The Beautiful People

33. Rachel

     Just as were arriving to the campsite, Jimbo gave my ass a playful tap as he passed by. As he did so, he gave my cute behind two soft taps. A double tap would often tell me that he needed to tell me something, a coded message we had been using for a while. Just after that I pretended to need to stop for a second to tie my shoelaces. Jimbo came back to check up on me.

     "Hey, babe." Jimbo said as he strolled over. "You doing alright?"

     "I'm good," I replied, giving him a wink. I waited for the others to pass by. "What's going on?"

     "We're almost at our destination," Jimbo said, "Just play it cool, we're staying out here overnight. It's not a hike, it's a camping trip."

     "Lovely," I said, standing back up. "I didn't bring any bug spray."

     "Don't worry," Jimbo said, tapping his chest pocket. "I've got ya covered. Act surprised, but not too surprised. Prove that you're able to roll with the punches."

     After giving me a small hug, Jimbo went back on the trail to catch up with the boss. I resumed walking and like he said moments later we were at the campsite. I walked around and inspected the site, trying to look delighted by the turn of events rather than annoyed. I did my best to keep my amusement to myself when I realized that the tents had names on them and were assigned, just like the rooms at the cabin. Jimbo assumes that I don't camp but he would be wrong. My father loved to camp, and while I wasn't fond of it myself, I knew how to do it because of all the camping trips my old man dragged my entire family on a few times each summer.

     I watch as Angie runs around like a chicken that just had it's head cut off, all chaos and zero chill. Such a shame that her support system worked all night and slept in. Then again, Josh was the lucky one here. I wish I was back at the cabin too, so I can't dis the man too much. Knowing our luck, he was going to spend the day writing another bestseller and make millions of the inspiration we all gave to him last night. Nice to see someone's being productive this weekend.

     "Rachel," I heard someone call out, "Are you alright?"

     "Yeah," I said, looking over to Nicolas who was sitting in one of the nicer chairs. "I'll be alright."

     "Sit with me," he invited.

     "Are you sure?" I asked, not sure if I'd be bothering him.

     "It will make look empathetic," he countered, "And it gives you an excuse to steal one of the good chairs cause you're checking up on me."

     I couldn't argue with Nic's logic, and since I was a tad concerned I accepted his invitation. I walked over and sat down beside him, stealing one of the good chairs as he recommended. I crossed my legs and tried my best to get comfortable.

     "Do you think Mrs. Parsons assigned the tents just to annoy Angie again?" I asked.

     "Probably," Nicolas said, laughing at the thought. "I don't think Mrs. Parsons likes her very much."

     "I wouldn't if i was her," I said, "I'd be threatened by any woman that hot who wants to climb the corporate latter. She's afraid Angie will do anything to get a head. She probably won't, but that's what keeps many wives of CEO's up at night."

     "I suppose," Nicolas said, "But she's already got her claws into a very successful man, so I don't think she'd risk losing that big fish."

     "Anther good point," I said, as he was again making a sound argument. Josh was indeed a catch, and a very big fish for a woman like her to land.

     We both watched from our chairs as Angie walked over to where Mrs. Parsons was and started to help her with meal prep, as she was likely being told to help. Not like she needed to be ordered to, she would do it just for the brownie points.

     "And there she goes," Nicholas said with a chuckle, "Brown nosing even tot he boss' wife."

     "Maybe she should sleep with her instead," I joked.

     "Ha!" Nicholas said as he loved the quib, "I would totally not put that above her."

     "Neither would I," I said, enjoying this conversation. I almost didn't want to ask the next question. "Are you feeling alright?"

     "I'll be fine," Nicholas answered, "Many days I lie when I say that, but I'm not doing too bad this time out. The chair is helping too."

     "What does it feel like?" I asked him. Jimbo and I talked about it a few times but never really got into the nitty gritty of it.

     "It's hard to explain," Nicholas said, shifting in his chair. "Just imagine arthritis had an illegitimate crack baby that was jacked up on steroids."

     "How often are you in pain?" I asked him.

     "It's easier to ask when am I not." he replied, "Truth is I just bear it and lie. There's no point telling anyone who cannot do anything about it. Why should I piss on their parade? Just let them live in ignorant bliss, unaware of that suffering that goes on around them."

     "It's not nice to assume people cannot help, isn't it?" I asked him.

     "If my doctors and specialists can't help," Nicholas started, "Then I'm pretty sure the normal folk can't either."

     "Touche," I said, metaphorically tossing in the towel. "I'm sorry I can't help."

     "You are helping," Nicholas corrected, "Sitting here and just being normal is more helpful than you could ever imagine. It's nice to talk with out the bullshit standing in the way. That's something I also like about Jimbo. I don't have to fake it around him either."

     "You couldn't anyway," I added, "He smells lies like a fart in a car. You can't bullshit him."

     "Oh crap," Nicholas said, almost under his breath. "You are being summoned to the prep table. I suspect you are about to be put to work."
 
     "It's alright," I said, standing up. "Can't let Angie have all the brownie points."

     "Have fun," Nicholas said, grinning.

     "Fuck you too..." I said playfully as I walked away.