Romance Through the Ages

by Amy Harmon

“You haven’t said a word since the show started and you haven’t heard a word I’ve said.”

  “I’m sorry. I guess I was thinking.”

  “About what?”

  “Nothing in particular.”

  “I’ll bet you were daydreaming about the wonderful time you’re going to have with Chad tomorrow.”

  I shook my head. “Nope. That wasn’t it.”

  “What are you guys doing, anyway?”

  “I have no idea. He said to wear comfortable shoes and warm clothes.”

  “That doesn’t sound very romantic,” Janessa said., wiggling her eyebrows.

  “Thank goodness. I’m not looking for romance.” That wasn’t true. I was definitely looking for romance, just not with Chad.

  “Give him time. Maybe he’ll start to grow on you. This is good, though. After tomorrow, you’ll have two dates down. Only eight to go.”

  “No, tomorrow is date number three.”

  “No, it isn’t.” Janessa gave me a stern look. “You don’t get to count the lunch date where you purposely tried to drive him away. It’s ten dates with you on your best behavior.”

  “You’re impossible,” I said.

  “Did something happen at work today? Why are you so deep in thought?”

  I was torn. I wanted to tell Janessa about Mr. Dawson. What I didn’t want was for her to freak out and tell me I was crazy. But she was my best friend and not telling her about it seemed cruel. I sighed. “Okay, Janessa. I’ll tell you what happened today but don’t tell me it’s no big deal because I want it to be a big deal and I don’t want you to discourage me.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I think I’ve met him.”

  “Met who?”

  “Mr. Darcy. Of course his name isn’t Darcy, but it’s close to Darcy and if you saw him, you’d be stunned.”

  I told Janessa about the times Mr. Dawson had come into the bank and about my excursion to the bookstore. I told her about how he’d stood in the doorway watching me and how he’d told me about the book signing. She didn’t interrupt. She just looked at me and I couldn’t tell what she was thinking. There was a long pause after I stopped talking.

  “Wow. Are you sure you’re not just imagining that he looks and acts like Mr. Darcy because you want him to?”

  “See, Janessa. That’s what I was afraid you’d say.”

  “No, no. Lizzie, don’t get me wrong. I’d love it if you got your dream. I’m just asking if it’s possible you’re imagining some of these similarities.”

  “I’m not. I’ve never seen such a resemblance. And he’s so serious and intense. You should have seen him standing there by that door looking at me. It’s like I was Elizabeth—well, I am Elizabeth—but like I was that Elizabeth and he was looking right at me. He didn’t smile or anything. It’s like he was studying me the way Mr. Darcy studies Elizabeth.”

  “Maybe he didn’t smile at you because he’s a stuck-up jerk.”

  “Don’t forget, everyone thought Mr. Darcy was a stuck-up jerk, too. I think he’s just serious. I’m sure he’s really nice once you get to know him. He told me about the book signing, after all. Maybe you should go into the bookstore and see for yourself. Just take Ben with you so Mr. Dawson doesn’t set his sights on you and your ravishing beauty.”

  Janessa laughed off the compliment. “You’re safe whether I take Ben with me or not. Mr. Darcy isn’t really my type.”

  We watched two more dances. Suddenly Janessa grabbed the remote and muted the sound. She turned to me, her face serious. “Lizzie, promise me something.”

  “What?”

  “Even though you think you’ve met Mr. Darcy, or whatever his name is, you have to promise me you’ll still be agreeable and fun with Chad. Just in case this Darcy thing doesn’t work out. Remember, you agreed to ten dates and the agreement holds even if this guy turns out to be perfect.”

  “Fine,” I said, but I knew if Mr. Dawson proved to be all I hoped he was, ten dates with Chad was unlikely.

  * * *

  “If you don’t like hiking, we can do the short trail.”

  “I like hiking,” I said.

  “Have you ever hiked Multnomah Falls?” Chad asked.

  “We went to the overlook above the footbridge when I was a kid, but I’ve never hiked any further.”

  “Then you’re in for a treat. This is my favorite time of year to hike Multnomah. I love the fall colors and I prefer hiking when it’s cooler. There’s a five and a half mile loop that goes past some of the other waterfalls. That should get us back to the lodge in time for a late lunch.”

  “Sounds fun.”

  “Oh, and I’ve got a few snacks if we get hungry in the meantime.”

  Multnomah Falls was a scenic half-hour drive from Portland. Early morning sunshine slanted through the trees that lined the road. Patches of autumn colors peaked above the clouds that snuggled low on the hills. Morning mists hadn’t yet burned off the banks of the Columbia River. Of course, morning mists reminded me of Mr. Darcy walking toward Elizabeth in a long coat, which somehow evolved into an image of Mr. Dawson standing in the doorway of the Women’s Fiction room looking at me through an evening glow.

  I dragged my thoughts away from tall brooding men and realized the companionable silence had swelled into an awkward pause. “I don’t know what you do,” I said to Chad.

  “I thought I told you at lunch,” Chad said. I felt ashamed that I hadn’t really listened to him that day.

  “You probably did. Sorry. Sometimes my memory fails me.”

  “I teach high school science. And I coach the swimming team.”

  “You’re a swimmer?”

  “Mom said I started swimming before I started to walk. I don’t remember that and moms are prone to exaggerate their children’s accomplishments, so I can’t swear to it.”

  “I’m a terrible swimmer. I took lessons three different summers but never got comfortable putting my face in the water. I’m afraid the backstroke and dog paddle are all I can do and I’m really slow at those.”

  “Maybe we should go swimming sometime. I could give you a few pointers to help you with your breathing so you feel more comfortable with your face in the water.”

  “That would be great.” And it would take care of another date. Janessa would be so proud of me. “I’ll bet you couldn’t give me pointers that would make me understand science. That was by far my hardest subject.”

  “That’s why I decided to teach science, against my Dad’s wishes. I understood it but so many of the kids around me were lost. The teacher asked me to tutor a couple of the kids and I discovered I had a knack for helping them understand it better than the teacher. I like helping my students feel smart and when they understand science, they feel smart.”

  “And when they don’t, they feel dumb. I had my share of those feelings in science. Your students are lucky. What did your dad want you to do?”

  “Go into the family business. Dad’s a partner at Bradshaw, Keller and Spielman. He hoped I’d come work with him someday.”

  “That’s the firm in the big glass building off the freeway.”

  “That’s the one. There’s good money to be made in corporate law and he wanted me to go to law school and join his firm. I took two years of pre-law requirements and hated them. I just couldn’t see myself doing that the rest of my life.”

  “Was he terribly disappointed?”

  “He was at first. He was worried I wouldn’t make enough as a schoolteacher to be comfortable, but I think he’s gotten used to the idea. What about you? What made you want to be a bank teller?”

  I laughed. “I don’t think anyone sets their sites on being a bank teller. At least I didn’t. I got the job during college and when I graduated last year, I couldn’t find work in my field. So I’m still there.”

  “What did you study?”

  “Interior design. I loved it but I guess I didn’t think much about how economy-driven it is. I made appointments with several
places, but no one was hiring. In fact most of them have cut back the past few years. Hopefully someday I’ll be able to use my skills to decorate instead of counting out money.”

  “I guess teaching has its advantages. It might not make me rich but there’s a certain amount of job security.”

  “Especially if you’re good,” I said.

  “Hopefully things will improve and you’ll be able to use your degree.”

  “I hope so. If nothing else, my own home will look great someday. I’m not complaining though. I’m really thankful I have a job.”

  The parking lot at Multnomah Falls was already filling up when we arrived. The morning was lovely—crisp air, bright colors and noisy water. Waves of cold spray drifted through the air.

  The bottom part of the hike was an easy, paved trail. As we continued up the trail, it got steeper and less populated as casual hikers and tourists turned around. A few areas were pretty difficult. At a stream, Chad took my hand and guided me across the biggest stones. As soon as we reached the other side, he let go of my hand. Could he tell I wanted to keep things friendly or was he not very interested? It bothered me that I was contemplating his motives when it really didn’t matter. I was only here to appease Janessa, after all.

  “This part of the trail was closed for almost a year when I was kid,” Chad said. “A huge mudslide covered the trail and it took them more than a year to clear it out and make it passable again.”

  We stopped at Benson Footbridge and shared some trail mix before we turned onto the Larch Mountain Trail. Occasionally, other hikers passed us, having taken the loop the opposite way.

  Rocks and roots made portions of the trail precarious. I placed my feet carefully to avoid twisting my ankle. Two teenage girls overtook us, laughing and jostling each other as they went.

  “I guess we’re just old and slow,” I said.

  “Or older and wiser,” said Chad.

  Just a minute later, one of the girls tripped and fell. Her scream echoed against the hillside. Her friend stood over her, hopping from one foot to the other while shaking out her hands. “What should I do? What should I do?” the hopping girl asked.

  Chad and I hurried up the trail to where the hurt girl was sitting on the ground. Where just moments ago, she’d looked young and strong, now she looked fragile—pale and scared. She held her arm gingerly as tears streamed down her cheeks.

  Chad knelt down beside the injured girl and talked quietly. “Hey, that was quite a move there. Don’t cry. Let’s take a look at this.”

  “What’s wrong with it?” She looked at Chad with fearful eyes as her voice rose hysterically.

  “Just stay calm. It’s going to be okay. Do you think we can get your jacket off?”

  Chad’s calm voice quieted the girl to a whimper. He gently helped her take her arm out of the jacket. I choked back a gasp when I saw her arm and the girl started crying harder again. Halfway between her elbow and wrist, her arm bent upward at an unnatural angle. My stomach turned over at the sight of it.

  “It’s not supposed to bend there. What’s wrong with it?” the girl cried. Her friend knelt beside her and rubbed her back but kept her eyes focused somewhere down the trail.

  “You’re going to be fine,” Chad said, his voice calm and soothing. “You’ve broken the bone. That’s all. Happens all the time. We’ll get you to a doctor and he’ll fix you up good as new.”

  “It hurts so bad,” the girl said.

  “Should I go for help?” her friend asked.

  “No,” Chad said. “We just have to get her off the mountain. We can have you down and on your way to the hospital before help could even get up here. My name’s Chad, by the way. And this is my friend, Lizzie. What are your names?”

  “Kamrie,” the injured girl said.

  “I’m Faith,” said her friend.

  “All right, Kamrie. We’ll help you get to the bottom, okay?”

  Kamrie nodded. “Okay.”

  “Let’s leave your other arm in your jacket and keep it over your shoulder to keep you warm.”

  I took off my jacket. “Here. Tie this around her to keep her arm steady,” I said.

  “Good thinking.” Chad took the jacket. “It will hurt a lot less if it isn’t moving around with every step. Okay?”

  “Okay.” Kamrie wiped her tears with her sleeve.

  Chad helped Kamrie to her feet and carefully draped her jacket around her. I held it over her shoulder while Chad wrapped my jacket around her and tied the sleeves to keep it snug. “How does that feel?”

  “A little better.”

  “Let’s keep going that way. I’m pretty sure we’re more than halfway and it’ll be shorter to keep going.” Chad held Kamrie’s good arm and guided her down the trail.

  Faith and I followed. Kamrie cried out when an awkward step jarred her arm, but Chad held her steady. “Just go slow and easy. We’re not in a hurry. So where are you two from?” he asked.

  “We live in The Dalles.” Kamrie’s voice held pain but she was calmer.

  “Lizzie and I live in Portland. Do you hike here often?”

  “This is my first time.”

  “Sad. I hope it won’t be your last. It’s a beautiful trail.” Chad kept up a quiet conversation all the way down the hill. It helped keep Kamrie distracted and moving. I was impressed. Chad was great under pressure.

  “Your boyfriend’s really nice,” Faith whispered to me.

  “We’re just friends. But he is nice, isn’t he?” I said.

  “And really cute. Maybe you should make him your boyfriend.”

  I laughed but her words made me look at Chad. Really look at him. She was right. Chad was cute. His dark blond hair was cut short. He was tall and athletic and now that he’d told me, I could see he had the body of a swimmer—broad shoulders, narrow waist. Several times he looked back at me and smiled. I felt Faith’s eyes on me and my cheeks got hot. What was that about? Chad wasn’t my boyfriend and Faith was a teenage girl. Was I twelve?

  A little over an hour later, we made it back to the Multnomah Lodge parking lot and Kamrie’s car. “Are you okay driving her to the hospital?” Chad asked Faith.

  “Sure,” Faith said. “We’ll call her mom and have her meet us at the Emergency Room.”

  “Thanks for helping me,” Kamrie said. “Oh, and don’t forget your jacket.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” I said. “Keep it on until you get to the hospital.”

  “But…”

  “Really. Just keep it. I don’t want you to move your arm around until you get to the hospital.”

  Chad helped Kamrie into the seatbelt.

  “Thanks Chad. Thanks Lizzie,” Kamrie said. “I’m sorry I ruined your hike.

  “Are you kidding?” I said. “You made it an adventure.”

  Kamrie smiled. “You guys are too nice.”

  “Come on, Kamrie,” Faith said. “Let’s get you to the hospital.”

  We watched them turn out of the parking lot. They weren’t even onto the main road before Chad put his jacket around my shoulders. I looked at him, surprised.

  “Goose bumps,” he said, pointing to my arms. He was right. I smiled as I slid my arms into the sleeves, still warm from Chad. “Sorry I didn’t realize you were cold before. I’d have given it to you up on the trail?”

  “I wasn’t cold when we were moving,” I said. “Besides, you were occupied.”

  “I hope you’re hungry because I’m starving.”

  “Me, too.”

  “The lodge makes great chicken stew. Let’s go get a bowl.”

  * * *

  Entering Multnomah Lodge was like entering a medieval pub—wood beams, stone fireplace, and plaster walls. Arched doorways led to a warm room with rustic wooden tables. The waitress seated us by a tall window with an impressive view of the colorful mountain.

  The chicken stew was rich and hearty and came with warm crusty rolls, butter, and local Marionberry jam. I was spreading my second roll with butter when I notice
d Chad was watching me, smiling.

  “This is so good.” I held up the roll.

  “I’m glad you like it. It’s one of my favorite meals,” Chad said. “Wait until you taste the blackberry pie and ice cream. The crust has little sugar crystals baked onto it. It’s delicious.”

  “Mmm. I’d better save some room,” I said.

  He was right. The pie was luscious.

  “You would have made a good paramedic,” I said between bites. “You were really good with her and you didn’t panic at all when you saw her arm. I just about lost it when she took her jacket off.”

  “It looked pretty scary.”

  “Have you ever seen a break like that before?”

  “Not in person.”

  “Well, she was lucky you were there.”

  Maybe it was the food or the cozy restaurant. Or maybe it was because Chad was so pleasant and talkative. Whatever it was, I felt comfortable and happy.

  This was a milestone for me. Whether Janessa was letting me count it or not, this was three dates with the same man. I’d never done that before. I’d always declined after one or two dates. It wasn’t because I didn’t think I could have fun dating a variety of guys. It was because I didn’t want to risk liking the wrong guy or worse, having him like me. I didn’t want to be a girl who led guys on and since I was holding out for a very specific man, it was better to keep things short and sweet.

  In spite of the day’s crisis, I’d had a good time. I was glad if I was going to have to fulfill Janessa’s silly, ten-date requirement, at least it was with a decent guy like Chad.

  “Do you ever miss high school?” Chad asked.

  “Not at all,” I said.

  “Oh, come on. You know you miss all those good times.”

  “Right. I miss the drama and the homework and definitely the cliques. I miss those most of all.”

  “I’ll bet you miss the dances.”

  “I didn’t go to very many school dances. A Christmas dance my junior year and prom my senior year. Sorry. I don’t miss those either.”

  “You never went to a Sadie Hawkins dance?” Chad had a mischievous smile on his face.

  “No?” I said slowly.

  “Well then, you’re in luck.”