by Jim Proctor
“You keep watching. I’ve seen them before. The one with the colored head is the male. The female is all white,” he said.
As she watched, the male stood and then hopped to an adjacent branch. The female took his place in the nest, settling in with a series of wiggles and stretches. Content that his mate was caring for their eggs, the male spread his wings and leaped into flight. Megan followed him until he disappeared behind the trees, and then put the binoculars back into their case and set it on the table next to the window. “It looks like the male has gone off to eat.”
“They take turns incubating the eggs. After he’s eaten, he’ll come back,” Ethan said.
“What do we do now?” she asked.
“The horses have had a chance to drink and rest. We’ll take them into the stable, unsaddle them, give them some oats, and fill their water pails. Then we’ll make ourselves a meal, sit out on the front porch, and enjoy the view. We’ll ride back to my place after breakfast tomorrow.”
“We’re spending the night here?” Megan asked with a smile.
Ethan smiled back. “Yep.”
* * * *
Ethan and Megan carried their food to the front porch and sat together on a wide bench. Evening was coming on, and the western sky was hinting at pink. They ate in silence, each enjoying the view along with the sounds and smells. With her mind on nothing beyond the present, Megan heard several different birds singing in the woods. Occasionally, she’d hear something scrabbling through the undergrowth, and she wondered what else lived on this hill. “This is a remarkable place,” she said. “I love it here. It’s beautiful and peaceful. I could be happy here forever.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ethan smile, and she realized what her comment sounded like. “You can wipe that smirk off your face. Nolan’s not going to invite me to live here with him. Besides, I have my work back in Dawson. I have to earn a living.”
“Folks out here get sick and injured, just like in the city,” he said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked.
“We need medical technicians here, too. There’s a hospital over in Beaumont, and a fire station, too. Because folks are so spread out, they even have a gravcar set up as an ambulance. I imagine they’d be glad to find a good EMT who could fly, too.”
“I have an aircar license, but not the gravcar endorsement,” she said.
“The extra endorsement is easy to get.”
“Well, that’s all fine, but Nolan isn’t going to ask me to move in here. Why would he? He’s got this wonderful spot all to himself. Why spoil it?” she asked.
“Just an observation, mind, but you said you have your job back in Dawson,” Ethan said as he searched her eyes.
“So?”
“You didn’t say you have your life back in Dawson—you said you have your job there. That speaks volumes to me,” he said.
“What difference does that make?” she asked.
“It seems to me that all you have there is your job. You need a life, young lady.”
“Are you trying to mess with my mind?” she asked.
“Me? Why would I?”
“You’ve been playing matchmaker ever since I got here. Nolan and I are friends. Besides, it’s only been a few months since…” Her voice wavered as it trailed off.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m not trying to make light of it. You go ahead and take your time grieving. When you’re ready, you’ll get on with your life. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that time heals most wounds, even if it leaves scars.”
“Everyone says time heals all wounds,” she said.
He shook his head. “Some wounds never heal. Sometimes a person vanishes from your life and you are never really the same again, like they took a part of you with them. But, you move on. You’ve changed, and you’ll make a new life, different from the one you were planning. The important thing is to keep moving forward, never backward. Don’t let the wounds or the scars stop you.”
A tear ran down her cheek. “We had plans… such big plans. Now he’s gone, and I have nothing.”
“I know,” he said softly. “You said this place makes you happy. That’s good. It means you have it in you to rise above the grief and find happiness again.”
“And you think I’ll find it with Nolan,” she said.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m not trying to push you two together, but one thing I’m sure of, you two will be good for each other even if you are only friends. Happiness is something you’re going to have to find for yourself.”
“And what about Nolan? He seems content. Is something missing from his life?” she asked.
Ethan shrugged. “Only Nolan can answer that. You could ask him,” he said.
Megan laughed. “I don’t think I’ll do that. As you said, everyone has to find their own happiness. He doesn’t need me asking him if something is missing from his life.”
“It’s getting dark. Let’s go inside and clean the kitchen. Then I’m going to bed. I usually take the front bedroom when I’m here. You can have the back room,” he said.
Megan stood and carried her dishes into the kitchen. Ethan followed. Soon, they were washing dishes and cleaning countertops.
Chapter 12
Megan lay in bed, unable to sleep. A cool breeze flowed through the open windows, carrying with it all the sounds of the surrounding woods. She remembered a trip she and John had taken a few years ago to a cabin in the woods north of Jarrow. She had fallen asleep then listening to the night sounds, her head resting on John’s shoulder, his arm around her. That was what was keeping her awake now, she realized. She felt empty being in such a beautiful place alone. This needed to be shared. Suddenly, she thought of Nolan, wondering how he could stand being here alone. How could such a spectacular place as this feel so profoundly lonely?
* * * *
“Did you sleep well?” Ethan asked the following morning when she entered the kitchen. He had been up for nearly an hour and was preparing breakfast.
“Not really,” she answered.
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
She waved a hand dismissively, unwilling to start a conversation about how a beautiful place like this needed to be shared. Ethan would grin and give her a look that said I told you so. “It’s nothing. I’m not used to the sounds of the woods at night. I live in an apartment in a bustling city.”
“You’ll get used to it,” he said.
She shrugged. “I’m going home soon, and it is entirely likely that I’ll never be here again.”
“Have a seat. Breakfast is ready,” he said as he pulled a pan off the stove, carried it to the table, and emptied the contents into a bowl.
“It smells good,” she said as she sat and began spooning some of the mixture onto her plate.
Ethan joined her and served himself. “After we eat, I’ll clean up while you close the windows. Then we’ll saddle the horses and ride back to my place.”
When the house was closed and locked, they walked to the stable. Megan entered Ginger’s stall and said in a whisper, “Hello, girl. I missed you.”
Ginger stepped forward and pressed her nose into Megan’s neck. Megan remained still and silent, letting the horse control the moment. After a while, Ginger pulled away from her neck and put her nose against Megan’s. Slowly and gently, she reached up and rubbed the horse’s neck.
“She’s sharing your breath,” Ethan said from the next stall. “That’s not something she does with just anyone. She really likes you.”
“Well, I adore her,” Megan said.
“I know, and she feels it, too. Horses are very sensitive and empathetic creatures. You’re good with her, and it comes naturally for you, not the product of training.”
“I just treat her like a friend,” she said.
“No, it’s more than that. Most people would walk up to her and start rubbing her face. That’s not a sign of affection for horses, and it puts them off. You treat her as though you were a horse. That’s why
she belongs to you,” he said.
Megan sighed. “I don’t know about that. We’ve become friends, but she doesn’t belong to me.”
“She’s yours,” Ethan said. “I’ve seen the way you two are when you’re together. She’s given herself to you. I’m not going to stand in the way.”
Megan looked at him in astonishment. “Really? Mine?”
“All yours,” he said with a smile.
Megan’s smile spread across her face. Then, just as quickly, it faded. “But I can’t take her. Dawson is no place for a horse.”
Ethan nodded. “She’ll stay at my place. You’ll come to see her every chance you get.”
Megan smiled again. “I can do that,” she said.
“You’ll always be welcome,” he said.
“Thank you, Ethan.”
The ride back to Ethan’s farm was casual. They walked across the valley where they had raced the wind the previous day. As they passed through the orchard, Megan said, “Five.”
“Excuse me?” Ethan asked.
“I’ve heard five distinct bird calls while we’ve been riding,” she said.
Ethan laughed. “That’s my girl. You’re learning.”
* * * *
Megan’s last few days at the farm went by quickly. On departure day, she found that she truly regretted having to leave. Even though she wanted to stay longer, she had to get back to Dawson spaceport to meet Nolan. She went to the stable to say goodbye to Ginger, promising to return as soon as she could. Then, reluctantly, she went to the hangar. Ethan had brought her bag down from her room and set it by her aircar where he waited to say goodbye.
“It’s been great having you here, Megan. You’re welcome here, anytime. I mean it.”
“Thanks, Ethan. You’ve been truly wonderful to me. I’ll come back soon,” she said.
Ethan took her into his arms and hugged her tightly. “You’ve brightened this old man’s life these past two weeks. Have a safe flight. Message me when you get home to let me know you made it.”
She picked up her bag, stowing it safely inside, and then began her preflight check. Ethan strode away in the direction of the barn.
* * * *
Two hours after leaving the farm, Megan descended into Oberck and taxied to the fueling station. Hank walked out of his building, and she cringed. How was she going to convince him that Nolan was in the aircar again? He was so nosy that he’d be bound to try to look inside. She had no choice. She needed fuel to get to Dawson, and this was the only convenient airfield she could use given her fuel capacity and range. She brought the machine to a stop and set the brakes.
Hank was standing patiently by the fueling station when she opened the door and stepped out. She closed the door and locked it before he had a chance to move. “Hello, Hank. Can you fill my tanks, please?”
“Sure thing,” he said. “Did you leave your friend somewhere?”
“He’s asleep. You know, motion sickness and all. Gets him every time,” she said.
Hank nodded. “That’s right, I remember. It’s a shame he’s allergic to the medications.”
“Yes, it is,” she said. At that moment, Shelby came out of the building and rushed over to her. She bent down and greeted the dog affectionately.
“She remembers you, too,” Hank said. “So, are you going to the diner for lunch?”
“No, I’m in a hurry to get back to Dawson. As soon as you’ve fill my bird up, I’ll be leaving.”
Hank pulled the hose from the fueling unit and dragged it to her aircar. “Too bad. The lunch special today is the cheesesteak sandwich with a bowl of onion soup,” he said as he opened the fuel inlet and inserted the nozzle.
“That sounds good. I’ll have to try that next time.”
“If you look them up on your data unit, they list their lunch specials for the whole week. That way you’ll know when to come back,” he said.
Megan smiled. “I’ll be sure to check it.”
“I’m sorry about last time. I didn’t mean any harm. I just love aircars,” he said.
“Oh, well… don’t worry about it.”
“I’ve never been in one,” he said.
“In an aircar?”
“Never. I’ve worked here eighteen years. Never been inside one. I’d love to fly sometime,” he said.
“Maybe next time I come through, I’ll take you up for a short trip around the field,” she said.
“Really? I’d love to go!” he said.
“I can’t believe you work here and have never flown.”
“My boss says I make people uncomfortable,” he said, looking at his feet. “They don’t want to be around me for long.” He looked at her and forced a smile. “Good thing I have Shelby. She likes me. I’d be lonely without her.”
Megan cleared her throat and said, “You two have each other.”
Hank nodded. An awkward silence followed.
Finally, Hank said, “Well, that’s about it. You’re all topped off.”
Megan handed him her payment card, and he swiped it through the scanner. “Thank you,” he said. Then he turned and walked toward his building. He gave a short whistle, and Shelby turned and ran after him.
She was thankful that Miguel had packed a lunch for her so she wouldn’t have to risk leaving her aircar unattended with Hank around. He’d climb up on the wing and peer in through the windows, given the chance. She opened the door and climbed in.
With her preflight completed, she taxied to the runway. She was soon airborne and on the final leg of her journey.
It was seven thirty-five in the evening when she finally landed at Dawson spaceport. She taxied to her pad and shut down all systems. Soon, it would be dark. If Nolan was on schedule, he would come here to meet her, collect his bag and data unit, and then they would leave together, taking a taxi back to his apartment. They had agreed it would look best if she spent the first night after their return at his place. She smiled as she considered what Ethan would have to say about that. Of course, they would need that time for her to tell him about the places she had taken his data unit, in case SACOM questioned him again.
She looked at the clock. His starliner should have entered orbit nearly an hour ago. If he got onto an early shuttle, he might already be in the terminal waiting for the cover of darkness to join her. Moving to the middle of the cabin, she folded the seats into a bed and tossed a few cushions to one end. After retrieving her data unit from her stowed bag, she settled in, propping herself up on the cushions. Her data unit glowed gently as she opened a book she had been reading.
Two chapters along, she looked out the window and realized it was dark outside. Nolan would be here soon. She moved the cushions to make herself more comfortable and went back to reading.
Megan awoke in the dark. Her data unit had unceremoniously gone into sleep mode several minutes after she had stopped turning pages. She had given Nolan the aircar’s access code, and she expected to find him sitting in the cabin, waiting patiently for her to wake up. Instead, she found herself alone. Fumbling for a switch, she turned on a low-power lamp, no more than a nightlight, and looked at the clock. Panic rushed through her as she studied the clock again to make sure she was reading it correctly. It was nearly two-thirty in the morning. Even if Nolan had taken the last shuttle down, he should have been here hours ago. Her mind raced, thinking of things that might have gone wrong. As she ran through the possibilities, her panic grew when she suddenly realized that, of all the possible problems, his being caught by SACOM was the least scary option. She woke her data unit, hoping to find a message from him, and then remembered that his data unit was here with her. “Oh, Nolan, I hope I haven’t lost you, too,” she said softly as she stared at the door.
A moment later, the door latch beeped and the door opened. Nolan climbed in and quickly closed it behind him. Megan scampered across the bed. Jumping up, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. “Where have you been? I was scared to death!” she said.
“I’m
sorry,” he said as he hesitantly put his arms around her. “There was a problem with the starliner, and my departure was delayed six hours. I bribed my way onto the second shuttle and ran out here as soon as I got to the commercial terminal.” To his surprise, she hugged him tighter. “Should we order a taxi and walk to the gate?” he asked.
“It’s almost three in the morning. I think we should just stay here. The bed is more comfortable than it looks,” she said as she finally released him.
“All right,” he said, eyeing the bed nervously. “Are you sure… I mean, I could sleep in one of the chairs up front.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said, feeling the heat rush across her face. “There’s plenty of room for both of us.”
“Right. Okay, then. I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted,” he said.
“Right.” Climbing back into bed, she settled in. Nolan hesitated a moment, and then began emptying his pockets, piling everything on a shelf by the door before settling in next to her. After a moment, he rolled to his side, turning his back to her. She rolled away, doing the same. Within minutes, Nolan was sound asleep, and his steady breathing lulled Megan to sleep.
* * * *
Megan was first awake the following morning. Carefully, she crawled out of bed, stopping twice when Nolan’s breathing changed, moving again when it returned to its slow, steady pattern. She stood for a moment watching him, and she knew she had taken too many things for granted while John was alive. She had watched John like this years ago, right after they had been married. It was special. She couldn’t remember why, or even when she’d stopped. She could hear Ethan’s voice telling her that she needed to live in the moment.
Nolan stirred, rubbed his eyes, and then looked around, apparently trying to work out where he was. He looked up at her, and she smiled.
“I should tell you about our trip to the farm,” she said.
