Pleasure Point

Family in Thy Faith

Best to let the days live on

And memories die in each new pride;

This family strength and power gained

Lives not within the family lies.

Finally willing now to see

The harshness of the day’s regret,

Isolated from one another

And not together even yet.

And then truth peels the sky away,

And all that was night comes alive;

Once more, I feel a strength in me,

And never will I refuse to try.

For now, I know my truth

And power of the days in me;

No more will ever I be alone,

For family always God will see.

That we are blessed to never leave

And care for each as always done;

And for those who left with all the grief,

Their loss will never be for only one.

For once renewed and faith restored

Between the ones whose love is strong,

There can be no other life but trust,

For all is right and never wrong.

Chapter One

S he was sitting at her desk, finishing the last few lines of the report she had prepared for her most recent client—the very large resort, meandering over acres and acres along the Spokane River. She had coveted this account for months, and recently, they had given her a shot at developing their newest advertising campaign. She was originally excited for the opportunity to work for this company, but after a few weeks of doing research and several meetings later with the vice president in charge of the new campaign, she had become more realistic and less thrilled they had chosen her for this job. Mr. Lyons was not a happy or friendly person to work for or with. He was tough, expected serious results in record time, and rarely gave compliments or encouraging remarks for those working for him. Instead, he was polite but abrupt, often opinionated, and his expectations were sometimes unreasonable. Lauren Palmer learned quickly this was going to be a difficult man to satisfy, and after only a few weeks, her expectations had become more realistic also.

Her advertising office was in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, which was located in the panhandle of one of Idaho’s most scenic and beautiful areas. The surrounding countryside was pristine, tree-filled, wilderness areas and recreational acres scattered among crystal clear lakes and spectacular mountain ranges and provided the adventuresome spirit with untold places for sightseeing, water-skiing, boating, and snow skiing. The diversity of the area was immense, and there were lots of resorts that catered to the tourists and vacationers, both the single travelers and families. At first glance, it seemed to be a wonderland specifically designed for those affluent enough to enjoy a year-round playground, but the area was also home to many people who worked in and supported the area’s businesses so that all of this could survive.

Lauren chose Coeur d’Alene to open her business in because it was a fast-growing community, and the resorts, which could be a mainstay for her business, were prevalent and had been increasing in numbers in the last few years. Originally from Spokane, Washington, she was more than familiar with the whole of North Idaho, which was only a few short miles from the spreading metropolis where she grew up. She wanted to begin her career where she could be close enough to visit her family on a regular basis and close to her husband Lee’s accounting firm, which was located in Post Falls, Idaho, also a fast-growing community near the Idaho-Washington border and equally distanced between Spokane and Coeur d’Alene. Her long-term goal of having and raising children needed to include being close to her own family, as she had long ago realized the importance of having extended family—such as her grandparents, aunts, and uncles—for the happiness and health of her future children as they grew up; they could be close and interact on a regular basis.

Lauren was only twenty-four, having married Lee when she was twenty-two and being a recent graduate from the Spokane Art and Advertising School she had attended for four years. She had known since she was in high school that she wanted to do something in the art field, but not having artistic talent and not being interested in painting and hands-on art and graphic design, she thought a career in advertising would fulfill that artistic drive and longing and at the same time give her a more cerebral career, something she was more suited for than becoming a graphic artist. She liked working with others, as well as making decisions about how to best market products and present complete advertising campaigns for products and companies. She worked well with most people and had an ability to read them well, thus an uncanny ability to draw ideas and inspirations from them to best promote their businesses in the ways they wanted. She could almost always plan programs that were extremely profitable in the long term for those she worked for and that companies, even large ones, were pleased with, Mr. Lyons being the rare exception.

As she closed her computer for the day and prepared to put it in her briefcase for the trip home, her cell phone buzzed and vibrated in her pocket. A smile crossed her face as she picked it up and saw Lee’s name and face appear as the caller. She loved Lee, was happily married, and enjoyed the time they were able to spend together as they both juggled their busy careers. He was a little older than Lauren, having turned thirty-one in September of last year. He was serious and extremely studious, which reflected well for him in his career as an accountant in a small local firm in Post Falls, except where Lauren was concerned. With her, he was able to smile, laugh, and enjoy life more than he ever had. She brought a light to his otherwise dull life that he hadn’t known existed until he’d met her three years before. He had known within a month of meeting her that she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but he’d taken his time with her as he wanted her to get to know him and feel completely comfortable and sure before he asked her to marry him. He wanted her to never have a doubt and to know how much he loved her before he asked her, as he wanted her to be able to say yes to him with no hesitation, knowing in her heart it was going to be forever for them. And she had.

After three months of dating Lee, she invited him to meet her family, and everyone thought he was perfect for her. Lauren’s father, Ralph, who had always been very critical of her previous boyfriends, knew at once that Lee was a good match for his beautiful daughter. He was taller than Lauren’s five-foot-nine-inch height by four inches. His six-foot-one-inch frame was well proportioned, muscular, and athletic; and with his dirty blond, sun-streaked hair, he looked amazing beside her gorgeous leggy, slim figure, and her light golden blond hair complemented his perfectly. They sometimes reminded Linda, Lauren’s mother, of the golden couple, a term she occasionally used to describe them to others. Lauren’s smile and laughter could light up a room full of people, and one of the first things Ralph noticed was how Lee’s face lit up every time he looked at her. He was smitten, and Ralph patiently watched as his daughter caught up over the next few months and fell in love with Lee, which was something the entire family was hoping would happen.

Their courtship was exciting and full of fun adventures as they got to know each other. They did fun things on the weekends when she had time away from school and he away from work, but their weekdays were always saved for their work and school and for their ambitions to prosper. They had set high goals for themselves and were determined to have some success and hopefully a life similar to what the Philips, Ralph and Lauren, had made for themselves. When they had time, they explored many of the small out-of-the-way towns and villages that were scattered around the countryside of both the Washington side and the Idaho Panhandle side of the border, stopping after leisurely long drives through the back countries at local taverns and restaurants, where they would share a glass of wine or beer, meet and visit with the local patrons, and just learn more about each other, as well as the areas they had come to love so much. After a quick stop in various little out-of-the-way places, they would get back in their car and continue on to another similar spot, all the while enjoying the magnificent scenery they discovered everywhere they went. Dinners were always spent at these new locations they would find and want to further explore, and more often than not, they were pleased and thoroughly enjoyed the results. Not only were they enjoying each other’s company but they also continued to learn about the larger surrounding cities, meeting possible clients and making connections that in the future might be helpful in their businesses. Because they were such a good-looking couple, making new friends was easy, as nearly everywhere they went people wanted to get to know this dynamic duo. They were likable and very popular almost everywhere they went.

Lee was always proud to show Lauren off to everyone. She was beautiful, but she was also very smart, and he admired her devotion to her studies and her ambitious nature. She was a lot like him in that respect, and in turn, she loved that about him. He had a steadiness about him she adored and a simple, well-thought-out plan for his future.

They enjoyed exploring those little towns and villages, and they also loved the outdoors; and whenever an opportunity came for them to go boating, water-skiing, or fishing, they were the first ones to say yes and to enjoy thoroughly whatever the day’s adventure turned out to be. It was another of the things Lee loved about her. She was spontaneous and was easily adaptable to any circumstance and would just go with the flow without a lot of fuss and planning, if that was the case. There wasn’t anything he didn’t love about her, and she fit into his life easily and made him and whoever was around her very comfortable with her.

Lauren’s mother and dad had a good-sized houseboat they kept moored on the Coeur d’Alene Lake year-round although, because of the winter weather, they only opened it and used it during the summer months. They kept it moored at a very large dock near the south end of the lake called Pleasure Point, and the whole family enjoyed many weekends together playing on the boat. As Lee became a permanent attachment to Lauren, they were often invited to spend a weekend on the water with her family, and this they both did with great enthusiasm. The Philips also had a speedboat they would pull to the lake for these times, and all the younger ones loved to water-ski behind the fast-moving boat, which Ralph loved to drive, as they experienced the thrills of the vast lake and the boat’s tumultuous wake.

Linda was impressed with Lee right from the beginning, and she was elated as their relationship grew and their love deepened. She had always wanted Lauren to find a steady, well-established young man like Ralph and who could provide her with the steadiness and strength that Ralph had given her for all of these years, and she felt strongly that Lee was a lot like her husband and would be a great fit for their family. Lee got along well with the Philips and was well liked by both Lauren’s younger siblings, Carol and Mike; and over time, he became like family to them. Their love and admiration for him was noticeable from the beginning. Lauren loved that her entire family approved of him and treated him like he was already a member of the family.

When Lee proposed to Lauren, her whole family was in on the secret; and as the excitement built around the dinner table that night, Lee thought for sure one of them was going to spill it to her before he was ready. He wanted the moment to be private and perfect, so he’d planned this dinner with her family, leading up to the moment when he would take Lauren outside to her parents’ beautiful backyard, drop down on one knee, show her the ring, and ask her the question. He was hoping she would be excited and would want to share the moments after with her family since they were all so close, and he’d been so right because he knew her so well. He slipped the ring on her finger, stood up, and took her in his arms for a romantic long moment after she said yes; but she had cut the moment short by pushing him back and, in her excitement, running past him into the house to show them all the ring and share the wonderful news with her family before doing anything else.

Her sister, Carol, was the first to squeal her excitement and then oohed and aahed over the size of the diamond on her big sister’s left hand. Carol was two years younger than Lauren, and although her love and genuine happiness for her sister was obvious, it was slightly tinged with a tiny bit of envy since she herself had recently split from another boyfriend, who it turned out wasn’t the match she thought he would be.

Next to give a hug and congratulate her was her younger brother, Mike, the baby of the family. Mike was a little more reserved in expressing his enthusiasm for his big sister’s news, but he and Lee had become very close friends over the past year, and his approval for the engagement was obvious, as he also shook Lee’s hand after a big hug for his sister.

Linda and Ralph were happy and excited to see these two fine children making plans for a future together, and as they both embraced Lauren and then Lee, it was more than obvious how much they loved them both. Linda suggested champagne to toast, and Ralph went to the kitchen to retrieve the bottle he had placed there earlier when Lee had confided to him what was going to happen later that night after dinner, and he came back into the room with the bottle and a trayful of glasses as everyone was admiring the ring and talking excitedly about the upcoming wedding. Lauren and Lee basked in the moment of love for each other and for this warm, loving family they both loved and admired so much.

Lauren answered the vibrating phone and said, Hello, my love, with the genuine, happy feeling she still felt whenever she heard from him. He soon asked about her day, and after she briefly told him about her recent conversation with Mr. Lyons, he at once detected a bit of a down mood in her, so he asked her if she’d like to go out to dinner with him before they went home for the night.

The unexpected offer touched her, as she knew eating out on weeknights was something he really didn’t like to do, and she answered truthfully when she said, Oh yes. Thank you. I’d love to do that tonight, as I’m a bit weary and would love to eat out and not cook. Thanks, honey. Where should we meet?

I thought we’d go to the inn at Twin Lakes. They have lobster bisque on Thursday nights, and that really sounds good to me tonight, he told her.

That sounds wonderful, Lee. I can meet you there in about thirty minutes, if that’s good timing for you, she answered.

Perfect, he said. See you soon. I love you, and the phone went silent.

She loved Lee even more today than on the day she married him, and she thought back over their time together since their wedding. She had a few regrets since she had said yes to him, but if she were being honest with herself, she did have to acknowledge that there were a couple of things that were haunting her with negativity. Although small, they were there, and she stuffed them to the back of her mind as she thought about the unexpected dinner invitation she had just received. She smiled at the thoughtfulness he had just shown her. She continued then to pick up her briefcase and bag, checked the lights, and closed the door on her way out as she started for the car and the twenty-minute drive to the Twin Lakes Inn.

She and Lee had stumbled upon this little jewel on one of their many drives through the country when they were dating that first year, and she was glad he had thought about it for tonight. It was a little ways out of the way for them both, but the longer drive would give her time to think about the nagging struggle going on inside her head about their marriage and where they were headed.

Their wedding had been a wonderful celebration of their love, and the whole family felt sure as she did that Lee was the perfect match for her. He was older enough and mature to be a good provider and a steady influence in her life, and it was obvious to everyone how much he loved her. She had no doubts on her wedding day, and as she walked toward him in the little country church they had chosen for the ceremony, escorted by her father, she was as sure as any bride could be that she had made the right decision. It wasn’t until several months after the marriage that she began to question things. She thought the excitement in those first few weeks and months of being together would last forever, and when it began to change—to become normal and more of a routine—she was asking herself, Is this all there is? Isn’t there supposed to be more between two people who love each other?

Lee wasn’t much of a lover to her. After the first few times with him, she began to realize he was not adventuresome with his lovemaking. He always seemed to have a one-track mind in the bedroom; and that was to get the job done, roll over, and get some sleep. Lauren was almost always left wanting—no, needing more—and since she wasn’t very experienced herself, she wasn’t sure how to bring it up. She had no close girl friends to share these kinds of things with, and since her mother had difficulty even telling her about her forthcoming menstrual cycle when she was a youngster, she knew she wouldn’t be a candidate for the kind of girl talk she needed for this subject. So for months now, she had been left unsatisfied, and she just didn’t know what to do. She had not watched enough reality television to know that, in today’s world, women were more verbal about their needs, but she didn’t know how to be, so she had struggled with this nagging longing for months; and though she still loved Lee, she wasn’t sure if she was still in love with him, and that frightened her.

She pulled into the inn slowly and found a parking place quickly. Darkness was settling in early as it did in these mountainous areas, and she wanted to get inside the restaurant while there was still some twilight left. The inn was tucked quite a ways off the main highway, deep within the surrounding forest that protected the golf course from being seen from the main road. The eighteen-hole course was beautifully manicured and was a treasure rarely seen by those just passing by. It had a reputation among local golfers as being one of North Idaho’s rare golfing gems, and even fewer people knew about the inn’s fabulous dinner menu. Rarely was it difficult to get reservations, and both Lauren and Lee loved the romantic ambiance of the gigantic stone fireplace that was always lit with a roaring fire after darkness settled in. There was something very relaxing about a glass of wine surrounded by the crackling fire and the warm welcome they always received by the wait staff.

As she climbed the last couple of steps, she saw Lee’s smile as he pushed the door open for her, and she knew he’d been watching her arrival. It was always nice to know he still felt protective and loving toward her, and she berated herself for the earlier thoughts she’d been having, once again tucking them back into the darkest corner of her brain.

She smiled and kissed him back as he leaned down to greet her warmly, and then he led her into the dining room to the table that had been chosen for them. The room was already warm from the fire, and as she looked at the massive stone formation surrounding the flames, she felt the same comforting feeling she always had when she arrived here. Lee helped her as she was seated, and then he sat across from her. Their wine was already in front of them, as he’d ordered for them when he arrived, and she knew the bubbling pot of lobster bisque would be arriving soon, along with the warm, freshly baked rolls and small tossed salads. He lifted his glass to present a toast, and as she clinked hers to it, he said quietly, To you, darling, always beautiful and such a pleasure to see.

Their evening was pleasant yet predictable, and once again, Lauren was wishing for just a tiny bit of something new. He asked about her day, and she related some of the frustrations Mr. Lyons had presented her with, and as soon as she finished, he once again said exactly what she thought he would. Well, I know you’ll be able to get through to him. If anyone can make him happy, my wife will be the one to make it happen, he said. She then asked about his day, and he summed it up in a few words she’d heard so many times before. Uneventful, darling, but working with numbers usually is.

The rest of their evening went the same as always. The dinner was delicious, and as they left for the long drive back to Coeur d’Alene and their little apartment with a charming view of the lake, they were both feeling relaxed and full. Lee walked her to her car, and as he closed the door after her, he said, See you at home in a few. With that, they drove the twenty minutes or so back to the city alone, each lost in their own thoughts.

The rest of the night played out the same too. After showers and climbing into bed together, Lee once more reached for her and began to make love to her the only way he knew how. She at first pulled away, not wanting to just oblige him one more time, but quickly relaxed and played out her role as the dutiful wife; and when he finished and rolled away, he once again missed the tears that cascaded down her cheeks. Her frustration was even more severe tonight, and she didn’t know why. He had taken her out and treated her so wonderfully, and now she was once again brought to tears. There must be something seriously wrong with me was her last thought before she finally drifted off to sleep against Lee’s back.

Chapter Two

L auren awoke before daylight and slipped out of bed, trying hard not to wake Lee, who was still sleeping with his back to her. She stepped into her slippers, pulled on her robe, and tiptoed down the hall to the kitchen, where she began making their morning coffee. She was going into the office earlier than usual, as she had some issues to try to solve for the Lyons account before the weekend, and she needed a strong cup of coffee to start the day. Still feeling the frustrations of the night before, she again pushed those and the negative thoughts she was having to the back of her mind. It seemed to her, these days, they weren’t staying quietly below the surface anymore but were popping up on a regular basis, and she needed help in trying to learn what was wrong with her, but she didn’t know who she could talk to about it; and whenever those thoughts surfaced, it frightened her more.

After dressing, she slipped out of the apartment and headed for her office, which was only a few blocks away. She loved this small town on the edge of the lake. Everywhere, the views were spectacular, and the people who lived here smiled a lot more than those who lived in the bigger city where she grew up. There were new businesses opening up on a regular basis, and the town was growing and spreading further into the country, and more and more, there were new clients who needed her expertise in advertising. She was happy they had decided to settle here, where she was close to her work. Lee’s firm was in Post Falls, which was less than twenty miles away, but it was very close to the Idaho border with Washington, and it was also a fast-growing but still smaller community. Since the dog track had opened in Post Falls in the early nineties, the area had also exploded with growth, needing Lee’s accounting services, so both of them had security in their careers for a long time to come.

They had chosen well and only recently had started looking at homes to buy so that they would also feel like a permanent part of one of the communities. They hadn’t decided on a definite location for a home yet, but more and more free times on the weekends were spent searching through neighborhoods, trying to find a space where they both would feel like they had found the perfect place for their future family together. That part of their life together was still new and exciting, and Lauren had begun to plan for their home by window-shopping for furniture and accessories, trying to get a feel of what she would be comfortable with when the time came for her to get her own. She often took an extra hour at lunchtime when her schedule permitted and looked through the large showrooms of different furniture stores. She dreamed of the day when they would have their own home together and when she could make it the beautiful safe home for their children she’d always dreamed of.

Then those little doubts would creep back in, and Lauren would be fearful she’d been wasting her time. If she wasn’t happy now with Lee—100 percent happy and fulfilled—how did she know there would be a home to furnish one day? If he found out she wasn’t satisfied and that he wasn’t pleasing her, he might leave her, and would that be such a bad thing if he did? Of course, it would because she did love him, so what was her problem? And she just didn’t have an answer.

Once she finished up her work for Friday, she was in a better mood and was looking forward to the weekend. The family would all be on the lake together, and they always enjoyed those times when they could play. Lauren’s sister, Carol, had a new boyfriend she was bringing, and Lee and Lauren were looking forward to meeting him. It was going to be fun just relaxing on the water for two days. The place where her parents had decided to moor the boat was called Pleasure Point, and it was one of the more protected and beautiful areas on the lake, with wildlife and privacy, both of which her family appreciated. Ralph and Linda had recently bought the larger houseboat so that, as their children became adults and had partners, there would be room for everyone to still enjoy their times together. The point was further south on the lake, which made it a little bit of a drive to get to, but being on that end of the lake meant fewer people and more critters to watch, both things her family loved. It was large enough for everyone to stay on board together for a weekend, and they would use the speedboat for water-skiing, which Ralph pulled on a trailer to the lake, at the beginning of each summer so that everyone who wanted to could water-ski, something Mike looked forward to the most every season.

Carol’s new boyfriend turned out to be a raging flirt, and Carol, who was at first a little shy about his obvious attention, soon relaxed and was enjoying his flirtatious ways more than she thought she would around her family. His name was Glen Brady, and he was four years older than Carol and two years older than Lauren, and he was even outrageously flirting with Lauren occasionally. It didn’t bother Carol at all because she knew how devoted Lauren and Lee were to each other, and she thought Glen was funny when he teased Lauren a little too much about the fuchsia-colored cover-up she was wearing over her two-piece swimsuit. He was trying to help her feel more comfortable in front of him, but it wasn’t working. Lauren was very modest, and it took her a while to warm up to attention from any man she didn’t know, and the more he mentioned it, the more uncomfortable she became, and soon even Lee had had enough. He discreetly took his wife’s hand and suggested they go for a walk along the lakeshore, while the others swam from the deck on the boat.

Lauren was relieved as soon as she and Lee stepped off the boat and onto the long dock the boat was tied to, and as they began to walk the length of the dock to the shore, she thanked Lee for rescuing her. The dock was very long, sitting far enough out into the lake to give the houseboat enough depth to float freely, with no chance of hitting the bottom, so they began the long walk that would take them back to the shore. I don’t mean to be a prude with him, but there’s something about him that makes me very uncomfortable. I hope Carol isn’t serious about this one because I don’t see him fitting in well with the rest of us. Even Mom is having a bit of a struggle liking him. I can tell, she said.

Lee’s reply nailed it for her. I think he’s just immature and hasn’t really grown up yet, honey. He’s a nice enough guy, but when he gets around women, he just doesn’t get it yet.

Oh, I know, she said. And I think you’re right. I just hope Carol sees it too, and he isn’t a permanent fixture with her for the summer. It would be hard to look forward to these times together if we had him to expect every time.

Lee then said, Let’s walk and relax a bit. The break will do us both good, and by the way, I happen to love that color on you. And I, for one, am really glad to see you keeping it on. Your two-piece suit looks beautiful, but it doesn’t bother me one bit that you don’t want to flaunt it in front of others, especially those guys you don’t know.

Thanks, sweetie, Lauren replied, loving him for once again being her rock.

They walked together along the shore for a half hour and then decided to turn around and make their way back to the boat. The enthusiasm they felt earlier for the fun weekend they were going to have had definitely waned, and neither of them really wanted to return to the houseboat and put up with more juvenile antics