Christmas With Hover Hill

by Risner, Fay

“I'm sure you do, but I don't want to involve you,” Elizabeth said quietly with finality.

  “Well, give my idea some thought.” Bud knew he better come up with a way to get her to talk. Elizabeth could decided to disappear before the two weeks were up without telling him she was leaving. He had to get her to tell him what was wrong so he could help her. He sure didn't want her to disappear out of his life now.

  Chapter 13

  Two days later, Bud hollered in the front door, “Lizzy, are you busy?”

  She came out of the office. “Guess not now. Can I help you with something?”

  “Wondered if you would like to go fishing with me. It's a perfect day to sit on a pond bank, and I just happen to have a pond in my pasture.”

  Elizabeth scrunched her face up. “All right, but I don't know how to fish.”

  “You'll catch on. It's easy,” Bud said enthusiastically.

  “Hover can fix us a picnic lunch. At least, picnicking sounds like fun even if I don't catch a fish,” Elizabeth said.

  “In a few minutes, Hover handed Elizabeth a wicker picnic basket. He said in a low voice for her ears only, “The farmer is taking you out in the wilderness again. Be careful.”

  Elizabeth giggled. “I will, Hover.”

  “We will bring a stringer full of blue gill and bullheads back for you to cook,” Bud said enthusiastically.

  “Sounds colorful. Are these things fish?” Hover asked.

  “They sure are and good eating,” Bud said.

  “I will be thrilled at the prospect,” Hover droned dryly.

  “Don't worry. I'll take the scales off and gut them for you first. That's the hard part,” Bud assured him.

  “In that case, I can not wait to fix these delicious creatures you speak about,” Hover retorted.

  Bud started out the door behind Elizabeth. He whispered in her ear, “You think Robot wants to go with us?”

  Elizabeth giggled. “Not a chance. Hover just warned me to be careful when I go out in the wilderness. He doesn't trust you when it comes to these nature trips.”

  Bud drove through the pasture and pulled up close to the large pond. He spread a blanket out on the bank. Elizabeth sat down with her legs curled to the side. Bud sat beside her and put the worm can between them. Elizabeth looked distressed when she saw the writhing worms in the can so he offered to bait her hook. After instructions on how to cast, he told her she was on her own. After a couple of tries, she had the hang of it.

  Bud praised her for being a fast learner and told her to watch the bobber movement. If the red and white ball shaped bobber danced up and down or took off across the pond, that meant she had a fish.

  After that, they sat in silence, watching their bobbers and listening to ripples lap the bank.

  Finally, Bud asked, “Reckon your family are missing you by now?”

  Elizabeth shrugged. “Not really.”

  “You've been here close to six months. That's a long time to be gone from home.”

  “Take my word for it. They don't miss me. I'm a pretty independent person. Everyone I know figured that out a long time ago.” Elizabeth tried to sound like she meant it.

  “Even so I know I'd miss you if I didn't see you for that long,” Bud said softly.

  Elizabeth put her attention on him. “Really! You would?”

  “Yes, Lizzy. I sure would. I'll bet anyone that knows you is missing you and worrying about you. People you're close to don't know you're here, do they?” Bud asked bluntly.

  “What makes you think that?”

  “A nice person like you would have people checking on her once in a while,” Bud said. “I know that, and I don't ever see it happen.”

  “I see.” Her voice was practically a whisper. “How do you know this?”

  “You never get phone calls or letters in the mail,” he answered. “That tells me you didn't let anyone know where you were headed when you took off.

  Susie's worried she's in trouble with Mr. Winston for letting you stay in the house. On hind sight, she thinks she should have checked it out with Mr. Winston first before she gave you the key. Why didn't he know you were using his house?”

  Her voice was hoarse as she admitted, “Because I didn't tell anyone where I was going.”

  “Just what I figured out a long time ago.” Bud laid his pole down beside him and took her pole from her. He laid it down between them. “We have to talk about this trouble you're in. Maybe I can help. You're running from something! What did you do?”

  Elizabeth stared at a dragonfly doing a balancing act on her line. It flitted across the pond and lit on a cattail. “I didn't do anything.”

  “Look at me, Lizzy,” Bud said sternly. “Did you steal the robot?” Elizabeth bit her lower lip as she turned to face him. “That's better. I know you're hiding out, Lizzy. Why?”

  “I didn't steal Hover. I'm not a thief. He was a gift to me. So much for your being subtle,” She implored.

  “Subtlety wasn't working on you. I'm worried about you. I want to help you out of whatever mess you're in. Are you hiding from someone?” Bud persisted.

  Elizabeth turned away with a shrug of one shoulder. She focused on a frog that splash into the pond, afraid to look at Bud's worried eyes. “Maybe.”

  “You can do better than that, Lizzy. You got to know by now you can trust me,” Bud encouraged. “I can help if you let me.”

  “I know that. I just didn't want to get you involved.”

  “I'm asking to be involved in your life. Tell me what's wrong,” Bud implored.

  Elizabeth sighed deeply. “Maybe it would help to tell you. There are two men I don't want knowing where I'm at. Actually one of them more so than the other,” she said.

  “That man must be bad for you to run away from him.”

  Tears flooded her eyes. “Steven isn't bad exactly. Just persistent.”

  Bud said tightly, “He hurt you some how.”

  “Yes, It took me by surprise when he left me to marry another woman several years ago. When she wised up to the kind of man he is, she left him. Steven came back to town last fall. He knew I wouldn't be receptive to seeing him or having anything to do with him. He cooked up a plan with the help of my brother, Scott, to make me change my mind.

  Steven bought Hover Hill and had my brother give him to me for a Christmas gift. Steven programmed the robot to brainwash me into accepting him back into my life. Hover carries a transmitter that ranges within fifty miles from Steven's house. Steven could listen to all my conversations with Hover.

  Scott and I have always spent Christmas together. We looked forward to that time we shared. Steven talked Scott into telling me he had a business trip. That way, I wouldn't have anything to do for Christmas.

  Steven showed up one night thinking I'd welcome him with open arms once Hover had me thinking about him. I guess I was suppose to miss Steven once I started thinking about him again. There wasn't any way I was ever going to go back to Steven. What I shared with him was over.

  That night I caught on to their trickery. Steven confessed. I didn't want anything to do with Steven, and I was mad at my brother. I told him to get out of my apartment and never come back. He said he wouldn't give up on me. He sounded like he meant it. I didn't have the energy to keep fighting him and my brother at the same time so I left. If I gave Steven enough time, I hoped he would moved on to another woman since he doesn't know where I'm at.

  It's true that Hover is worth a lot of money. Eventually, Steven might have taken him away from me. I thought it would serve Steven a good lesson if I brought Hover along. Besides, I sort of like that bucket of bolts. I'd miss him if I had to give him up.”

  “What did you do for a living?”

  “An English professor at the college in Cedar Falls. I took six months leave to write a book or so they think. If I go back now, I can go back to teaching. Otherwise, I lose my job.”

  Bud whistled. “You gave up your way of life to hide from a man. That's pretty drastic. On the other ha
nd, you like it here. It doesn't make sense for you to keep running. Just stay here. If this guy shows up call me. I'll get rid of him for you,” Bud offered.

  “Thank you. I had hoped it wouldn't come to that, but now that my father knows I'm here he will tell Scott and my brother will tell Steven. I know they may both be here very soon, and I dread it.”

  Bud puzzled, “Your father?”

  “Martin Winston is my father. He used to bring Scott and me here in the summer when we were kids. That's how I knew about the place,” Elizabeth explained.

  A light went on in Bud's mind. “Unhuh. That's why he didn't mind that you moved into his house without him knowing about it.”

  “Yes, he may be relieved to hear I'm still among the living. That's about as far as it goes. Father has never been very attentive to his children. Scott and I were more like the pawns for him and our mother to fight over.

  Anyway, I did take leave from a good college job as an English professor. I thought I'd be going back to it by fall so I planned to face both Steven and Scott then. I was hoping the fact that I disappeared for a while would help them understand how serious I am about being left alone.”

  “As long as your father doesn't mind you're living in his house why don't you stay with him while he's here?”

  “That won't work. Father usually has a woman with him, a flavor of the month type woman. He doesn't want extra company around. I'd just be in his way just like when I was growing up.”

  Bud said, “That settles it then. Come over to my place for the month and move back after he leaves.”

  “Really? You're still thinking about that? What kind of strings comes with that offer?”

  “No strings. I just want to help you.” Bud leaned back on his elbows. “Lizzy, it's time to try something new in your life. Your old life wasn't working out.”

  “I'm not very adventuresome,” she said shortly.

  Bud's voice turned wistfully husky. “If you found the right man, you might change your mind.”

  “I've never thought that could happen. I'm not a very good judge of men. Like I told you, I'm not the romantic type that falls in love and lives happily ever after,” she excused.

  Bud said firmly, “It's time you think about living happy ever after, Lizzy.”

  “I don't believe in fairy tale endings,” she said bluntly.

  “If you stayed and made a life here where you're happy, I'd help you,” Bud said.

  Elizabeth excused, “I have get a job. What would I do in a small place like this?”

  “You sell that book and write another one. That will be a good enough income.”

  “That's easier said then done. I don't even know if I'm a good writer or not. I'm just writing to help the time pass faster,” Elizabeth said.

  “You can do anything you set your mind to. Maybe there's a teaching job open at the school. Give staying here a chance and see what happens. If your father doesn't care that you live in his house after he leaves, you would have a roof over your head.”

  “Looks like you have my life all figured out for me. What happens next, Bud?”

  “I predict one of these days, a prince charming will come along you like and change the way you think and feel,” Bud said.

  Elizabeth gave an unladylike snort. “Yeah right! Does your crystal ball say just whom that might be?”

  “I'd like it to be me,” Bud said earnestly.

  Elizabeth stared at him. “You would?”

  “What's so surprising about that.” Bud sat upright. “I love you.”

  “Oh, my! My life is such a mess right now. I hope you aren't waiting for a response. I don't know how I feel about anything at the moment.”

  “I guess I can wait for you to make up your mind. Now reel your line in. You caught a fish.”

  As Bud predicted, by late afternoon they had a stringer of fish for Hover to cook. Hover protested when he saw the cleaned fish in the sink but not very strongly. Elizabeth decided it was the banter between Bud and him that Hover liked.

  After supper, Bud went home. Elizabeth had another cup of coffee at the table while Hover cleaned the kitchen.

  “Are we leaving?” He asked.

  “I don't know what to do. I like it here. Bud says we can stay with him through June while my father is in the house. Maybe my father would let me move back in once he leaves, but that means losing my job,” Elizabeth said.

  “You know Farmer is hoping you will stay at his house permanently once he gets you moved in,” Hover declared.

  “He has mentioned a future with me,” Elizabeth said frankly.

  Hover stopped putting dishes away. “Are you going to take him up on it?”

  “It's too soon to think about how I really feel about Bud. First, I have to get through the next few weeks. I'm sure Steven or Scott, maybe both, are going to show up soon. I should be out of here before they come or stand my ground this time instead of running. At least until my father moves in. What is your advice?”

  “Stand your ground. Stop running. Get rid of these men and live happily ever after,” Hover said, picking up the dish towel.

  “Did Bud tell you to say that? Sounds just like his fairy tale premise?”

  Hover worked at folding his dish cloth up into a tiny square. “I have not discussed you with him, and I would not do that. Where does this leave me if Steven comes here? You going to give me back to him?”

  “You want to go with him?”

  “No, he will just sell me or donate me to somewhere. I like it here with you.”

  “That settles it. You were given to me as a gift. I have no intention of regifting you. You're stuck with me,” Elizabeth said, smiling at him.

  “That is good to know. We are stuck with each other. I should prepare you though that some day I will need a new battery. The battery is expensive.”

  Elizabeth said sincerely, “Thanks for the warning, but I don't want to change my mind. You're staying with me. I don't know what I'd do without you now. I'd miss you, Hover.”

  “Leaving would be a problem for me as well,” Hover droned softly.

  Suddenly a thought came to Elizabeth. “Oh my.”

  “What is it now?”

  “Something I thought about earlier when I was explaining this mess to Bud. You were expensive. As self-indulgent as Steven is, do you suppose he wants to find you instead of me?”

  “That could be true,” Hover droned.

  Elizabeth came out of the chair fast. “I'm for moving on right away. Why should we stick around and find out what Steven thinks? I might be in trouble for taking you away.”

  “I don't think so,” Hover droned.

  “How do we know Steven and Scott haven't accused me of being a thief. I could be arrested when they find us,” Elizabeth said shrilly.

  Hover came around the table to confront her. “That can't happen. You were given me as a Christmas gift. I am yours to do with as you want.”

  “That is a fact.” Elizabeth took a deep breath. “Of course, you're right. What a relief.”

  “Yes, but keep in mind that might not stop those men from trying to take me away,” Hover finished.

  “Don't worry. I won't let them, and Bud said he would help me if Steven and Scott do show up,” Elizabeth said with determination.

  Elizabeth couldn't sleep that night. She stood at the kitchen window and watched the full moon rise over the tree tops. When would her world be invaded? In hours or days. Would it be Steven or Scott barging in the front door, demanding she return to Cedar Falls. She hated confrontation, but she'd have to make Steven understand she didn't want to be a part of his life ever again.

  While Elizabeth stood there, the moon rose high in the sky. A cat yowled a screechy scream and knocked the metal trash can over with a bang. She flinched. If she wasn't jittery enough, that cat make her nerves worse. She locked the doors and went to bed. Surely, her battle would be in daylight when she could see the enemy coming.

  Two days later, Bud stops by the diner.
“How's it going, Sis?”

  “Fine. Did you happen to see if that stranger made it to Elizabeth's house?”

  Bud bolted up from the stool. “When was this?”

  “About half an hour ago. He came in and asked directions.”

  Bud snapped, “Did you have to give them to him?”

  “He said they were good friends so I didn't see any reason not to,” said Susie, sounding distressed.

  “He's probably the man she's hiding from. That's reason enough,” Bud said.

  “I didn't know she was hiding from a man. A good looking one to boot. You just said she didn't tell her father she was here.”

  Bud raced to the door. “Sorry, Susie. Lizzy didn't want me to tell anyone the whole story. I got to go.”

  That morning, Elizabeth tried to concentrate on her writing, but she had trouble keeping her mind on track.

  The final straw was when Hover called from the living room. “A car is coming to the house. I think it is Steven driving.”

  After taking a deep breath, Elizabeth said, “I'm coming. I might as well get this over with. Just don't leave me alone with him.”

  “I will not.”

  Elizabeth opened the door before Steven, dressed like a banker in a black suit, shirt and tie, had a chance to knock.

  “So it is true. This is where you've been hiding out all this time.” Steven glanced over her head at the room.

  “Go away.” Elizabeth kept a firm grip on the door.

  “I've come a long ways to see you. Aren't you going to ask me in?”

  “No, I don't have any reason to talk to you. Leave,” Elizabeth said, her cool contemptuous gaze clashing with his.

  “I came all this way to see you. I intend to talk to you,” Steven said as he brushed her aside and walked past her. “Well, well, you do still have the robot I see.”

  “Whatever you have to say, I'm not interested. Go away,” Elizabeth persisted.

  Steven walked around the room, looking the place over. Elizabeth leaned against the wall close to the door, watching him. Hover stayed by the window. Steven turned back to Elizabeth. His eyes were frosty as he sized her up. The silence hung between them like a thunder cloud.