by Pat Ballard
“To my grandparents’ home in Kentucky. That’s where I go when I need time to think.”
“Do they know we’re coming?”
“Actually, they’ve both been dead for several years and the place is mine, but I always think of it as theirs.”
Their final flight landed in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where they went immediately to the Jeep Sam kept in storage at the airport. Everyone working at the airport seemed to know Sam. He greeted them all, and introduced Nella and Jake.
On the drive out of town Sam explained that his grandparents had raised him after his parents were killed in a plane crash when he was five years old. His grandparents were more like real parents to him than grandparents. His grandfather had worked at the airport doing odd jobs during the winter months when the farm wasn’t productive.
As they drove, and Sam talked, Nella was growing more concerned at the route they were taking. Each turn they made seemed to be on to a smaller road, until finally they turned onto a dirt road that was barely wide enough for two vehicles to pass. They seemed to be gradually climbing and continuously winding around small, narrow, sharp curves and corners. Trees and foliage met overhead in places, creating a tunnel for them to pass through. Occasionally they passed a farmhouse nestled back against a protective steep hill, or saw smoke curling gently from a clump of trees, indicating that a house was there somewhere.
It was late October, and the fall colors were blazing and beautiful. The higher they climbed, the cooler the air became. A wonderful woodsy scent permeated the air, causing Nella to want to breathe deeply and inhale the glorious aroma.
Sam seemed strangely quiet. It was almost as if they were entering sacred ground and he didn’t want to disturb the sleeping memories that lay in any direction he looked.
Jake had fallen asleep in his car seat. Nella was about to ask Sam how much further when the Jeep turned into a rutted driveway that showed little signs of recent use. They rounded several tight curves, still climbing, then there before them stood a huge house.
“My grandparents’ place,” Sam said, waving his hands in a wide sweep, indicating everything the eye could see.
Nella glanced around, but her eyes came back to the house. “Sam, this house is huge!” Her voice was hushed with awe.
“Yes. Three stories and a basement.”
“What on earth did your grandparents need with a house this size if your father was an only child?”
“Yes, Dad was an only child, but their dream, when they built the house, was to fill it up with children. They wanted at least ten. But when my grandmother gave birth to my father, there was some internal damage done, and she couldn’t have any more children.”
Now, two weeks later, as Nella stood and watched Sam push Jake in the swing Sam had played on as a child, she wondered if she would ever have children of her own. This would be a wonderful house to raise children in.
The outside of the house fascinated, yet frightened, Nella. The house was built on a mountain, with the back overlooking a magnificent valley. But a few hundred yards from the rear of the house was an extreme bluff that went straight down, with a river running at the bottom.
She knew she’d have nightmares of Jake falling off that bluff. She’d persuade Sam to build a fence around the house so she wouldn’t worry so much.
After just a few days of the new setting, Nella began to be aware of some dramatic changes taking place in Sam. She watched all the signs of stress start to slowly disappear. He was relaxed and easygoing, with none of the abruptness and impatience that had characterized him when they had first met, and while they were in Hawaii. He was up early each morning having coffee. There wasn’t a paper to read, but he didn’t seem to mind. He just took one of the guns out of the gun case in the hallway, and disappeared for a couple of hours each morning.
The first morning he did that, Nella was watching with a questioning look in her eyes. Just before he’d walked out the door he’d turned back and said, “Woman, I’m a-goin’ a-huntin.’”
The whistle of the teakettle brought her back to the present. She made a cup of herbal tea and went outside to sit on the porch swing and watch Jake and Sam. She noticed a nip in the air as she sat down. Cold weather would soon be here, and she wondered how long Sam planned to stay.
Sam and Jake made a perfect picture of contentment as Sam pushed Jake back and forth in the swing. Jake squealed each time the swing went into the air. Soon Sam looked up and spotted Nella watching them from the porch. He waved and said something to Jake. Jake looked around at Nella and waved, and would have fallen if Sam hadn’t caught him. The near fall frightened Jake, and he decided he didn’t want to “sving” any more right now, so they joined Nella on the porch.
Sam slumped down in the porch swing beside Nella and rested his arm on the back of the swing behind her, surprising her with the gesture of relaxed companionship. “Nella, I believe I could spend the rest of my life here and never miss the city life.” He closed his eyes and leaned his head back in contentment.
Nella was close enough to smell his outdoor scent. His shirt was open at the neck, allowing a sprinkling of chest hair to escape. His hair was tousled from being in the wind, and playing with Jake.
She had fought many urges to touch him when she found herself near him. Her most natural impulse was to reach out and touch people. Especially people she felt close to. This time she didn’t fight the impulse. She leaned over and lightly kissed his cheek.
“Then why don’t you?” Surprised, he opened his eyes and looked deeply into Nella’s.
“Why don’t I what?” His uplifted eyebrows teased Nella.
“Why don’t you spend your life here? You’ve seemed so happy since we’ve been here.”
He was still holding her gaze when he slowly answered, as if only just making the discovery as he spoke. “It’s not just being here that’s made me happy. It’s being here with you and Jake. When I was growing up here, I loved it. There was always something new to do. A new place to explore, a new tree to climb, always some challenge.” His arm was still on the swing behind Nella, but as he relaxed, his fingers gently brushed her back as he talked.
“Then,” he continued, “when I got into high school and needed more social action, I became bored with my life here. I moved into Bowling Green so I could be where the action was. I couldn’t understand how my grandparents could be so content here, but now, I’m beginning to understand.” He was about to continue when Jake’s excited voice interrupted him.
“Mommy! Daddy! Look, a snake!”
They both leaped from the porch swing at the same time and rushed to Jake, who stood holding a long earthworm in his hands. Relieved that it wasn’t actually a snake, they both broke into laughter.
Offended that he was being laughed at, Jake threw the worm to the ground and attempted to stamp off, but Sam’s long arm reached out and grabbed him. Kneeling beside Jake, Sam patiently explained what kind of worm he had, then cautioned him to never pick up something if he thought it was a snake.
After settling the matter with Jake, Nella brought up a subject that had been on her mind. “Sam, I need a place to walk. I’ve always been close to the beach, but I don’t know anything about the woods. Is it safe for me to go in there?” She motioned toward the trees and undergrowth surrounding them.
“How far do you want to walk?”
“I need at least two miles, three or four times a week. Sometimes I go every day.”
Sam was watching her intently as she talked, and when she had finished, he reached out and gently touched her face with the back of his fingers. Nella felt a tingle go up her spine, caused by the light sprinkling of hair that grew on the back of his fingers.
“You’re such a good education for me. I never knew how screwed up my thinking was about f—uh, b—uh—”
Nella watched him struggle with the correct term. Two months ago he wouldn’t even have tried to find a correct term; he would have just spit out the first thing that came to mi
nd. But two months ago, he wouldn’t have touched her cheek like he just did, and two months ago, her entire body wouldn’t have gone weak, even if he had.
“Help me here, Nella. What is the correct term or word that I’m searching for?”
Seeing Sam du Cannon at a loss for words was an unusual sight, and Nella burst into laughter.
“Well, there are several,” she said, pretending to think real hard. “Let’s see—there’s portly, queen size, ample, and stout. And, you know, fat isn’t a dirty word, even if some people act like it is. It’s just an adjective. And there’s always obese, although that’s the least favorite of mine.” She was trying to lighten the moment for him, to let him know this was a subject that could be discussed.
“Actually, though,” she continued. “I really prefer the term full-figured.”
“Well, you truly are full-figured,” he answered, looking directly at her breasts.
Taken by surprise, all Nella could think to do was slap his arm playfully, and say, “Sam!”
Now it was his turn to laugh at her confusion. “Come on, Jake,” he said, taking his son’s hand, “let’s show Mommy where she can walk.”
Nella glanced quickly at Sam, surprised at hearing him refer to her as “Mommy.” That was the first time she’d ever heard him use the term. But he didn’t seem to realize what he’d said.
He led them down the driveway to the narrow dirt road, and headed south.
“One mile from here is a small bridge across a stream. We call it Milligan’s Branch. Obviously, when you get to the bridge and come back, you will have gone two miles. Do you want to walk it now, so you’ll know where it is?” he asked.
“Sure!” she responded eagerly.
As they walked, Sam pointed out things that brought back childhood memories. A tree where he had watched his grandfather rob a beehive. A deep ditch that he had wrecked his bike in and broken his arm.
As he talked, Jake ventured ahead of them a few feet. Suddenly Nella became aware of his excited voice saying, “Look, kitty cats!”
Looking to where he was pointing, Nella spotted a female skunk crossing the road, with five baby skunks trailing along behind her. She became aware of the skunks and Jake’s intentions at the same time. He was headed straight for the skunks, to try to pet one of them. The mother skunk sensed danger at that moment and stopped in the middle of the road. She unexpectedly stood on her front feet, with her hind feet in the air, over her head, and started swatting the air with her full, bushy tail.
“Jake! Stop!” bellowed Sam.
Half turning toward them, Jake started to argue, “ But Daddy—”
“Robot, halt!” Nella called in a quiet, yet stern, voice.
Jake stopped dead in his tracks. “Robot, return to your space commander, now! Danger is near.”
Walking slowly and mimicking a robot, Jake came back to Nella as the family of skunks disappeared into the undergrowth alongside the road.
Nella knelt down and hugged Jake closely. “Robot, you did well in obeying your commander.”
“But Mommy, kitty cats aren’t dangerwous.”
“These aren’t regular kitty cats, Son.” Sam joined in the conversation, squatting down beside them. “These are in the kitty cat family, but they’re wild and live in the woods, and when they get angry or frightened they spray a horrible scent out of their body and it’s so bad you have a hard time washing it off.”
Just then, as if on cue, a rancid odor surrounded them. Jake wrinkled his nose, and Sam and Nella burst into laughter.
“That, Son, was the mother skunk showing us what she could have done if you had touched one of her babies,” Sam explained.
“It is horwable,” Jake agreed, holding his nose.
“What was she doing standing on her front feet like that?” Nella needed almost as much education on this country living as Jake did.
“She was warning us that she was getting ready to spray us,” Sam explained, and then continued, “What was that robot thing you did with Jake?”
“After that creep tried to snatch Jake from me, back in South Carolina, I came up with this game we play. It’s fun for Jake, and it keeps him alert. Sometimes just shouting ‘no,’ or ‘come back’ doesn’t get through to a child, but playing a game will get their attention. I’ve done it at times when I knew he was involved in something else, just to see if he would respond, and also to teach him to respond. Sometimes he’s the space commander, and I’m the robot. We take turns. I’ve always hoped it would work, and now I know it does. Jake, you were a good robot! I’m proud of you.” She hugged him again.
They had almost made it to the one-mile mark when Jake spoke up and said, “My feet are hurting, I guess someone will just have to carry me on their shoulders!”
Sam and Nella laughed, and Sam swung Jake to his shoulders.
They made their way back toward the house and were almost there when Sam suddenly stopped and stood Jake on the ground and knelt beside him. “Son, see this crooked mark in the dirt? See, it goes from one side of the road to the other?”
“Uh-huh,” nodded Jake.
“Now, that’s where a real snake has been.”
Hearing Nella’s sharply indrawn breath, he stood and reassured her.
“Oh, it’s not a poisonous snake. See, the crooks are wide apart. If the snake is poisonous, the crooks are tight and close together.”
“Well, a snake is a snake, as far as I’m concerned,” Nella hastened to assure him.
“Don’t tell me there’s actually something you’re afraid of?”
His amusement was so genuine that she decided not to mention spiders at this point.
Chapter 7
A few days later, Nella heard Sam in his office on the phone. She could tell by the tone of his voice and the regular intervals of laughter that he was enjoying the call. He obviously had called the person, as she hadn’t heard the phone ring with an incoming call.
Was the party on the other end of the line male or female? She fought the urge to stand by the door and try to hear what Sam was saying, but she did find several reasons to walk past the door and try to hear. It wasn’t like her at all, but she’d never heard Sam enjoying himself so much, and it had her curiosity up. Had he called Miranda?
Finally she heard him saying good-bye, and she hurried back to the kitchen to busy herself with some minor chore just in case he came looking for her, which he soon did.
“I was just on the phone with Tommy McCoy. He was my best buddy in high school, and I always call him when I come home. He’s one of the best people I know. I really enjoy talking with him. He’s real, and down to earth. You always know where you stand with Tommy.”
As he talked, Sam made a glass of tea and sat down at the kitchen table. “He married the prettiest girl in our class. Amy Singley. She was the homecoming queen for our class. But even with her looks and popularity, she still had the best personality of anybody around. They make a fantastic couple. You’ll love being with them.”
“Which sounds like something I’ll be doing soon, from that statement.” Nella sat down at the table. She was relieved it was an old school friend that Sam had been on the phone with, and not someone from his other world.
“They want us to come see them Friday night. They own a farm not too far down the way from here, and they’re having a hayride Friday night. They’ll probably roast marshmallows or do something like that. Tommy always has a huge bonfire when he gets a group together like this. They have three children, and I think Jake will really enjoy being there.”
“Do they know the nature of your marriage?” Nella asked hesitantly.
“No. I see no reason to go into that. They were very surprised to learn I’d remarried. The last time I talked with them, I was convinced I’d never marry again. But they’re wonderfully accepting people. They won’t ask any incorrect questions.”
The McCoys’ home was an older farmhouse with a porch wrapped all the way around it. There were four rocking chairs and
two swings on the front section of the porch. It had such a welcoming, homey feel that Nella felt herself relaxing even before anyone answered the rhythmic knock Sam delivered to the front door.
They heard approaching footsteps, then the door was swung wide by a burly giant of a man with wavy black hair and clear blue eyes. He grabbed Sam in a bear hug, and the two friends embraced like long-lost brothers, laughing and kidding each other at the same time.
Finally Sam turned to Nella and introduced her. She, in turn, was engulfed in a warm, affectionate hug. Then, keeping his hands on her shoulders, the big man held her away from him and looked her up and down.
“Well, Sam, you got yourself a real woman this time. And a beauty, too.” He reached down and picked Jake up, and with one arm around Nella’s shoulders, said, “Y’all come on in, and let me find Amy. She’s in here somewhere. Amy!” he bellowed, “Come and see who’s here.”
A short, plump woman came through the door into the living room. She had the potential of being very pretty, but her long, straight blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail at the back of her neck, and she didn’t have a trace of makeup on. She had startling green eyes that came alive when she saw Sam standing in the room.
“Amy!” he exclaimed warmly, and held his arms open to her. “You’re still the prettiest girl in school,” he assured her, hugging her tightly.
When she stepped away from him, she gave him a playful slug on the shoulder. “Sam du Cannon, you liar. You know I’ve gotten fat since I had the children. I may have been the prettiest girl in class, but not anymore.”
Nella couldn’t believe how she was putting herself down in front of everyone.
“I have to listen to this kind of talk every day,” Tommy said. “I keep telling her I love her no matter what size she is, but she just insists she’s fat and keeps going on these diets, and I’m afraid she’s hurting her health. Sam, you remember Amy’s mama and grandma, don’t you?” At Sam’s confirming nod, the big man continued, “They’re both plump women. I knew when I married Amy that she’d probably eventually look just like her mama, but, hell, I always thought her mama was kind of sexy!”
