Todd and Maria stepped into the cabin and were confronted by three little girls looking up at them. The youngest looked to be no more than six or seven years old, the other two a little closer in age, probably around thirteen or fourteen.
The smallest one immediately focused on the baby in Maria’s arms. She stepped forward and Maria leaned down so that she could see the baby’s face.
"Ohhh," the little girl sang. She reached, began playing with Joshua’s tiny fingers and was immediately joined by her two sisters. Maria went to one knee allowing the children to gather round.
"Carful now," their mother said.
Todd pushed his hand toward the stranger. "I’m Todd Riley. This is my wife Maria and our little boy Joshua."
“I’m Eric Wheeler,” The stranger said shaking Todd’s hand. "My wife Stacey and my oldest daughter Kiara. This is Ally and the little one here is Sadie."
Todd handed the covered platter over and Eric looked around his tiny cabin. "We don’t have anything yet," he said. He knelt, put the platter on the floor in front of him and rolled the towel away. "Ah, the kids are gonna love this."
Stacey Wheeler reached and put her hand on the oldest girl’s shoulder. "Come on girls, leave poor Maria alone."
"We have candy, kids," Eric said. The girls squealed and moved away towards the platter.
Eric made a quick scan of the dim-lit cabin and turned back. "Uh, you know, I’d offer you a seat but we don’t have one."
Maria looked up. Eric wasn’t exaggerating. They had nothing; only the bare floor and walls that surrounded them. A healthy fire burning in the fireplace was the only source of light.
"Do you know what?" Maria said. "We can help you. We’ve been here a while and we’ve accumulated all kinds of stuff. We have tons of bedding, food, furniture and lotsa’ junk, and if we don’t have it, there are plenty of people around here who do."
Eric brightened. "That’s great…only we don’t have any money but… I can sure work—"
"None of us have money," Todd said. "It’s all barter here. I’m a doctor, well…that’s what they call me. Really I’m just sort of an intern under Dr Fasbender."
Eric glanced at his wife and back at Todd. "You’re a doctor? They told us there were no doctors… anywhere."
"My husband, Gladys...that... Debby and about a hundred students are the only ones," Maria said proudly.
Eric snorted. We won’t be sharing a neighborhood for long. I’m in construction…an electrician."
"No that’s good," Todd said. "The Mums are rebuilding Salt Lake City. They have the power back up already. They even have local television. They’d love you there."
Eric exchanged glances with his wife before returning his attention to Todd. "We were just there...in Salt Lake. They seemed a little wary of us. The Mums I mean. We’re not Mormons and we heard they weren’t allowing non-Mormon settlers in Salt Lake. We assumed that’s why they settled us here."
"They haven’t been," Maria said, "until lately, but you can’t blame them. Salt Lake is Mums headquarters and they were attacked. They’re opening up a little now, especially to construction tradesmen."
"That’s true," Todd said. "Did you tell them you were an electrician?"
Eric shook his head. "We’d heard so much about them we just kept our mouths shut."
"Oh no-no," Todd said grinning. "You tell them what you do. You’re gonna do very well around here."
Eric smiled and looked back at his wife. "We’re gonna make it, sweetheart. I told you everything would be fine."
Stacey Wheeler stepped forward and hugged her husband.
Maria spotted a tear roll down Eric’s cheek. She turned away and looked at Todd.
"Sorry," Stacey said pulling away from her husband. "We’ve been through so much—"
Eric, obviously trying to control his emotions turned his head away and looked at his children who were gathered tightly around the platter hungrily nibbling on chocolate covered almonds. "Hey you kids are gonna eat it all. Save some room for supper."
Maria noticed for the first time the pot in the fireplace. It looked like they were trying to cook some sort of small animal. "You know what?" she said quickly. "If you haven’t eaten already we were just about to sit down to supper. Why don’t you join us? We can set you up with blankets and what all for tonight, then go out and find what you need tomorrow. How would that be?"
~~~
Maria had been keeping a box of pork chops in their old frozen shed for over a month. She had pulled them out along with two pressure cooked Mason jars filled with potatoes and string beans. Hanna had given them to her on one of her many trips to the cabin.
She and Stacey Wheeler had fired up the generator, put together a bountiful feast and had splayed it out over Maria’s circular dinner table.
The table wasn’t big enough to accommodate everyone so the children had been relegated to sitting on fluffy pillows around Todd and Maria’s western style coffee table.
"I get to say the blessing," little Sadie Wheeler said.
Eric turned to Todd. "Do you mind? The kids are used to saying the blessing."
"Not at all."
Little six-year-old Sadie folded her tiny arms against her chest and tightly closed her eyes. "Dear Jesus," she said. "Thank you for the yummy food and the chocolate and the baby and… our house and… Jesus Christ amen."
The food was quickly consumed over talk of the new neighborhood the local job market and light gossip. When everyone was finished eating, Eric pushed back from the table. "That was delicious. It’s been a long time since we’ve eaten like this."
"It’s so much fun," Maria said. "It’s gonna be good to have neighbors a little closer to our age."
Eric looked at Maria. "You look so familiar."
"She looks like a movie star," Stacey said.
"Oh stop," Maria said smiling. She pushed away from the table and stood. "Coffee anyone?"
Stacey moved from her chair. "That sounds wonderful."
"You ladies sit down," Todd said, "I’ll pour the coffee." He went in search of cups. "Do you know the movie star Jessie Espinosa?" he said over his shoulder.
"Todd, will you stop!" Maria yelled.
"Ooo he’s my absolute favorite hottie," Stacey said grinning.
Todd pointed a finger at Maria."He’s Maria’s old boyfriend."
"What?" Stacey shouted, wide eyed.
Maria frowned and shook her head. "It was just a college thing."
"Zowee," Stacey said staring at Maria.
Todd returned from the kitchen nook with cups."You’re both wondering what she’s doing here with me, right?"
Eric laughed. "We didn’t say a thing."
"I’m hearing a New England accent," Maria said, quickly changing the subject. “Where are you from?"
"Burlington, Vermont."
Maria leaned back allowing Todd room to place and pour her coffee. "I’m originally from the east. I’m from Long Island. Todd is from Muskogee, Oklahoma."
"A place where even squares can have a ball?"
Todd grinned and pointed at Eric. "I’ve never heard that one before."
Eric chuckled.
"What was he like?" Stacey said.
Maria looked up, "huh?"
"Jessie Espinosa…what was he like?"
Todd and Eric laughed.
"What?" Stacey said, looking around the table. She grinned and turned to Maria. "You don’t understand, I’ve had a crush on this guy forever…. Eric knows."
"Whatever you do, Maria," Eric said, smiling, "don’t introduce them."
Maria leaned close to Stacey. "You wouldn’t want him. He’s such a jerk."
"How could someone who looks like that be a jerk?" Stacey asked.
"Jerk," Maria said mouthing the word carefully. She stood up from the table and pointed at Todd. "The man I want is right there." She went for the cream container on the counter.
"Don’t say a word," Todd said looking at Eric.
Everyone laugh
ed.
Maria returned to her place at the table."You’re a long way from home. Where have you been since the day?"
Eric finished sipping his coffee. "Actually, we spent a couple weeks camped out on the Ronald Reagan, an aircraft carrier."
"Yeah," little Sadie said, making herself known."It was huge." She stood on her tiptoes and lifted her arms over her head.
"Was Jessie Espinosa really your boyfriend?" fourteen-year-old Kiara said, appearing at Maria’s side. The question spawned another round of laughter.
"Honey, go play with your sisters," her mother said.
Little Sadie pointed a tiny finger at Maria. "You’re pretty."
"No, you are," Maria said, poking at the little girl’s belly. She backed away and giggled. Everyone at the table laughed again.
"You have a great family," Todd said, looking at Eric.
"We are blessed."
Eric sat in silence for a time before reaching and shaking Todd’s hand. "Thank you," he said, tears watering his eyes.
"For what?"
He looked deep into his coffee cup, glanced up at his wife and back at Todd. "This morning," he continued, "when you saw me on the mountain, I was out looking for something to shoot, something I could feed my family because… we hadn’t eaten much for a few days, not since the Mums took us in.
"I wasn’t able to shoot anything. I trapped a squirrel. That’s all I saw. I was bringing a squirrel back for my family of five to eat. Now, here we are…" his voice trailed off.
Stacey squeezed his hand.
Eric composed himself and continued. "Now, here we are sitting around the table after an…incredible feast, thanks to very, very good friends. And we’re talking about…normal life, and… I…seem to have a future again and… sometimes I wondered if life would ever be that way for us ever again."
Stacey hugged her husband.
Chapter_Four
One week later
Stacey sat down on a convenient flat boulder jutting up from the dry stream bed she and Maria had been traveling along. "I’m still not used to this altitude," she said, puffing. "Just give me a moment."
"Not a problem," Maria said, sitting down next to her on the boulder, "You’ll get used to it."
"You do this every week?" Stacey asked.
"Twice. We sort of depend on each other up here. Nigel Hembury and I have been making the rounds for a while now, checking up on the mountain cabins."
"I’m sorry to hear he’s sick again," Stacey said.
Maria reached and took Stacy’s hand. "I’m just glad you’re here with me. I used to have to go by myself if Nigel couldn’t make it."
"I hope that wasn’t often. I’d hate to have to trudge up this mountain and back by myself."
"I had to go it alone a couple of times,” Maria said. “Nigel hasn’t been feeling well." She gave Stacey’s hand squeeze. "I’d rather have you with me anyway."
Stacey flushed and grinned. "You’re so sweet. Why are you so sweet to us?"
"Oh, I don’t know. Probably because you and Eric are so fun to be around, and it’s so good to have friends our age, and your cute little kids are to die for, and—"
"We are good friends, aren’t we?" Stacey said interrupting. "We really seemed to hit it off. We just love you guys, and you’ve done so much for us."
"It's true," Maria said. "We’ve had more fun just hanging out, playing cards and laughing with you guys than in all the time we’ve been here."
They sat in comfortable silence looking out at the forest. Finally Stacey spoke. "Did it ever bother Todd, you going up on the mountain with another man?"
Maria turned towards her and grinned.
Stacey flushed. "I’m sorry. That was a stupid thing to say, it’s just that you’re such a beautiful girl and it’s so isolated—"
"Todd knows he never has to worry about me," Maria said.
"I know, but what about Nigel?"
Maria giggled. "Nigel is a very open and happy gay man. He’s a sweetheart, and I could probably kick his ass."
Stacey laughed and covered her mouth. "I really need to learn to shut up," she said, shaking her head. "It’s just that Eric and I are so old fashioned, we’re sort of jealous. Gay or not, I think it would drive Eric crazy… and I’m the same way. If Eric was working day in day out with a pretty woman like Debby I’d go crazy, I don’t know how you—"
"Debby?" Maria interrupted. "Are you talking about Todd and Debby?"
Stacey quieted and looked at the ground. "I can’t seem to keep from saying stupid things today."
"Why?" Maria said. "What do you know about Debby? Why did you say that?"
Stacey turned and looked at Maria, "It does bother you, doesn’t it?"
"Why would you say such a thing?" Maria yelled. "What do you know about it?"
"Maria," Stacey said, smiling. "I’ve heard absolutely nothing. I’m just a stupid woman who says stupid stuff. This is the first I’ve even thought about it. Todd obviously loves you so much… and, who could compete with you…I mean, really."
Maria softened. "Todd does love me, I know he does… and I love him. I’m sort of new to that feeling… to be so dependent and… vulnerable. He and the baby are the only family I’ve ever known."
"But Debby bothers you," Stacey said. "It’s obvious. You should talk to Todd."
Maria sighed and looked out into the forest, "I’m trying so hard not to be… that woman. I used to be such a bitch—"
Stacey laughed. "You? You’re kidding! You’re so sweet."
"Honestly," Maria said, "I’m so lucky my Todd loved me the way he did. He saved my life."
They sat in silence for a time, taking in the cool mountain air against the hush of an early afternoon breeze.
"So," Stacey said finally, "tell me about these people we’re about to meet."
"Well, Spencer Larson’s cabin will be the first. He’s an odd little guy but harmless. He’s an old Vietnam veteran. When he talks he always asks questions, then answers them."
"What do you mean?"
"Does he talk funny? Yes, quite often. Is it obnoxious? Most definitely. Will he be glad to see us? That’s a good possibility. Will we be glad to get away? Most likely."
Stacey laughed. "Have I met people like that? Yes I have.”
Maria giggled, kicked her legs out and continued. "The next cabin we’ll visit will be Martin Caldwell’s place. He’s normal, except that he loves trees and hates people.
"Then on to Tom Allen’s place. He’s sad, I’m not sure why. Oh and then we’ll go to the Jensen’s place… they’re kinda’ weird, Christians I think, from Wyoming. Then on to my friend Hanna—"
Maria noticed Stacey’s demeanor had changed. She quieted a moment and spoke. "It was that Christian remark wasn’t it? I didn’t mean they were weird because they were Christians. I just meant they’re weird…but not…weird like—"
Stacey laughed.
"Good," Maria said. "You’re not mad then?"
"Is it that obvious?" Stacey asked.
"What, that you are Christians? Well, yeah."
"That’s very complimentary, you know. We’ve never said anything about it."
"Well, you live good, and your kids say the blessing way too much."
"That’s a giveaway," Stacey said, giggling. "I should tell you, Eric was a deacon in our church back home in Vermont."
Maria sighed, "Well, there goes the town."
Stacey laughed again.
Maria sat up straight and looked around them into the forest. "I guess we should go before it gets too late."
They stood and slowly made their way up the dried out riverbed, pulling the child’s sled as they went, until the riverbed became a rut and veered off towards the east. They turned up a well defined path and were soon in the meadow nestled within the grove of aspen.
They followed the well worn trail of footsteps till they reached the other side of the meadow, and wound their way through the aspen grove till it stopped at a sloping cliff over
looking Spencer Larson’s cabin. He stepped out to greet them as they approached.
"Hello ladies," he said cheerfully. "It’s always so good to see— Hey, looks like we have a new face."
Stacey stepped forward and pushed her hand out. "Stacey Wheeler," she said, shaking his hand. "We just arrived here. Nigel couldn’t make it so I’m taking his place."
"I’m glad," Spencer said. "Should a young woman like Maria be wandering these mountains all by herself? I should hope not. I haven’t had any trouble, but could bad things happen up here in these mountains? I’m sure they could. Won’t you two come in?"
Maria shrugged. "We would love to but we’re running late. We’ve spent the entire morning gabbing and not taking care of business."
"Good," Spencer said flatly. "My place is an awful mess, but who cares? Certainly not me."
Maria giggled and pulled a small package out of a bag on the sled. "Gladys sent your prescription."
"Oh good, I’m just about out. Sure you don’t want to come in?"
"No," Maria said, "we really should go."
"Very well then, thanks again for coming."
The two women turned, waved, and began making their way back down the path from where they had come. "Be careful now," Spencer hollered. It’s pretty slippery on the slopes."
They continued on to Martin Caldwell’s cabin where they dropped off a bag of chewing tobacco and a jar of canned peaches. Tom Allen wasn’t home, so they left his little package in a crevice above his door. Soon they were at the Jensens' cabin. Stacey introduced herself as a fellow Christian and the family seemed delighted.
They returned to the aspen grove and made a right turn down a small path. Soon Hanna Parrish’s cabin came into view.
"This is the last one," Maria said. "You’ll love Hanna. She’s been here longer than any of us. I think she lived near here before the day. She and I—" Maria’s voice trailed off. She slowed to a stop in the middle of the path. Stacey moved up behind her.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Something’s wrong," Maria said quietly. She pointed at the cabin. "The door has been left open. She’d never do that."
Johnson, C. W. Page 9
