by R E Swirsky
CHAPTER 13
Saturday 11:06 Heart Mountain, near Canmore, Alberta, Canada
Richard’s profuse sweating eventually stopped as they headed south along the ridge between the peaks. The gradual climbs and descents along the narrow path that took up the next hour were much easier accomplished than the original ascent from the valley bottom. The mostly tree-lined trail followed the ridge line between the two valleys on either side of the mountain and narrowed to only a half dozen feet in many places with both sides falling away thousands of feet to the valley floors in treeless stone-faced chutes. The Heart Mountain Loop Trail was not for anyone with a fear of heights.
Neither Richard nor Tawnie spoke of Michelle as they moved carefully along the ridge. Richard knew it would only need to be discussed for a necessary few moments before they arrived back at the truck. For now, it was just the two of them, and he was okay with that. He was enjoying every moment with Tawnie. Being atop a mountain with her seemed the right place to be today.
Richard stumbled as his boot caught on the ridge of a protrusion from the ground. He grunted out loud and Tawnie turned back to see what had happened. He had already regained his balanced and waved her on as if nothing untoward had occurred.
“Jesus, Dad. Watch where you’re stepping.”
Richard grimaced when he stood up straight and stared down the steep drop down the side of the mountain. Any little stumble could be fatal.
“It was just a root.”
“Just be careful. Okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m being careful.”
Frequent stops to take in the view or pose for a photograph slowed them considerably, but sharing each other’s undivided attention was something they hadn’t done for years. It seemed, to Richard at least, that Tawnie was enjoying herself as much as he was.
Another hour passed before they stopped again. The trail widened as another ridge intersected from a small range to the south. The small, stony plateau was the second high point on the trail and was marked by a much larger pile of stones. He sat down alongside the marker to rest. Tawnie dropped her backpack next to him and strolled off to the southeastern edge to set up her tripod. It was the halfway point and offered the first view of the valley on the backside of Heart Mountain. Barrier Lake and the northern part of the Kananaskis Valley lay spread deep beneath them. A cool mist flowed through the valley above the lake.
Richard removed one of the sandwiches from Tawnie’s backpack. He had just taken his first bite when his cell phone rang, surprising him. He didn’t expect to have cell service on top of the mountain. He looked at the number. It was Michael.
“Hi Michael,” he said with an easy calmness. He stood up and wandered away from the Cairn towards Tawnie where she was busy photographing Barrier Lake. Life felt good today and it seemed the entire universe was in perfect order.
“Dad,” Michael said. His perfectly aligned universe began to spin and all the stars recoiled inward as the tone of Michael’s voice pulled him back to earth. Michael sounded different; he sounded stressed.
“Michael?”
“Dad. I…something’s happened.”
“What is it? Are you okay?”
Tawnie continued to fuss about with her camera.
“I don’t know what to do.…” His voice was shaken—broken. “I…Dad, she’s.…”
Michael sniffed. Was he sobbing?
“Michael? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know what to do. Where are you right now? I need to see you.”
“Jesus, Michael. I’m on top of a mountain with Tawnie.”
Tawnie turned towards him at the mention of her name. She lowered her camera and moved up to listen in. “Michael?”
Richard nodded. “Michael, what’s wrong?” he asked again.
Michael sniffled again. “Mountain? I am…it’s not me, it’s Lucy, but…I don’t want to say. I don’t even know what happened. Last night I…me and her, we.…”
Richard frowned. “You’re not making any sense, Michael.” He passed a bewildered look at Tawnie.
“Is he okay?” she asked.
He shrugged his shoulders at her.
“I need some help with Lucy…can you come get me right away? She’s…um…” Michael said.
“We’re camping and not heading back until Monday.”
“Monday…” Michael echoed. “No, Dad. That’s too late. I need someone now, today.…”
“Too late for what? I thought you were heading out hiking with that new girlfriend of yours tomorrow. Lucy? Is that her name?”
“Dad, shhhh! Don’t…!”
“What? Michael…I don’t understand.”
“Just don’t say anything! Please! Just listen to me! Don’t say anything!”
Michael was getting stranger by the moment. “I can come get you, but it’s going to take us a while. We’ll be down the mountain in…uh.…” He looked at his watch and then at Tawnie.
“Jesus…just stop talking…”
Tawnie responded to Richard. “It’ll take at least two hours to get down from where we are if we don’t stop. Maybe three.”
“…three hours or so, Michael. We can pack up camp and be back home in Okotoks by six tonight.” Okotoks was home, a small community a half hour’s drive south of Calgary.
“Six? No, Dad, that’s way too late. Maybe…uh…no. Just stay away, maybe…I…I don’t know. I might go back to her apartment again.…”
“Who’s apartment?”
“Shhh!” Michael replied. He groaned.
“Michael?”
The phone went quiet.
“Michael? Are you there? What’s happened?” He heard Michael sniff again. “Michael?”
“This isn’t going to work. I can’t wait that long.…”
“Michael, you have to tell me what’s wrong.”
Michael began to ramble on like he did when he was younger, not listening to a word Richard said. “I need to do something now, can’t go back, to my dorm I mean. Shhh. Lucy’s apartment…the door’s broken…I have to go now, so, I’ll figure it out, I will. Just…I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?” The phone went dead.
“Michael?”
No response.
“Michael!”
He pulled the phone away and stared at Tawnie.
