Heart of the Woods

by Grant C. Holland

  Brandon pulled the cell phone out of his pocket again. “I always bring it along for the GPS. I scramble up rocks and hills to get reception, but it doesn’t seem to work here.”

  Levi chuckled softly. “Grandma calls it living free of data pollution.”

  As if she was cued to move, Grandma Daley joined them with tall glasses of lemonade in each hand. “There are coasters there for each of you. Liquid can damage the finish on those tables.”

  Levi dutifully passed a coaster to Brandon. He sipped the lemonade and smiled before setting it down. “Who built this cabin?”

  Grandma Daley seated herself next to Levi. “My late husband. He also had assistance from two good friends. They had experience with off-the-grid homes in California. Oh, it was a grand time during the construction. We had the best party afterward. I must have fried almost 20 lbs. of walleye that weekend! We sang by the campfire. If only we could bring those days back.”

  Brandon raised an eyebrow as he looked at Levi. “Is the fishing half as good as you insisted?”

  Levi laughed softly. “I grew up fishing with Dad down in Missouri on lakes. It’s a whole lot better than that. I don’t think we’ll ever go hungry for lack of fish.”

  Grandma said, “Speaking of fish. I know that it’s early in the day, but will you stay for dinner, young man?”

  Levi nearly jumped on the last of his grandmother’s words. “Or do you need to be getting back to your camp. Surely, you’re camped nearby and didn’t come all the way from Arrowhead Falls so early in the morning.”

  “Please don’t be rude to our guest, Levi.” She leaned forward to look around Levi and focus her attention on Brandon. “And you live in Arrowhead Falls? It was such a pretty little resort town. Is it still like that?”

  Levi frowned.

  “I’m afraid it is having some difficulty at the moment, Mrs. Daley. I understand that you don’t watch television out here, but we gained financial benefits from a locally filmed show for a few years. Now, it has been canceled, and a few businesses have decided to move to greener pastures. It was like our own little boom and bust.”

  “Oh, that is unfortunate. I’m sure you will all bounce back. People always do.”

  Brandon watched as Grandma Daley took a deep breath, and he heard a slight rattling in her throat. She said, “Oh my, I know it is early, but I must go lay down for a few minutes. Levi, please wake me for lunch.”

  She rose from the couch and soon disappeared through one of the doors in the rear of the cabin. Brandon asked, “Is she okay?”

  “She’s growing old, but she’s fine. She usually takes two naps a day, in the late morning and the late afternoon. She is at her best for a couple of hours after dinner.”

  “This is an amazing place. I think half of Arrowhead Falls wishes they could live like this. Most of us would never have the energy and commitment to actually do it.”

  Levi shrugged. “I guess I settled into it. I’m happier here than battling the bastards back home.” He hung his head.

  The sudden expression of vulnerability struck Brandon. He debated in his thoughts whether to pursue the topic. After a few moments of silence, he asked, “Was there something bad there?”

  A scornful laugh erupted from Eli. He said, “I was the 98 lb. weakling with glasses.”

  Brandon gazed at Levi again. He realized that he must be wearing contact lenses. That would be one of the few contemporary conveniences in the deep woods. Levi’s face was handsome, and his body was fit and toned. Despite at least a 20 lb. deficit, Levi was an admirable adversary in their brief scuffle. Brandon said, “It’s hard to imagine you like that. You could hold your own these days.”

  “Yeah, but it’s just as well that I don’t have to anymore.” Levi looked up to see Brandon’s deep blue eyes staring back at him. “As long as you’re here for dinner, why don’t you help me out with some of the chores. Do you know how to chop wood? Summer is the best time to start preparing for winter.”

  “Do you ever relax? You’ve been in almost constant motion since you came at me from across the lake.”

  “I don’t slow down when there’s work to be done. That’s how I keep from getting bored. Finish up that lemonade, and then I’ll join you at the woodpile.”

  Brandon had more endurance than most people he knew when it came to physical adventures and exploration. However, he hated formal manual labor. He grew up spending weekends following the orders of his strict father who was forever making “improvements” to their home and yard. Chopping wood was not on his list of fun, exciting tasks.

  As Levi headed for the kitchen, Brandon asked, “Why don’t we go out and catch some fish? Does your grandmother have enough for dinner? I could help out that way.”

  “That was yesterday. We have a small refrigerated chest wired to the generator. It has almost 10 lbs. of fish from the lake. Are you scared of a little work?”

  Brandon sighed and chugged down the rest of the lemonade. He knew that the only way he would get out of chopping the wood was to leave and return to Arrowhead Falls. He wasn’t ready to do that yet. “A little hard work never hurt anybody, right? Lead the way?”

  It didn’t take long for Brandon to realize one of the benefits of helping out with the pile of wood. Levi peeled off his T-Shirt and laid it on one end of a stack of timber chopped at an earlier time. He said, “If it was up to me, I would go without a shirt for most of the summer, but Grandma is a little formal about clothes. I don’t understand why it matters.”

  In a soft voice, Brandon said, “I meant it before when I complimented you.”

  “You? A compliment?” Levi pulled the ax over his head and swung it downward perfectly slicing a log section in half. “Oh, that I’m cute?”

  Brandon detected a slight blush. “Yeah, that. I’ll tell you something if you promise not to freak out on me.”

  “What? And turn into that deep woods sniper you talked about? You never know. I might suddenly snap.” Levi smirked as he raised the ax again. “I guess you don’t have to worry. You won’t find any guns around here. Grandpa didn’t allow them. I brought a deer down once with a bow and arrow, but it’s hard work. Outside of the fish, I buy our meat at the grocery store like everybody else.”

  Brandon winced when the next chunk of wood split in two and one piece was propelled nearly ten feet to come and rest next to his toes. Levi didn’t need a gun. He could down a small army with his ax.

  “Cat got your tongue?” asked Levi. “I won’t freak out. I don’t do that anymore. Doing that surrounded by all of these trees is hard. There’s no one to appreciate the drama.”

  “I’m gay. I like guys, and I think you’re seriously handsome.”

  6

  Levi

  Levi spent much of the rest of the afternoon and dinner without talking. Brandon’s long monologues about growing up, exploring the lakes and forests alone and with others, and then starting his own business at age 22 were enough to fill any awkward silences. Levi adjusted to spending many days letting hours pass while hearing only the birds in the trees and the occasional mammal rustling through the pine needles littering the forest floor. Brandon said, “You’re very quiet, Levi. Are you okay?”

  “On most days, Grandma is the only person I hear talking. I’m fine.”

  Inside, Levi knew that he was not okay. He was conflicted. On the one hand, if he let himself, he could get lost staring at Brandon’s face for hours while listening to his stories. He liked the company. Levi would never admit it out loud, but he was lonely sometimes.

  On the other hand, Brandon was a threat. Levi saw him as a sort of pied piper that could bring the whole world to Lone Cedar Lake and disrupt his beloved grandmother’s way of life. Levi couldn’t let that happen. He would fight to stop anyone from shattering Grandpa Daley’s dreams and leaving them broken on the forest floor.

  When Brandon suddenly was silent, Levi realized he didn’t answer a question. “I’m sorry. I missed that one. What did you ask?”

&
nbsp; “I made a suggestion. Why don’t you take a day trip with me down to Arrowhead Falls sometime? I understand why you go to Iron Crossing, but I’ll tell people you’re a friend from out of town. They don’t have to know that you live out in the woods.”

  The trip sounded appealing. In his long monologues, Brandon talked about hanging out with friends at a coffee shop. He also had a TV. Levi rarely thought about missing the world of electronic entertainment until Brandon brought it up. Unfortunately, he was also worried that venturing back into civilization was likely to be a slippery slope into disaster.

  “I don’t think so. I need to keep an eye on things here. You’re a nice guy, I guess, but…no.”

  Brandon laughed, and the sound of his laughter was warm and engaging. As soon as it stopped, Levi wanted to hear it again. Brandon said, “I think that’s a rejection. It’s a good thing my ego doesn’t get bruised easily.”

  While he pan-fried walleye for dinner with Grandma Daley, Levi watched nervously over his shoulder. Brandon wandered around the living room. He looked at the paintings on the walls. Grandma Daley’s art hadn’t yet come up in conversations. Earlier in the afternoon, Levi took his large backpack to his bedroom to avoid unpacking the small works while Brandon was around.

  Grandma Daley focused Brandon’s attention on her art. She asked, “Do you see things that you like on the walls?”

  “It’s all stunning. Even though the paintings are abstract, they capture the spirit of the woods. You have great taste in art.” He pointed at a six-foot-wide painting that hung on the wall above the sofa. Deep greens and bright blues hung like curtains on the canvas. “Do you think the artist was looking at the northern lights when they painted that one?”

  Levi tensed when Grandma Daley said, “Yes, I think so.” He worried that she was on the verge of revealing herself as the artist who created the works.

  Instead, Grandma Daley said, “There are salad fixings here in the little fridge. Brandon, would you put those together for us? Everyone pitches in for dinner. That was always Walter’s rule.”

  Brandon walked to the kitchen and mouthed a silent “Me?” to Levi.

  “You heard her. Grandma will set the table. I’m frying the fish, and you can handle the salad.” Levi chuckled to himself when he heard a slight grumbling from Brandon.

  After dinner, Grandma Daley was ready for bed. She said, “I know it’s an early night, but I’ll leave you boys to your conversation, and Levi, maybe you can help me for a few moments before bed.”

  Levi saw the assistance he provided to his grandmother getting up in the morning and preparing for bed as an almost meditative experience. It was the same patterns every day, and it provided the warmth of physical contact for each of them. He helped her into her clothes in the morning and out of them and into her sleepwear at night. It was also another significant way for him to keep an eye on things. He could spot any changes in her body, bruises, abrasions, or anything that looked a little different.

  In the evening, Levi gave his grandmother a quick sponge bath. He was reluctant to leave Brandon on his own in their home, but he couldn’t think of anything specific that was likely to happen. If Brandon wanted to cause the two of them harm, he’d already had ample opportunities throughout the day. He wasn’t likely to grab something off the wall and run, and there was no cash lying around to steal.

  Behind the closed door of her bedroom, Levi asked, “Grandma, do you think it’s okay to have Brandon here? We didn’t have a choice since he appeared on his own, but I know that strangers haven’t been welcome since I arrived.”

  She raised an arm so Levi could continue the bathing. “Someday, I won’t be around anymore. It’s good for you to meet people your own age. He’s a handsome young man, and he’s polite and friendly enough. The Wagners and Colliers are good friends, but they may not be around much longer than me.” She laughed softly.

  Levi blushed slightly and said, “I think he’s handsome, too. Maybe I can talk him out of bringing tourists up here. He could come on his own and help out with projects around the cabin, but I want him to keep the details to himself.”

  Levi never discussed his sexual orientation with his grandmother, but he was out to his parents. When he decided to stay on Lone Cedar Lake, he assumed his parents shared the information, but he never knew for sure. With a simple sentence in response to his comment about Brandon, she cleared up his questions. “I hope you meet a nice young man someday. Keep your eyes open, and keep an eye on this young man. You never know about these things. I would have missed your grandfather if I was looking the other way.”

  Using a washcloth to gently clean down the other side of Grandma Daley’s body, Levi asked, “How did you meet Grandpa? I don’t know if I’ve ever heard the story.”

  She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, Levi knew that she transported herself back into her memories. “It was my first solo gallery show. I was still painting variations on the works of other painters. My mature style wasn’t developed yet. I stood among a small group of my friends and colleagues. We were all using big words to talk about art.”

  Levi reached up with a hairbrush and brushed his grandmother’s hair. It was solid gray and hung nearly halfway down her back. He washed it every other day for her, and she insisted on having it brushed every night.

  Continuing her story, Grandma Daley said, “Out of the corner of my eye, I saw this young man looking at one of my paintings on the wall. I thought I should speak with him because the works weren’t only for show, I hoped to sell some too. Unfortunately, I couldn’t tear myself away from my friends.”

  “But he didn’t get away.”

  “No, he didn’t. He came back about five minutes later, and that time, I excused myself and insisted that I talk to the handsome stranger. I remember his first words, ‘Absolutely stunning.’”

  Levi smiled. “He really liked your paintings then.”

  “He said, ‘I’m talking about you.’”

  After Grandma Daley settled into bed and Levi turned out the light, he returned to Brandon in the living room. “Are you ready to go now?”

  Brandon sat in one of the easy chairs. He was fiddling with his cell phone and looked up when he heard Levi’s voice. “Go? Where?”

  “Back. You said you have a campsite not far from here. It’s getting late. You’ll want to go before it’s pitch black out.”

  Brandon gestured toward a window. “It’s almost dark out there already. I’ve got a sleeping bag in the canoe. Can’t I spread it out here on your sofa?”

  In his gut, Levi wanted Brandon to stay around longer. He liked the idea of having someone else around first thing in the morning, too, but he was worried about getting attached. It was only a day, but they’d already spent several hours together. His intellect told him that he should treat Brandon something like a business partner. They should negotiate the details of their interactions instead of letting it all flow. The lack of constraints would make everything much more dangerous.

  Levi didn’t like to lie, and he convinced himself that his words were only slightly bending the truth. “Grandma is a little uneasy with you here. I guess you can spread the sleeping bag out on the ground outside. I would suggest the shed, but there isn’t any room in there. You could put up your tent. There are lots of options, but I don’t think you should stay in the cabin.”

  Brandon sighed. “That’s your final offer?”

  “I think you’re lucky I’m letting you stay at all. It’s not going to rain tonight. You can watch the stars. You can see everything in the sky out here. Just keep your flashlight nearby because it gets dark out there.”

  “And bears?”

  Levi struggled to stay calm and speak in a business-like tone. He wanted to talk to Brandon like a friend, but he thought that would get awkward fast. “You should know there’s nothing to worry about with the bears if you take precautions. I haven’t seen a bear on the lake in the last two years.”

  Brandon
asked, “Will you come outside with me? Maybe you can help me figure out where to make my camp.”

  Brandon leaned toward one of the paintings on the wall for a moment before heading for the front door. As he stood on the porch with the evening sun filtering through the canopy of pine trees, he said, “I saw a signature in the corner of that huge painting over the sofa. Your grandmother is the artist. They are amazing. Has she ever tried to sell any of them?”

  There was something about Brandon’s lack of awareness of Grandma Daley’s artistic reputation that made Levi smile. He was incredibly open about everything. Levi wondered if Brandon knew how to keep a secret or deflect the topic of conversation.

  Levi said, “Yes, she’s an artist.”

  “Does she still paint?”

  “You haven’t seen the back of the cabin. There is a small studio built onto the back, and we also store some paintings in a sort of expanded closet at the rear of the shed.”

  “Can I see?”

  Levi shook his head. “No, not for now. It’s all private space. I can’t show it to you without Grandma’s specific permission.”

  “Okay. I guess I am sort of pushy. Where do you suggest that I pitch the sleeping bag?”

  Levi took the two steps down off the porch in one stride. He walked to the head of the path from the lake and said, “Right here is probably as good as any. There aren’t so many rocks, and the layer of pine needles is thick. It will create a natural little mattress of sorts. Lay our pad on top of it, and you should be comfy.”

  “You’re not going to go back inside right away, are you?”

  Levi turned in a circle looking around and then watched as Brandon turned his canoe over and pulled a lightweight sleeping bag from his pack. Levi asked, “Do you need help with that?”

  “I probably don’t need help, but I would accept it. Do you think I should set up the tent?”

  Levi shrugged. “Sometimes I come out here myself and sleep in the open air. We get a few humid nights in the summer. It can be cooler out here when the weather is like that. There’s a hammock, too, a little way into the woods in the opposite direction of the lake. I’ve slept overnight in it, too.”