No Man Left Behind: A Veteran Inspired Charity Anthology

by Elizabeth Knox

  Leo was running as bullets whizzed past him. The haze was thick from smoke, but he continued to run into the gunfire. Almost there. He bolted awake. Jerking up from his pillow, he darted his focus around the dimly lit room. The closet door. The overstuffed chair tucked in the corner next to the bathroom door. The pale blue blanket he had kicked nearly to the floor. Finally, he sought out the picture frame sitting near the bed. He stared at the tender smile of the woman sitting next to the little boy. His breathing began to calm. His gaze then shifted to the tiny dog. Her coat was so soft and long and nearly as orange as the little boy’s hair who held him.

  He loved that photo. It was the first photo of him and his mom after his dad left. No, he didn’t leave them. He took his life. He said he couldn’t handle the things in his head any longer and blew it out. He never understood that growing up. Not until he was grown and experienced things that he felt his dad had faced. Now he understood. Life was a daily struggle at times. His mother mourned the loss for so long until one day she brought home this puppy no bigger than a minute. That puppy gave her hope and purpose more than he could have imagined. It kept her from feeling so lonely anytime Leo was away. This photo, to him, represented strength and courage to move past the horror of life and live each day.

  His mother had always been his rock. Even when he returned home from duty and his wife had abandoned him for his inability to be the same person he was before. She had claimed to be afraid for her life and divorced him. So once again, he and his mother relied on each other for company until he lost her to the evils of cancer four years ago. That’s when he moved here.

  As most other times when he jolted awake, he never drifted back to sleep. After sitting against the headboard for a minute, he swung his feet to the floor and stumbled to the bathroom to shower. Then he would strip the sweat-drenched sheets from his bed and toss them into the washer. Days like this were never good.

  Once the bed was remade, he filled his coffee mug and stepped to the sliding glass door, staring at the clouds blocking the view of the valley below. Flickers of lights shone faintly through the thick haze between his yard and the next mountain in view. He was planning his day in his mind, when a shrill yip jerked his attention toward the ground. There on the other side of the glass sat his tiny visitor.

  He slid open the door and stepped out moving to his chair.

  “Tasha!” a woman’s voice called through the trees.

  “Tasha. Is that your name, girl?” he asked, cocking his head.

  The voice came closer calling once more.

  “Up the stairs,” Leo called seconds before the sound of feet pounding up the wooden steps reached his ears.

  “Tasha,” Hanna scolded the small pet then looked to Leo. “Once again, I’m so sorry.”

  He took her from his lap setting her paws onto the floor and watched her run to her owner.

  “I promise I’ll do what I can to keep her from bothering you again.”

  He only nodded and noticed her faint smile as she turned and hurried back to the ground holding the dog tucked under her arm. Returning his attention to the clouds, he watched them begin to drift away revealing rooftops once again as he finished his coffee. Soon the sun shone brightly on the houses in his view and he decided the fog would be cleared enough to examine that fence.

  He placed his mug in the sink and headed downstairs for his toolbox. Flipping the lid open, he checked for anything that might come in handy to repair a fence. Pliers, extra wire, rope. He pushed the lid closed and clicked the lock before walking through the door in the back of the garage and heading to the house up from his.

  As he reached the neighboring driveway, he halted in shock. Surely, she hadn’t been living here. He shook his head and picked up the pace reaching the front door quickly. Pounding on the faded green door, he paused and stepped back.

  A moment later the door creaked open slightly as Hanna peeked through the crack before pulling it open wide.

  “There’s a tree on your roof,” Leo barked.

  “I have noticed that.”

  “And?” he spat, waiting for an explanation that he realized was none of his business just as soon as the word passed his lips.

  “Um. And it fell over?” She raised her brows, not attempting to hide her sarcasm.

  He glared at her.

  “What do you want me to say? It’s obvious a tree fell on the house. It needs to be removed and repaired. That’s a costly endeavor and I’m working on it.” She crossed her arms, not cowering under his intimidating stare.

  “It’s dying,” he barked.

  “That usually happens to a tree when it falls. It dies.”

  “Don’t sass me. That’s dangerous,” he growled.

  “What is it to you anyway?”

  “It’s not.” He stepped through the door forcing her to step back as he entered. “I’m here to fix your fence so that mutt stays home where she belongs.”

  “Well, please come in,” she said, her sarcasm surfacing again.

  He once again turned his glare toward her before noticing Tasha bouncing around his feet.

  Hanna scurried to pick her up, and holding the tiny dog to her chest, she led Leo through the house.

  He scanned the home as they moved room to room heading to the backyard. He wondered if she had power since the place was dark other than what the windows allowed from pulled back curtains. Although the place was sparse, it was immaculately clean. Cleaner than he had ever seen it.

  “This is it,” she announced when they stepped through a sliding glass door similar to his.

  He stormed past her and began walking the fence line searching for any small open space. Dropping to his knees he placed the toolbox on the ground and flipped it open. Thirty minutes later he was searching again.

  “Would you like a glass of water or tea?” she offered when he entered the house sometime later. “Maybe lunch? It’s almost ready.”

  He paused, not expecting nor wanting her kindness after he had snapped at her earlier.

  “Please have a seat. I’ll get you something. It’s the least I can do for you mending that fence for me. And I’m sorry Tasha has been bothering you.”

  “No bother,” he said as he pulled back a chair and eased into it. With the toolbox next to the chair, the Pomeranian used it as a step to hop into his lap.

  “There’re bears here,” he casually told her.

  Hanna whirled with spatula in midair. “Bears?” The surprise causing her voice to rise.

  “Bears,” he repeated.

  Even in the dim light, he recognized her fear.

  “Tiny thing like this,” he nodded to the dog in his lap, “isn’t safe outside all night.”

  “I haven’t seen one. I had no idea.” The words spilled from her slowly as she watched Tasha make herself at home on his legs.

  “You’re not from these parts, are you?” he asked, studying her.

  She shook her head as she turned back to the stove and clicked off the burner. She lifted the grilled ham and cheese sandwiches onto two plates and walked them to the table. Then retrieving two glasses from the cabinet, she filled them from the pitcher already sitting on the table.

  “Do they come around often?” she asked, lowering herself into a chair across from him.

  His shoulders lifted and slowly dropped. “I see them from time to time.” He raised the glass to his lips and enjoyed a delightful surprise. “This is sweet tea.”

  “Is that okay? I have water.” She began to stand.

  “No. It’s good.”

  “Some people think I make it too sweet,” she told him.

  “Most people don’t make it sweet enough,” he corrected her.

  Silently they enjoyed the lunch she had prepared, with Tasha sprawled across Leo’s lap. As he ate, he decided it would be best to repair anything else she needed before returning home. Well, anything other than the tree damage. That was a lost cause.

  “What else you got in need of repair?”

/>   “The house,” she joked, carrying the dishes to the sink.

  “Let’s see it.”

  “I was kidding. There seems to be more repairs than I realized when I moved here. But I’ll get to them as I can.”

  “Why did you move into a house with a tree on it if you can’t afford to have it taken care of?”

  “How do you know it had fallen before . . . Oh, right. It’s dead.” She lifted her shoulders with a sigh. “No choice. I had nowhere else to go. Besides, the portion of the house that is damaged, I have closed and blocked the doors. Nothing can come in that way.”

  He stood and walked to the light switch and flipped it. Nothing happened. His glare once again landed on her.

  “You’re almost scary. You know that?” She paused and crossed her arms returning his glare. “I’ve been job hunting, but no luck so far.”

  Leo squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, reminding himself that her dilemma was not his problem. If she chose to live in a house only half intact, that was her prerogative. “Thanks for the lunch,” he said instead of what he thought. Then he turned and made his way back through the house and headed home.

  The remainder of the day, he kept his mind busy tinkering with anything he could find. Later that evening, he checked the progress of the apples on the tree and cleared fallen twigs and debris from the yard.

  During the time Leo was busy at home, Hanna made a trip down the mountain to the little general store. She had found the place before finding the house. One day she had stopped in to stretch her legs and get a snack for her and Tasha. The atmosphere of the quaint place appealed to her, enticing her to turn in and check it out. While there she had struck up a conversation with an older man sitting near the long window which made up most of the building front and came to learn of the house that she now lived in.

  When she walked in the store, she went straight to the back wall.

  “Hello, little lady,” a man whose hair was beginning to gray spoke as he stepped next to her.

  She twisted from where she stood near the refrigerated section scanning drink bottles.

  “Hello,” she answered with a smile.

  “That looks like the little fella Leo had in here with him the other day,” he commented, nodding toward Tasha whose head was peeking through an opening in the bag she carried over her shoulder.

  She glanced to the dog then to the old man.

  “You know Leo?” he asked.

  “We met recently when he found my Tasha. Rather my Tasha found him. She ventured to his house. He dropped in and repaired the hole in the fence today. So hopefully she won’t escape again.”

  “Good. That’s good. Glad to see Leo meet a friend.”

  “I don’t know him that well. Actually, I would say he doesn’t like me at all,” she corrected the man.

  “Did he talk to you?” he questioned her.

  “Yes.” Hanna nodded. “Not a conversation, but we talked.”

  The man laughed. “Then he likes you well enough to mend a fence and speak. I call that as close to a friend with him as you’ll get.” He offered a smile before grabbing a soda bottle from behind the door. “I best be on my way. Don’t see none too good after dark anymore. Tell Leo old Henry asked after him. I’ll see him next time.” Then he strolled to the register and after laughing with the lady behind the counter, he walked out of the building.

  Hanna purchased her soda and a snack along with two small cans of dog food.

  “Any new work notices?” she asked the woman ringing up her purchase.

  “No dear, not today.”

  She smiled as she paid for her items and headed outside to her car.

  Placing the bag on her passenger seat, she dropped the snack items onto the floorboard.

  “If nothing comes up by the end of the week, girl, I’ll have to apply for a job in a larger business. Or hit the road again. I know, you don’t understand. But I don’t have the requirements for most places. I so hoped to find someone willing to hire a housekeeper or sitter for cash.” She cocked her head to the dog as if she understood exactly what Hanna was saying. “It’ll be okay, girl. We’ll make it just fine somehow.”

  Chapter Six

  Leo paced the top floor of his home. He wanted to not care. And he told himself he didn’t care. But his brain kept telling him otherwise.

  Why would anyone live in a house with a tree in it? It’s not even on the roof. It fell to the floor of two rooms. Not my problem. He shook his head. Nope, not my problem at all if an animal gets in there. Maybe she’ll pack her bags and move on. Leo walked to the large glass door crossing his arms as he looked beyond the valley, studying the various colors of leaves preparing for the new season. Soon they would drop to the ground and the branches would be bare of the reds, oranges, and yellows. Stubborn woman probably thinks she can survive when the nights begin to dip below freezing. Ha. Her and that furball. The tiny thing will freeze to death without some kind of heat. At least then it won’t be running over here disturbing my evenings anymore.

  At that thought he paused and pushed out a breath.

  “Damn it to all!” he shouted and grabbed his jacket as he took the stairs two at a time and stormed to the house up the hill from his.

  Hanna was stepping from her car when Leo arrived in her yard. He didn’t waste time going by way of the road and two driveways. He made his way straight through the trees and bushes that separated the properties.

  “You can’t live here,” he boomed, causing her to spin in his direction.

  “Um. Why? What do you know?” She stopped abruptly and began fidgeting.

  He cocked his head a moment before answering. “This place is unsafe. You don’t even have electricity for God’s sake.”

  Releasing her held breath, she swallowed and pushed the car door closed. “I can handle it.”

  Leo shook his head. “You can stay at my place,” he bit out the offer, hating to have anyone in his home.

  “I don’t know you,” she snapped. “Just because you come over and repair my fence and join me for lunch does not put us on terms close enough to live under the same roof.”

  “At least I have a roof.”

  Her mouth dropped open for a split second before regaining her composure. “I am not a charity case.”

  He knew he must sound harsh. But as much as he despised company, he felt he had to win this argument. The nights were turning colder, and she apparently had no clue what she was in for if she was not prepared.

  “I know you can cook,” he said a bit calmer.

  She nodded.

  “Your house looked spotless, so you’re good at keeping house also,” he added.

  She narrowed her eyes waiting for the typical male comment about knowing her place to spill from him.

  “Would you be opposed to a housekeeping job?”

  “What?” Her quick response surprised even herself. Not at all what she expected. And she had been looking for a job. “Do you know someone looking to hire?”

  “Not exactly looking, but willing,” he corrected.

  “What does that even mean?” She cocked her head as she asked.

  “Are you interested? Or is that not on your acceptable job list?”

  She wanted to tell him what she thought of his rudeness and sarcasm. But instead she bit her tongue. She needed a job. And this was something she knew she could do well. Since that’s the job she left.

  “Of course, I’m interested.”

  “Good, get your stuff and let’s go. I’m hungry.”

  “Hold on there. I didn’t say I’d start tonight. And I definitely didn’t say I’d move into your house.”

  Leo huffed out a breath rethinking his tactic.

  “Okay, how about this? You grab a change of clothes and whatever that mutt needs and come check out the arrangements. If they’re not to your satisfaction, I’ll escort you back home.”

  “I believe I can walk alone. I did it earlier. Remember.”

  “Alright. If you’r
e prepared to travel alone during the night with wild animals lurking in the shadows. Be my guest.”

  “Wild animals?”

  “Remember our talk of bears this morning?”

  She hesitated, hoping not to seem too eager to take him up on his offer. Debating her options, she realized she would be crazy not to give it a try.

  “The nights are getting colder. I have heat,” he tempted her again.

  “Oh, alright. But no funny business.”

  He threw up his hands in surrender.

  “And if I feel uncomfortable, I’m coming back home,” she repeated for confirmation.

  He nodded.

  “Fine. Let me grab some things and I’ll drive over.”

  “Give me the dog and I’ll meet you at home when you’re done.”

  “Agreed.” She handed Tasha to him and watched him disappear through the trees in the direction of his house. After gathering necessities for the night, she arrived at the two-story log house. She sat a moment studying the place. Finally, she emerged from her car and walked the few steps leading to the front door which appeared to be middle of the home, neither on the bottom floor nor the top. Did he live alone in such a large home? Were there others she would be working for also? It really didn’t matter, she realized. She would work until the job played out then move on as always.

  When Leo pulled open the door and stepped back, she noticed steps leading both directions, up and down.

  “Let me show you the layout and where you’ll stay, then we can discuss the job expectations.”

  She nodded her agreement and followed him up the few steps to find herself in a spacious area, the size of half the house.

  “This,” he said, pointing to the door at the end of a short hallway, past an open bathroom door. “This is my room. It’s off limits.” He stepped further into the space stopping next to a long table surrounded with chairs. “Self-explanatory,” he commented, swinging his arms wide indicating the kitchen to the left and a large living room to the right. The living room area was book ended by a sliding glass door on each side.

  She looked past the long burgundy couch to a closed door. “Is that my room?”