Ronnie Coleinger: A Winter Collection

by Coleinger, Ronnie

  When Rebecca woke, the sleeping bag beside her was empty and it was daylight. She sat up, hoping she had not screamed or talked in her sleep. She did not want to ruin the wonderful relationship she had created with this new friend. As she wiggled out of the sleeping bag, slid into her pants, and slipped the shirt over her shoulders and began buttoning it up, Joseph looked in the tent and asked if she was ready for breakfast. She moved out of the tent and began tucking her shirt into the pants. As she completed the task, she looked at Joseph and said, “I need to take care of some bodily functions before breakfast.” Joseph smiled and pointed towards the west towards a fallen tree. He explained that the tree made a perfect seat to do her business. Rebecca felt her face blush, but quickly gathered up her emotions and said, “Thanks.” She retrieved her rifle from the tent and shouldered it, then picked up a small white bag and headed off towards the fallen tree.

  Rebecca could see Joseph as she unbuttoned her pants and sat down on the fallen tree, but soon realized that he had no interest in spying on her. He simply continued to prepare their morning meal. As she walked back into camp, Joseph poured some boiling water into a small pan sitting on a log and added a touch of cold water to it. Then he handed her a small towel and said, “You can use this to wash.” Rebecca saw a bar of white soap beside the wash pan and quickly washed her face, neck, arms and hands. Then she disposed of the wash water and joined Joseph for breakfast. When she sat down on a stump, he dished out some food and handed it to her with a fork. Rebecca looked at the food and then up at Joseph. She smiled as she said, “Not only are you good company and a fine bedfellow, you also cook a fine meal.”

  Once they finished breakfast, Joseph asked Rebecca about her plans for the day. She said she needed to begin her trip home and wanted to hike a few hours before dark. Joseph said, “I am also ready to head home. I have enjoyed my vacation here in these mountains, but now it is time I return home and tend to my customers and the novel I am writing.” Rebecca looked at Joseph and said, “Shall we pack up our things and get underway? I would like to make a stop at my friends’ camp and say goodbye. I also need to make a stop at Monique’s cabin to pick up the things I left there.” Joseph began cleaning up the camp and packing his belongings. As he worked, Rebecca began packing her backpack. Once the tent was packed and they had carefully checked to insure they had not left anything lying around, they quenched both campfires with water to insure they were cold. Then they hoisted their backpacks onto their shoulders and began walking.

  When they announced themselves and entered Monique’s camp, they accepted a cup of coffee, sat down and talked for a few minutes. When they decided to begin their trip home, Monique stepped up to Rebecca and said, “Rebecca, I have a request before you begin your trip home. Would you kneel down and place the palms of both hands on the ground. I would like to explain something to you to keep you safe.”

  Rebecca did not ask why, she simple did as asked. Once her hands were palm down on the ground, she felt a tingling in her fingers and then saw an image of Monique, Blacky, Ginger, Natalie and Joseph standing around her in a protective stance. They all had their hands on her shoulders as if trying to warn her to remain kneeling.

  When Rebecca lifted her hands from the earth and tried to stand up, her knees felt weak. Once she managed to stand, she began to feel better and then felt empowered. Rebecca looked up at Monique and made eye contact, hoping for an explanation of what just happened. Monique stepped up close to Rebecca and took hold of both of her hands. Then she said, “You have just felt the power of the Seine Mountains flow through your body for a second time. This mountain contains magic that will protect you if ever you are in need. If you are in trouble, simply place your hands on the ground and speak my name. The powerful mountain you stand on will protect you until we arrive. Within a blink of an eye, the mountain will guide us to you. Never again, feel alone or in fear for your life. The mountain loves you, as do all of us. Go in peace my friend.”

  When Rebecca turned and made eye contact with Joseph, he stepped up to her and said, “Yes, I possess the power of this mountain as do the others. Now you too are under its magic. This mountain will bring us together within seconds if you find your dreams have pushed you over the edge of sanity into that cavern of lunacy. I felt your fear last night as you slept and I know of your constant struggle with suicide. We are all with you now and the magic of the mountain can calm your fears and mental turmoil.” Rebecca stepped up close to Joseph and wrapped her arms around his neck. Joseph could feel the warm tears on his neck and welcomed the feeling. The tears would help Rebecca wash away the physical and mental pain she had endured for the last two years.

  When Rebecca stepped back, she wiped her eyes with her shirtsleeve and then smiled. She said, “Every time I touch you, I seem to cry. You must realize that the tears come from deep down within my soul. They come whenever someone offers compassion and understanding of my pain. I hope to eventually tame them so they do not embarrass me in front of my friends.” Joseph pulled Rebecca back into his arm and held her tight for a moment. Then he pushed her back and said, “If you make me cry in front of everyone, I will toss your ass into the river.” Then he began to laugh; a belly laugh that came from deep within him, a laugh that Rebecca instantly came to love.

  As Joseph and Rebecca pitched a tent for the night, they heard the sound of a raven squawking as it flew at tree top level over their camp. Rebecca spoke to the raven and waved at it. The raven landed in the top of a tall White Pine tree. It sat looking down at them for a moment and then flew off towards Monique’s cabin. Rebecca said, “Thank you for checking on us, Charles. Say hello to Sally for me.” Joseph stood staring at Rebecca for a moment and then remembered the story about the raven carrying Rebecca from her cabin, up into the Seines to visit Monique and her friends. He walked over to Rebecca and stood in front of her. She giggled and said, “I suspect by the look on your face that you now consider me totally daft. I certainly don’t blame you for thinking so after I talked to a raven that flew overhead.” Joseph laughed and said, “I remember the stories of how you first met Charles and Sally. I will not comment on your sanity.” Rebecca giggled and said, “Thanks for that.”

  As Joseph and Rebecca prepared their camp and cooked a meal, they discussed where Joseph was now living. He explained that the state had condemned his home on the east side of the mountain to make room for a casino and the contractors bulldozed his home to the ground. He was now living in a room at a boarding house on the west side of the mountain until he decided where he would purchase his next home. Rebecca realized that the boarding house was only a mile from her cabin. She considered asking Joseph if he wanted to move in with her, but bit her tongue and decided to get to know Joseph a little better before making such a huge change in her life.

  As they finished supper and cleaned up the camp for the night, Rebecca said, “I am going to walk down to the creek and wash up. I will be back in a few minutes.” Joseph started to protest over her leaving the camp alone, but then realized she had a towel, a bar of soap, and some deodorant in her hands. He smiled and said, “Stay within ear shot of the camp. I will listen to insure your safety.” Rebecca looked into Joseph’s eyes for a moment. He finally looked away and said, “I think I will also wash in the creek when you return.” Rebecca smiled as she headed down to the creek.

  Rebecca put two large logs on the fire, stacking them on two backboard stakes so they would slide down into the fire when the lower ones burned out. With the configuration she created, the fire should last most of the night. When she crawled into the tent beside Joseph, she unzipped her sleeping bag and then began taking off her boots. Then she slipped off her pants and shirt. Joseph put his hand on her bare back and said, “You are not getting into my sleeping bag wearing that bra and panties.” Rebecca took a deep breath, as if shocked at Joseph words, then quickly removed the garments and slid into Joseph’s sleeping bag. Then she pulled her sleeping bag up close so there would be enough room. She giggl
ed as she cuddled up close to Joseph and then rolled over on top of him. As she laid her head down on his shoulder, she felt her body begin to adjust to the manhood that felt so damn good within her love-starved body. She took a deep breath and allowed her body to relax. When Joseph began to kiss her lips, she felt every inch of her body tingle as the first wave of passion overtook her body.

  Rebecca woke with a start. Something had made a sound outside the tent; it sounded like an animal. Rebecca reached over and touched Joseph on the face. He woke and sat straight up in bed. Rebecca quietly said, “There is an animal just outside of the tent.” Joseph reached for his rifle and slowly racked a shell into the chamber. Just then, Rebecca said aloud, “Blacky, you scared the hell out of me.” Rebecca slid out of her sleeping bag and unzipped the tent. The moon was bright and they saw Blacky stroll into the tent as if he belonged there. Rebecca rubbed his neck and said, “I am glad to see you, but how long have you been here in camp?” Blacky spoke again into Rebecca’s mind and said, “Since before dark, but you needed some privacy.” Rebecca spoke and said, “I am very embarrassed right now. I had no idea anyone was listening to the words Joseph and I spoke to each other.” Blacky walked in between Joseph and Rebecca and then simply plopped down. Joseph rubbed the animal’s ears and then said, “What if Rebecca and I wish to make love again. How do we do that with you between us?” Blacky yawned and laid his head down on his paws. Then he closed his eyes. Rebecca giggled and said, “I think he is jealous and hopes to prevent any further bonding between us.” Joseph just laughed and laid his head back down. Rebecca moved her hand over and rubbed Joseph’s head. Joseph giggled when Rebecca asked if he would purr if she rubbed his belly. Joseph simply said, “That I would, my lady.”

  When Joseph and Rebecca arrived at Rebecca’s cabin, she invited him inside for supper. Once the meal was over, they sat in the living room in front of the fireplace sipping cognac. Joseph asked where Rebecca had come up with such a delightful brandy in this part of the country. Rebecca told him that she had brought two bottles from Mississippi when she moved to the Seines. She went on to explain that her uncle had given her the beverage as a present after she left the hospital. He had said that the brandy would give her comfort when her mood swung towards self-destruction, and it had worked. She explained to Joseph that when she felt low, she would take a tiny sip of the brandy. The feelings as it traveled down her throat always comforted her and allowed her to remember the love her uncle felt for her.

  Joseph moved from the reclining chair to the couch and sat down beside Rebecca. He put his arm around her shoulders and leaned in to kiss her. She giggled just before their lips met. Joseph moved back and waited to discover the reason for the giggle. Rebecca moved over and kissed him, then moved back and said, “Sorry for the giggles, but I am not used to being kissed and my emotions cause me to giggle. I am truly sorry.” Joseph kissed her and then said, “I noticed your giggles the first time I kissed you, but I thought little of it. Then in the tent when we made love, I heard the sound often. I love it when you giggle. It warms my heart. I will kiss you more often just to hear the sound.”

  Rebecca said, “I have a shower that works. We could get clean and you could spend the night here with me, sipping cognac. I can think of no reason for you to spend the night alone at the hotel when you can be quite comfortable here.”

  Joseph thought a moment and said, “I believe I will accept your offer. I only have one shirt left that is clean. I will have to wear that shirt and the dirty blue jeans one more day.” Rebecca snuggled up close and said, “You will not need either tonight. We will wash some of our clothes in the morning. Right now I need you in my bed chamber, kind sir.” Joseph kissed Rebecca one last time before they headed off towards the bedroom. Just as they entered the room, Rebecca turned around and went to the door leading outside. She locked the door and turned out the lights. When she returned to the bedroom, she laughed and said, “I hope Blacky does not come visiting again tonight. I have no intentions of sharing you this night.”

  When they woke in the morning, Rebecca rolled over on top of Joseph. When his eyes popped open, he smiled, but then said, “I should warn you about this mouth of mine. It is not something I share before using a tooth brush.” Rebecca giggled, reached down under the blankets and said, “It is not your mouth that I am in need of.”

  When they had finished breakfast, they put a load of laundry into the washer and then headed out to visit Joseph’s hotel room. He wanted to check his mail and messages to insure that none of his customers was in need of his services. As they walked, Joseph took Rebecca’s hand in his. He squeezed firmly as he said, “I have something to tell you, however, I do not want you to feel pressured or in any way obligated to me. We have only just recently met and I expect nothing of my friends. I just wanted to tell you that I have fallen in love with you.”

  Rebecca instantly giggled. Her emotions were now completely out of control. She stopped walking, yet held on tightly to Joseph’s hand. When he turned and faced her, she stepped up close and kissed him hard on the lips. When she stepped back, she looked him directly in the eyes and said, “I knew I was in love when I followed you across the bridge at the river. My feelings for you have intensified each moment we are together. I hope we can continue to explore our feeling and the love we feel for each other. Right now, I am very confused. I am not certain if I am truly in love or simply in need of human companionship. I hope you will give me a little time to figure out where I stand.”

  Joseph kissed Rebecca and said, “I think that I will patiently wait for your heart to discover its true destiny, however, I hope you don’t mind if I continue to tell you that I love you while I wait.” Rebecca snuggled up close to Joseph as they walked towards the hotel. When they arrived, Joseph unlocked the door and stepped inside. The room was nothing special, but Rebecca discovered that it was super clean and well maintained by the owners. The bathroom was spotless, the mattress and box springs looked as if the owners had recently replaced them and the carpet was plush and very clean. Rebecca sat down on the edge of the bed and waited for Joseph to listen to his phone messages and check his email. When he finished, he sat down beside Rebecca and asked if she was hungry. They had eaten a light breakfast and then walked around most of the small town before going to the hotel. Joseph was hungry and he figured Rebecca must be also. When he mentioned the restaurant, Rebecca looked at him and said, “I am hungry, but I would rather cook for us at my place. I dread having people stare at me while I eat. My damaged face is not something people should have to look at while they eat.”

  At first, Joseph did not know how to address Rebecca’s words. He did not consider Rebecca damaged as she had put it, however, her blotchy face, hands and arms did draw attention from those around her. Joseph took hold of her hand and said, “I understand your anguish over your injuries and I respect your feelings. We do need some groceries and I can pick those up before we leave town. You can wait here for me and then we will walk back to your cabin.” Rebecca laughed and said, “We do not have to do our own grocery shopping. I simply call the store and they deliver the things I need right to my house. The clerks charge my credit card and tack on a small tip for the young deliveryman. He is very nice and understands my fear of going out in public. He has seen my face and hands many times and we have talked about how I was burned.”

  Joseph sat quietly thinking for a moment and then said, “Works for me. Shall we work up a grocery list and call it in. Then we can head home. I would love to cook some of my special spaghetti for you.” Rebecca laughed and said, “It is a deal then. By the way, I have one more thing to say to you.” Rebecca leaned over, kissed Joseph hard on the lips and then said, “I do love you. Thank you for helping me to understand that I can say those words without feeling trapped or pushed into something I am not ready to commit to.” Joseph smiled and returned her kiss. When he stood up, he offered her his hand and said, “You seem to now understand that we can be friends and even lovers without ma
king commitments. Someday, we may become long term lovers or we may go our separate ways; either way, we should not feel trapped or obligated.”

  Once they had made the list, Rebecca called the store from the phone in Joseph’s room. After Joseph locked up the room and they began hiking back towards the cabin, two different people stopped to talk to Joseph: he introduced Rebecca to each of them as they talked. Everyone they met seemed to accept Rebecca just as she was; no one seemed to care about her scarred face. One young lady actually hugged Rebecca when Joseph introduced them. As they began the walk along the gravel road that led to Rebecca’s cabin, she asked Joseph if the blond woman was his former lover. Once the words were out of her mouth, she realized she had no right to ask the question and stopped walking. Joseph turned to Rebecca and she quickly began backtracking, trying to explain that she should not have spoken those words. Joseph just laughed and said, “I have had no lovers other than you in over five years. I am not one to jump into bed with just anyone. My last lover died in a car accident shortly after we broke up. I struggled over her death and have kept my distance from any close relationships until I met you.”

  Rebecca took hold of Joseph’s hand and began walking again. As she walked she said, “I am still sorry for asking the question. I do not expect you to explain your past. We are friends and friends do not question past relationships, ever.” Joseph squeezed her hand and said, “You are allowed to ask any question you wish. I am a grown man and I will tell you to piss off if I do not wish to discuss a subject. Besides, I have no secrets to keep from you.”