Moon Over the Mountain

by Carol Dean Jones

  “How do you do, Mrs. Parker. Is your husband with you?” he added looking around the immediate area.

  “No. He stayed home to take care of the pets and, as it turned out, to remove standing water from the main floor of our new home.” Drew Harper sat down and signaled to the waitress for a cup of coffee. Sarah explained about the washing machine catastrophe, and the three commiserated.

  “Are you going to be quilting with us?” Sarah asked Drew.

  Drew laughed and responded, “Oh no. That’s all Holly’s department. My job is to carry the machine and boxes of supplies and fabric. I got off easy this time—no machines to carry!” Machines were being provided so that travelers wouldn’t have to bring their own.

  “So you’ll just be relaxing and enjoying the mountain air?”

  “Actually, I’ve located a hiking group up here. Back home I hike with a local hiking club and we’re encouraged to get together with other clubs whenever we’re traveling.” Looking at his wife, he added with a chuckle, “Well, I said we, but if there’s a quilting activity within fifty miles of the hike, it’s just me.”

  “Hiking up here in the mountains should be beautiful,” Sarah commented.

  “And treacherous!” Holly added, patting her husband’s arm. “You watch that ankle of yours.”

  Giving his wife an appreciative look, Drew said, “We’ll be following the Appalachian Trail from Gatlinburg south. There’s a shuttle that’ll bring us back at the end of the hike.” Looking toward the entrance, he added, “Speaking of shuttles, I’ll bet this is our ride.”

  Drew stood to meet the young man who was heading their way. Neatly dressed in jeans and a Ten Oaks Lodge tee-shirt, he asked, “Are you the folks going to Ten Oaks?”

  “We sure are,” Drew answered extending his hand. “I’m Drew Harper; this is my wife, Holly, and our new friend, Mrs. Palmer.”

  Sarah smiled and shook the young man’s hand. “It’s Parker,” she corrected. “Sarah Parker, and your name?”

  “Hi. I’m Coby Slocum. The van’s out front. Did you folks already pick up your bags?”

  “Yes, they’re right here,” Drew answered, pointing toward the baggage cart where he had stacked all their suitcases.

  As they walked through the terminal, Sarah asked Coby how far they were from the lodge.

  “Ten Oaks is just outside Gatlinburg. It took me about an hour to get here.”

  Just making conversation, she asked how long Coby had been with the lodge. “I’ve been working there for two years, since I graduated high school. My sister, Mary Beth, works in the kitchen; and Dad is the general manager.”

  “This is a real family affair, isn’t it?”

  “It sure is,” Coby responded, beginning to load the bags into the back of the van. “My grandpa is chopping wood for the fireplaces right now.”

  In preparation for the retreat, Sarah had been reading about life in the southern Appalachian Mountains, and one thing she learned was that you can’t make assumptions about people living in the mountains. Some actually fit the stereotype and are living in dilapidated shacks, are illiterate, and extremely poor; but others are educated and making a good living, particularly in and around the small mountain villages. But whether privileged or poor, they were all described as very proud people. Sarah was born in the Midwest and knew that was something she shared with mountain folks here. They were known to be proud, independent people who didn’t accept charity and who took care of their own.

  For the first part of their trip, they were driving through a valley surrounded by a hilly terrain on all sides, but as they headed toward Gatlinburg, they began to climb. As the valley fell below them, they continued up the winding roads. “What’s the elevation at the lodge?” she asked Coby.

  “I don’t know about the elevation, but it’s way up there for sure. It’s just on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and those mountains are said to be five or six thousand feet. You can ask in the park; you’ll probably spend some time there. Most folks do.”

  “That’s where we start our hike,” Drew announced. “We’re going up to some dome which is supposed to be an excellent overlook. …”

  “That’s Clingman’s Dome!” Coby responded enthusiastically. “You gotta see that!”

  The group settled into their seats and enjoyed Coby’s very competent driving through the foothills and small towns. Sarah spotted several barns with large wooden quilt blocks displayed on the sides, but Coby didn’t know anything about them. “Ask at the lodge,” he suggested. “They know all this stuff.”

  Thirty or so minutes of driving brought them into the resort town of Pigeon Forge. “Anyone need a break?” Coby asked, but the group chose to keep going. A few more miles of driving brought them into, and quickly beyond, the small resort town of Gatlinburg that was surrounded on all sides by high mountain ridges. “You folks will be coming back here to look around,” Coby announced. “We’re pretty close now.” Sarah could feel the altitude and was silenced by the incredible beauty.

  The road became narrow with hairpin turns as the group progressed toward their destination. The van hugged the mountain on their right as the group nervously looked at the drop on the left. Sarah realized there was no railing and nothing to prevent them from tumbling to their death. Oblivious to the dangers Sarah was imagining, Coby spoke up saying, “You folks mind if I stop and pick up my baby sister?”

  Sarah, sitting in the front seat with Coby, swallowed hard and looked away from the precipice. Glancing back at the Harpers, she saw they were pale but were nodding their agreement. “Sure,” Sarah responded. “Where is she?”

  “She’s right up the road a bit. I take her to the lodge when I can. She likes to hang around with my sister there and it’ll give Mama a break, what with the new baby.”

  Coby took the next right and followed a rutted dirt road back into the woods. He took a left and began climbing farther up the mountain. The trees were thick, reaching out across the road and forming a heavy canopy that blocked out the sky. One more turn and they were in a clearing in front of a modern log cabin nestled in the trees and facing out over the valley. Sarah gasped at the breathtaking view.

  “Hey, Coby!” hollered a little girl about five as she ran toward the car. She wore a cotton dress and sneakers and looked freshly scrubbed. “Mama said I can go,” she announced excitedly, but then realized there were strangers in the car, and she flattened herself against the car on the driver’s side, hanging her head with embarrassment.

  “Move away so I can open the door, Sissy.” Coby stepped out, picked her up, and headed for the back of the van.

  “She can sit by me,” Sarah called. “There’s plenty of room.”

  “Are you sure?” Coby asked, knowing he wasn’t supposed to inconvenience the guests in any way.

  “Absolutely. Come on, sweetie, sit by me.”

  “Thank you,” the little girl responded in a near whisper as she took her place between Sarah and her brother. She was quiet and sat very still all the way to the lodge despite Sarah’s attempts at conversation.

  “She’s very shy,” her brother explained.

  Another ten-minute drive brought them to a marker for Ten Oaks. Turning right onto the country lane, they traveled another few miles, again weaving up the mountain side.

  Near the top, they came to a large wooden sign announcing the entrance to Ten Oaks Lodge and Retreat Center. As Coby turned on the entry road, Sarah was astounded by the beauty of the secluded setting. The log cabin lodge sat directly ahead of her looking larger and more magnificent than it had appeared in the brochures. “This is it?” she asked breathlessly.

  “This is it,” Coby responded proudly as he pulled to a stop in the parking lot. Loading their bags onto the waiting cart, he led them into the lodge and toward the desk in the lobby. “Start over here,” he advised as he lined their bags up by the desk.

  Later, watching Holly and Drew heading for their room arm in arm, Sarah had a pang of regre
t that Charles wasn’t with her. Feeling lonely, she headed to her room, almost sorry she hadn’t opted for a roommate, but once she opened the door and saw the pile of quilts on the beds, she knew she would relish her solitude in this cozy mountain space.

  * * * * *

  It was early evening and there were no retreat plans until 9:00 the next morning. After a light supper in the dining room, Sarah approached the desk clerk, holding out her cell phone and said, “I can’t seem to get a signal. Do cell phones work up here?”

  “Most of the time, yes. But it’s sporadic. Try out on the porch. If that doesn’t work, just try again after a while. The weather affects it up here sometimes.” It was a beautiful autumn day with a mild nip in the air. Sarah couldn’t imagine how the weather could be interfering with the signal today. She walked out to the porch and was astounded by the view. Beyond their wooded ridge, Sarah could see the rolling mountains tinged with shades of hazy blue that melded into the sky in the far distance. She was momentarily speechless, but finally took a deep breath and dialed again.

  “Hi, babe. You got there!” Charles answered, sounding relieved to get her call.

  “I sure did and now I’m sorry I discouraged you from coming. You would love it!”

  “It’s just as well. There were things to take care of here.”

  Feeling a pang of guilt, Sarah asked, “How is the house?”

  “Not as bad as I thought. The guys brought in huge fans and the carpet should be dry in another twenty-four hours. They did most of the work actually. They mopped up the tile floors in the kitchen and cleaned them with a disinfectant. Except for these monster fans and more noise than a jet taking off, we’re pretty much back to normal.”

  As Sarah was talking, she saw Sissy walking around in the parking lot. Probably waiting for her brother, she thought.

  “How’s Barney taking it?” she said to Charles, thinking about all the noise.

  “Andy and Caitlyn kept him over there. He slept last night with Caitlyn so now he knows about sleeping on the bed instead of by it. I guess we’ll have some explaining to do when he gets home.”

  Sarah laughed and asked about Boots.

  “Still on top of the kitchen cabinet. I climbed up on a chair and fed her. She has her water dish and some toys. I tossed her blanket up there with her. She may just live up there; she seems perfectly happy with the arrangement.”

  “How about her litter?”

  “It’s on top of the refrigerator. She’ll venture that far away from her new home.”

  “I sure hope that’s back on the floor by the time I get home,” she said frowning.

  They continued to talk for the next twenty minutes. She told him about the flight and the drive to Ten Oaks. She promised to take pictures of the lodge and the view from the porch the next day and send them to his cell phone. They said good night just as dusk was settling in and she could see the moon over the mountains. “This place takes your breath away,” she said as they were hanging up.

  As she turned to go into the lodge, she caught sight of something moving in the thicket just beyond the driveway. “Is someone there?” she called out but there was no answer. It was getting dark and it was difficult to see into the woods, but she was sure she saw movement. Surely Coby’s little sister knows better than to wander off into the woods, she assured herself.

  Sarah went down the steps and walked over to the edge of the woods. Again she called out, “Hello? Is someone there?” She heard the rustling again, but this time it seemed to be farther away. She looked back at the lodge and considered going for help, but she didn’t want to appear foolish. Whoever or whatever it was had moved farther into the woods. Probably just an animal, she told herself, but still wondered if it could have been Sissy. She went into the lodge still not sure if she should tell someone.

  She was pleased to spot Sissy and her sister coming out of the kitchen and heading for the side door where Coby was waiting. So it wasn’t Sissy, she thought thankfully.

  She tried to forget the incident, but sleep was slow to come.

  Sarah woke up at 5:00 and couldn’t go back to sleep. Breakfast wasn’t going to be served until 7:30. She got up, took a shower, and dressed. Now what, she wondered. She considered taking a walk but was still feeling a bit spooked from the night before. Remembering her bag of fabrics, she decided to take them out and look at them again. She loved handling fabric and was eager to meet the other women and see what fabrics they had chosen.

  It was still early, so she pulled out all the written materials she had received from Ten Oaks and reread all the instructions, feeling comfortable that she was completely prepared. The retreat center was providing machines for its out-of-town participants as well as most of the supplies they would need for cutting, measuring, and pressing. She only had to bring her photo disk, fabric, and coordinating thread for her project. There were going to be several other small projects, but the center was providing all the materials.

  At 7:15, she realized it was time to go downstairs to the dining room. She left her fabrics spread out on the extra bed and grabbed her jacket in case she needed it. In the hallway, she met Holly and they walked down the wide staircase together. “Is Drew joining us for breakfast?”

  “He was up and out at 6:00 this morning. The group was meeting at a campground for a breakfast cookout!”

  “That sounds like fun,” Sarah remarked, imagining the smell of a wood fire and bacon cooking.

  “Sounds cold to me,” Holly responded, pulling her sweater tight around her. “It’s freezing this morning!”

  Sarah was comfortable and wondered if Holly was accustomed to a warmer climate. “We’re from southern Florida,” Holly responded when Sarah asked, “and I’m not used to this frigid weather.” Once they entered the dining room, Holly headed straight for the coffee bar. She filled a large mug with steaming coffee, which she then used as a hand warmer. “There. That’s better,” she said joining Sarah at one of the tables set for four. They were joined by another woman who introduced herself as Jane, and the three women chatted excitedly about the retreat.

  An elderly woman entered the room looking around as if lost. “Jane?” she called out.

  “Mom, over here,” Jane called to her. Turning to Sarah and Holly as she stood up, Jane said, “I was watching for her, but I got so caught up in … Mom, over here …” Looking relieved, she added, “Here she comes now. Mother, this is Sarah and Holly, and this is my mother, Genevieve. Let’s stick with first names if that’s okay with you folks. It’s easier for Mom.”

  Jane’s mother sat down next to Jane but looked anxious. “Why are we sitting down?” she asked her daughter.

  “We’re going to have breakfast, Mom. Do you want coffee?”

  “I don’t see any coffee,” she responded looking around anxiously.

  “I’ll get it for you. Just wait here.” As Jane stood up and walked to the courtesy coffee bar, her mother got up and followed her. “Mom, go back and sit down.” Her mother looked around not knowing what to do.

  Sarah decided to help her back to the table, but Genevieve was reluctant to go with her. “Who are you?” Genevieve asked nervously. “I don’t know you.”

  “This may have been a mistake,” Jane said returning to the table with a cup of coffee and her mother in tow. “My sister couldn’t take her and I couldn’t bring myself to cancel the retreat. Here Mom, here’s your coffee just the way you like it.”

  “Thank you, and stop treating me like a child,” her mother responded looking annoyed.

  A dozen more women had entered the room and found seats at three other tables. A young man took drink orders while the waitress served breakfast family style. Each table received a platter piled high with bacon, sausage links, and ham slices, a bowl of fluffy scrambled eggs, and a basket of biscuits. The room became electrified as the four tables of women ate and talked excitedly about their upcoming experience.

  Halfway through breakfast, Jane’s mother said she wanted to go to h
er room. “Excuse me,” Jane said standing. “I’ll be right back.” She helped her mother up and guided her toward the first floor rooms beyond the dining room and lobby.

  “That’s hard,” Holly said shaking her head. “I was talking to Jane last night. Her mother’s been diagnosed with dementia, most likely Alzheimer’s. They have a rough road ahead of them.”

  “Does her mother live with her?”

  “Jane moved into her mother’s house to care for her. They were both alone and she said it seemed less disruptive to her mom if she stayed in her familiar home. Jane sold her house.”

  “There’s a sister she mentioned. …”

  “Not much help, from what I gathered.”

  “It’s rough,” Sarah responded as she picked at the remainder of her meal. About that time Jane returned.

  “Okay, she’s settled for a while. It’s amazing how that woman can just close her eyes and fall right to sleep. She’ll nap for a couple of hours.”

  “Will she be okay alone?”

  “I think so. I talked to Chuck at the desk. He said the front door is monitored at all times. He’ll let me know if she comes into the lobby.”

  “What about while you’re sewing?” Holly asked, realizing that Genevieve could be quite a distraction to Jane.

  “She enjoys projects and she quilted all her life. I think we’ll be able to work on our quilt together. We went through the pictures and she was very interested in the idea of a memory quilt. I’m making this one for her.”

  “What a wonderful idea!” Sarah responded. “You can regularly look at the pictures with her and talk about old times. …”

  “Exactly!”

  Sarah privately tossed the idea around in her head. She wondered if that might be a service the quilt shop could offer quilters as a way of helping them with their caregiving responsibilities. She could immediately think of several customers who often talked about the dilemma of caring for parents with serious memory problems.