A Matter of Trust

11 - Busted

Gretta moved cautiously forward, arms outstretched and waving like wings as she struggled for balance on the stony riverbed. The two men watched, holding the rope firmly, as the water rose up over her hips and settled about her waist.

She paused, feeling for the bottom with her foot, then turned back and announced that she was going to have to swim the last few yards so they should get a strong grip on the rope. Arnold waved and braced himself beside the professor as Gretta leaned forward into the current and lunged toward the rock.

There was a tense moment when she seemed to drift past the boulder but with a great effort, she managed to grasp the rock and drag herself up out of the river.

"Okay," she called, standing up and waving.

Arnold felt his mouth drop as stared at her water-soaked clothes; even at a distance there was little to disguise the heretofore-imagined fantasy that was Gretta. The professor busied himself with anchoring the rope to a small tree, clucking his disapproval at Arnold.

"For heaven's sake, man, have you never seen a woman before?"

Arnold clamped his mouth shut and turned his flaming face to the professor, head shaking negatively. "Not like Gretta. Never."

"You go next." The command was brusque and devoid of tolerance.

Arnold shouldered his pack and took hold of the rope with a grip of steel, stepping into the river and gasping as the water filled his boots.

"C'mon, you're doing fine, Arny."

He stared straight ahead, eyes glued to Gretta's sopping shirt as his beacon to safety. Her hand reached down and he refocused, letting go of the rope and grabbing her strong fingers. After a brief, clumsy scramble, he stood shakily beside her on the rock, cheeks still flaming.

"Good job. You okay? You look a little dazed." She turned her attention to the professor who was tying the rope about his waist and waiting for her to take up the slack.

"Uumh...unng... yuuuhh."

"Grab this and hold tight, we don't want to lose Cheesy downstream somewhere."

Arnold did as he was told and with a little effort, they managed to get him safely onto the rock where they all took a few moments to sit and recoup.

"I'm afraid you've shattered our young friend's equilibrium, dear." The professor flicked his eyes at Gretta's top as he cleaned his glasses on a dry portion of his own shirt.

She looked down and then straight at Arnold whose blush was accompanied with a mewling sound of protest.

"Just what is it with men-or should I say boys-your age?" She plucked the wet material away from her chest and stood up, hands on hips. "Better?" Arnold shook his head then nodded then shook his head again, his face suffusing with a deep pink.

"Grab the rope and tie it to that stump over there," she said stiffly as she urged him off the rock and into the water again. The wade was a short one and the water was only chest high, giving Arnold another case of sweats as he imagined Gretta crossing this portion behind him.

The small fire did its best to damp dry the clothes strung around it while the owners used an exceptionally large fern as a change screen to slip into a change from their packs. Gretta's deliberate choice of a dark blue tank top and khaki shorts did little for Arnold's comfort.

He avoided her daring stares as he moved about, organizing his things and fastening his pack ready to move on. The professor shot her a scolding look, holding her defiant return until her eyes dropped, conceding the childishness of the behaviour.