A Tale Of True Love

by Alexa Stewart

The next morning, Marty was up with the sun. Opening her eyes to the strangeness of the old place and the unfamiliar room, she got up quietly, determined to get used to this new life.

  Taking her things into the clean but timeworn bathroom, she prepared for the day.

  In the kitchen, she quietly put the coffee on, then sat at the kitchen table with her Bible. Like she did every morning, no matter where she was, she studied God’s Word, praying and talking with Him about the things on her heart. This practice always endowed her with spiritual strength and growth she needed for a good Christian life.

  Presently, she heard the shower running.

  Tom’s up.

  Ending her prayers, after thanking the Lord for His love and provision, she went into the boy’s room.

  Leaning over Tyler she spoke affectionately, shaking him gently, speaking softly to him, “Good morning son. Time to get up. Your dad’s almost done. Would you get Sam up and help him to get ready, please?”

  Moaning a little, Tyler said sleepily, “Sure Mom.”

  Marty went over to Sam and gently brushed his hair from his face as she kissed him on his forehead. “Time to get up son,” she said lovingly.

  Sam moaned. “If you don’t wake up, your brother will be all over you,” she warned.

  “K… Mom,” he mumbled.

  Marty smiled, got up and paused by the door. She noticed Tyler still sleeping. “Tyler you need to get up!”

  Abruptly he sat up, waking and rubbing his eyes, “I’m up.”

  Marty chuckled at his reaction and left to start breakfast.

  Suddenly Tyler realized where he was, saw Sam still sleeping and jumped on the child’s bed, pulling the covers off his little brother.

  Marty could hear the complaining from Sam quite clearly.

  “Don’t tease your brother, Tyler. Just help him get dressed,” Marty yelled.

  “Tyler, help your brother and don’t pester him!” Tom commanded firmly, as he came out of the bedroom on his way to breakfast.

  In the kitchen, he kissed his wife and settled himself at the table with a hot cup of coffee. They could hear the boys splashing and playing in the bathroom, probably making more of a mess than cleaning themselves up. Marty continued to make toast and set the table.

  Tyler and Sam quickly dressed, as both of them were eager to explore everything they could in this new world of theirs. They teased and jostled each other as they ran to the table, anxious to get breakfast over with, so they could go out and explore.

  Pouring the last of the milk onto cold cereal, Marty turned to Tom and asked, “I need to get some groceries, get our mail started out here, and start the phone service. How’s our budget looking?”

  “It’s going to be tight for a while. Everything’s so expensive here, and if we do have to go into Idaho Falls for the things we can’t find out here, or afford, that’s going to strain our budget even more. Idaho Falls is over a hundred miles from here,” he said with a frown on his face.

  “I wonder what the other families do?”

  “Here, take this,” he offered as he handed her some money from his wallet.

  “Thanks. I’ll check out the store in town and see what I can do. I’ll just get a few things. What are you going to do today?”

  “Ed Meriwether and I are meeting at the church in about an hour. He’s going to show me around. I think I’ll be home for lunch, but I’ll call you if I can’t make it.”

  “Do you want to take the boys, or shall I?” she asked.

  “I wanna go with Dad,” Tyler specified, as Sam chimed in, agreeing with his big brother. Tyler knew they could explore, while their father was preoccupied with other things.

  “No, not this time boys,” Tom said affectionately, knowing he would have his hands full if they went with him. “Stay with your mother today and mind her. I don’t want you wandering off. This place is new to all of us and I can’t be worrying about either of you right now.”

  “All right, Dad,” Tyler responded, disappointed with the decision. Sam sat quietly watching his brother’s reaction to see how he should respond. He looked up to Tyler and wanted to be just like him.

  “Do you want me to drop you off at the church on my way into town?” Marty offered.

  “No. It’s a beautiful day and I can cross over the fields to the church. The walk will do me good. I’ll call you later though, if I need assistance,” he said, teasing a little.

  “That reminds me,” Marty said as she got out her cell phone, turning it on. “I’m getting just one bar. We may have problems communicating out here.”

  “I don’t plan on going anywhere. But if I do and I can’t reach you, I’ll leave a note here on the table.”

  “That’ll work,” she said satisfied, as she took the keys from Tom and kissed him fondly goodbye. Then turning to the boys she told them to get into the car, wished Tom a good day, and drove down the dusty road toward the store.

  Within minutes, she had pulled into the parking lot in front of the ancient mercantile and parked her car near a few others in the dirt. Taking what little money they had, she went inside, grabbed a shopping cart and began to explore the place.

  She could see the post office to the left of the entrance, while in back she discovered a butcher shop that sold beef, pork, moose, elk and other assorted meats that might have been recently supplied by the locals they trusted. Sometimes even grouse, wild turkey and goose were available, depending on the season.

  The old floors of the building creaked as she rolled the cart down the wooden aisles, roaming between the ancient shelving that held some bakery items, candy, pet foods, canned and bottled goods of all types, boxes of assorted cereals, crackers, and cleaning supplies. In the back, she found a cold section selling milk, juice, and frozen items.

  She noticed an area at the side of the store selling fishing gear and hunting equipment. A small assortment of fruits and vegetables were available near the front, but not as fresh as one would want. In fact, almost everything was wilted, overripe, on the verge of being stale, and very expensive. Marty sighed, certain this new life was going to have its challenges.

  After making her small purchases, she stopped by the post office. The boys sat obediently on the bench against the wall nearby with the groceries, as she went to the window and introduced herself to the postal employee behind the counter. The woman was a matronly lady, with sandy gray hair, and sparkling green eyes.

  “Hi, my name’s Marty Madison. We just moved into the parsonage next to the Brandon Creek Community Church, on Parsons Lane. I’d like to start mail service out there, if we can.”

  “How do you do, Mrs. Madison, I’m Fannie McBride. Welcome to Brandon Creek. But I’m afraid we can’t deliver your mail out there. It’s not an established mail stop anymore. We could request it to become one, but it’d take months to get it approved, if it ever did. It’s a lot of red tape and since the carrier gets paid by the stops they make, I’m pretty sure the department doesn’t want to add on the cost of delivering there again. Money’s tight, you know.”

  “I see,” Marty responded, disappointed.

  “I’d recommend using a post office box, like the church does. You can sign up for one of your own, or see if the big one the church uses would be acceptable. The boxes are just through that door,” she pointed toward a room next to the bench the boys sat on. Marty could see the mail boxes through the window of the door.

  “I think we’ll take a box of our own, for now,” she responded.

  After signing the papers and getting the key to their new box, Fannie asked, “You know, I handle the phone service requests here too. Would you like to activate your phone?”

  “Yes, certainly. The cell phone service here is spotty, we’ve noticed.”

  “Don’t I know it!” Fannie said, smiling in agreement.

  “Is there a place in town to get our laundry done? We don’t have a washer or dryer at the house. It used to be on the back porch, but that’s not usable anymore.”

>   “We do have a Laundromat behind the Dead Moose Bar & Grill, but I wouldn’t go in there, if I were you. It’s old, grungy, and some of the patrons from the bar sleep it off in there. I’d rather suggest Crystal Davenport. She’s a nice, hardworking lady with three young kids to support. Her husband was killed at the mill a few years back and she could use the money. She takes in laundry for some of the locals around here and she’s reasonable. Here, I’ll give you her number.”

  “That’d be great. Thanks,” Marty responded, thinking how fast their expenses were adding up, out here in God’s country.

  “How about a place to buy clothes, or tools for the yard?” Marty inquired.

  “Afraid not. The nearest place for that kind of thing is back down in Idaho Falls. There’s really nothing much out here,” Fannie told her.

  “Oh,” the pastor’s wife sounded frustrated. It looks like they’d have to travel to Idaho Falls after all, and more often than she would have liked.

  “I understand that Netti Meriwether goes into the city once a month for a few families. They pool their funds and save on gas that way. It seems to be working for them.”

  “I like that idea! I’ll have a talk with her. How about a bakery?” Marty asked not liking the expiration date on the bread she’d just bought.

  “Nope, none here. We sure could use one though,” Fannie said wistfully.

  “What is in town?” asked the newest resident.

  Fannie stood for a second, thinking, “Let’s see… There’s the gas station… I guess you saw that as you came into town, and the auto repair shop next door. They sell and repair farm equipment, as well at taking care of the vehicles around here. I think you can order some hardware from them, but you’d have to ask Davon Petrie, the owner, or his son Cal.”

  “Then there’s Mitzy’s place. It’s not the best food, but it’s hot. She and her husband Fritz run the bar next door, as well as the restaurant. Then there’s Suzie Anderson’s place on the other end of the building. She just loves antiques and is such a sweetie. And the energy that woman has… it just doesn’t quit… reminds me of the Energizer Bunny,” Fannie said with a giggle.

  “There are two more bars in town, as well. The Dead Moose Bar & Grill, next door to this place, and the Big Brown Bear Bar, the 4B’s we call it, just outside of town on your way to the new lodge at Hidden Lake. Both are very busy places and the bane to our peace and happiness here. You should see it when the outsiders come, the hunters especially. They tear through this town as if it’s a right and with no regard for others. But, I don’t know of a town that doesn’t have at least one of those places.”

  “There’s Molly Webster. She runs the school across the street from here, over at the old grange hall. We have so many students, we probably should have another teacher, but we just can’t afford it. So Molly does the best she can.”

  “Old Franklin Conner owns a lot of this town, at least his family does. He has the new Grizzly Bluff Lodge, about a half hour out of town, up on Mount Hope, overlooking Hidden Lake. He also owns this store and the Inland Lumber Mill over on Calamity Point. His family’s been here for generations and they own a lot of land, while employing most of the folks around here. Braxton Conner, his oldest, is the head butcher in the back there,” she said as she nodded toward the back of the store. “Jed Conner, and his wife Megs, run the Dead Moose Bar and Grill. Franklin’s youngest, Stanton, is one of the county sheriffs out here. His wife Jean and kids go to your church, I think. In fact, I think most of the Conner’s go there. Have since I’ve known them, anyway.”

  “The Homeland Bank is just down the street some. Ed Meriwether runs that, while Doc Bishop’s office is across the street and up the hill from the bank on Stag Bone Lane. They converted the house next door into a clinic, where Bess Compton works as his nurse and midwife. That’s just about most of the businesses in town, I can think of.”

  “Oh, I forgot the town hall. We have a mayor by the name of Penny Wright. She works hard keeping the peace around here and the town alive. Well-liked by most and she’s been at it for about twelve years now. Her office is at the fire station, at the end of the road out there, near Rattlers Run. That’s the road you take up to the lodge, if you’re interested.”

  “Wow, the town sounds interesting. I wish there was more out here, though. Thanks for the information… Mrs. McBride?”

  “Nah, just Fannie,” the woman offered, smiling.

  The two women chatted a little more before Marty said goodbye and left for home.

  Somehow, knowing everything Fanny had shared with her made it easier to understand their new home. As she drove back to the house, she thought about the needs she had.

  I sure wish we had a bakery here, somewhere. I wonder if anyone would be interested in forming a baking club and selling the products in town, or even bartering… There’s certainly a need, but would there be enough interest?

  And a vegetable garden would be great too, if there’s a long enough growing season up here. I’d sure like to avoid buying that stuff sold in the store. I wonder if a community garden could be started, or if one’s even needed. Surely most people have tried supplementing the cost of living out here, by doing some of these things themselves? I’ll have a talk with Tom and see what he thinks. I’d be happy to organize something, if he thinks it’s a good idea.

  At home, Marty tried to open the windows again to air out the house, it was so stuffy. But, since they still wouldn’t budge, she left the front door open and proceeded to put things on the kitchen counter.

  The windows overlooking the decrepit back porch functioned, but they had no screening. She slid them open anyway and warned the boys to not climb in there, it was too dangerous. The ever present breeze that seemed to be an intrinsic part of the mountains flowed into the room.

  “Mom, can we go outside and play?” Tyler asked.

  “Help me put these things away first. Then, as soon as lunch is over, you can play around the house. I don’t want you going anywhere else, especially not near that pasture out back. It’s too dangerous with the cattle in there,” she told them firmly. “There’s more than one bull in that herd and they all have large horns!”

  She could see the pasture clearly from the back of the house. It was a long walk for the boys, but she knew them too well. With their curiosity and love of animals, it would be a powerful draw for them. Besides, she could see the reflections of water, even from here, and she suspected a creek flowed through the land back there.

  The boys quickly helped put things away, while Marty made tuna sandwiches and poured the boys cold glasses of milk. Sitting at the kitchen table, Sam swung his legs back and forth, talking with his mouth full as his brother suggested playing in the dirt pile he’d found near the front porch. It’d be perfect for making roads and a town out there.

  Marty smiled, agreeing to his request. With lunch over, she wrapped up Tom’s sandwich and put it in the fridge.

  “Stay around the house, Tyler and keep an eye on Sam,” Marty yelled at the boys as they flew out the front door and down the steps to the small hill, toy trucks in hand, ready to construct their roads.

  Washing the dishes at the sink, she watch them playing beside the house through the kitchen window. Sam used a small shovel like it was a crane, lifting the dirt and dumping it into his truck.

  A knock at the front door pulled her attention away as she went to answer it. It was Netti Meriwether.

  “Hi, Mrs. Madison… thought I’d come by and visit, if you’ve got the time. See if you need anything.”

  “Please call me Marty and do come in. Would you like some iced tea?”

  “Sounds great.”

  Marty suggested, “Let’s take a couple of chairs out to the front porch. We can get some fresh air and visit, while I watch the boys.”

  “Sure, let me help,” Netti offered as she took the chairs outside, while Marty followed with the iced tea.

  “Are you finding everything you need in town?” Netti asked, knowing
how hard it was to live so far out in the wilderness.

  “It’s difficult up here, isn’t it?”

  As they rested on the chairs, conversing and sipping their drinks, the mountain air flowed gently around them, cooling them some. The summer sun warmed the trees around them, releasing the pine fragrance into the air, and the two women enjoyed their time together as they watched the children play. They discussed the virtues of a bakery, how to obtain fresh fruits and vegetables, and Netti’s monthly trips down into civilization.

  Presently, Marty noticed Tom walking up the dusty driveway, a fine mist of sweat glistening on his face.

  “Warm, beautiful day, isn’t it?” he stated cheerfully as he climbed the stairs and joined them. “Hello, Mrs. Meriwether.”

  “Your sandwich is in the fridge,” his wife informed him.

  “Thanks,” he acknowledged with a smile, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek.

  “Hi Pastor Tom. Sorry I have to go,” Netti said as she stood up. “Got to pick up a few things… and I’m sure my Ed probably looking for his lunch.”

  “Thanks for dropping by Netti,” Marty said warmly.

  “Be sure to get back to me with your list before Thursday, if you can. Mat Jensen and Dakota Benson are coming along to help tote and carry. They always help me every month… such good boys. We won’t be going down below again for another month after this Thursday.”

  “I’ll do that, and thanks so much for adding us to your list, Netti. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

  “Of course not… Not at all. Glad to help. It’s something I feel led to do anyway. And it helps all of us in doing so.”

  Getting into her car, she waved goodbye and left a fine cloud of dust as she drove off.

  Marty joined Tom inside and told him all about her day, the things she had learned and how Netti was going to help them get supplies, way out here in the middle of nowhere.

 

  Members Only