the Governor? Because do tell."
Lin recoiled. Whatever heat building between them simmered. "I said that huh? Damn…. Yeah, we dated. Were engaged too, but that was a long time ago. It was young love, or I thought it was – let's just say he had a different idea of our future than I did; his included lots of babies and power and prestige. Mine didn't. In the end looks like we both got what we wanted." She sighed.
"You're just full of surprises. So then why the long face? Do you miss him?"
"What? No! At least not in that way. That old badger." Lin smirked, remembering good times mixed with bad.
Kya grabbed a quarter and walked across the street to a newspaper dispensary and returned seconds later with the day's Austin American-Statesman. Page A1 above the fold showed a picture of the governor standing next to his pretty wife and flanked by four kids, kindergarten age to pre-teen. The headline read "Gov. Tenzin touts family values at rally." Kya thought the couple looked stately and she had to turn her head near upside down and squint with her left eye to try to imagine Lin there in the first lady of Texas's place. Couldn't picture it.
"Hey! You know what I just realized? Your ex looks like my baby brother. Doppelgangers they are. Seriously, if your ex ever needs a body double, it might do my brother good to get a job. Forty years old and still a Mama's boy." Kya rolled her eyes.
"That wasn't awkward at all." Lin grabbed the newspaper from Kya and took a closer look before folding it up and putting it far, far away. She took Kya's hand and squeezed gently. "Anyway, I'm happy where my life is headed now. It's a mystery – don't tell anyone but I'm enjoying the ride."
"Once again, you've managed to surprise me. And that is one of many reasons I'm enjoying your company."
"What are some others?"
"Um, let's see. You're hot. Funny. Passionate. Lover of the arts. And I adore spending time with you."
Lin was leaning against the side of the van and Kya took the opportunity to straddle her. The sound of the rushing river was quieter than Lin's beating heart. Kya was like a force, like the river – she flowed with it, and now Lin was also caught in the current. It seemed that even if she tried swimming backward, she'd end up in the same place.
"What's going on in that head of yours? You've got so much happening up here." Kya kissed Lin's temple.
"When you kiss me like that, all my thoughts leave my brain."
Kya smiled and kissed her other temple, then her forehead, then her chin, her lips. "If that's the case, let's just stand here making out in the street."
"Like all those hormonal kids," Lin said.
"Like all the folks out there just wanting to breathe the same air as someone. Would you like to breathe the same air as me?"
"I'd walk this Earth, swim this river, fly to the moon with you."
"Good."
"Splendid."
"Wonderful."
"Fantastic."
They kept that banter going awhile, kissing and such. At some point Bolin and Pabu woke up and poked their heads out the van. Their eyes lit up at the sight of the two older women being cute together in public but they were too tired to comment and went back to sleep.
Kyalin found a relatively cheap camping spot about forty-five minutes outside of town equipped with warm showers for the night. After dinner in the city, Opal and Bolin met them at the camp grounds.
They pulled up to the site where Kyalin had already set up, fire blazing in the pit. Bopal said they got lost along the way but really, they stopped to make out awhile (of course Bolin was a gentleman, his hands never roaming farther than invited).
Normally, Opal wouldn't trust strangers, even kind ones, enough to go off in the dark, cold Texas abyss for a camping adventure, but she felt safe with them and had a hunch about something.
A waitress at a local diner, Opal moved to Austin on a long simmering whim. Her mother had objected, but Opal needed freedom. There was something about Austin that beckoned her. Even more than a whim, a nagging hunch and a startling coincidence brought her camping. With Lin.
"Bolin, Opal - glad you found the spot, finally," Kya welcomed them.
"Yeah, site number eight. That's a lucky number in my family," Opal said, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Mine too," Lin added. "I'm skeptical as all heck but I always take it as an omen."
"What a coincidence." Opal studied Lin behind the glow of the fire. The dark night was thick, exaggerating the new moon, but Lin's features were distinct, familiar.
"Sorrry we're late. We got distracted – I mean lost," Bolin said.
"Sure." Lin rolled her eyes.
"Anyway Bo, Lin and I pitched your tent over there. You can help set up Opal's over here," Kya said, pointing to an open space downwind from the van. It's not like she didn't assume the pair was going to hook up if they hadn't already – she knew how adult kids are, she was one of them once; it was more because she wanted Opal to know she had options.
It was hilarious watching the young couple trying to pitch a tent at night with only headlamps and the flickering campfire. They slid the long pole through the short side of the tarp and the short pole stopped dead on its way through the long side. When they tried to pull it out, the pole got stuck briefly before bungeeing backward, narrowly missing Bolin's pretty face. The structure then collapsed.
Kya chuckled and Lin commented, "That'll teach 'em not to be late for the inevitable sun set."
"How y'all doing over there?" Kya called out.
"There's natural splendor abound – or so I'm told. You know, because I have no idea what this place actually looks like, or anything for that matter – because it's dark," Bolin said.
"Save the melodrama for the movies," Lin chirped.
"Ooh good one." Bolin had to admit he was growing fond of the old woman.
Opal smiled at the banter and particularly at the good-natured spirit of her date, but the darkness obscured her elation, and the mystery and comfort and strange familiarity of the small group consumed her as did the night.
The rear lights flickered on and suddenly they were exposed in all their disaster camping glory.
"OH, that's what I did wrong." Bolin scratched his chin and dangled one of the poles like an accordion.
"I used to be much better at this. Mako – my older brother – and I did anyway. You know, when we were orphans on the mean New York streets."
Everyone there gave him a look of sympathy, unsure of what to say. "Whoops, but it wasn't so bad, seriously! We got by, right Pabu, wherever you are?"
Pabu poked his head out the bushes in the path of the car light. A field mouse's tail was waggling out of his mouth.
Suddenly nervous and uncomfortable, Bolin broke a sweat. "Pabu could always find himself a meal. Plenty of good rodents to eat in The City. Is it hot in here? Or is it just me?"
"We're outside, and it's cold – for Texas anyway," Opal said. She rubbed his shoulder and made her way down to his bicep.
Opal's caresses were comforting but Bolin became painfully aware of the awkwardness of sharing things like that with people who come from different backgrounds. All those richers who came from riches with one, even two parents.
"Hey Kid, set up that tent and come over here and get warm by the fire, and I'll tell you about my deadbeat mom and the shortest story in the world about the dad I never met," Lin said.
"Sprinkle a long-lost sister in the mix and voila," Opal said.
"What?" Lin shot Opal a look. She squinted, searching for clues. Lin would have made a great career detective if not for her stint as chief of police. Even so, she could be rather dense about personal matters.
"Oh nothing, never mind."
Kya noticed the exchange and was about to change the subject when Bolin cut in, innocent eyes wide with belonging.
"Awe, you guys don't need to commiserate with me. But I'll take it!"
Deciding not to pursue the subject further, for now anyway, Lin nodded.
Bopal finally pitched the tent and joined Kyalin by the fire. They exchanged sad stories of their youth, the ones they cared to tell in whatever Cliff's Notes version anyway.
Then they took to chilling and singing campfire songs while sipping hot jasmine tea. Kya passed around a flask of whiskey and they took turns wetting the whistle. She was perched upon Lin's lap, whispering and giggling into her lover's ear.
Lin noticed Opal trying not to stare at her, and suddenly she became shy about the beautiful woman on her lap.
"Excuse me just a moment, darling," Lin said. She wandered off alone to the ladies' room in the middle of the camping grounds. It was a concrete row of bathrooms on one side, showers on the other, the immediate area lit by streetlamps with flying critters buzzing about the lights.
Lin did her business and rinsed her face. She glanced at her scar in the cloudy mirror; the memory of betrayal from her younger sister was an echo that still stung. Who was that kid, Opal? And come to think of it, she somehow looked awfully familiar.
Deciding to shake off the thought, she stepped out of the bathroom stall to find Opal illuminated in the soft glow of the bathroom area lights. It seemed she was now petite and childlike, her tan face and bright green eyes mirroring another kid she once knew. Her perspective of the young woman before her had changed in the walk through the dark to the bathroom.
"You gave me a fright. There're weirdos afoot – what are you doing alone? Do you have a weapon to protect yourself? How dare Bolin not offer to walk you?! I'm gonna teach that boy a lesson when I see him!"
Opal chuckled. "Calm down. I'm pretty sure it's safe, especially with you guys here. And plus, I told them I would catch up with you."
"OK, I'll wait for you to do your business, and we'll walk back together."
"Deal."
Lin stood guard while Opal went to the bathroom. Suddenly she was protective of this child. Suddenly she cared more than she wanted to admit.
The toilet flushed and running water from a faucet sounded from the behind the door. Opal emerged.
"Before we go, I want to show you something," she said.
"Oh?"
Opal pulled out a polaroid picture and handed it to Lin. There she was, a 16-year-old serious girl, wannabe grownup, posing with her 10-year-old sister Suyin's arms wrapped around her. Of course her sister was grinning in that signature sinister way. She remembered Su had just weaseled another five bucks from her to buy candy after threatening to steal from the 7/11.
"Is that you?"
Lin was speechless. It was her more than a lifetime ago, sans scar.
Opal continued: "Because that's my mom – the young one, Suyin. And I'm Opal, Beifong."
Lin dropped the picture and took a step back. The picture floated to the ground and landed next to a wet spot on the floor. Opal grabbed it just before the water touched.
Lin could see tears collecting in Opal's eyes, a knowing look that her hunch had been confirmed. Still, Lin froze. She had never been confronted with such a situation in her life.
"Aren't you gonna say something?" Opal beckoned, almost desperate to ease her own humiliation.
"I…" Lin took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She clutched the bridge of her nose, an affect of hers, while she attempted to formulate thoughts. "That's me. That's my younger sister, Su. I haven't spoken with her in 25 years. I guess a lot has happened since then. I –"
Opal draped her arms around Lin and squeezed. The hug caught her off guard and her first instinct was to recoil but she overcame it and let herself be hugged before eventually reciprocating.
"How is Su, by the way?" Lin said awkwardly, though she was curious.
"Wouldn't know. I haven't spoken to my mother in over a year – since I moved to Austin anyway. But last I checked, she was great, just sort of, you know, sucky."
'That's my Su."
"That's my mom."
They both laughed tearfully into each other's arms.
"Alright, I ain't the sentimental type but I guess this is a special night," Lin said.
"Lucky number eight."
Lin agreed silently, and they released each other's embrace. Before motioning for them to go, she added: "For tonight, could you keep this revelation between the two of us? Let's just process privately a little while longer."
"I absolutely agree, Aunt Lin."
Aunt Lin.
They got back to camp where Bolin was laughing about some silly thing with Kya. He was obviously trying to impress her, and she found his openness endearing.
Lin and Opal joined their respective dates and snuggled, ever so often exchanging knowing glances with each other from across the pit as the night wore on and the moon rose high and the logs burned down to a red simmer.
Bolin let out an exaggerated yawn, stretching his arms. "Well, this growing boy needs his beauty sleep."
Lin darted her head over. "You're not sleeping together in the same tent, together. Are you?"
Kya gave her a look, Bolin looked confused, and Opal rolled her eyes.
"I think it's safer this way, that Opal sleeps in this tent near us, because in case anything goes down, any critters or desperate vagabonds, I can swing that back door of the van open and lay down a can of whoop ass in two seconds flat. Just thinking out loud." Lin blushed but only Kya could see it. She detected something was up between Lin and Opal but decided to save it for whenever Lin was ready to talk.
"Uhhhh," was all Bolin could say. He was never good with the awkward.
"No, no, Lin is right. I think I will for tonight anyway." Opal leaned in and whispered in Bolin's ear: "Tomorrow. In my car. On the way home. Me and you, heavy breathing."
Bolin turned beet red and let out another exaggerated yawn. "Wellllll, it's high time I hit the hay. Gotta wake up in the morning. The morning can't come soon enough. Good night all." He kissed Opal on the cheek, got up, bowed and slinked off into his tent. "Pabu, go sleep with Opal and watch out for her," he whispered. Pabu nodded and ran off to perch on Opal's shoulder.
"Great, so everything's settled." Lin shoveled sand into the fire pit. The embers turned to ash and the leftover warmth washed over with cool.
"Let's away to bed, dearest," Kya said.
"Yes, to bed. For sleeping, and nothing else." Lin was very bad at charades, which is why she never worked undercover in the force.
Kya slapped Lin's ass and bit her lip as she walked by and crawled into the back of the van.
Lin fake yawned. "Well, Kiddo. Guess this means good night." She smiled affectionately at Opal. "Sleep well. Let us know if you need more blankets."
"I will, (Aunt) Lin."