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“Swingers, Nancy. An upside-down pineapple means you’re a swinger.”
It takes a moment, but Nan’s cheeks flush with understanding. “Oh!” she cries. She buries her face in her hands, her body shaking. When she looks up, she’s got tears streaming from her eyes and one of the biggest smiles I’ve ever seen on her face. “Can you imagine what would have happened—” she gasps, in hysterics, and I can barely understand her, “—if I had been there and answered the door!”
Gwen has dissolved into laughter, and once I get over the shock of it all, I have no other option but to join in, too.
Gwen’s perched on the arm of the chair opposite the couch, and I sink in, reaching for her instinctively. I consider that we haven’t shared any of the physical details of last night with our grandmas (at least I haven’t) so instead of pulling her into my lap like I want to do, I end up with an arm wrapped behind her, my hand grazing the outside of her thigh.
She doesn’t seem shy about showing some affection, and she strokes my neck and plays with my hair. My fingers tighten on the armrest and Maggie hides a knowing smile behind her coffee cup as Nan’s eyes flit between Gwen and me.
“Are you having a fun vacation, Gwendolyn?” she asks.
Without skipping a beat, Gwen answers, “More and more every day.” Her long nails drag a line up the base of my skull. I shift in my seat and watch a smile flash across her mouth for an instant.
“Any fun plans today?” Maggie wonders aloud.
“I thought maybe we could all do lunch together,” I say.
“Especially if we’re not having dinner together tonight,” Nan adds, mouthing ‘sorry’ in my direction when Gwen glances sideways at me.
I shake my head toward Gwen, a ‘don’t-worry-about-it’ gesture, and turn my gaze back to the other women.
“Lunch sounds great,” Gwen says. “Maybe after, we could— ”
“So help me, if you even suggest we play another round of trivia,” Maggie interjects.
Gwen rolls her eyes and smirks. “I was going to say, we could see if the spa can squeeze us in. My treat.”
A massage sounds great. Normally I’d be opposed to someone wanting to treat me to something as pricey as a massage, but considering the rest of the night I planned for us, the only way I can afford it right now is if someone else pays.
It’s on the earlier side for lunch, but since the rain still hasn’t started we decide to enjoy a game of mini-golf before heading to the buffet. Gwen and I go up ahead to call the elevator, and I steal a kiss while we wait for them to catch up with us. She’s still wearing my sweatshirt but has changed from shorts into leggings; paired with her neon sneakers and wavy hair, it looks incredible. Or maybe it’s because I know what’s underneath and because I’m anticipating the experience of learning even more tonight. Regardless, I want to be next to her and in her and around her… basically, if it’s a preposition that indicates some sort of close proximity, I want it.
“So, what’s this about dinner?” she asks with a wink.
“You’ll see,” I tell her.
Gwen’s practically a pro at the mini-golf course, after beating me handily last night. A devilish grin forms on her face at every innocent reference to ‘putters’ and ‘strokes,’ until I’m sure she’s going to double over laughing when a nearby golfer shouts about getting it ‘in the hole.’ It’s refreshing to see this side of her, and it’s such a difference from that first day’s meeting, when I thought she was stuffy and patronizing. I want to keep being surprised by her, keep learning more about her until there are no surprises left.
I snake my arm around her waist and pull her close to me as Maggie and Nan finish the final hole. Maggie bends to get their balls from the cup but stops halfway down and stumbles backward. I rush to her side and offer support, helping to lower her onto a nearby bench. “You okay?”
She gives a delayed nod. “Thanks, Sawyer.” Gwen appears at her side a moment later with a cup of water from the nearby beverage station. Maggie takes a sip and chuckles. “All of you making such a fuss about an old lady who just got a little dizzy from the heat.”
It’s not that hot, and Nan eyes me with concern. She and I briefly discussed Maggie’s diagnosis the other day, but the rule is that we’re not mentioning it on this trip, so I don’t push further.
Gwen doesn’t seem to pick up on the disconnect between Maggie’s words and the mild temperature and instead ushers her grandmother toward the air-conditioned buffet hall. She finds a table near the window and offers to fill a plate for her. I do the same for Nan and follow Gwen, holding three plates to her one, letting her dish each item. She sends a couple nervous glances toward the side of the room, but she doesn’t say much as we weave our way through the food lines.
Lunch goes by uneventfully, and by the time everyone has finished eating, Maggie seems fine and Gwen seems content. It’s a short walk to the spa, so we head there together. There are four massages available, but because all the regular rooms are booked, we’ll have to divide into two couples massages.
“Great!” Maggie says, gripping my elbow. “So I’m with Sawyer, and you two…”
My heart stops for a second, until their laughter makes it obvious that she’s joking (with Maggie, it’s hard to be sure). She pats my hand and moves next to Gwen, but Nan wrinkles a nose at me, too.
“I haven’t seen you naked since you were three, and I’d like to keep it that way,” she says.
“I think if you’re seeing the other person naked during the massage, you’re doing it wrong, Nan.”
“Or, you’re doing it very right,” Maggie snickers. Gwen’s eyes light up at the joke; it’s clear she loves her grandma, and it’s obvious where she gets her sharp wit.
In the end, Gwen and I are partnered up and led to a large room overlooking the ocean. There’s a sliver of sun in the distance, with two teak loungers angled toward the panoramic window.
