The Book Club by Maureen Mullis Page B

instead of talking about that dumb book we just read
we’ll have a picnic or what ever those two have concocted.”
    Diane laughed. “That’s the spirit.”
    Soon the group arrived at a little clearing
at the edge of the water. A fire had been laid. Old palates, logs
and a motley collection of wood were gathered to create what looked
like would be huge bonfire. Rocks had been gathered and placed in a
large circle around the clearing creating the feeling of an
enclosure. Just outside the circle on one side stood a large
cooler, a pile of blankets and a cardboard box with a variety of
items sticking out from it. Diane couldn’t be sure what was in it
but was anxious to find out what was planned.
    They stood for a few moments catching their
breath. The sun hanging off to the west seemed to be in no hurry to
leave the sky. Intrigued by what the sisters had planned Diane
watched her friends with a mixture of interest and wariness. For a
brief moment she felt that weird itchiness on the back of her neck
as if someone was staring at her. Turning to look behind her she
saw nothing but the thicket of trees standing there.
    “What?” asked Beth standing next to her and
turning to look behind them as well.
    “I just had a strange feeling of someone
watching us,” Diane told her.
    Beth frowned and continued to scan the woods.
“Yeah. It doesn’t feel as if we’re entirely alone, does it?”
    Andrea, on Beth’s other side leaned over.
“What is it?”
    “Do you feel anything?” Beth asked.
    “It feels a little creepy being over here
away from the main part of the park,” Andrea agreed.
    “Do you get a sense that we’re not alone
here?” Diane asked. “Because I sure do.”
    Andrea shrugged as Sandy clapped her hands
together to get everyone’s attention.
    “Okay!” Sandy cried. “We’re all here. Louisa
and I have prepared this evening especially so that we can renew
ourselves.”
    “What are you talking about?” Cathy asked.
“We aren’t a group of library books.”
    “Renew our spirits,” Louisa explained. “The
ancient druids used to celebrate the equinox and the solstice with
ritual activities in sacred forest groves. These renewal festivals
were celebrations of who they were and were used to energize
themselves.”
    “And today is the summer solstice!” Leslie
cried.
    “I’m not into any of that weird ritual
stuff,” Andrea said taking a step back from the group. “That
doesn’t feel right to me.”
    “And this isn’t a sacred forest either,
ladies,” Sandy interjected. “We just thought that coming here to
the lake and having some time together outside of the book club
would give us a chance to remember that we were friends before the
book club. To try to get that back.”
    Looking at each woman directly Diane asked,
“Have you all been feeling discontented with what’s been happening
to our club?”
    When they shrugged or mumbled their agreement
she went on. “I’ve gotten to the point where I dread our monthly
meetings. It’s drab. We used to be interesting people. Women I
loved to know and count as friends. But the last year or so it’s
become monotonous. We just mark the time off.”
    “She’s right,” Terry joined in. “I know we’re
not twenty-something anymore, but there’s got to be more to our
lives then waiting for grandchildren and discussing adventures we
read about in books.”
    Louisa gave a firm nod, her smile broadening
as understanding began. “This is what we were thinking. Today is
the summer solstice. We’ll have our own renewal festival. Renew
ourselves, our friendships, and hopefully our book club.”
    “So, what did you have in mind for this
festival?” Cathy asked a little doubtfully.
    Sandy pointed to the supplies they’d set up
at the circle’s edge. “We have a cooler of cold drinks,
marshmallows and sticks, some blankets for us to sit on and some
ideas for a couple of activities. If you’re game, let’s bring them
into the circle and light