They no more than stepped inside the cabin when a blue pickup truck drove into the driveway. Rebecca looked out the open front door and then walked out to help unload the groceries. When she got to the truck, the driver walked up to her, shook her hand and then began helping her unload. Joseph walked out just then to help and startled the man. As they approached each other, the deliveryman turned to Rebecca and said, “Damn girl, you did not tell me you found a new boyfriend.” When the deliveryman saw the shocked expression on Rebecca’s face, he began to laugh. Rebecca handed one of the grocery bags to Joseph and then gently punched the deliveryman on the shoulder. Then she said, “It is not nice to discuss who is doing who in front of Joseph. Besides, you will find your clothes and things in the garage. I had to quickly ditch them when Joseph showed up.” Joseph started to laugh, but then decided to remain quiet. He had no desire to join in the conversation between Rebecca and the deliveryman. He actually felt a tiny bit jealous and had to force the feeling aside.
Joseph picked up one of the grocery bags and carried it into the cabin. As he sat it down, he saw Rebecca hand the man a tip. Joseph remembered Rebecca mentioning that she had forgotten to include the tip when she ordered the groceries. As the man drove out of the driveway, Joseph pulled Rebecca into his arms and said, “I hope you noticed that no one much cared about your scars today. I think sometimes that you are much too self-conscious. I cannot imagine how you feel when people stare at you, but if they stared at me like that, I would stare right back at them and make them feel very uncomfortable.” Rebecca started to say something and then stopped.
Rebecca seemed to dismiss Joseph’s words. She kissed him and then headed into the kitchen to begin unpacking the groceries, Joseph found some pans and began preparing the spaghetti and garlic bread. They had no more than finished putting the groceries in the cupboards when they heard voices outside the cabin. Rebecca looked out the kitchen window and saw Ginger and Natalie. She ran to the back door and quickly walked up to the girls. When she was close she almost jumped into Ginger’s arms and began hugging her, then she began hugging Natalie. When Joseph stepped out the back door to greet them, he heard the two girls begin to giggle. Ginger looked into Rebecca’s eyes and asked, “So have you put dibs on this man or is he still available for a quick frolic in the spare bedroom?” Rebecca stepped up to Joseph, put her arm around his waist as she faced the girls and said, “Mine.”
Rebecca invited the girls to join them for supper since the spaghetti had not started to cook yet, and they agreed. As they sat around the table talking after filling their bellies with spaghetti and garlic bread, Rebecca poured each of them a small glass of cognac. As they sipped the fine brandy, Ginger asked what the occasion was. Rebecca looked her in the eyes and said, “I have found some new friends that do not humiliate me over my damaged body. I love all of you; however, I love this man sitting beside me even more. He has the ability to make me love myself again, and for that I thank him.”
As they sat around the living room talking and enjoying the warm fire on the hearth, Rebecca moved over and sat on the hassock in front of Joseph. She took hold of both of his hands and asked, “Joseph, I have something to discuss with you. Before I left the mountain and returned here to the city with you, Monique and the others asked if I would be interested in building a cabin on the mountain and selling this place I now live in. I have thought hard and long about it and I thought I had made a decision. I decided to build the cabin, but now I am in turmoil. You see, I have fallen in love with you and could not move to the mountains without you. I am now sitting here in front of you with a question to ask.” Rebecca took a deep breath and then looked into Joseph’s eyes. Joseph sat up on the edge of the couch and kissed Rebecca hard on the lips, hoping to give her courage. He heard two giggles from the other side of the room over the kiss, but he did not look at the girls. Instead, he looked into Rebecca’s eyes and said, “I am now ready for your question.”
Rebecca took another deep breath and said, “I would like you to move to the mountains with me and help me build a cabin. I believe with all my heart that my God sent you to me for a reason. I suspect you understand those reasons, since we have discussed them in detail. I am certain of your love for me and I am now certain of my love for you, will you join me on the mountain and see if we can begin a life together?”
Joseph sat looking into Rebecca’s eyes, considering the sudden turn his life had taken. When he finally spoke to her, he said, “I will join you on the mountain to see if we can become soul mates, however, I have to place a stipulation on your offer before I can accept.” Joseph was now the one who was struggling for words. Rebecca kissed him hard on the lips and looked him in the eyes, waiting for his ultimatum, as it seemed. Joseph finally gathered up his courage and slowly stood up. Then he walked around to the other side of the hassock. When Rebecca turned around, he kneeled down in front of her on one knee. He instantly heard the sound of giggles coming from Ginger and Natalie. He turned to them and said, “Please girls, I am trying to get through this without passing out.” The girls quickly quieted and waited to see what was about to take place.
Joseph took Rebecca’s hand and said, “Rebecca, I would be honored to join you in the mountains and start a life with you, however, I feel we should start this new life together as man and wife. Would you do me the honor of marrying me before we move?” Joseph suddenly realized that he could hear Rebecca’s heartbeat echo around the room, or was it his own that he heard. Just as he thought he might have made a mistake by asking Rebecca to marry him, she leaned in close and kissed him. This time she did not seem to want to stop kissing. When she finally did move back, she had tears in her eyes as she said, “Yes Joseph, I will marry you.”
Joseph could take the tension no longer and lay down on his back on the floor. Rebecca was instantly on top of him, kissing, hugging and crying all at the same time. When Rebecca stood back up, Ginger and Natalie immediately pulled her into their arms and joined her with their own tears.
***
Monique, Sally, Charles and the cats all sat down at the kitchen table for the evening meal after returning earlier in the afternoon from their fishing trip. They had caught enough fish to feed the entire family for the winter and they would begin canning the meat in the morning. As they each filled their plates, Monique looked up and said, “I have something to tell you all that should make you very happy. I just discovered that Rebecca and Joseph plan to return to the mountain with Ginger and Natalie in a few days. The surprise is that Rebecca and Joseph will be married when they return. The wedding will take place tomorrow morning and they will begin their trip here in five days, once Rebecca has completed the sale of her cabin. She already has a buyer and the paperwork will be complete yet this week.”
As the discussion continued around the table, Blacky spoke to Monique and said, “So Monique, are you going to tell everyone about the other surprise Rebecca has in store for us?” Monique looked at Blacky and said, “Shush, old cat. Rebecca has not even told Joseph the good news.”
***
As Rebecca had Ginger and Natalie settled in the spare bedroom for the night, she crawled under the covers with Joseph. She snuggled up close to him and said, “Joseph, I have something to tell you. I did not want to say anything to you until we had a chance to discuss moving to the mountains. I did not want you to feel trapped or obligated to me. Now that we are to be married tomorrow, I have something important to tell you. You see, even with the careful protection we took when making love, I am now pregnant.”
Joseph got out of bed, walked to the doorway and then walked to the spare bedroom. He knocked on the door and waited for Ginger to invite him inside. When he stepped into the room, he quickly crawled in between the two girls. Ginger and Natalie both snuggled up close to him. Ginger giggled and said, “Rebecca will be pissed if she finds you in our bed.” Joseph laughed and said, “Tonight, she will forgive me. You see, I have something to celebrate. We are pregnant.” Ginger quickly jum
ped out of the bed and said, “Don’t you dare say we are pregnant, mister.” Just then, Rebecca stepped into the room and said, “I guess you have heard the news.”
***
Three days before Christmas, the sound of a baby screaming woke every critter on the mountain. The Seines had new life and the mountain trembled with the renewed energy. Every living soul within fifty miles of the mountain felt the mountain shake, most residents of the nearby cities and towns feared the mountain would shake itself to pieces. Only those who lived in Monique’s cabin knew the exact reason that the mountain shook, but everyone within fifty miles of the Seines woke to greet the birth of the child named, Timothy.
Chapter 6 – Monique - Humanity in Flight
As James sat at his picnic table enjoying a cold beer, he flipped the bottle top over the six-foot tall wooden fence that surrounded his property. Just then, he heard a voice from the other side of the fence. The female that spoke said, “What in the hell are you doing. You hit me in the head with that bottle top.”
James walked over to the fence and climbed up onto the top of his stone built cooking grill. When he looked over the fence, a woman was standing there. She was wearing a large backpack with a rifle in a leather scabbard. The woman tossed the bottle top at him and he caught it. James laughed and said, “I am sorry for hitting you. I had no idea anyone was walking along my fence.” Ginger said, “I often come this way, but I usually walk down along the edge of the creek; however, there are two black bears in the creek so I decided to walk around and not disturb them. They seem intent on feasting on something dead in the shallow water.”
James reached over the fence and offered his hand to Ginger. He said, “My name is James and again I apologize for hitting you with the bottle top. Please forgive me.” Ginger looked back down into the creek at the two bears and said, “I am going to backtrack and walk along the highway today. I have no desire to anger those bears.” James looked down at Ginger and said, “I will open the gate you just passed and you can use the safety of my fenced yard to gain access to the highway.” Within moments, a hidden door opened a few feet from where Ginger stood. She quickly walked inside and watched James close and lock the gate. The man spoke again to Ginger and said, “I have just finished preparing lunch and I fixed extra. Would you care to join me? We can eat here at the picnic table where the sun has warmed the patio bricks you are standing on. I feel I owe you lunch for hitting you with the bottle top.” Ginger looked around and then inhaled the sweet aroma of freshly barbecued chicken. She giggled and said, “Yes, I will join you, but I can only stay a short time. I have a six-mile hike to where I will make camp tonight and I should get there before it gets dark. The bears are very active this time of year.”
Ginger unloaded her rifle and took the backpack off her shoulders. James took Ginger inside the cabin and showed her where the bathroom was so she could wash. When she walked back outside, there were two bottles of beer sitting on the table, one bottle at each plate. James placed a large baked potato wrapped in tin foil on each plate and then sat the plate of barbecued chicken in the center of the table. As they sat down, Ginger looked into James eyes and said, “Thank you for offering to share your meal with me. I had not planned to eat until I arrived at camp later this afternoon. This chicken smells delicious.”
Just as they began to eat, a large black raven circled around the fenced in yard and perched itself on a large branch of James maple tree. The bird sat quietly and stared at them while they ate their lunch. Ginger commented on the bird and asked if James had seen the raven in his yard before today. James said, “Yes, the bird often sits in that old maple tree in the afternoon. I think it likes sitting in the shade of the maple leaves. The bird is beautiful and does no harm, so I have no reason to chase it off. I often listen to its chatter as it rests on the branch. I often times think it might be trying to communicate with me, but I certainly have no idea what it is trying to say.”
When James and Ginger finished their meal, Ginger said, “I thank you for the wonderful food and the hospitality, however, I need to be on my way if I wish to reach the hunting cabin before dark.” As Ginger stood up from the table, James said, “If you wish to use my restroom before you begin hiking, feel free to do so. I will get started cleaning my grill and washing up the dishes.”
As Ginger hoisted her heavy backpack onto her shoulders, she turned towards James and asked, “Do you ever backpack along the river?” James smiled and said, “Yes, I do. I also have a hunting cabin along the river. It sits high up on top of a canyon wall where the foot bridge crosses the river at Gordon’s Crossing.” Ginger laughed and said, “So it is you who owns that cabin. I often wondered who the wealthy owner of that property was. You must have an incredible view of the canyon below from your perch looking out over the ledge.”
James laughed and said, “I am certainly not wealthy, not as you might think. I inherited the cabin and the eighty acres of property that it sets on when my father passed away. I often spend time up there in the summer months, but trying to get to the cabin in the winter is almost impossible. I have considered selling it and this house and building a small cabin in the Seine Mountains. I just never seem to find the right buyers for the property. Most people want a cabin they can use all year round, not just a summer cabin. Besides, there are no roads up to the property, only the winding trail up from the river. The state closed off and allowed the original road that the contractors used to haul building materials on when they first built the property to grow over. I had to replace the roof a couple of years ago and the contractor had to fly the materials, his tools and his crew in on a helicopter. That project set me back over thirty thousand dollars, but the roof had to be repaired before it failed under the heavy snow load we often see on this mountain.” Then James said, “I have talked long enough, you had better get going if you intend to get to your cabin before dark.” As she said goodbye and headed down the driveway towards the main road, James yelled at her, “Don’t forget to reload that rifle.”
As Ginger headed down the road towards a small campground where she would rejoin the trail along the river, she stumbled on a loose rock. She fell forward, but rolled towards her left side and managed to land mostly on the side of her backpack. She quickly realized that she had not severely injured herself, but the stitching where the shoulder strap attached to her backpack had torn loose. As she stood up, she realized that her left knee was scraped and bloody and she had bumped her face on the rifle stock as she fell. She took her handkerchief from her back pocket and began cleaning up the wound on her leg. She soon realized that she had only scraped her knee and it would be okay. As she rolled her backpack over and looked to see what she could do to repair it until she returned home, she realized that the stock on her rifle had broken when she fell on it. She pulled the rifle from the leather scabbard and saw that the stock had broken off just behind where it mounted to the body of the rifle. She carefully unloaded the rifle and slid it back into the scabbard.
She decided that she was not going to venture into the mountains without a working rifle. She had spent enough time in the Seines to understand the ways of the bears that lived there. At that moment, she decided to turn back around and find a motel where she could hold up for the night and then find a gunsmith in the morning. She knew she had a sewing kit in her backpack, but she doubted that she could repair the torn canvas material well enough for the backpack to be usable. She picked up the backpack and slid it over one shoulder. It was very uncomfortable that way, but she only had a mile or so to get back to town.
As she walked, she decided to stop at James house and ask if he knew of a gunsmith and someone who might have a heavy-duty sewing machine that could sew up her backpack. As she walked, a man in a truck stopped and asked if she needed a ride into town. She quickly agreed, dropped the tailgate on the pickup and placed her backpack in the bed of the truck. When she slid into the passenger side of the cab, the man said, “Girl, it looks like you took a nasty fall. You have
scraped the left side of your face and your knee looks like hamburger. There is a box of wet wipes in the glove compartment to wipe your face and knee with.” Then the man turned his rear view mirror so Ginger could see her face in it. When she looked, she wondered how she had missed the injury. She had felt no pain on her face, only her knee. As she cleaned herself up, she saw the driveway to James house just up ahead. She spoke to the driver and asked him to stop so she could see if James was home. As she got out of the truck, the man said, “I will wait to see if the man is home. If he is not, I will take you into town to the gunsmith and introduce you to a woman who sews leather gun holsters and repairs all sorts of leather goods. I am certain she can help you.”
When James answered the door, she explained her situation to him and he quickly offered to help her. When she and James went out to retrieve her backpack and rifle from the pickup truck, James shook the man’s hand and thanked him for helping Ginger. Then James picked up Ginger’s backpack and helped her carry it to his picnic table. When he sat the backpack down and looked at the damaged strap, he said, “I am certain the woman at the crafts store can repair this. Let’s empty out the backpack and take it and the rifle into town to see what can be done.”
Once they emptied out the backpack on a table in the garage, Ginger picked up the rifle and backpack and laid it into the bed of James truck. Once they were in town and entered the gun shop, the owner looked at the damaged rifle and said, “I do not have a stock here in the store. However, I believe I can get one here first thing in the morning. Give me a minute to make a call and see what I can find to repair this rifle.”
Ronnie Coleinger: A Winter Collection Page 14
